Continuing Education: Strategies for Keeping Your Employees Current

by: Melissa Broadus

Training and education continues to be extremely important to RV dealers. However, when the RV industry hit a downturn many dealerships looked at ways to provide employees with training on tighter budgets. And even though the industry is slowly recovering, training budgets remain tighter than in the past. Dealers speaking with RV Executive Today are taking several different approaches to training to ensure that their employees stay current to give customers the best possible service and to pull out of the recovery on top.

FINDING THE RIGHT TRAINING AT THE RIGHT COST
The cost of sending employees out of the dealership is one of the largest expenses that dealerships have in connection with training. To help alleviate this cost, some of the dealers talking to RV Executive Today, say they are bringing the training to the dealership. It really benefits these dealers to be able to cut the various costs of travel; such as food, lodging, and airfare. Also, with smaller staffs, having the training in-house keeps the dealership working at full capacity.

“We never pick training that we haven’t researched or believe in,” says Darrel Friesen, president of All Seasons RV Center in Yuba City, CA. “We’re really big on training, but are trying to keep costs low right now. So, we are looking for the best training, at the best value.” 

“There are many factors we look at when picking training,” says Teresa Giese, president of Lewie’s RV Center in Brainerd, MN. “Content, cost, and location top the list. How much is it going to cost to get them there and how it affects the dealership having them gone.” “We have to find the right training, that is convenient and available for our employees,” adds Helen Zag general manager of Greeneway, Inc. in Wisconsin Rapids, WI.

ONLINE TRAINING
Online training is another strategy that dealers have found helps cut the costs. Online training does not require anyone to leave the dealership. And according to  some dealers, works the best because employees can work at their own pace, and can participate after work hours, and on weekends.

“The online training is great,” says Travis Creech, operations manager at Rex & Sons RV, Inc. in Leland,NC. “It saves the dealership from having to pay for travel expenses, and our employees can work at their pace.”

“The online programs work great because employees don’t have to do it as a large group, and they can work at their own pace,” adds Friesen. “I wish there was more online training available for different department employees.”

CERTIFICATION
The RV Learning Center offers several certifications for service and parts department employees. According to dealers, certification not only helps employees stay current with knowledge about their positions, it also boosts their morale.

“We are trying to get every employee we can certified,” says Friesen. “Along with the expertise the training needed to become certified affords the employees, it also builds value to our dealership as a whole.When a customer asks why they should have work performed at our dealership, we can tell them that we have certified people, and that means our guys know what they are doing.”

“We see a boost in morale and value with our certified people,” says Zag. “Not to mention the customers they work with seem more satisfied with the service they receive.” “We feel our certified people are just more efficient and knowledgeable in their position,” adds Giese. “Plus the online testing is very efficient for our dealership,” adds Creech. “It is just easier for our employees to become certified that way.”

MAKING CHOICES WHILE STILL PURSUING TRAINING
Depending on their specific market, dealers have had to make some tough choices about employee training during the downturn. Regardless of the choices dealers make, those speaking with RV Executive Today plan to continue providing training for their employees, and increase the amount they are providing as their dealerships get busier during the recovery.

What is your dealership doing to keep employees up-to-date? Share your thoughts on training and continuing education with RVDA, its membership,  and the RV Learning Center. Send an e-mail to info@rvda.org or call the dealer services hotline.