News from RVDA News Highlights
Newsletter
• 2020-2021 NTP-Stag
Canada RV Industry Personnel Bursary Programs
• Promoting Awareness
and Opportunities in the Canadian RV Sector
• Save the Date—2021
RV Dealers International Convention/ Expo
Inside this issue: Coming Soon! The Launching of the 2021 Go RVing Dealer Tie-In Program
5
2020-2021 NTPStag Canada RV Industry Personnel
6-7
Promoting 8-9 Awareness and Opportunities in the Canadian RV Sector Question and Answer By Dave Kahle
12-13
Risk Insight with roof maintenance by Federated Insurance
14
Save The Date— RV Dealers International Convention / Expo
15
Newsletter
February 2021
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Newsletter
Dear Members, In normal years, my February newsletter message includes an update on the activity at the Canadian RV retail shows. But as we know, no large public gatherings or trade shows are occurring at the moment. However, I am happy to report that our member associations have embraced change and have found new ways for RV enthusiasts to view dealers’ products. Welcome to the age of virtual shows! I know some of us were a bit concerned at first as to whether or not consumers would be engaged in this type of environment but really, our customers have been researching and shopping RVs online for numerous years now. Buyers have been viewing RVs through technology and we have many great virtual tours showcasing our products. This has become the new way for businesses to interact with consumers. And virtual trade shows give us great analytics and lead generation. So, while it may not be quite as personal as an in-person event, I am confident that virtual trade shows will be a good addition to your 2021 marketing strategy. To help you with your marketing, please note that there is a brand new Go RVing Canada 2021 Wildhood ad campaign. The campaign still leverages the Go RVing Canada “Wildhood” concept but the messaging has been adjusted from “Bring Back Wildhood” to “Live Your Wildhood”. The campaign is designed to work across all aspects of the customer journey; from discovering the lifestyle, through investigation and purchase. Watch our social channels for campaign details.
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As a dealer member of the RVDA of Canada, you have access to the Go RVing Canada Dealer Tie-in program. Go RVing Canada recently announced the launch of an all new Dealer Tie-in program, providing dealers with more resources and tools to reach their marketing and business growth goals. There will be lots of fresh content added to the Tie-In library, including new posters, images and video content capturing RVing adventures, destinations, and lifestyle imagery. The program will be available later this month. Watch for more information and registration details to come. We have a couple of surveys that will be appearing in your in-box this month. First of all, we have our annual advocacy survey. This will help us prepare for our virtual RV Industry Week in April. We always strive to bring your most important issues of concern to the attention of Federal decision makers. Here is your opportunity to have your voice heard. Please let us know what your main advocacy priorities are so that we can craft the industry’s key messages. I would also like to remind you that the payroll/compensation survey has been sent to your inbox. Please participate! The RV industry payroll survey continues to evolve based on your feedback to offer you the most concise report. We have partnered with The Portage Group who has extensive experience in conducting compensation and benchmarking studies. The survey should be easier to complete and those that respond will receive an integrated report where each position or level is provided in its own chapter including all data and benchmark breakdowns. This is one of our most used member benefits so make sure you complete your survey to gain access to this valuable data! Take good care,
Gord Bragg, Chairman of the Board RVDA of Canada
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Canadian retail sales statistics are now available for both motorized and towable recreational vehicles. These statistics will allow dealers to better manage the inventory on their lot by knowing which units are selling in their area, which price points are attracting buyers as well as knowing the local trends affecting their marketplace. The RV retail sales statistics compiled by Statistical Surveys Inc. are the result of matching manufacturer VIN numbers with RV registrations. The RVDA of Canada endorsement agreement includes free access for national monthly figures only, for members only. Going forward, these figures will be published in the RVDA of Canada bimonthly newsletter and archived at the “RV Statistics / National RV Sales” link on the member side of www.rvda.ca. This information is copyrighted to Statistical Surveys Inc. and for your use only, not for distribution. In order to protect your endorsement benefit, please honour that confidentiality. To purchase more detailed statistics – by province, region or city – please contact Scott Stropkai of Statistical Surveys Inc. at 616-281-9898 ext 128 or sstropkai@statisticalsurveys.com. To learn more about Statistical Surveys Inc., visit www.statisticalsurveys.com.
Newsletter
Elite Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Aviva Canada Inc., one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada which provides insurance protection to more than 3 million Canadians. Aviva Canada is on a mission to change insurance. "At Aviva, we listen to our customers' views and opinions because by listening and acting on your feedback, we become better at what we do. We want Aviva customers to feel they are being treated as people, not as a number. We want our customers to be confident and comfortable that they have the right insurance to cover their needs. And we want our customers to have a positive experience at Aviva. We've already started the change by introducing our claims service satisfaction guarantee which you can learn more by visiting www.ClaimsGuarantee.com Elite Insurance Company is Canada's largest insurer of specialty personal insurance products since 1954, covering recreational vehicles, mobile homes, antique & custom cars and pleasure crafts. To learn more about Aviva Elite and their mission to change insurance visit their website: www.avivacanada.com Aviva Elite
Newsletter
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Go RVing Canada will be launch-
ing the 2021 Dealer tie-in program portal in conjunction with the launch of the new website on February 19th, and dealers can expect communications from Go RVing Canada on instructions on how to sign up for the program early next week. The 2021 Dealer Tie-in Program will be providing dealers with all the great resources offered in the past plus exciting new marketing assets from the “Live Your Wildhood” National Ad Campaign, new video and imagery content added to the library, and the all-new brand boosting option to upgrade to “Premiere” status, which will allow dealers to enhance their listings with imagery, descriptions, and bump their listing to the top of the “find a dealer” engine search bar. Check video here
Newsletter
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Apply for the 2020-2021 NTP-Stag Canada RV Industry Personnel Bursary Programs NTP-Stag Canada has been a strong supporter of and a staunch proponent of continuing education in the Canadian RV industry. With their gracious support, RVDA of Canada is able to offer two bursary programs in 2021 to RV Service Technicians and RV Fixed Operations Personnel. “NTP-Stag Canada remains committed to supporting the Canadian RV Industry. We applaud the participants of technical and RV Fixed Operations educational opportunities and commend all for their commitment and dedication to higher learning. The support and promotion of personal and professional development is a key component of the NTP-Stag Core Values. Continuing education not only empowers the individual learner with more knowledge and competency, their dealership will also benefit tremendously through the enhanced procedural efficiencies learned and adopted,” says Rob Edwards, Director of Sales, NTP-Stag Canada.
A total of $12,500 will be awarded to eligible technicians and fixed operations personnel such as service writers, service advisors, and parts and accessories sales staff. RVDA of Canada’s national Education and HR Committee is extremely pleased to be able to continue to offer these bursary programs to encourage continuing education and professionalization in the RV industry. RV Service Technicians and Fixed Operations Personnel that have successfully completed training between August 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021 are eligible to apply for the bursaries. For the RV service technician, seven bursaries valued at $1,000 and one bursary valued at $1,500 are available. For the RV fixed operations personnel, eight bursaries valued at $500 are available. Learn more about the bursary programs
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RV Careers: Promoting Awareness and Opportunities in the Canadian RV Sector Prior to this pandemic, when you speak of “RV,” you may sometimes be asked whether you meant by those big motorhomes, trailers, ATVs, or off-road vehicles. Now, there is no doubt that RVs absolutely stand for motorhomes and trailers. With heightened consumer awareness in RVs as a safe and convenient way to travel, now is a great time to divert some of that attention to career opportunities as the industry looks to grow and serve more RVers. As a large proportion of dealerships are small and medium businesses and each person juggles multiple roles, hiring for specific positions may be challenging at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. While the dealership departments are typically divided into Parts, Service, Sales and Business Office, and Administration, there is no linear path as to where one’s path may lead.
The following are some information that will be helpful in your recruitment process. It’s an exciting time to work in the RV industry According to the 2020 Economic Impact of the Canadian Recreation Vehicle Industry Report, the RV sector generated an estimated 67,200 jobs and delivered $4.8 billion in added value to the Canadian economy from an initial expenditure of $6.2 billion in 2019. The economic activity generated by the RV industry is considerable and multi‐faceted including everything from the manufacturing, sales and service of RVs to expenditures to use, store, maintain and travel in RVs. Expenditures associated with RV ownership and use account for 78% of the total value added to the Canadian economy. The study revealed that approximately 2.1 million (or 14% of) Canadian households own an RV. The results of this study demonstrate that the RV industry is a significant contributor to the Canadian economy.
How RV Dealerships Operate Can you clearly depict what goes on behind the scenes as a customer walks through the door? Can you quickly recite at least 14 skilled trades involved in the RV Service Technician trade? Don’t worry, the RV Careers section features all the team members in the RV dealership.
Expanding Your Team? In addition to letting people know of job openings on your website, add your vacancies on the RV Careers job listing page. RVDA of Canada members can post and manage job listings and receive CVs and resumes sent directly to your inbox. Before the listing expires (in 45 days), you will receive notification to renew or remove the job posting. To post a job, contact Anita Lien at RVDA of Canada to set up an account. Newsletter
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Apprenticeship is a great recruitment and retention tool There are many incentives for apprentices to participate in an apprenticeship as well as for employers to hire apprentices. Apprentices and employers participating in an apprenticeship program will ensure employees are trained to Provincial and Industry standards. As 80% of an apprenticeship is spent on-the-job, apprentices learn first-hand on how businesses are conducted. This would enable employers that hire and train apprentices to foster a relationship built on growth and personal development, a clear understanding of company culture and business practices and thus resulting in a stable workforce. According to Statistics Canada, the earnings of men with apprenticeship qualifications were 14% higher in 2015 than they were in 2005. This growth was faster than those observed among men with all other educational qualifications. The earnings of men with a bachelor’s degree grew by 6%, and those of men with a college diploma grew by 8% over the same period. If your employee incentive program includes paying for education tuition, it sends a strong message to the apprentice that the employer is committed to investing in their employees. Apprentices are also paid a wage while learning on-the-job. Therefore, they tend to carry significantly less student debt loads by the time the apprenticeship is complete. University undergraduates left school with an average debt load of $26,819 in 2015. The Canadian Federation of Students research found that, on average, students graduate with over $28,000 of education-related debt after an undergraduate degree. The Federal and Provincial governments recognize much support is needed to promote growth in the skilled trades sector. Therefore, apprentices and employers of apprentices have access to numerous government grants, tax credit and special incentive programs. Red Seal trades offer more financial incentives when compared to non-Red Seal
Pathways to Apprenticeship There are 3 ways to enroll in an apprenticeship. Foremost, apprenticeship begins with registration with your Provincial apprenticeship authority for the student, job seeker and the employer. High school students can start their apprenticeship through a youth apprenticeship program. For those that have graduated high school with or without a skilled trades background, they can enroll in a foundation or preapprenticeship program. For those that want to enrol directly in a formal apprenticeship program, they will first need to find an employer to sponsor the apprenticeship. Pre-apprenticeship programs are only offered in certain jurisdictions. These programs help potential apprentices develop their job skills and trade readiness, or simply explore a potential trade. Pre-apprenticeship programs can include trade readiness, employment preparation and academic upgrading. Some programs target a specific skill such as math, to help the potential apprentice upgrade skills gaps before registering into a full apprenticeship. Read more on apprenticeship programs, apprenticeship process for employers, and the Red Seal program.
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ONLINE DAMAGE REPAIR ESTIMATOR
The easy-to-navigate online system will help an RV service department to prepare consistent, data-supported, claim estimates for insurance companies and RV owners. Users will be able to create an accurate, itemized estimate using the software, while having the option to save all photos Dealers can sign-up for a free, no-obligation, 30‐day trial of The Damage Repair Estimator On-Line by calling (440) 336-0703 or by sending an email to wrcamp1@aol.com. After the trial, a monthly subscription fee recurs automatically until cancelled.
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The Mike Molino RV Learning Center (RVLC) is an affiliation of the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of America. RVLC offers technical publications, certification programs, online learning, and workshops, all designed exclusively for dealership staff.
The RV Learning Center partnered with The Ohio State University’s Center for Education and Training for Employment have developed Certifications, Competency Profiles, and instructional materials in the following areas:
Service Manager
Service Writer/Advisor
Warranty Administrator
Parts Manager
Parts Specialist
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Question and Answer By Dave Kahle Question: Our business has been struggling for the last year or so. Several of my salespeople are just not producing. I’m not sure I can continue to work with them. When do I decide to terminate their employment? Answer: Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to ask this question? In an ideal world, everyone would succeed, and our biggest problem would be how to acknowledge the real heroes among a group of deserving colleagues. But it is not an ideal world, and every sales manager is, at some point, faced with this decision. At what point do you decide to fire them? This is a very personal decision embedded with emotional ramifications. There are all sorts of individual mitigating factors that influence the answer to this question. I just came from one of my clients, for example, where one of the nonperforming salespeople has been with the company for over 10 years, and was hired by the company’s president. Clearly, that presents a different set of factors than the new hire who just isn’t getting it. While I can not sort out all of those individual issues for you, I can offer some over-all guidelines. Profitable? First, I’m going to assume that the salesperson is costing the company money; that the person is not profitable. This is an important assumption because I think different rules apply if the person is profitable. I’m using profitable here in the sense that I describe in Kahle’s Kalculation. If you haven’t become familiar with that, retrieve the free download for “How to Kreate Kahle’s Kalculation.” Depending on the type of business and the dynamics of the selling situation, if a sales person’s KK number is over 25% or 30%, that person is probably not profitable to the company. This is a far more sophisticated measurement than just looking at the gross profit or sales produced in that territory. So, let’s assume that the salesperson is not profitable for the company. Secondly, I’m making a disclaimer that there are certain legal issues that need to be attended to, and I am not in any way advocating shortcutting any processes or procedures that are required by your company or any government agency or institution. I am not advocating you do anything illegal. My only goal is to provide you some guidelines to consider. Suggestions on when to make the decision about terminating someone are one thing, whereas the actual act of terminating is something else. Guidelines Having said that, here’s a couple of thoughts: 1. You seriously consider terminating their employment when you conclude that they do not have the capabilities or the motivation to succeed in a reasonable amount of time.
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I call this the “can do” and “will do” characteristics. They may not have the capability – not enough of the “can do.” I see this so often in my practice. A new owner/chief sales officer/sales manager comes on the scene and inherits a sales force from his/her predecessor. The new manager looks at some of the individuals and asks, “Why was this person ever hired?” They just don’t have the capabilities to do what the new administration expects. Or, it may be an issue of a lack of drive, determination, and motivation. In other words, the “will do” characteristics. No matter what you do, this sales person doesn’t accept your direction, doesn’t do what you want him /her to do. It’s not that the sales person doesn’t have the ability, it’s that he just won’t make the decision to do it. I most commonly see this among experienced sales people who have been with the company for a number of years. They often become so set in their ways and so sure of their position that they will not make the changes that management wants them to make. If they would just decide to do it, you know they could. But, their energies are
Consumed with the debilitating task of proving that their established habits are the right ways to do something. They lack the “will do” characteristics. So, when you determine that they either can not or will not do what it takes to be successful in a reasonable period of time, then it is time to seriously consider severing the relationship. 2. You seriously consider termination when they are not making fast enough progress toward profitability. You could have sales people (and I’ve seen lots of these) who are making very slow progress. When it looks like it may be years and years before they will be profitable, it’s probably time to allow them to find themselves in another position. Having said that, I’m a believer in giving someone the benefit of the doubt. If someone isn’t performing, have a heart-to-heart with that person, and clearly and precisely lay out what needs to happen, by when in order for that sales person to turn the corner. Put together a 30-to-90-day plan, with benchmarks and regular reporting. Give them one last opportunity to succeed, knowing that their job is at risk. If, under those circumstances, the person doesn’t make sufficient progress, it’s time to decide to part company. 3. Seriously consider termination when the amount of time and effort you must devote to them continues to hurt other employees or causes your company to suffer. Marginal performers have a way of sucking the positive energy out of you. You often find yourself spending so much time thinking and worrying about the marginal sales person that it impacts your family, you neglect other employees, and you neglect higher-value things you could be doing for the company. Some of that is appropriate and part of your job. But when it becomes a chronic issue or out of proportion, you need, for the good of the other employees in your organization, to sever that which is dissipating your energy and time. I recognize that this is often a thorny, emotionally-charged issue. I hope that these thoughts will help you sort it out in a way that is appropriate for your company, your job, and your people. Originally published: https://www.davekahle.com/when-to-terminate/ Dave Kahle is one of the world's leading sales authorities. He's written twelve books, presented in 47 states and eleven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations. Sign up for his free weekly Ezine. His book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, has been recognized by three international entities as "one of the five best English language business books.” Check out his latest book, The Good Book on Business
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To help you and your members assess potential risk, we’ve developed a quick five-question online assessment tool and this Risk Insight with roof maintenance checklist.
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Deadline: August 31, 2020
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Newsletter
Marks: Discounts (in-store) on select workwear As a member in the RVDA, you and your staff are eligible for a 10% discount on the numerous items listed on the member program card. To receive a 10% discount on select items that are available exclusively to RVDA members, please show your card at the checkout counter. This offer is only available for in-store purchases..
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on hotel Access to Choice Hotels program discounts of 15-20% at over 325 hotels in Canada & 6,300 hotels worldwide, & some complimentary services at select hotels. Aeroplan or Choice Privileges points can be earned. Book travel be online, on your mobile device or via a toll-free number.
on select Exclusive discounts up to 35% off select FedEx services when shipping within Canada, to the US, or internationally. If you have a FedEx account, simply enroll in this program through the dedicated FedEx webpage that can be found at the member link If not, see the member benefit page for a link to do so. View FedEx services at www.fedex.ca.
Discounts and offers for top attractions,shows and other entertainment! Exclusive discounts and offers for all your stay at Home and work from home needs including, Disney+ subscription, Showtime subscription, black Friday pricing for Acer, Dell, HP and lenovo, Beachbody on demand, audiobooks and much more! Access the program now through the RVDA of Canada member site .
Marks: Discounts (in-store) on select workwear As a member in the RVDA, you and your staff are eligible for a 10% discount on the numerous items listed on the member program card. To receive a 10% discount on select items that are available exclusively to RVDA members, please show your card at the check-out counter. This offer is only available for in-store purchases.
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News from RVDA RVDA of Canada Mission Statement: Newsletter Editorial Staff
The RVDA of Canada is a national federation which exists to protect and promote the interests and welfare of RV Dealers across Canada in order to enable the industry to maximize its potential.
The RVDA of Canada Member Newsletter is produced and distributed through the national association office : RVDA of Canada, Richmond BC For Inquiries please contact us at: #145 – Coppersmith Way Richmond, BC V7A 5J9 Ph: (604) 718-6325 Fax: (604) 204-0154 www.rvda.ca powered by rvhotlinecanada.com Emails : Eleonore Hamm, eleonore_hamm@rvda.ca Anita Lien, anital@rvda.ca Amee Inocencio, ainocencio@rvda.ca
Post your Positions at
www.RVCareers.ca
To post a job, simply go to the employers tab and log in using your RVDA of Canada user name and password.
Board of Directors Executive Committee Chairman, Gord Bragg, Hub City RV, Lantzville, BC Vice-Chairman, Josée Bédard Roulottes Chaudière Lévis, Quebec Treasurer, Dale Hopkins RV City Morinville, AB Past Chairman, Herb Cowen, Pike Lake Golf Centre, Pike Lake, ON
Contact RVDA of Canada at 604-718-6325 or e-mail if you do not have this information.
Directors Jim Gorrie GNR Camping World
Ken Dobson Leisure Time Sales
WWW.BUYLOCALRV.CA
John Krohnert Platinum RV Sales
Kyle Kehoe Kehoe RV
Jonathan Stone Stone’s RV Center
Dean Goerzen Go RV
Marc Rémillard Centre du Camping Rémillard
Greg Nikkel NR Motors Ltd.
RVDA of Canada’s “BUY LOCAL” campaign promotes “Buy your RV close to home. It’s better in the long haul, to consumers. We encourage you to download a copy of brochure available at the member’s website.