Jim
RVF Supporter
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2019
- Messages
- 3,896
- Location
- North Carolina
- RV Year
- 2016
- RV Make
- Newmar
- RV Model
- London Aire 4551
- RV Length
- 45
- Chassis
- Freightliner
- Engine
- Cummins / I6 Diesel Pusher 600HP / 1,950 ft-lbs
- TOW/TOAD
- 2016 Jeep Rubicon
- Fulltimer
- No
I watched one of our members dealing with defective steps on a very expensive coach, which ended with the manufacture deciding they wouldn't repair it because the coach was (slightly) out of warranty. In my opinion, that was a fatal error, one that will be realized sometime in the future when this current RV mania starts to wind down. But for now, it was a few hundred dollars that they didn't have to shuck out. Somebody at Newmar made that decision. Someone that, in my opinion, is being paid way too much.
I read that thread about the steps, and I wondered how many sales they will lose because of it. I may (or may not) be a future Newmar buyer, but I can tell you when I see a missed opportunity, and this was most certainly one of those times. What I will remember forever was that Newmar didn't consider this consumer valuable enough to protect with the investment of a few hundred dollars for repaired steps. Mind you, these are steps with a known high-failure history. That's what stuck in my mind and will always be there whenever the Newmar brand is mentioned.
On the other hand, Chewy has been mentioned several times on this forum, and in every thread I am left with a feeling of admiration of the company. People, who for whatever reason, found themselves with unneeded Chewy products, were issued refunds and told to donate the food to the charity of their choice. Such a simple and mutually rewarding thing for them to do. And unlike in Newmar's decision to ignore its customers, I will always speak highly of Chewy and refer their product and customer service to everyone.
So how big a mistake did Newmar make? IMO, those steps Newmar declined to repair will cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in future sales. And those products that Chewy donated to charity will make them many hundreds of thousands of dollars in the future.
Just my .02
I read that thread about the steps, and I wondered how many sales they will lose because of it. I may (or may not) be a future Newmar buyer, but I can tell you when I see a missed opportunity, and this was most certainly one of those times. What I will remember forever was that Newmar didn't consider this consumer valuable enough to protect with the investment of a few hundred dollars for repaired steps. Mind you, these are steps with a known high-failure history. That's what stuck in my mind and will always be there whenever the Newmar brand is mentioned.
On the other hand, Chewy has been mentioned several times on this forum, and in every thread I am left with a feeling of admiration of the company. People, who for whatever reason, found themselves with unneeded Chewy products, were issued refunds and told to donate the food to the charity of their choice. Such a simple and mutually rewarding thing for them to do. And unlike in Newmar's decision to ignore its customers, I will always speak highly of Chewy and refer their product and customer service to everyone.
So how big a mistake did Newmar make? IMO, those steps Newmar declined to repair will cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in future sales. And those products that Chewy donated to charity will make them many hundreds of thousands of dollars in the future.
Just my .02
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