At the 2010 Louisville RV Trade Show, one of our dealers asked me, “Why would anyone buy our motor homes”? This was not to say that we didn’t have great motor homes but this was a question that needed to be answered. We had made small steps in improving the Sprinter Legend model but in 2011, we made a huge leap forward with our secret weapon, customers!
We developed what has become the Great West Vans Customer Development Program where customers participate in every step of the build process of new models and where we are making ‘on the fly’ improvements, we involve current customers to obtain their feedback and advice. We have thrown out the idea of making new model introductions in any particular way such as model year changes in favor of constant improvement. Great ideas don’t come just on a yearly basis.
In February of 2011, we started a conversation with a customer who needed more space to carry two very high-tech bicycles in a Sprinter Class B motor home. No other manufacturer wanted to discuss this need but we are always willing to spend the time and hopefully listen. This led to us to consider every aspect of the Sprinter Legend with an experienced RV owner and we discovered many new possibilities, some of which had never been tried in a Class B before.
Imagine, opening your doors to customers and taking their problems, suggestions and ideas as a challenge, turning a something most would avoid and turning it in to an opportunity. Most would think this would drive a person crazy, maybe, but the benefits from an open attitude far out way the cost and the craziness.
Now we have 3 Sprinter Legend models, the Sprinter Legend with many new upgrades and new options, the Sprinter Legend e built on the extended Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis and the Sprinter Legend ex which now has for the first time in a Class B motor home, a Diesel Hydronic heating and hot water system. We also found a way to up the air conditioner to 15000 btu’s and the generator to 3.6 kw which is quieter and much more able to handle the air conditioner. These are features only available on a Great West Vans model.
This coming summer will be interesting as we believe we collectively received 30 phone calls last year in a four week period from people in southern locations who asked one question, how big is your air conditioner? Now we can tell the story that it’s bigger at 15000 btu’s (which sounds big), quieter (which it is), more efficient and comes in a motor home that has exclusive Hydronic heating and a big generator. We all know the sales process is about starting a conversation and engaging the buyers in building value and removing the objections. The customers who have participated in the development last year have given us the opportunity to build a motor home that addresses the common concerns from both those new to Class B motor homes and those with years of experience. So we are really looking forward to 2012.
We will soon be starting to build the first 2012 “Activa”. This all-new model will be built on the shorter Mercedes-Benz 3500 Sprinter chassis and will contain some really neat features. Designed for people who have a length restriction where they live or have more of a travelling desire as opposed to planning to camp, this model will offer flexibility for a wide audience. Diesel Hydronic Heating will be standard and a new efficient way to utilize the available space. The counter will be where it belongs on the camping side of the model and the fridge and microwave will not be on the floor where it makes functionality not so functional.
For the last year we have also responded to Internet enquiries in 4 to 8 hours, started a conversation with a prospect and pushed those that were ready over to a dealer to close. Over 30% of our sales in 2011 came from retail customers who we had passed on to dealers, much higher than expected but it has shown that the Class B buyer is looking for more service, more attention, better materials, fit and finish and most importantly, someone who is willing to listen. In this regard we hope that other manufacturers keep doing things the same old way, responding to customers in 3 to 4 weeks or never, we like it. The other interesting thing is that we have sold every unit we have produced, before it was produced and shipped for the last 16 months.
We will be looking at representation in a number of locations this year. Our focus is on the retail customer, to help make our dealers more successful. This might be a different approach, but it works and we very much enjoy talking to customers.
