Bury your head in the sand

“Bury your head in the sand” it is not often that we reflect on articles that we have written, however, with the complete Brexit debacle continuing, we think we must revisit the scene of the crime, from a motorhome perspective. We have updated the article “bury your head in the sand” we wrote on the 7th of August 2018. There is a good reason for this, as here we are, still in the EU. Surprise, surprise! We neither remain or leave we said when the so-called referendum took place, that it would “end in tears” pass me the tissues, please! The leisure industry, just like other UK based businesses, is under strain, to say the least, in some cases. Therefore, getting better standards of customer services and communications with customers is vital to surviving Brexit either way, work needs to be done. There are many things to overcome;

• taxation legislation changing to car status
• weak pound making imports expensive
• Brexit all the issues beyond to come
• the profitability of dealers and manufacturers
• funding motorhomes
• diesel power and the effect on the environment

Bury your head in the sand missing the opportunity

Getting a slice of a very large cake new research from Mintel apparently shows that we spend £129 billion on leisure activities that were for one year alone an increase of 17% compared to five years ago. Motorhomes are large cash items but, that is a lot of dosh what of the future of the UK leisure market well no signs of stopping they forecast that it will rise to £141 billion by 2022. So, step back a moment and think where a customer will be tempted to buy a motorhome what will be needed to secure a deal for sure 100% customer service constant communications and social media interaction.

Bury your head in the sand history repeats itself

Our opinion of the Brexit referendum was that it would do would be to divide peoples opinion either those who love the European idea or live in we are Great Britain instead of getting the real issues sorted out, like costs and contributions to the EU budget. Looking at trade with such a large partner, on virtually our doorstep how did it all come to this? The whole motorhome industry in Europe is very key to the customer’s perception of travelling Europe in a motorhome this is part of the motorhome dream. A dream that we sell to customers then living that dream has been pretty easy why go and put the problems back in the system? The thoughts of green cards different tolls, taxes and who knows what to come to the madness hold dire consequences for an industry we love “living the dream” may just about to become “living the nightmare” let’s hope for the best.

Bury Your Head In The Sand Brexit

We could point the finger of blame at many individuals however, we won’t join in. So, as the saying goes, “if the cap fits wear it”. There are links to two articles, written historically by us on LinkedIn; “Brexit motorhome countdown” and our rant about, “what price the European dream now“. Purely our own opinion the jobs we have here on motorhomes campervans is to promote motorhomes and campervans for motorhome dealers and manufacturers. Helping customers, to find that dream motorhome nothing more and nothing less! However, there are many leisure industry jobs, hanging on the outcome of Brexit we know there will be winners and losers? We want people to find that “dream motorhome” and live the dream, by all means, contact motorhomes campervans if you have any questions.

“Bury Your Head in the Sand” The Article

Our original article follows the same thread the refusal of many to think about unpleasant facts even when the situation demands what is happening will put some out of business. This saying “bury your head in the sand” comes from the habit of ostriches, hiding their head in the sand especially when faced with attack by predators. Burying one’s head in the sand, therefore, not seeing the danger applies to what some motorhome dealers are doing or not doing. Burying heads in the sand leads to consequences, leading to the detriment of good services and communications with their customers. Avoiding poor service is about making the customer’s motorhome buying experience an enjoyable one becoming a memorable experience how will that happen if marketing spends falls into cost-cutting exercises then the customers will never find the business?

Bury Your Head in the Sand Motorhome Dealers

The current news of the decline in car sales factory closures is nothing new history repeats itself this is usually down to supply and demand issues for motorhomes even more, challenges await with taxation issues, however, inevitably motorhomes follow some similar paths to cars that’s where the chassis comes from are motorhome dealers as we know them today about to become extinct? Apply the “bury your head in the stand” to the director with a sales teams that are out of touch with reality. New and old customers being taken for granted the warning signs are there many do not see the situation for what it is? That “old school” marketing mentality does not act in a company’s or shareholders best interests why is that happening we believe, that many motorhome businesses don’t know what opportunities are being missed? Are we leading to larger and less small motorhome dealers the “battle of the brands” for market share continues at pace will motorhome dealers feel safe as change becomes the norm? The customer base is important in any business motorhome businesses may wake up too late to do anything about it.

Bury Your Head in the Sand Customer is King

Interacting with customers is the lifeblood of any business even more so when selling high-cost items like a motorhome customer after-sales must be an important part of any motorhome dealership why do some dealers have poor reputations customers? On handovers, customers are presented with a bunch of flowers and a bottle of bubbly will that do the trick a nice gesture maybe. But, when that customer has the misfortune of a breakdown in the middle of nowhere what next who to call then will the dealership help them? The flowers are dead and the bottle empty no help here this may lead to the customer thinking did I really get a good deal other issues then spring to their minds what about that motorhome breakdown that was with the motorhome it had roadside assistance we think?

Bury Your Head in the Sand Customer Satisfaction A Must

Talking to other like-minded marketing people about social media this may well be a familiar story one story so far about a motorhome dealership as ever a potential customer for some time. However, because, they think they are so busy they don’t see the wood from the trees. We guess, it is not a matter of how successful they are, it is all matter of how much bigger and more profitable they could be how do we prove that we have all the reporting tools needed to sink a battleship. But, there is no such thing as a free meal they do not want to pay crazy when they are paying so much corporation tax having no clear marketing strategy or budget in a modern business this is quite frankly madness.

Bury Your Head in the Sand Motorhome Customer Service

Customer service is vital however, customers need every level of communication available the more the better the questions are motorhome dealers failing customers? Listening to directors thinking they know best they are not seeing, that business, could double in size and profits. Why are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and Google so successful the answer sheer volumes of people, using their platforms making business work generating leads to switched on motorhome dealers is what we do? Listening to motorhome dealers trying to justify motorhome magazines spend supposedly having more followers what absolute tosh Facebook works this type of mentality we don’t have a clue why it exists the joke is they don’t have a clue as they say ignorance is bliss.

Bury Your Head in the Sand Funding Customer Loyalty

So, what’s causing such a company to hold back quite simply they don’t have a handle on modern motorhome marketing. They think they have, but, believe me, they don’t just place adverts in all the old publications and not tracking them. Hanging onto we sold one last week from the magazine really only one? We could say, we are learning as we go along on social media to some extent, that is true. However, we have come a long way from Windows 95 how many times do we think we have cracked it and the technology improves. Social media we believe is the real marketing holy 200 plus leads a month for one client says it all yes, we have to work at it encouraging customers to join and like on Facebook and send a tweet all at the same time becomes second nature placing the customers at the heart of your pages pays real dividends.

Bury Your Head in the Sand Selling Services Online

Social media the silent salesperson, while everyone has to sleep, they promote posting articles automatically business to follow the leading question to a customer is social media the answer? We have had some interesting replies from, “no” to “we have it to show the children and grandchildren where we are”! “We find it better for finding places and other peoples experience, at times is excellent”. Many also find that a search on Facebook is better than Google if you are a member of a group like the motorhomes campervans on Facebook it always has some answers even from its small membership our Twitter pages just get better and better the Pinterest boards are just amazing.

Bury Your Head in the Sand Modern Dealerships

The facts are out there they are have a walk around your dealership take a look at the sales-people and that lazy director not knowing that they are sitting on an army of talent waiting to promote the business. Is there logic in this article the problem lies in the fact they don’t have the charisma to take things forward when they discover that they are not the number one dealer and may well warn them they are being left behind also, “it is time to take their head out of the sand” before they get a large bite where it may hurt.

Bury Your Head in the Sand Social Media

Times are not easy with the Brexit issues something reminds me of the “bury your head in the sand” mentality here Brexit will destroy many businesses and that is our opinion how fast is the need to spread that story? #Brexit and see. For switched-on motorhome dealers, we will really help not just to find out what Brexit means to your business? #motorhomescampervansnet ask yourself why is this industry growing and why are we getting in such a mess?