FOREST RIVER OPENS WARRANTY CENTRE IN ELKHART
By Harold Merton, Publisher
Scope photos by Harold Merton
RVers in Canada and the United States are applauding the exceptional
warranty service being offered by one major RV manufacturer.
At a time when many dealers are having legitimate warranty claims
"denied" by some major RV manufacturers and are experiencing
situations where they say they "have to fight" with their manufacturers
over most warranty claims, one manufacturer has opened a warranty repair
facility in Elkhart, Indiana to allow them better facilities to perform
the exceptional warranty service they give to their customers.
That manufacturer is Forest River Inc., a company that in just a few short
years has expanded and moved up the list to the point where they are now
probably the largest manufacturer of towable RVs in North America.
We first became acquainted with Forest River when we purchased a Lexington
motor home. As is the norm when one gets a new RV, there are nearly always
little items that the new RV owners would like made perfect during the
warranty period.
We had a problem with a DVD player that would stop part way through the
movie and refuse to continue. We also had a range hood that suddenly would
not operate even though there was power to the unit.
We spoke to our selling dealer Airport Motorhomes and Trailers in London
and a call was placed to the Lexington factory. In a short time an entire
replacement radio/CD/DVD player unit as well as a new range hood was shipped
to our dealer. We took the motorhome in and it
was fixed up right away with the installation of replacement components.
When I commented about how nice it was to have warranty problems fixed
up right away I was told by my dealer that Forest River probably had the
best service in the industry when it came to warranty claims.
Later that year I was in the Elkhart, Indiana area and I decided to take
a
tour of the Lexington factory to see just how Forest River built my rig.
It
was a fabulous tour and very enlightening. I now know what is under the
floor in various areas of my motorhome because I saw the same model being
assembled from chassis right up to the point it is driven out the door.
Factory tours are offered by many manufacturers and are free, you just
have to make prior arrangements.
While at the factory I mentioned a couple of other things that I would
like to have corrected by my dealer and they acted on it immediately.
They offered to take my unit into the factory to correct some things they
had found better ways of doing since my unit had been built. All I had
to do was stay over until the following day and they would update my motorhome
and put anything I was not happy with (legitimate warranty problems) right.
I took them up on the offer and was impressed with the service and attention
to details.
They told me at that time that they were about to open a full warranty
service centre for any Forest River product on property right across the
street from the Lexington factory.
This year I was again in the Elkhart area and decided to check out that
new warranty service facility. We were very pleasantly surprised.<
Gary Meyers is Forest River's Elkhart Warranty Service Manager and has
a new facility with a multitude of bays and a team of great RV technicians
to service their warranty service customers.
While the facility has been opened just a few months when we visited,
they are very busy and lead time was well over a month for warranty work
appointments.
Mr. Meyers looked after a list of adjustments and corrections we had with
our RV and it was obvious that they wanted to make us perfectly satisfied.
He also told us that when customers come for warranty work and it takes
longer than a day when they expected to have the unit out the same day,
they look after the customer with a complimentary hotel room and rental
car if necessary. The warranty work is completed and the customer is given
every opportunity to have all warranty problems corrected before they
leave the facility.
Wow! This is exceptional service and something that many RV purchasers
wish they had received with their brand. Unfortunately too many RV manufacturers
download warranty problems to the dealer who in many cases has never experienced
the problem before. Some dealers are equipped and have the experience
to perform all warranty service but other dealers are either not equipped
or not willing to do the work that is required. It is refreshing to know
that at least one major RV manufacturer recognizes their responsibility
and the fact that a satisfied customer is probably a repeat customer.
We should point out that this facility is to cover Forest River products
while they are still under warranty. They do not do repairs after warranty
has expired. Forest River offers an extended warranty to customers of
their towable products but not to motorized units. Perhaps they could
offer that extended warranty program to motorhome owners for just the
portion of the RV that they build. I know I would purchase the coverage.
In addition Forest River arranges for a one year Emergency Roadside
Assistance program with Coach-Net for buyers of new RVs. This too is a
little extra effort they take to look after their customers.
Our congratulations to Forest River for their attitude and effort to make
warranty claims a pleasant experience for their customers. Our thanks
also go to Gary Meyers and his staff at the Elkhart Warranty Service facility
and the Lexington factory plant manager and his staff for their fine service.
Forest River Warranty Service Center
Elkhart, Indiana
514.206.7600