The gap between well-trained dealers and the rest is widening.
Leisure vehicles are more complex than they were five years ago. Lithium battery systems, solar integration, advanced heating controls — buyers arrive at showrooms with technical questions that basic product knowledge can’t answer.
What’s changed
Manufacturers are shipping increasingly sophisticated vehicles. Truma, Alde, and others have moved from simple systems to app-controlled, diagnostics-enabled technology.
Buyers know this. They research before they visit. They arrive with specific questions.
If your sales team can’t answer them, the buyer notices.
The commercial case
Dealers with certified technical staff report three measurable advantages:
- Faster workshop diagnostics — less time per job, more jobs completed
- Better warranty outcomes — fewer rejected claims, stronger manufacturer relationships
- Reduced liability exposure — documented training creates a paper trail
The third point is underappreciated. As vehicles get more complex, the risk of incorrect advice increases. Training is partial protection against that risk.
What this means for your dealership
If you haven’t reviewed your team’s technical training in the last 12 months, you’re already behind the dealers who have.
Start with the manufacturers you stock. Most offer certified training programmes. Some are free.
The signal is clear. Technical competence is becoming a differentiator, not a baseline.