RVBusiness, March/April 2020

Coach Net from page 42 Coach Net President David Ostlund and Vice President of Sales Kim Gregory refer to their end consumers Both were on hand in early January when RVBusiness stopped by Coach Nets Lewisville Texas offices We start with the end consumer in mind said Ostlund a 16 year Coach Net veteran who purchased the company 2 1 2 years ago from its former parent National Motor Club Holdings Inc Were all RVers ourselves and we do our best to understand the RV lifestyle so that we can build better products In so doing Ostlund and Gregory said Coach Net works through its dealer partners to enhance the endconsumers RV experience not just building a business around making money an outlook which they maintain has helped the 110 employee company become the largest independent roadside assistance organization of its kind Well I think it was rooted in a great foundation said Ostlund RVers experience a greater sense of community and we believe heavily in that sense of community We want to perpetuate that As RVers ourselves we understand the challenges Until you own an RV or take RV trips its hard to understand exactly the challenges and the experience but also the rewarding nature of it We like to bring that into the equation Thats an important part to us 74 RVBusiness M A R C H A P R I L 2 0 2 0 Dispatch agents at Coach Nets call center are trained to diagnose RV travelers roadside assistance issues The real point added Gregory is that RV ownership is more of a bonafide lifestyle from both a business and personal standpoint We do our best and were going to continue to do better to enhance that experience for our members said Ostlund not just on roadside safety but also the convenience of using the membership Gregory whos been with the company for 12 years said Coach Nets expertise can best be summed up by looking at its RV technical assistance program When a traveler calls in from wherever they may be a Coach Net representative first diagnoses the problem in order to make sure members are sent to certified facilities that have the proven ability to work on their rigs If its an engine issue theyre going to talk to a certified technician she said When we provide roadside assistance we are going to try to diagnose the problem because we want to make sure if were towing a person were towing them to the proper facility and not just towing them anywhere All of Coach Net agents on the phones in turn have direct RV training They understand what an RV is said Gregory They understand size the difficulty to get those towed or serviced and they also live that environment They know these people members are out on vacation enjoying their time on the road We understand that We want to try to get them back to making memories with their families and friends Thats kind of where were different Its just not a run of the mill answer the phone get them service pass up pass on We make sure the customer has every step covered So if the closest certified facility is five minutes away but is booked two weeks out Coach Net will extend its search to get the unit into service quickly Coach Net accomplishes this at times through its partnership with the Priority RV Network a nationwide group of independent dealers with 130 storefronts While Coach Net is also affiliated with Newmar Tiffin Entegra and Forest River owners groups it also turns when necessary to a mobile mechanic service option for RV owners experiencing trip stopping issues like malfunctioning slideouts or jacks Those are all things that make the unit immobile things where were going to try to tech them and walk them through it ourselves to try to get David Ostlund