I would be interested in hearing what the Vantare/Featherlite customers are thinking and saying about this. This new arrangement for sales and service is being spun as a great thing, but as a customer another entire level has been inserted between the buyer and the manufacturer. It is difficult to communicate, so when you insert someone in between the customer and the manufacturer how do you address design issues, quality issues, customer response, feedback, and especially how do you protect customer loyalty?

If you ever want to see how easy it is for a sales agent to misrepresent a product review the ads for Prevost Coaches on sites such as RV online or RV trader. I have seen Prevost Conversions listed there with Spartan chassis and I have seen them listed with Cat engines. I am certain the salesmen are equally ill informed about the rest of the coach.

It is a rare Prevost Conversion buyer that has no knowledge of RVs. So at the very least the new sellers of these coaches need to learn them and not just expect to BS their way to a sale. And how are they going to handle trades, repairs, and issues relating to the chassis. I know that if I buy a new coach there is a dividing line between the chassis and the house, but I also know that the converter has the clout with Prevost and acts as my agent in being sure I am satisfied. Are these various sales locations going to get the Prevost training and also be able to interface with Prevost to satisfy the customer?

In every business I was in the momentum of the business was created by customer loyalty. The repeat business and the long term relationships drove the business. We worked very hard to maintain that loyalty and we never used sales agents to talk to long term customers. We spoke directly to the customer and put a lot of effort into the relationship, because if we lost that customer the work required to get a new customer was overwhelming. I think this is a dumb move for both companies and they can spin it any way they want.

Look how many Legendary Coaches are still listed for sale, and how long they have been shading the blacktop at dealers. I think the buyers of conversions take all this into consideration and then vote with their feet.