RVBusiness September/October 2026
By: Mike Braman, NCM Associates
Every customer who drops off an RV for service represents a sales opportunity.
That statement may seem obvious, but it is not how many dealerships operate. In most shops, the service advisor’s primary responsibility is viewed as controlling the flow of work. Get the customer checked in, document the complaint, move the repair order to the shop and keep the process moving.
Certainly, all of that is important. But none of it is enough.
Dealers have invested significant time and money developing people who are good at managing schedules, technicians, parts, paperwork and customer communication. Those skills are necessary to run an orderly shop. But if we want fixed operations to drive meaningful revenue growth, we also need to create a culture of sales in the service department — just as we need to create a culture of service in the sales department.
The opportunity begins at the service counter.
Every customer-pay appointment should include a thoughtful review of the customer’s needs, a service menu presentation and a multi-point inspection appropriate for that RV. The goal is not to pressure customers into buying work they do not need. The goal is to make sure they understand the maintenance, repairs, accessories and upgrades that will help them safely enjoy and protect one of their largest investments.
If we want fixed operations to drive meaningful revenue growth, we also need to create a culture of sales in the service department — just as we need to create a culture of service in the sales department.
To measure this opportunity, dealers should begin tracking hours sold per service appointment. How effective are your service advisors at identifying and presenting legitimate additional work? How many customers receive a multi-point inspection? How many are shown a service menu? How many repair orders include only the item the customer mentioned during the initial phone call?
The financial impact can be substantial – not to mention the invaluable service to the customer who is appreciative of your proactive service recommendations which allow them to enjoy their RV with fewer problems.
Imagine a dealership with 30 customer-pay drop-offs each week and a labor rate of $180 per hour. If the service team averages just one additional sold hour per repair order, the dealership will generate more than $260,000 in additional annual labor revenue. That is before considering the parts revenue.
These do not need to be major repairs. They may be relatively simple maintenance items or small jobs identified during an inspection. Individually, none of them may seem significant. Collectively, they can materially change the performance of the service department and the entire dealership while also providing a higher level of service to your customer.
Dealers should take three immediate steps.
- First, begin tracking revenue and hours sold per customer-pay service drop-off. Department totals are not enough. Managers need to understand how effectively each appointment is being converted into a complete service opportunity.
- Second, establish a multi-point inspection program for every type of vehicle the dealership services. The inspection should be consistent, documented, easy for technicians to complete and simple for advisors to explain. Most importantly, every eligible customer should receive one.
- Third, create service-drive menus and insist that advisors use them. Customized menus based on the customer’s unit, ownership history and usage are ideal. Generic menus are still far better than no presentation at all. Once the process is established, noncompliance should not be accepted.
We would never allow a salesperson to routinely skip the product presentation, needs analysis or demonstration and simply ask customers what price they want to pay. Yet many dealers allow equivalent behavior at the service counter every day.
Fixed operations will not achieve its revenue potential through process management alone. The shop needs structure and control, but it also needs professionally trained advisors who recognize that presenting valuable work is part of serving the customer.
The revenue opportunity is already arriving at your dealership. What are your service advisors doing with that opportunity?