RVBusiness, March/April 2018
BY BRUCE HAMPSON PHOTOS BY SHAWN SPENCE Garry Covey a Master Certified technician who has worked at Keystone for 12 years walks a group of dealer service technicians through a pre delivery inspection PDI checklist during the initial KRV Technical Training Academy PDI was one of a number of topics covered during the three day program Keystone Implements Dealer Service Education With First KRV Technical Training Academy Weve got all these new customers coming in to the market and if we dont teach our dealers how our products work or how to fix them were not going to keep those customers very long said Rick Deisler Keystone vice president of service operations If theres a certainty to anything mechanical its that sooner or later it will need to be serviced That of course presents problems for any industry While recreational vehicle manufacturers continue building and shipping units at a record pace finding and training enough technicians to maintain and repair them is a dilemma thats bedeviled the industry for years National programs overseen by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association RVIA and Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association RVDA have had mixed results and in recent years a mushrooming number of suppliers have been staging more proprietary training seminars to ensure that dealer employees and independent technicians own the knowledge to service and repair their componentry in the field Now RV OEMs are hosting group training in an effort to assist their dealer networks In February Goshen Ind based Keystone RV Co became the latest in a growing number of RV manufacturers to offer training with the staging of its first KRV Technical Training Academy an intensive 80 RVBusiness M A R C H A P R I L 2 0 1 8 three day course that according to Keystone executives provides key training for every level of service techs Weve got all these new customers coming in to the market and if we dont teach our dealers how our products work or how to fix them were not going to keep those customers very long said Rick Deisler Keystone vice president of service operations Keystone said Deisler had considered holding classes at its manufacturing campus for several years but timing wasnt good We had absorbed another company Dutchmen RV which meant resources were short for a time but weve addressed that and now can offer this program to the dealers Were planning to hold eight academies Keystone RV executives involved in the OEMs new training academy include L R Randy Davis technical training manager Garett Carolus general manager warranty operations and Rick Deisler vice president service operations
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