RV Learning Center

RV Learning Center
RV Learning Center

Welcome to the RV Learning Center

Welcome to the RVDA Education Foundation RV Learning Center! The RV Learning Center provides programs and resources aimed at educating dealers and their employees.

Here’s how to get where you need to go:

Take A Virtual Tour of the RV Learning Center! Click here to launch a four-minute video presentation.
Click! The dealership departments are listed on the left of every page. Choose the department you’re interested in and click.
Can’t find it? Use the search engine in the top left corner of every page and hit “go!”
Want to network with other dealership employees? Check out the communities page and connect with industry experts and other people in your position. Talk about challenges you face on the job, find new and better ways to get the job done, and share solutions for success.
Fairfax, VA – The RV Learning Center is issuing a series of Federal Regulatory Guides developed to help RV Dealers and their employees understand and stay in compliance with various federal requirements that impact RV dealers.

The first in the series, The Cash Reporting Guide, has been updated to reflect changing laws that require RV dealers to report large cash transactions to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in addition to the IRS. This guide includes a summary of the cash reporting requirements for RV dealers and an explanation and example for using the IRS/FinCEN Form.

The Do Not Call Registry, the second in the series, explains how the new registry works and how it pertains to RV dealers. The guide includes a sample Do-Not-Call List Policy, an explanation of the fines associated with violation of the policy, as well as guidelines for obtaining written permission for solicitation.

These publications are available for $25 for RVDA members and $40 for non-members. Visit www.rvlearningcenter.com for an order form. The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax exempt organization as described in section 501(C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax deductible as charitable donations.

RV Learning Center Offers New Sales Training Publication:
The Selling Cycle by Jan Kelly

Fairfax, VA – The RV Learning Center has just released The Selling Cycle – a publication for RV sales professionals who want to increase sales and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Continue…

New Federal Rules Do Not Impact Overtime Exemptions for Most Dealerships
Compiled by RVDA Staff

The new federal “Fairpay” rule for “white collar” workers has no impact on overtime exemptions for most dealerships.

The rule is designed to simplify overtime exemptions for executive, professional, and outside sales employees. The rule does increase the numbers of workers eligible for overtime pay – raising the annual employee salary threshold from $8,060 or less to $23,660 or less. Continue…

Service Advisor Training Now Available on Video through the RV Learning Center

By: Dave Horne, RVDA Education Services Coordinator

The RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center now provides RV Service Advisor Training on both videocassette and DVD. The nine-hour program trains existing and new service advisors in “best practices” that will increase their competency on the job as well as prepare them to take the newly developed RV Service Advisor Certification Examination. The program is designed to give RV service advisors a good overall understanding of the position so they can communicate effectively with customers and RV technicians. There are seven main skill areas of the training program:News

RV Learning Center Scholarship Available:
Application Deadline is June 3, 2005

The RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center Scholarship program, is now accepting applications for the 2005-2006 school year. The program awards scholarships to rising sophomore, junior, or senior college undergraduate students interested in majoring in business, finance, economics, or accounting.

Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, a 500-word essay on their goals and objectives in college, extracurricular activities and honors, and financial need. Applicants must be employees, or dependents, at RV dealerships or other RV-related companies. Dealer principals and their dependents are not eligible.

The scholarships are made possible through the generosity of the Newt and Joanne Kindlund Family. The Kindlunds founded the first publicly-traded RV dealership. The Kindlunds sold the company in 1999. Newt Kindlund remains an active participant in RV industry affairs and currently serves on The RVDA Education Foundation Board of Directors. The Kindlund Family, to date, has pledged $270,000 to the Foundation’s scholarship endowment.

“I am pleased the RV Learning Center is able to recognize outstanding commitment to learning with the scholarship program,” said RVDA Education Foundation Chairman of the Board Rick Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smryna, DE. “The industry owes the Kindlund family their thanks for funding this excellent program.”

For more information on the scholarship program, as well as an application form, visit www.rvlearningcenter.org, send an e-mail to info@rvda.org, or send a fax to The RVDA Education Foundation at (703) 591-0734. The deadline for applications for the 2005-2006 academic year is Friday, June 3, 2005.

The RVDA Education Foundation is the educational arm of RVDA. Because the Foundation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, donations to the Foundation may be tax deductible as charitable contributions. For more information on the scholarship program and an application, click here.

A Dozen Things Your Salespeople Can Be Great at and Still Not Get Past Average in Sales
by: Joe Verde

It takes more than a smile and product knowledge to succeed in sales and too many of you are missing those extra sales simply because your salespeople haven’t been taught the other things they need to know about ‘how to sell RVs in today’s market’. Continue…

Featured Articles

The Texas Recreational Vehicle Association (TRVA) will support the RVDA Education Foundation’s RV Learning Center with a $15,000 pledge.

“I know that I can speak on behalf of my members when I say that TRVA is most appreciative of the efforts being put forth to develop the RV Learning Center. In these very competitive times, the more knowledge that the Center can offer dealers in Texas, the more positive effect it will have on the bottom line,” said Clark McEwen, Executive Director,TRVA.

Show what you know by taking the
RV Service Advisor Certification Exam!

The RV Service Advisor certification examination gives working RV service advisors an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a basic body of knowledge in the operational, technical, and human relations skills that help service advisors improve customer satisfaction and make the service and repair processes more efficient.

All certified service advisors, upon notification of passing exam scores, will receive a plaque with a certificate and a patch acknowledging their status as Certified RV Service Advisors.

All currently employed RV Service Advisors, RV Service Managers, or RV Service Writers that have a minimum of one year’s service advisor-related experience are eligible to take the test.

Register for the exam here , call (703) 591-7130, or email info@rvda.org.

RV Learning Center Readies RV Parts Personnel Program
By: Andrew Jacobs, Education Program Manager

The RV Learning Center, in conjunction with the Ohio State University’s Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE), has nearly finished its work on training and certification testing programs for RV Parts personnel. .