C.B. wrote:
If I was to build a product to the level that would please me "I couldn't afford to buy it.":B
C.B.
This, to me, is a cop out excuse. The people that are getting paid to design and build these trailers should have better integrity and work ethic. One of the lowest paying jobs I ever had was a minimum wage ($4.25 an hour in 1993) job at a nursery (trees... not babies). I worked my tail off for $4.25. Unloading tractor trailers in the middle of the summer when it was 120 degrees inside the trailer. Loading heavy trees into customers cars. Stacking bags of mulch, etc.
If you are getting paid to do a job, why wouldn't you want to do it well?
There are a LOT of RV's out there. Go to an RV show and look at all the competition. If one company did what it took to make a better product at the same price point, they would take a lions share of sales.
How much would it add to the cost to put Eternabond tape on the roof seams? If I bought it myself and applied it, its less than $100. If you are a manufacturer buying it by the MILE instead of the foot, its likely less expensive. Plus when you consider the savings of not pumping gallons of caulk into the lining, its even cheaper.
How about the cost of gluing down a rubber roof with a 10 year warranty... how much more does it cost to replace the rubber roof with Rhino Lining? I'm seeing people with quotes of $4000+ to replace a rubber roof... how much does Rhino Lining cost instead? It is essentially maintenance free, doesn't make black streaks, doesn't breakdown under UV light, provides better thermal and sound protection. Get your employees certified by Rhino Lining, get your own booth installed in your factory. Spray the roof so that it overhands the fiberglass or aluminum wall by 2 or 3 inches to prevent that pesky joint that leaks. I would be curious to see a manufacturer offer a factory Rhino Lining roof in lieu of a rubber roof. Rhino Lining touts itself as a cheaper alternative to replacing a rubber roof... seems that it would be cheaper for the manufacturer to install AND a better product.
I like the idea about tracking what employees work on what units and providing bonuses to the teams that have the least warranty claims. There is nothing wrong with piecemeal work... as long as the work is being accomplished with satisfactory results. If your team had excessive warranty claims the previous quarter, your work isn't considered complete until quality control inspects each phase of work. The extra time it takes to pass QC inspection isn't paid extra. Now you have an extra incentive to build it right the first time.
Something I would push for is a different mentality about lower cost or entry level campers. You can buy a Honda Civic with vinyl seats and manual locks still. Its still a Civic, still ahs a dependable engine and good gas mileage and you can expect it to last 200,000+ miles... it just doesn't have all the bells and whistles. Why can't you buy a good quality travel trailer or motorhome that is built well and expected to last... but built with less features to cut down on cost. Instead of throwing together a piece of******with pretty features, offer a bare bones structure that will allow a family to camp comfortably for years with less "pretty" things.
In the 70's and 80's the domestic manufacturers produced crap. Lots of people made comments like the above quoted... "They could make it better, but we couldn't afford it". Toyota and Honda proved them wrong. They built a more reliable product for less money. They sold a LOT of cars and made some good money. The domestics had to find a way to streamline and make a better product. The competition made products better and kept prices down.
RV manufacturers can increase quality without substantially raising their price point. Do it right the FIRST time and you will save money long term.
