Manufacturers - How Do You Answer This
This is one aspect of why I am leery of an aluminum framed camper, not to mention a newer, expensive camper. Of course the extremely poor quality craftsmanship could be duplicated in a wood-framed cam...
Forum Discussion
A couple of days ago I received an email from a local RV dealer trying to answer my original "email to manufacturers" about quality in building RVs. This dealer said they had received email forwards from two of the manufacturers on my original list. Thereby showing action now from 6 of the 9 who were emailed.
One of those two had already responded to me directly, the other had not. The one that had not, apparently felt a dealer could provide better assistance than they could, or probably more accurately, that the dealer should be the one wasting time responding to me as a potential customer, not the high and mighty manufacturer.
Not only did the dealer respond with the "expected" reply - which felt sincere enough, but was a bit of a scolding about expecting perfection in my new purchase - but the reply was from the "Finance Manager".
When I was in "Business Communication with Customers - 101" many years ago, I seem to recall one particular lesson that said something like "salesmen and finance managers are trained in particular skills and should not be the ones to provide answers to a customer about quality of product issues". But that was a long time ago and I am getting a little older and don't exactly remember things as clearly as I once did.
At any rate, I felt the manufacturer who depended on the dealer for full response just shows I don't want to buy anything from that brand. The other one was not TOO bad an answer originally and indicated an additional concern for my satisfaction by answering first, then forwarding to the dealer ALSO! That is one manufacturer I would probably deal with (and is one of the two on my short list).
To date then I haven't heard from 3 of the 9. But one of those was already quoted in this thread as believing there is a problem in the industry, and ALSO said at one point somewhere in my research, something like "I don't know how much bigger we can get and still provide a quality product. Not everyone can have a ******* camper". If I want that brand, it may well be the roles are reversed and I must now "sell" myself to them as their customer. It is that sort of manufacturer who probably puts out a quality product (and indeed they are the other on my short list).
I believe the "Manufacturer Reply" trail has gone cold. I will now end my updates.
I have reduced my short list to two companies. Some of this is based on reply/response or other quoting found within my research, but to a great extent, these two choices are based more on me actually learning as much as I can about their products and the individual needs I have regarding such things as size, weight, maneuverability, size of tanks, available options, etc.
This has been a fun exercise. I have learned a lot, and not just about various products, manufacturers, etc. but some interesting education about some of YOU!
Yes, it is those of you I refer to who may well come back with a reply saying "we have learned a lot about you too!" to which I will only say :)
Thanks for all the activity on this thread. It took a number of turns along the way huh?
Cheers
One of those two had already responded to me directly, the other had not. The one that had not, apparently felt a dealer could provide better assistance than they could, or probably more accurately, that the dealer should be the one wasting time responding to me as a potential customer, not the high and mighty manufacturer.
Not only did the dealer respond with the "expected" reply - which felt sincere enough, but was a bit of a scolding about expecting perfection in my new purchase - but the reply was from the "Finance Manager".
When I was in "Business Communication with Customers - 101" many years ago, I seem to recall one particular lesson that said something like "salesmen and finance managers are trained in particular skills and should not be the ones to provide answers to a customer about quality of product issues". But that was a long time ago and I am getting a little older and don't exactly remember things as clearly as I once did.
At any rate, I felt the manufacturer who depended on the dealer for full response just shows I don't want to buy anything from that brand. The other one was not TOO bad an answer originally and indicated an additional concern for my satisfaction by answering first, then forwarding to the dealer ALSO! That is one manufacturer I would probably deal with (and is one of the two on my short list).
To date then I haven't heard from 3 of the 9. But one of those was already quoted in this thread as believing there is a problem in the industry, and ALSO said at one point somewhere in my research, something like "I don't know how much bigger we can get and still provide a quality product. Not everyone can have a ******* camper". If I want that brand, it may well be the roles are reversed and I must now "sell" myself to them as their customer. It is that sort of manufacturer who probably puts out a quality product (and indeed they are the other on my short list).
I believe the "Manufacturer Reply" trail has gone cold. I will now end my updates.
I have reduced my short list to two companies. Some of this is based on reply/response or other quoting found within my research, but to a great extent, these two choices are based more on me actually learning as much as I can about their products and the individual needs I have regarding such things as size, weight, maneuverability, size of tanks, available options, etc.
This has been a fun exercise. I have learned a lot, and not just about various products, manufacturers, etc. but some interesting education about some of YOU!
Yes, it is those of you I refer to who may well come back with a reply saying "we have learned a lot about you too!" to which I will only say :)
Thanks for all the activity on this thread. It took a number of turns along the way huh?
Cheers
