Among dealers leading the trend is Altmans Winnebago of California, which has just completed a $3.5 million renovation at one of its sites with the focus on making the customer feel valued, pampered and wrapped in service luxury.

The owner of Altmans, Dave Altman, said national surveys on RV customer satisfaction issues conducted by the Go RVing Coalition helped serve as a guide for making improvements at his Carson site near Long Beach.

From greeting customers at the door with freshly baked cookies and lemonade to free customer barbecues on weekends to free RV washes for all serviced vehicles, Altmans makes clear it's out to win and keep customers.

"We're intent on giving our customers Nordstrom-style quality service," says Altman, whose Carson store celebrated the grand opening of its newly remodeled facility in April.

A cybercafe at an RV lot? That's part of the star treatment for customers at the Carson store. The store's customer lounge features a cybercafe with a highspeed Internet access computer and room for customers to plug in their own laptops. In addition, there's a separate, spacious "Customer-For-Life Center" equipped with a kitchen and other amenities that serves as a community center customers can use for various RV-related meetings, including camping clubs and educational seminars.

All customers coming in for service - even just an oil change- get a free RV wash that includes use of a reverse osmosis water system for spot-free drying, plus inside cleaning with a new built-in10 horsepower high-tech vacuum, and free emptying of waste tanks.

These and many other extras at the Altmans store follow surveys by the GO RVing coalition that found dealerships need to give greater focus to increasing customer satisfaction, The surveys, conducted in 2001 by Roper ASW and in 1999 by J.D. Power & Associates found that customers' interactions with RV deaerships account for 20 percent of how customers feel about their overall RV experience,

The RV itself accounted for 65 percent customer satisfaction, and the RV manufacturer 13 percent, with campgrounds making up the difference.

The Go RVing Coalition is currently developing suggested initiatives to help dealers boost customer service.

Altmans is "obviously ahead of the curve and will surely serve as a shining example to other RV dealers," said Gary LaBella, RVIA's vice president of public relations and advertising.

New buyers picking up their vehicles at the Carson store get full star treatment, including their names up on a welcoming marquee. A new owner takes possession of his RV fully set up - complete with rooms extended, awnings out and appliances running - in one of three fully operational campsites. An orientation follows that includes complete campsite use of the RV, putting the vehicle in travel mode and driver training, if necessary.

"Customer First" is the theme of Altmans' new marketing program.

To ensure complete customer comfort, customers at the Carson store can even find quiet time to relax in a comfortable patio area that is off limits to sales people.

Altmans has enlisted "Altmans Ambassadors," who are RV owners, to help staff the Carson store. Their role is to greet customers and talk about the RV life-style, Other added services, improvements and extras at the Carson site include:

• A comprehensive follow-up program to stay in touch with customers
• An expanded service center and expedited service program
• Prices posted clearly on all vehicles
• No-pressure sales policy
• Intensified sales training program

"We're committed to making the customer feel appreciated and deserving of the best," Altman said.