The Future of RV Service: National Indoor RV Centers (NIRVC)

Keeping your RV in good working order means regular service and maintenance visits. Tracking service for owners and future buyers of recreational vehicles is imperative but often very difficult.

With a majority of RV repairs being in-warranty work after the purchase of new units, the existing system of getting approval to get the ball rolling to fixing issues was causing a logjam.

Without a comprehensive RV repair and maintenance system, efficiently scheduling warranty work and tracking the information made things difficult.

But the National Indoor RV Centers is changing the future of RV service, so stay here to learn about this groundbreaking new system that streamlines repairs, maintenance, and record-keeping in a transparent and easy-to-access format!

Why a New RV Service System Is Necessary

Many people entering the RV world must be aware of new recreational vehicles’ issues once they drive them off the lot. You would think your shiny, new camper will work smoothly for the first few years, but the reality is that this is hardly the case.

Paying for that long-term warranty is a good investment, but it’s shocking how often the initial short-term manufacturer’s warranty comes into play.

As RV brands churn out thousands of new models each year, they tend to sell them off as fast as possible and wait for customers to complain about faulty appliances or construction, and only then have the units brought in for warranty service repairs.

Unfortunately, the system in place means RV service centers are continually overwhelmed with in-warranty work, and customers may have to wait weeks, if not months, to get the repairs they need.

Often, the bottleneck of completing repair work was warranty company personnel taking their sweet time approving punch-list items.

For example, it may take an RV technician 30 minutes to pinpoint a warranty-related issue. Still, they have to wait an indeterminate amount of time for the warranty company to sign off on any diagnostics to prove it’s a covered repair.

Only then can the RV service center make an appointment for the owner to officially bring in their RV to diagnose the problem, order parts, and fix the camper.

For RV owners, not knowing when their camper will be back in action prevents them from booking camping trips and enjoying travel. When you pay tens of thousands of dollars for a new or used RV, dealing with this issue tests customer patience and is also frustrating for RV service center employees.

Moving large RVs in and out of service bays and filling up the service center’s parking lot with rigs waiting for approval or repairs adds to the burden on workers.

Lastly, what most RV owners do not know is that many warranties have a limit on how long the entire repair process takes. For example, if your RV warranty has a 30-day window (standard on many policies) to complete repairs from the day the company approves the work, and you had to wait five weeks for parts, they can deny your claim.

Trying to fight the warranty company and RV service center to get the job finished without you paying out of pocket only adds another layer of stress to your life when you should be out enjoying camping adventures.

Fixing this massive RV service problem became a priority for Brett Davis of the National Indoor RV Centers. He made it his mission to develop an RV Service Tracking App and Warranty Rating System to help the industry and RV owners regain control of the process.

National Indoor RV Centers Solution to Change the Future of RV Service

National Indoor RV Centers (NIRVC) is a one-stop RV shop offering sales, service, paint and bodywork, collision repairs, and indoor RV storage facilities.

Tackling the problem of dealers inundated with warranty and general RV repairs and maintenance duties took a lot of work.

The company understands its client base and creates innovative products like Rettroband tire blowout protection and is the exclusive distributor of Proteng Fire Suppression Systems.

CEO and President of NIRVC, Brett Davis, and his team decided to reach out to the RVing community through the popular forum iRV2.com to discuss RV service issues. He wanted to get feedback about the real impact of the existing system on RV owners so he could formulate an effective solution to the problem.

The initial focus of changing the RV servicing system was with motorcoach owners. NIRVC partnered with Class A motorhome manufacturer Newmar to shake up how they handle warranty repairs and maintenance.

The most significant change is that any time you bring your in-warranty Newmar motorcoach for a concern, National Indoor RV Centers will do everything in their power to fix the problem that day. There is no waiting for approval from the warranty company and no “unknown” about how long the repair will take.

While this program seems simple and logical, this level of competence is revolutionary in the RVing world. If NIRVC cannot fix the problem that day, they will be transparent with the customer on what is causing the delay and have a clear timeline for when the techs can do the work.

The System NIRVC and Newmar Enacted

The first change is that NIRVC techs have the freedom to diagnose the problem and immediately initiate work to fix it without the need to gain approval.

Access to parts was a huge aspect of the delay in timely repairs. The second change is NIRVC pinpointing and stocking the nearly 300 parts most commonly used for repairs in each location to alleviate waiting for parts to arrive from a warehouse.

The third change is stocking the NIRVC Texas facility with lesser-need RV parts so they can be shipped quickly (the goal is under 24 hours) via Southwest Airlines to their five other service centers in the US.

Lastly, any RV manufacturer who joins the system (in this instance, Newmar) will relocate their senior service employees to the NIRVC Texas location. This move will allow them to process claims immediately and travel easily to other NIRVC service centers if supplier issues arise.

While NIRVC has partnered with Newmar, the facility can perform warranty or general repairs on most RV brands. Their system will also accelerate service work for those customers.

NIRVC In-House Service Tracking App

NIRVC went a step further in opening up access to service information by creating an exclusive app customers can use to follow their RV repair status.

The app will track the approval (or denial) or diagnosis status of warranty work, what section of the facility is handling each specific repair, a timeline of work completion, and what parts are being replaced, including the date parts were ordered and arrived in the facility.

If any repair work coverage is denied, the customer will see the reason, name, and contact information of the person responsible for the decision.

The app will also alert customers to recalls or service bulletins connected to their RV’s VIN.

NIRVC Internal Workflow System

When your RV enters a National Indoor RV Centers facility for repairs or maintenance, it typically gets an 88-point inspection as it passes through 16 departments.

The new Internal Workflow System will barcode each RV, telling customers and staff exactly where the RV is in the system (even while in storage), with the technicians’ names and their specific work.

Knowing the status of their RV at any moment will lessen customer anxiety and give them more information to share their experience in the Warranty Rating System.

The NIRVC Warranty Rating System

As part of the RV service protocols overhaul, NIRVC wanted to encourage dialogue and changes within the RV warranty industry. To do this, they released the National Indoor RV Center’s Warranty Rating System website in 2022.

Allowing RV owners and potential buyers access to previously hidden information gives them the power to make better decisions.

The rating system will post each RV manufacturer’s criteria pertaining to their warranties, including:

• Time of claim approval
• Percentage of approvals on the first submission
• Average days it takes to fix a warranty repair

NIRVC is also blowing up the “fine print” in customer warranties so they can easily read the content. The company will also highlight important information directly affecting the customer to see that data quickly.

Warranty companies aren’t exactly thrilled with the new changes NIRVC is placing on the industry, as it evens the field for customers regarding warranty repairs. However, the National Indoor RV Centers feel that empowering their customers will improve the RV industry as a whole.

Reasons to Consider National Indoor RV Centers for Your Next RV Purchase

If you’re searching for a new RV or need a reliable and reputable place to service your camper, you need to visit any of these six NIRVC locations:

• Atlanta, GA  
• Dallas, TX  
• Las Vegas, NV  
• Nashville, TN  
• Phoenix, AZ  
• Washington D.C./VA  

From the detail in the RV walk-through videos staff member Angie Morell produces to the superior range of recreational vehicles to peruse in person or online, you’ll have a better idea of what camper style best suits your needs.

Offers Learn Before You Leave

When you purchase a new recreational vehicle from National Indoor RV Centers, you’ll get all the information and answers to your questions to feel confident you can operate the camper safely.

Aside from their industry-leading 223-point inspection and thorough walk-through training of how every RV component works, NIRVC allows buyers to test their new camper out by staying a few nights in their onsite full-hookup lot at no charge.

Staying onsite gives buyers time to figure out how everything works and get immediate answers or help for things they have questions about from a designated delivery tech.

Chance to Customize Your RV

NIRVC allows buyers to custom-build most new motorhome brands or highly customize existing floorplans. Each showroom lets clients see and touch samples for RV flooring, upholstery, cabinetry, tile, and more.

Top-Notch Service Departments

Of course, the National Indoor RV Centers excels at their service model with highly-trained technicians with RV-specific experience. Another benefit of choosing this company is their paint and collision branch that will expertly fix damage and color-match or custom paint your coach to your specifications.

Secure Storage Facilities

When camping season is over, you can safely store your RV at their indoor facility, greatly reducing wear and tear on your rig. Then, when you’re ready to take another trip, you only need to call and give notice of your departure date, and the team will prep your RV, fill it with fuel, and pull it out so you can quickly get on your way.

In Summary

RVers love to share all the good and bad when dealing with RV manufacturers, dealerships, warranty programs, and service centers. The NIRVC changes will only increase the access to information customers deserve to choose which RV companies with whom to work.

Recreational vehicle brands that don’t agree to conform to this new level of standards for service and warranty work will lose customers looking for a reputable and transparent company to do business with.

The positive changes the National Indoor RV Centers CEO and President set forth will trickle across the RV industry in the coming years and let the best companies shine!

Motorhome Service at National Indoor RV Centers (NIRVC) (Video)