Oliver looking to partnership with RV dealerships.

[Patriot]

22 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Mark your calendars, the day this network becomes official indicates the death of an un-matchable independent brand. I hope there are very firm stipulations to prevent price manipulations by the clueless dealer sales droids. If dealers can set prices, it will destroy the stellar resale value of existing Hulls.

I have some personal experience with a local “premium” dealer, RnR RV Superstore, I sure hope they are not in the new network ;( They do indeed have a fine glitzy indoor super showroom, they took over a defunct Fred Meyer box store. I guess that would be good for showing an Ollie…

Sad times ahead! IMHO of course.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Just your opinion and I believe you sold your trailer and no longer having a dog in the fight. These are exciting times to be an Oliver owner and to watch Oliver grow and spread its wings. 👍🏻👍🏻

Maybe try and not be this guy.😉

 

[katanapilot]

2 hours ago, Patriot said:

Awesome, and I read the entire link. A business needs to grow or die on the vine. Good for present and future owners! 👍🏻 

Patriot🇺🇸

I would say it's a little premature to declare that this is a good move.  It may well turn out to be, no one really knows at this point.

[bugeyedriver]

I believe that as long as OTT maintains its high quality of manufacturing Ollies, without cutting any workmanship corners, being able to partner with well vetted, quality dealers who value excellence in service and customer satisfaction, this new chapter of Oliver Travel Trailers  lifecycle will benefit both the Oliver company and future owners.

Having new trailers on site at different locations throughout the country will expose the Ollie to campers who may otherwise not have had a chance to see one in person.

Best of luck to OTT in this new chapter of their business!

 

[SeaDawg]

Two other major, respected fiberglass manufacturers have relationships with a limited dealer network of their selection-- Bigfoot and Northern Lite. I don't think their resales have been affected, either. 

I can certainly see the benefit of being able to order and pick up somewhat locally, and especially to get qualified service closer to home than Hohenwald.  (It's a 12 to  13 hour drive for us, from Florida. ) Not everyone is able to do all the service and upgrades themselves. And, as Oliver has always tried to be on the leading edge of tech, these trailers, when fully optioned, can be  a bit of a learning curve for the "ordinary" rv tech.

This is, indeed, a big leap for Oliver. Let's see how it shakes out. I wish them, and future owners, all the best, as I have for the last 15 years.

 

[dewdev]

I wonder if a new onwer will be able to pick-up their new trailer in Hohenwald ?

I also wonder if OTT will continue to provide service in Hohenwald?

[SeaDawg]

I'd be totally surprised if the original business model "went away", completely.  

I'd suspect  (though I don't know) that the limited, vetted  dealer network would simply amplify the great network we have today. 

[ScubaRx]

Although it probably seems strange to us, there are still thousands and thousands of potential RV customers out there that have never ever heard of an Oliver. If you don’t know about a product, you are very unlikely to ever purchase it. Having a network of dealers across the US would expose a lot more folks to an example of an Oliver, which, in turn, hopefully would lead to an increase in sales. I’ll admit that I did not like the idea at first, but after thinking it over, it does make good business sense to adopt this model. 

[Dave and Kimberly]

    I completely understand and agree with what Oliver is "exploring".   A way to ensure that they continue to grow in sales... and take care of their existing customers without having to drive so far for service.   It's very important to remember that they also have an obligation to their own employees to keep them gainfully employed.   This requires SALES of new products.   I spoke to many potential customers in the farthest corners who were immediately turned off by the idea of not only having to buy and pickup from factory in Tennessee... but also having to take it back there if there were any service issue.   Continued growth is the only way a company can survive.   The low hanging fruit is picked... now they need to stretch to get more.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I’m going to continue being an Eeoyre regarding an Oliver partnership with various RV sales and service businesses.  With a few exceptions, I have a very negative view of these shops, in particular, the very large, high volume, multiple brands shops.  More bluntly, I despise them.

I’m sticking with my suggestion that Oliver owned regional sales and service centers, coupled with focused national advertising will both grow the business and preserve the culture that Oliver has worked so hard to develop.

[HDRider]

What is the number one thing that most RV buyers (not Oliver buyers) complain about? 

 

When I was doing my research it was "dealer support".  A close second was build quality.  Oliver will be a standout if they can overcome the bad dealer experience. 

[Rivernerd]

11 minutes ago, HDRider said:

What is the number one thing that most RV buyers (not Oliver buyers) complain about? 

When I was doing my research it was "dealer support".

As part of the Oliver Service Department's outstanding responsiveness to issues with its trailers, the Service Department frequently refers Oliver owners far from Hohenwald to RV service centers for warranty service.  I wonder if, given the increased sales volume, Oliver is hoping to identify, and develop relationships with, better-operated RV sales and service centers nationwide (and perhaps in Canada?) to help the Oliver Service Department keep up with diagnosis and repair needs?  This could result in a short list of qualified RV techs familiar with Oliver's build quality and service standards, who could take some of the load off of Jason Essary and his staff.  Surely their workload has grown as production volume has expanded.

[topgun2]

28 minutes ago, Rivernerd said:

I wonder if, given the increased sales volume, Oliver is hoping to identify, and develop relationships with, better-operated RV sales and service centers nationwide (and perhaps in Canada?) to help the Oliver Service Department keep up with diagnosis and repair needs? 

A couple of years ago - Oliver asked (here on the Forum) members (family) to let them know about any RV dealership with whom they have had a good experience.  I know that several of these dealerships have been referred to Oliver.  Perhaps this was the beginning of the identification process.

Bill

[Mountainman198]

Like many others here, I don't have a dog in this hunt as I already have my Oliver and do my own maintenance.  I wish Oliver the best with this change as avoidance of "slick" dealers was a big deciding factor in making my initial purchase directly from Oliver.

[Rivernerd]

5 hours ago, Mountainman198 said:

avoidance of "slick" dealers was a big deciding factor in making my initial purchase directly from Oliver.

Me too.  So far, my choice has worked out about as well as I had hoped.  Our Elite II has not been trouble free, but the persistent help I have received from the Service Department, which has enabled me to address all issues so far, has been far superior to what is reported on the Airstream forums.

[Tom and Doreen]

I can certainly understand Oliver's take on this.  It’s incredibly difficult to troubleshoot owners problems over the phone / text / email without actually getting your own eyes and hands on the issue, this takes considerable time all of which is uncompensated.  In addition customers may be pressed for time, unable to make repairs,  or unable to  make the trek in some cases thousands of miles to get service at the factory.  Oliver is trying to address both of these issues. The issue that I have is that there aren’t any dealerships in my area that I would trust to work on our Olly so if something major happens I’ll make the trip, if possible, to the factory.

This would be a good opportunity for some young entrepreneurs with skills and a van to form a close relationship with Oliver, get trained, vetted, and certified, and head out on the road.  

 

[johnwen]

1 hour ago, Tom and Doreen said:

This would be a good opportunity for some young entrepreneurs with skills and a van to form a close relationship with Oliver, get trained, vetted, and certified, and head out on the road.

I like this idea :)

[topgun2]

20 minutes ago, johnwen said:

1 hour ago, Tom and Doreen said:

This would be a good opportunity for some young entrepreneurs with skills and a van to form a close relationship with Oliver, get trained, vetted, and certified, and head out on the road.

I like this idea 🙂

Apparently the guys at CGI detailing liked the idea too and are making the most out of it.

Starting this Labor Day CGI will be here in North Carolina making Olivers shiny and bright.

Bill

[MAX Burner]

On 8/28/2023 at 10:35 AM, Wandering Sagebrush said:

I’m sticking with my suggestion that Oliver owned regional sales and service centers, coupled with focused national advertising will both grow the business and preserve the culture that Oliver has worked so hard to develop.

Concur, 100%.  Oliver-owned regional sales/service centers that have employees trained by the OTT Corporate/Factory Team that can deliver "remote Hohenwald-level" customer satisfaction would establish the brand nationally, IMO.

We've had nothing but frustration and heartache over the years anytime we've had an RV dealership "touch" our previous travel trailers.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Jason, thank you.  My fear is that RV businesses outside Oliver’s complete control might damage the the reputation and brand that you folks have worked so diligently to build.  I hope I’m wrong.

[Steph and Dud B]

44 minutes ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

My fear is that RV businesses outside Oliver’s complete control might damage the the reputation and brand that you folks have worked so diligently to build.

This. So many stories about shoddy work by dealer-based service centers, including our own experiences. There are lots of good independent service centers and mobile techs that might reflect well on Oliver, but I'm not sure many dealerships can. Their focus is on sales, not service.

[SeaDawg]

3 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

This. So many stories about shoddy work by dealer-based service centers, including our own experiences. There are lots of good independent service centers and mobile techs that might reflect well on Oliver, but I'm not sure many dealerships can. Their focus is on sales, not service.

I suspect those quality folks will be the future partners.

Those mega dealers, who partner with mega manufacturers,  aren't likely candidates,  from either side, imo. 

[Bikerabbi]

On 8/27/2023 at 9:37 AM, Patriot said:

Just your opinion and I believe you sold your trailer and no longer having a dog in the fight. These are exciting times to be an Oliver owner and to watch Oliver grow and spread its wings. 👍🏻👍🏻

Maybe try and not be this guy.😉

 

"Just your opinion and I believe you sold your trailer and no longer having a dog in the fight..." 

To be kind and civil,  I'd say your remarks regarding John are insensitive and off base.  From at least my perspective,  John long ago earned the right to say whatever he wants here for as long as he wants.  His list of fixes, his experience and his willingness to help and advise others has made him an invaluable asset to this forum.  He would be missed should he withdraw from this forum.  

[Boudicca908]

2 hours ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

My fear is that RV businesses outside Oliver’s complete control might damage the the reputation and brand that you folks have worked so diligently to build.

My only experience has been horrid. Sadly, I will make sure to show the OTT home team some of the damage from the only service center I dealt with. 

[Steve Morris]

2 hours ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

Jason, thank you.  My fear is that RV businesses outside Oliver’s complete control might damage the the reputation and brand that you folks have worked so diligently to build.  I hope I’m wrong.

I completely agree. We looked at fiberglass trailers specifically because they were not sold through dealerships. If Oliver had been at a dealership, I wouldn’t even have considered it, based on the sleazy treatment we got at all three Cleveland Ohio area dealers a couple years back. No way would I ever take my trailer to one! 

It is bad enough taking a 30k disposable car to a dealership where the service guys come and go weekly. Imagine taking a $100k trailer to your local car dealer and expecting proper care and workmanship. And I respect auto service guys much higher than RV service guys. 
 

Bottom line is that if our Oliver had been at a local dealership, I probably wouldn’t be here now typing this, because I’d be in an Escape. 

[Mark Patricia]

When u have it right why change. I like the factory tour with lots of questions. Bigger doesn't mean better!!!