RVBusiness, March/April 2019

the point of which is to improve the RV service turnaround times at dealerships from coast to coast by working out a plan for manufacturers suppliers and distributors One of NTP STAGs initiatives at the 2019 Expo was its new PDI focus an acronym for Profit Dollars Increase 98 RVBusiness M A R C H A P R I L 2 0 1 9 to expedite parts deliveries Its an outgrowth of the industrys Repair Event Cycle Time RECT task force that has been led since late 2017 by Rogers and Garry Enyart director of RV business for Cummins Inc and the newly elected chairman of the RVIA board of directors The most visible outgrowth of that initiative thus far is a warranty fulfillment program launched last year with Airxcel Inc s Coleman Mach air conditioner line and a pilot program introduced in October with Grand Design Recreational Vehicle Co the latter of which is a partnership developed to produce rapid order response times and parts deliveries through a seamless fulfillment system As such NTP STAGs category teams worked with Middlebury Ind based Grand Designs service parts personnel to build a master stocking plan that addresses product demand by SKU and location The goal having established stocking levels and item placement within the distribution network is to ensure next day service for Grand Designs dealers through NTP STAGs distribution system So we worked with them Grand Design for a bit to develop a program where if they have a warranty claim said Rogers dealers can call in as they always have and instead of them a supplier or manufacturer trying to fulfill it by searching through their production line to find the proper part to send to the dealer at whatever time it might get there they drop an order to us and we fulfill it next day on our trucks So it gets to the dealer faster It took a while to get that where it made sense because the packaging is much different when a supplier sends a part to an OE versus when they send it to us We tend to have retailfriendly packaging with all the documentation required for a consumer When you send a component to an OEM original equipment manufacturer its just a pure piece that goes on a production line and gets installed So it might come in a big palette or a returnable container or something like that Rogers told RVB But we were able to work through it with them Grand Design and they launched it in October and the dealer feedback has been extremely positive I feel like Grand Design really wanted to be a pioneer up front and try to develop a program that they cared about and really help the dealers address this industry issue thats been out there where its getting a lot of industry attention right now So I think they felt like this was something worthwhile to pursue and both teams did a lot to try and get it up and running Also looking down the road Rogers says the industry can count on NTP STAG to keep the pedal to the metal with regard to its annual Expo the 2020 rendition of which is slated for Jan 13 14 at the Gaylord Texan in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine We try to put on a nice event said Rogers whose company brought 210 staff members for the Nashville show I think our venues are attractive for our dealers to come and spend time at and the Gaylord properties are a good example We encourage them dealers to come with incentives with good hospitality and by presenting new ideas new talking points throughout We had one customer come in and speak to the sales team doing the voice of the customer before the event kicked off And it was really about partnership the more we establish that partnership relationship with a strong series of educational forums and training sessions I mean the educational opportunities that they had in Nashville on Day One this year were significant and greater than last year said Rogers The turnout was fabulous for that I think training and development plays a big part in employee retention for dealers in terms of keeping the best people they can and they can offer that training and development when they come here along with as I said a nice environment and all the product So everything they need is right here to really help them set themselves up for the year and try to grow themselves I think our shows just a good environment for them providing everything they need to do what they do best RVB to do is to put those behind the counter not necessarily out in front because people need them and theyre going to come and ask for them anyway They dont need to be out in front where you could put something that might be more an impulse type of buy something that they might buy because they see it there So were urging them to put more impulse stuff that needs a little bit more of a sales presentation in the front of the store with point of sale planogram type setups that they can use to help sell these different types of products These are ultimately the kinds of things that go beyond the typical role of a distributor Rogers noted Were trying to think about how we can continue to grow and if we dont have customers that grow then we wont grow he said So how do we help them eventually generate more business By introducing new products new ideas trying to help them get more sales out of the same space in terms of retail Now we do have our store set group that goes out and helps dealers reset and upgrade stores in terms of the retail environment Coming up with the right mix of retail expertise to help them sell more products is what were really trying to do because ultimately it helps us Toward that end he said smart technology is among the newest categories that represent fertile room for growth especially for dealers with limited space So too are pet supplies popular right now because RVers are big pet owners and there seems to be no end to what theyll spend on their pets On a broader scale however one of the most significant new trends in Bill Rogers mind has to do with an industrywide undertaking in which Rogers has been involved for the last year and a half