J.D. Power and Associates Unveils Preliminary Findings of First RV Industry Satisfaction Study Satisfaction with the total RV experience hinges most heavily upon the RV itself -- its perceived value and performance -- followed by the ability of manufacturers and dealers to work together to fix problems. That is the preliminary conclusion of a proprietary consumer satisfaction research study of the RV industry now being conducted by J.D. Power and Associates for the Go RVing Coalition's Committee on Excellence. The study, focusing on owners of 1997 model year motorhomes and towables, will identify the main drivers of consumer satisfaction with current RVs as well as manufacturer, dealer and campground experiences, to help the industry maximize its performance against customer expectations. J.D. Power and Associates reported top satisfaction criteria identified to date at the RVIA Annual Meeting in March. Ranked most important to consumer satisfaction with the total RV experience were overall satisfaction with the RV, its value for the money, the incidence of problems with it and the ability of manufacturers to work with dealers to solve these problems. Owners also said manufacturers should stand behind their products, produce quality workmanship (especially fit and finish), and be responsive to requests and respectful toward customers. Dealer trust and satisfaction with the sales process were also cited as important to overall satisfaction with the RV experience. Besides quality of workmanship, satisfaction with the incidence of problems, value, and fit and finish, the measures with the greatest impact on satisfaction with the RV itself were future trade-in/resale value, quality of materials used on interior walls, overall comfort and convenience and interior styling Preliminary data on levels of owner satisfaction with their current RV are promising, according to Jim Sheldon, chief operating officer of Monaco Coach Corporation's Indiana operation and chairman of the Go RVing Coalition's Committee on Excellence. He said, "Customers are rating their RVing experience very well overall, but the industry is not yet achieving the 'wow' factor. The industry is getting the job done, but not surpassing expectations. This offers a tremendous opportunity to those in the industry to act on these findings to surprise and delight their customers." Sheldon also advised manufacturers that taking action now to reduce problems is critical to capturing the next generation of baby boom RV buyers, since their quality expectations are likely to be higher on the basis of their automotive experiences. On the dealer level, owners were surveyed regarding the main drivers of satisfaction with the sales and delivery process. The salesperson's perceived honesty, integrity, helpfulness, listening ability, concern for the customer's needs and time, and the overall "deal" received were cited as important. Topping the measures impacting satisfaction with dealer service was the quality of work performed as well as service personnel's competence, which includes diagnostic ability, job knowledge and communications skills such as listening, helpfulness, promptness and the ability to explain problems. "These preliminary findings demonstrate that in addition to the quality of the product itself, RV manufacturers and dealers play a major role in satisfying the customer," Sheldon said . "How they treat the customer and work together definitely impact owner satisfaction. Training in 'people' skills as well as technical aptitude are emerging as critical for customer relations, sales and service personnel." Satisfaction with campgrounds is also being studied. Highly ranked factors for commercial campgrounds, were overall value for the money, campsite availability, maneuverability, size and hookups; policies and procedures; appearance and cleanliness; cost per night; maintenance of grounds, friendliness of staff; appearance of buildings; adequate signage and privacy. Other factors not being measured have a significant impact on owner satisfaction, based on focus groups conducted by J.D. Power and Associates in preparation for the study. These include the freedom, family togetherness, camaraderie and access to nature offered by RVing. The Go RVing RV owner satisfaction study is being undertaken to offer RV manufacturers, dealers and campground operators the consumer feedback they need to provide the highest quality of products and services possible as industry growth accelerates under the influence of the highly successful Go RVing national advertising campaign, now in its third year. Final results of the study are expected in June 1999.
|
