'Business' at the MotherShip

[Gary.Jones]

Just left Middlebury after a 2 week stay. A couple of observations.

First, most people are aware that they have added 10 additional powered pads for coaches in for service or repair. By Sunday afternoon, each Sunday, every spot was full of a coach. There were several coaches there with no apparent owner anywhere near but plugged-in and appear to be there for some work done without the owner present.Also, about 50% of the time, non-Entegra coaches were there also (I assume to be repaired and not just free camping). A week ago Sunday, there were a total of 22 coaches there Sunday night for service or repair which meant that two coaches had to dry camp on generator in one of the parking lots closer to Highway 13. Things were "jumping" there. By 7:00 or so, all but the unmanned coaches were moved back to a service bay for work. Our observation that the general guideline that the coaches would be returned at 2:30 pm virtually never happened and coaches coming back at 3:30 or 4:30 was not uncommon.

There were a bunch of 15 Aspires here for their 2 year PDI. Very few Cornerstones, maybe 25% Anthems, and the bulk were Aspires. I think that mirrors what they were selling in 2014 and 2015. There is a minor change in "drill" of the PDA. Last year at this time, one of the service advisors (right now, only 3 of them and they are breaking in a brand new person who sits at the 4th desk back) would come on board the coach the first day (maybe 7:30, the "late start day") and you would go through your punch list with the service advisor face-to-face and in the coach. Then the service advisor would enter all the information into the computer. I assume that during this time, your assigned tech (mine was Jose) was starting on their programmed list of things to check. This year, you have already emailed the punch list to your assigned tech, and it is in the computer, and you huddle in the owner's lounge that first morning, and the service manager comes out to get you as he/she is ready to work through your list, and you do that "talk through" in their office (still part of the mechanic service area, but rumored to now be getting "real" offices in that same area (but more quiet and "personal"). The tech is well into his/her examination of your coach and stepping through their PDA checklist already by that point. I was very impressed that my tech flagged 2 or 3 very important and fairly costly "problems" in his examination that were not on my list. They really go over the coach carefully.

And, after 2 weeks, including a visit to S & S down in Wakarusa (very impressed with those guys), I was ready to go. Mike Becker (the fellow "over" the whole 20 (?) repair bays has left Entegra and has been replaced by Brian (I forget his last name). I learned that while many of us think Joyce is the person who heads all of that service area, actually, Joyce is the head of the telephone service people, and Brian heads all the service techs and the repair process. I have to say, my coach is better than it has ever been before.... been seen by Spartan people, Entegra people, Diamond Shield people, S&S paint people in Middlebury, and S&S paint people in Wakarusa, and all my problems are resolved. Very impressive. My "Bird-Poop" white stain problem is completely gone and hopefully I see no more of it. The one remaining problem that I encountered is that they seem still to have only one person who has much real understanding of electronic systems, and he is assigned to phone customer service, and not "in-shop customer service", and the techs in the shop don't feel highly skilled at dealing with electronic issues, and the phone guy doesn't really have responsibility to deal with electronic issues out in the shop (TV, IR, "electronics"). its clear that they need to hire or train one of the shop techs to become really skilled at those things, but otherwise, the process was slick and better than I had any hopes to expect. If you have a problem with electronics/cameras/ etc, you would probably be serviced faster by calling in on the phone than talking to the actual shop techs.

Kudos to Entegra and warranty work.

Gary

[757driver]

Gary,

Thanks for the report, glad you had a great experience at Entegra service.

[Hayman]

Excellent information and very good to hear such a positive experience. We are in the area for some work and will be going through our 2 year check up next October.

[Ericlinde]

Maybe you can help me with my list!!! Good report! We are scheduled for last week of April 17. Which way are you heading I can get two tickets for Iowa!!!!


Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum Eric Linde

[Matt D]

Can someone provide an email or phone extension to make the PDI appointment please. The last time I spoke with a rep he said I needed to talk to service.. OK, how do I do that?

Thanks,

-Matt

[DSL417]

Call CS and ask for the Service Writing section.

[Matt D]

Thanks Dave!

-Matt

[Gary.Jones]

Matt

They both should be able to do it, but I think the appointment is made by the people that I call service managers.... the 4 individuals who handle your service needs on your punch list and daily progress reports. Just call the standard 800 number phone people and tell them what you need to set up. They are training at least one brand new person and he was up to his ears in learning new stuff when I was first arriving a little over two weeks ago.

If its the 2 year PDI, I would suggest setting it up a full year in advance,

Also, I forgot to mention that each coach back for their PDA is scheduled for at least one, and maybe two appointments in the wash bay during each visit so you get your coach back nice and shiny in addition to having problems fixed. Who knew?

Gary

[brobox]

Matt a tip on scheduling a PDI. Try not to schedule during peak travel months if you can. Everyone has the same idea, and if there are any hold overs, it really gets jammed up.

During July 4th for 2 weeks there is a complete shut down of the RV industry in Indiana. No outside vendor parts, so you may wait 2 weeks for a needed part to be delivered.

Also check that there are no scheduled rallies or Fest. The service vans with Techs are sometimes sent to those leaving the service dept with up to 4 tech short.

My PDI was scheduled for a short 4 day week with 4th of July, I figured two weeks with my list and need for paint. For the above mentioned delays we were there for a almost a month. If I would have asked the right question it would have only been a 2 week PDI. Another lesson learned the hard way The service was great, just unforeseen delays and a few do-overs that made us overstay our welcome.

[252sparky]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Can someone provide an email or phone extension to make the PDI appointment please. The last time I spoke with a rep he said I needed to talk to service.. OK, how do I do that?

Thanks,

-Matt

Call CS and ask for Stacey. She scheduled us for week of May 8, 2017

[RubiconTrail]

Originally Posted by ramblin-roll

Call CS and ask for Stacey. She scheduled us for week of May 8, 2017

Great info, Gary. Thanks. Glad to know things at Middlebury haven't changed with the Thor takeover except for the better!

When we scheduled ours, we did so in November, and we planned to leave the coach there. Flew home for the holidays and took a train back to get it. Picked it up right after Christmas. Worked perfectly, coach was ready to go and we were off to Florida! Entegra even gave us a ride to South Bend to catch a flight out.

Just a thought.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

Matt

They both should be able to do it, but I think the appointment is made by the people that I call service managers.... the 4 individuals who handle your service needs on your punch list and daily progress reports. Just call the standard 800 number phone people and tell them what you need to set up. They are training at least one brand new person and he was up to his ears in learning new stuff when I was first arriving a little over two weeks ago.

If its the 2 year PDI, I would suggest setting it up a full year in advance,

Also, I forgot to mention that each coach back for their PDA is scheduled for at least one, and maybe two appointments in the wash bay during each visit so you get your coach back nice and shiny in addition to having problems fixed. Who knew?

Gary

Wow, they were not doing this for my PDI back in April. My coach came back from service filthy on the outside from having paint touch up work done at Entegra. Some days the interior cleanliness left a little bit to be desired as well.

[Matt D]

Thanks for the tip guys, we are scheduled for a tentative trip this Dec. 19th to correct just a handful of known issues.

Our PDI is set for March 19th 2018, so that will give us some time to learn more about our coach.

Dec. 19 represents the current scheduling backlog. The rep indicated they had ample openings between then and March.. wonder why???

Better bring a coat!

Thanks again,

-Matt

[brobox]

Originally Posted by 757driver

Wow, they were not doing this for my PDI back in April. My coach came back from service filthy on the outside from having paint touch up work done at Entegra. Some days the interior cleanliness left a little bit to be desired as well.

A capitol X2, not in July either. Couldn't believe they cut tile inside of the coach. I have never seen cut inside in 30 years of remodeling.