RV Service Timeframe

Before I sold I my auto repair business in Los Angeles I ran it in a manner that could guaranty that the customer would get their car back by the end of the day unless there was a large up sell or they showed up with a longer list than was originally talked about. New customers would often ask why my large parking lot was so clean and empty and I would explain my scheduling philosophy to them. It was usually met with either a blank stare or a very confused look. I stuck to this scheduling philosophy because in LA everyone needs their car and it decreased the stress on me and my crew. This scheduling process cost me a lot of profit over the years because most people judge a repair facility not by the quality and promptness of the repairs but by how full the lot is at the facility. There were even competitors that would buy junkers, move them around the lot each day and they were very busy even though their end result was usually poor. I came to the conclusion that most vehicle owners are not happy unless they can complain to their co-workers about how bad their repair facility is, how they over charge, etc. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't. The moral to the story is if you don't like what you are hearing from your shop go elsewhere. We do not have time to worry about your feelings. We have vehicles to repair in a timely and cost effective manner and if you do not like my particular approach try my competitors. I wish you well.
Randy

2gypsies wrote:
These problems don't seem to happen to full-timers. They make an appointment stating that they're full-timers and it's their home, arrive for the appt. and are immediately taken care of...at least that's what happens to folks we know. Full-timers are allowed to spend the night or nights in their RV at the service facility, sometimes even with electric. I think just knowing that the customer will be hanging around the service dept. waiting for their repair is enough to 'light the fire' and get it finished.

Perhaps the long waits stems from the fact that others drop their RVs off and unfortunately then the service dept. thinks they can take their good ole' time. This should not happen but it does.

We're fulltimers and that is exactly what happens. We are there, right in front of them, and things get taken care of as quickly as possible to get us on the way. We spent 3 weeks one time at the Coach Care in Elkhardt, IN (most of it waiting for parts to come in), had a site in the back with electric, (water and dump available) and they would let us know when parts came in, we'd pull the coach up in line at 7:00 am, and they'd let us know when they were done for the day with our coach (usually by 2:00 pm). We could see that only when there was no one actually sitting there would they pull rigs into the shop to work on them from the 'holding area'. Now they were doing mostly chassis work, but those there in the waiting room always were done first.

For house work, we usually use a mobile tech to come to us wherever we are staying. And since we are never in one place long enough to become friends with a particular dealership, we are looking, usually by word of mouth, for some place (or someone) who specializes in specific items.

Barb

These problems don't seem to happen to full-timers. They make an appointment stating that they're full-timers and it's their home, arrive for the appt. and are immediately taken care of...at least that's what happens to folks we know. Full-timers are allowed to spend the night or nights in their RV at the service facility, sometimes even with electric. I think just knowing that the customer will be hanging around the service dept. waiting for their repair is enough to 'light the fire' and get it finished.

Perhaps the long waits stems from the fact that others drop their RVs off and unfortunately then the service dept. thinks they can take their good ole' time. This should not happen but it does.

.....Customers get fixated on just 1 or 2 items and that spoils their whole outlook. Fix 20 items and the 21st or 22nd not done is ALL they fixate on. And you know what? We are human too. GUESS who gets the short end the next time they come and who does NOT get the little extra they may need in the future. THOSE type customers.

After 17+ years of RV ownership I have had my fair share of RV service time under my belt. This last one, my 1yr old coach was in for 1year warranty items - for FIVE (5) weeks...and when the parts come in for a couple of other items, I can only guess how long it will be again.

The problem is that. When a coach is received after an appt is made, each item should be addressed within 24-48 hours. That means the customer should be advised on lead time for items needing to be ordered and service times for any other items. If this does not happen, the service department is poorly run and/or the service advisor should find a new line of work. There could be some exceptions, such as negotiating with warranty companies or manufacturer on what is/is not covered.

In my case, it took 2 weeks in the shop for them to determine that a fogged up window cannot be resealed but would have to be replaced (in this case reseal did not mean remanufacuring the window, which would be the other alternative). The lead time on a new window even by my own guess is 3 weeks, yet I picked up my coach last Thurs and have not been advised that any window has arrived. And this is just the latest time my coach was in the shop.

Over the past 17 years the average time the coach would be in the shop would be 2.5 weeks:

One trick for RV service, at least here in Minnesota, is to get service work done in the dead of winter. I called one day in February about getting something fixed and the service adviser said I could get it done that day. In spring and fall the wait would be weeks.

dougrainer wrote:

You cannot compare a Auto or Truck to RV repair. RV's are HOUSES on wheels and have 10 times as many parts and systems that can go wrong. IF a Truck has a broken or scratched dash panel, you can BET the driver will NOT demand that it be replaced at THAT moment and will understand they will special order it and replace at a later date. He DOES have to get on the road to make money. AS I stated, MOST times an RV is taking extra time is for Special order parts and those parts do not impact the use of the RV. The Rv/er can pick up and use until they come in. Doug

What about the RV shops that set an appointment with the customer and then don't even look at the vehicle for days or weeks before they even look at it? I expect if I have an appointment that my vehicle will be looked at that day or the next day at latest. Again, commercial vehicle operators would never tolerate leaving a vehicle for days on end.

I don't have a problem with a shop having to special order a part. The issue I would have is if the dealer insists on keeping the vehicle until the part is in days or weeks later.

A lot of shops that service commercial vehicles are open until 10 pm, midnight, or even are open 24 hours a day. I have used some of these shops and have seen drivers drop off a truck in the evening for routine service and it will be waiting for them at 5 am when they are ready to hit the road again.

A good relationship with your service dept. is essential. I didn't buy my MH at Holland Motor Homes but have all my service done there. They know me by name and I know most of them. They tell me when to bring it in and when it will be done. I called a couple of years ago about a jack on my MH that had new springs and was still slow retracting. We decided, over the phone I needed a jack. They orderred it, I got home one day and left the next a new jack installed. A working relationship helps.

belfert wrote:
Think about it, would a company with a large straight truck or a semi tractor tolerate having to leave a truck for days or weeks on end for a repair job that might take a day at most? Most of these guys are losing money every minute they are in the shop.

Just because we aren't making money with a motorhome doesn't mean we should tolerate leaving the vehicle for days or weeks for a repair.

You cannot compare a Auto or Truck to RV repair. RV's are HOUSES on wheels and have 10 times as many parts and systems that can go wrong. IF a Truck has a broken or scratched dash panel, you can BET the driver will NOT demand that it be replaced at THAT moment and will understand they will special order it and replace at a later date. He DOES have to get on the road to make money. AS I stated, MOST times an RV is taking extra time is for Special order parts and those parts do not impact the use of the RV. The Rv/er can pick up and use until they come in. Doug

Think about it, would a company with a large straight truck or a semi tractor tolerate having to leave a truck for days or weeks on end for a repair job that might take a day at most? Most of these guys are losing money every minute they are in the shop.

Just because we aren't making money with a motorhome doesn't mean we should tolerate leaving the vehicle for days or weeks for a repair.

I am fortunate to have a great shop a few miles away from our house. They know my coach and we are able to schedule any work to be done with a phone call. If I need it in a hurry, they always do what they can to expedite my service. If I don't need it right away, I let them know and they adjust their schedule accordingly. Since they do not want a lot of vehicles clogging their location, they will call me when they have an opening and a mechanic ready to work on my coach. If KNOWN parts were needed, they were already ordered and in sotck before I show up.
They also adjust their labor rate depending on which mechanic is working on the coach. Basic maintenance items get the lower priced mechanic/apprentice. Items that require a little more skill get the specific mechanic. Unknown problems, especially electrical, get a mechanic well versed in electrical problems.
Basically, my coach goes to them when they have the space available and when the specific mechanic that I need is available to work on it. This shop also works on fleet vehicles and depends on owner's honesty to let them know the REAL importance of when the work NEEDS to be done. True emergencies are rushed to the point of overtime to get the problem corrected and the vehicle back on the road. This has worked well for me with my RV and with my construction equipment when i was working.
Actually talking honestly with the shop owner goes a long way to developing a relationship with a shop that will work with you in your time of need. Don't cry wolf because YOU waited until the last minute to take care of a known problem.