YOU VOTED IN RECORD NUMBERS for the dealers and manufacturers who gave you excellent service, for our Practical Motorhome Owner Satisfaction Awards 2013. These annual awards are sponsored by Coast Insurance, the well known motorhome and caravan insurance specialist.
So how did you rate the franchised dealers who sell a selection of new motorhomes from their forecourts? Very highly, as you can see by the scores our Gold Award Winners achieved, below.
Here’s our interview with the winner – Richard Baldwin Motorhomes – followed by the overall results, so you know which companies your fellow readers rated the highest. We turned the votes into percentages to reflect the level of customer satisfaction you reported.
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MEET THE WINNER: DIRECT SALES OF NEW MOTORHOMES
Gary Morgan, Richard Baldwin Motorhomes
What sets your company apart?
A genuine ethos emanates from the partners to strive for the very highest standards in customer service. We honestly gain great satisfaction from this. We set the bar very high, from first impressions of our staff, vehicles and immaculate premises, through to service and after-sales. If we fluff our lines, we aim to correct things as required. What’s your company history?
Partner Richard Baldwin founded the motorhome dealership in 1998 after selling his haulage business. He sold a few, then opened a caravan and motorhome dealership. As the business grew, Richard helped to build new showrooms, and by 2008 the good ship needed a captain. Richard searched until he found the right man: I had 20 years’ experience and came on board as Managing Partner. I’ve introduced many systems that have brought success.
What feedback do you get?
We get really good, positive feedback, which is a pleasure to read. It goes direct to me, and I respond as necessary to any matters that might arise.
What problems crop up?
The most common are failing batteries or user-error, despite our best efforts to ensure a comprehensive handover. It is often sat-navs and other gadgets that create a nuisance. Describe your service We offer an ‘open door’ policy: vehicles are open so customers can browse without being sold to, and our managers don’t hide.
What makes you proud?
The logo and what it stands for: honest, friendly, reliable.
What are your plans?
Due to the economic climate, our planned new service centre is on hold. If funds permit, we’ll give the site a minor facelift and develop our RBM range. We have a steady flow of newcomers and people upgrading, but fewer of them this year.
Richard Baldwin Motorhomes
Tel 01422 364 222
2013 GOLD AWARD WINNERS
FRANCHISED DEALERS
Richard Baldwin 95%
Heart of England 94%
Todds 93%
Tyne Valley 86%
Don Amott leisure kingdom 84%
Webbs Motor Caravans 81%
2013 GOLD AWARD WINNERS
DIRECT SALES FROM MANUFACTURER
Horizons Unlimited 99%
Vantage 97%
Shire Conversions 97%
Roy Wood Transits 81%
SILVER AWARD WINNERS
FRANCHISED DEALERS
EmmBee 76%
Travelworld 75.3%
Roll of honour
The following received exceptionally high scores but an insufficient number of responses: Cotswold, East Neuk, Geoff Cox, Hayes Leisure, P & P Cars & Campers, Peak Leisure, Pullingers, Simpsons
LAST TIME ROUND
2011 GOLD AWARD WINNERS
FRANCHISED DEALERS
Heart of England
Tyne Valley
Marquis
Richard Baldwin
Travelworld
Davan
2011 GOLD AWARD WINNERS
DIRECT SALES
Vantage 99%
MURVI 94%
2011 SILVER AWARD WINNERS
FRANCHISED DEALERS
Brownhills 78%
Emmbee 73%
2013 RESULTS AND THE MARKET
FOR ALL DEALERS SELLING NEW MOTORHOMES
Generally, purchasers of new motorhomes were fairly evenly spread over the UK with frequency matching population density. Interestingly, ‘Middle England’ (geographical location, not social class) has more residents buying new motorcaravans than any other area of the UK. Other interesting anomalies showed the North East to be very under-represented, and Scotland to be home to a bumper crop of new motorhomes.
Last time, we reported on a suggestion that those living in urban areas had been hit hardest by the recession and had decided to keep their current ’van for a year or two longer. Anecdotally, it appeared to be true, so throughout 2012 we’ve been asking dealers to comment on this.
Gentleman Jack has teased out that it is those of working age who have been hit hardest, rather than just those in urban areas. Those of working age have suffered loss of overtime, lower and later remuneration, reduced margins and in the worst cases, redundancy. At its simplest, it has meant that those who regularly buy a new ’van every three years are keeping their present one for four or five years then, when they do change, the replacement ’van is frequently from a less exclusive range.
