Covering up seems to be an elaborate method in the motorhome industry, used whenever criticism or questions arise. After we wrote last week about the strangeness of the industry, we have received stories from several disgruntled motorhome customers, all describing the same thing.
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ShareAs soon as they try to make their voice heard on social media, they are moderated or suspended. This week, we have also been chasing the major motorhome companies that may be involved in the conflict at the Caravan Fair in Stockholm, and so far only one out of three have responded...
Table of contents
Contact with Svea motorhomes
When we wrote last week about what is happening behind the scenes in the motorhome industry we promised that we would dig into this during the week, and we have done so. Peter has tried by phone to reach the people responsible at the Caravan Stockholm fair, at Svea Husbilar and at Hymer Sweden, as they were at the fair and have been identified by Svea Husbilar as having "exerted pressure".
We have not been able to reach Caravan Stockholm or Hymer Sweden, despite repeated attempts. We will try again next week, and these companies are also very welcome to contact us!
Svea Husbilar responded immediately and invited Peter to come and visit them in Norrtälje. Said and done, our little FREEDOM car got to go on a reportage trip in the middle of the snow! One person criticised Svea Husbilar in last week's comment field, which meant that we had some important questions to ask.
We will go deeper into this next Sunday, but for now we can state that Svea Husbilar is openly answering all questions and welcomes dialogue. In addition to being happy to talk about the conflict from their point of view, they are clear that openness and transparency always come first for them, even in contact with customers.
While it may seem obvious that a company should be transparent and answer questions, this does not always seem to be the case in the motorhome industry. On the contrary, the 'keep the lid on' approach seems to be the most common way of dealing with problems. We have also discovered that many in the industry know each other well and "have each other's backs" when the wind blows, no matter what is behind the storm...
Keeping the lid on - a common strategy
This week, we have noticed that "keeping the lid on" seems to be a common strategy in the motorhome industry. Many private motorhome owners have contacted us during the week, telling us how the lid was put on whenever they were unhappy with a company or product and tried to tell us about it.
A few years ago, when I got into real trouble with another agency, both clubs put the lid on it and I was moderated and banned, all because I couldn't tell my truth.
It doesn't matter if you contact the company directly or if you write about your experiences in various motorhome groups on Facebook. The result often seems to be the same: the comment is deleted and you are banned from commenting or excluded from the group. The quote above comes from a reader who commented on our post from last week on Facebook.
Responding to criticism as a business
Shouldn't customers be able to criticise and question companies in the motorhome sector? Negative criticism is of course bad publicity for companies, and there are of course customers who criticise unreasonably. At the same time, a company that delivers a good product should automatically receive positive feedback and a good reputation. Wouldn't it be good if companies could respond to criticism in a factual and informative way, even in public?
According to Dagens Analys, a company should never delete negative criticism (unless the criticism is offensive, contains personal attacks or violates Swedish legislation). Responding to criticism shows that you are a company that can stand up for its products and has nothing to hide! Please read the tips from Dagens Analys on how companies can dealing properly with criticism on social media.
What is happening in the motorhome groups on Facebook?
Some of the large motorhome groups on Facebook have gone the same way as the companies, choosing to throttle discussions where companies are criticised. In some cases, people also report that they have been excluded from the groups if they have written criticism or suggested an event that was inappropriate.
In a Facebook group, the administrator obviously has the right to decide what can and cannot be written. But if you can't criticise companies or Facebook groups, where can you share bad experiences or give each other tips on how to solve problems?
It can be about security
This week we spoke to an experienced motorhome owner who discovered that, according to him, there is a fire safety risk associated with motorhome refrigerators. According to this motorhome owner, the warranty on Dometic refrigerators is only valid if there is nothing flammable behind the refrigerators where they are installed. He found flammable sealing strips behind the fridges, took photos and tried to show them on social media, but what do you think happened?
This motorhome owner's story is similar to all those we have heard before. By his own account, he was banned from commenting on the company's (Kabe's) Facebook page and was excluded from several Facebook groups. Of course, we cannot decide what is right or wrong in this case. We can only note that the customer's complaint was handled in the usual way, by keeping the lid on.
But what if it is actually the case that in some context it is about our safety, about something that can catch fire. Is it right that there is no somewhere where we customers can discuss our concerns and problems? And if it is indeed the case that the criticism is unjustified and the motorhome companies have a good answer - wouldn't it be better for them to answer us all in public?
Another story
Another story has come to us this week. According to the informant, the Dethleffs club was having a meeting, and since they were in the neighbourhood of Svea Husbilar, they decided to go and visit. They had a nice meeting and took a photo together, which Svea Husbilar posted on their social channels.
About a week later, the club was reportedly forced to ask Svea Husbilar to remove all photos from their social channels after threats of cancelled subsidies from the General Agent (Erwin Hymer Group). Peter, of course, asked Svea Husbilar about this story when he was there this week and was confirmed that yes, they have been asked to remove the pictures of when they were having coffee at the facility. They removed the picture immediately, out of respect for the Dethleffs club members.
Svea Husbilar also says that they do not understand what this is about and think it is extremely remarkable that a general agent goes out and threatens the members of their own club. Tobias Linusson, who works as CEO at Svea Husbilar, criticises the Hymer Group and says that this is pure mafia methods. We at FREEDOMtravel will provide more information about this event next Sunday.
What do you have to say?
What are your experiences, positive and negativeof the motorhome industry? Have you experienced good treatment and have you been able to criticise or ask questions if necessary? What are your experiences with the social media and Facebook groups of companies and motorhome clubs? Do you recognise this as "putting the lid on" when things heat up? Write and tell!
We have more information, and we hope to reveal more next Sunday. But we also want your views, thoughts and ideas! As usual, we can't publish personal attacks or anything that violates Swedish law - but otherwise you are free to comment!
No threads are closed here and we have a very high ceiling! (Note, however, that your comment may need to be approved before it becomes visible.) The series continues next Sunday. Please help Peter with tips and information so he can keep digging this week! You can comment anonymously if you wish.
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Matts Torebring says:
Not answering the phone or responding to emails after several days is very bad. The same thing happened to me this week....it's self-punishing!
https://mattstorebring.se/2018/03/08/kabe-adria-serviceverkstad/
Everything can go wrong at some point for everyone. I have had to deal with both positive and negative feedback from customers. It has been one of my most stimulating jobs. Solving a complaint positively is the best marketing. I say to everyone at work: "Answer within half an hour and you get plus points, then it turns into minus points if you take longer."
11 March 2018 - 7:46
Helena says:
It is certainly important to get answers! I think you are absolutely right in your strategy that it is a plus point to reply as soon as possible!
11 March 2018 - 8:57
Liniz Travel says:
We don't have a motorhome unfortunately..., so no experience! Hugs
11 March 2018 - 8:01
Travel Linda says:
Wow, what a mess this seems to be. Good that you keep digging. I think it will be hard to change a culture though, but it has to start somewhere!
11 March 2018 - 8:09
Helena says:
You are probably right that it takes time to change culture and attitudes. Putting a lid on all the problems cannot be a sustainable strategy; change is needed here, we think.
11 March 2018 - 8:59
Jonas malmqvist says:
This with answering the phone or on miles or whatever..... But we bought a car in Bålsta at skoklostersbil, or whatever they were called...... In any case, we are very happy with what we got and the service. But the time it took for us to get answers to some things was not okay. So ....... The motorhome market should probably tighten up!
11 March 2018 - 8:13
Helena says:
Glad you are satisfied with the product and service! Getting an answer within a reasonable time is also important for you as a customer, and can affect how you perceive the whole process.
11 March 2018 - 9:01
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
Being suspended on social media closed the account. I criticised Elen in a parking space.
11 March 2018 - 9:29
Helena says:
Were you suspended for that? That doesn't make sense, actually.
11 March 2018 - 12:06
Otherwise says:
There is a lot of money in the motorhome industry and probably quite large profits for the parties involved. When a company comes along and grabs market share by squeezing these profits and brokering motorhomes at a lower commission than the large established players, there is of course concern in the ranks.
This is nothing new and has been seen in many other industries over the years. But to think that you can shut out such a new player and also try to silence criticism in today's social media society is rather unwise. It obviously doesn't work because we continue to discuss it in channels that are not controlled or heavily influenced by the big retailers as some obviously are.
IF it is only this that is behind it, which we really don't know yet, but since Svea openly answers all questions and welcomes the discussion while the others involved obviously try to put a lid on it, one can guess ... but it's great that you dig further into this!
We would like to see an open industry with free competition between players, which should mean lower prices and better service for us customers, not some kind of cartelisation...
11 March 2018 - 9:38
Helena says:
Thanks for the interesting comment Anders! We'll keep digging!
11 March 2018 - 12:07
Mr Michael says:
We already know that Facebook pages are in cahoots with commerce. Being excluded is not uncommon, especially from your friends, and it just tells you who they are. So nothing new under the sky. I don't understand why people don't boycott sites that only go the way of the traders instead of the consumer. Honestly, it's not the traders who are members of the FB pages, it's the consumers.
I don't think it's strange that some people aren't allowed to take part because no new vehicles are sold at a new car show.
11 March 2018 - 9:59
Helena says:
It is tricky if it is not clear to members of different FB groups who is behind it, i.e. whether companies are involved or not! What are your thoughts on "new car fairs"? Used vehicles are of course not displayed, but otherwise I think as a customer I should be able to find information about everything relevant to me as a motorhome/camping enthusiast, including accessories, destinations, campsites, laws and regulations, books, etc. So why can't there also be information about rentals? Please let us know your thoughts on this!
11 March 2018 - 12:18
Anette says:
I think it is important that the criticism is constructive.
Many times, criticism in FB groups leads to a smear campaign where the discussion is no longer about the problem itself but just a flow of ugly derogatory words about the company as such, the car model etc.
It is easy for the pendulum to swing to the other side.
Allow criticism, but manage it in time by reminding people of the issue, asking for solutions - what to do about the problem, who to contact, etc.
Then I think you can go much further and even have a serious discussion with the company you are targeting.
11 March 2018 - 10:03
Helena says:
Thanks for the interesting and good point!
11 March 2018 - 12:20
Lena - good for the soul says:
Oh, my God! What a playground! You can hardly believe it's true (even though I understand that it's true). It seems like pure sandbox fantasies, from a distance! Good that you root. Hopefully it leads to something good and can also spread to other industries. I guess it's at the same level elsewhere! Well done!
Hug Lena
11 March 2018 - 11:06
Helena says:
Things are certainly happening in other industries too ...
11 March 2018 - 12:20
Ditte says:
I don't have a motorhome, but I think it's great that you bring this up and clarify it as best you can. And with a lot of money involved, the industry probably wants to keep it that way in the future.
11 March 2018 - 12:21
Helena says:
Thanks Ditte, we do our best!
11 March 2018 - 18:57
cat says:
Interesting to read about how to deal with people with differing opinions. Transparency is usually the most rewarding over time. Now we no longer have a motorhome for several years and we were not active in the camping life on camping sites and also not a member of any motorhome club, so we do not have any experience. Gruff is possible here and there.
11 March 2018 - 14:13
Helena says:
Transparency feels important and is also difficult to avoid in the long run with social media, we think. At least if you want to be a company at the forefront.
11 March 2018 - 18:59
Mr Steve says:
I am filled with discomfort and anger as I read this and feel happy not to be a motorhome owner. You are doing a commendable job in the true "JanneJosefsson" spirit of digging into this and exposing the seemingly complacent motorhome industry. It is good that you have solid experience with motorhomes and therefore cannot be easily questioned. I note in particular that you also highlight the good examples that exist.
Let's hope that your efforts lead to a self-correction in the industry.
11 March 2018 - 14:50
Helena says:
We hope that we can have some impact. We simply want more transparency in the industry.
11 March 2018 - 19:00
Mr Stefan says:
Interesting article, although I think it's a bit biased to some extent.
What I have been able to read regarding this with Sveahusbilar, is that it is a GROUP of dealers from different brands that did not like that Sveahusbilar would stand outside the Kistamässan, as it could be interpreted as if Sveahusbilar was hosting the fair. I don't see anything wrong with that, do you?
Like Volvo having a stand outside the Geneva fair, so that everyone who passes by has to pass their "stand" to be able to look at other cars. I don't think that would be appreciated by the other car brands....
Well, Freedomtravel... I miss some nuance in this article... However, I agree that it is weak that the dealers cannot be contacted on this issue.
11 March 2018 - 16:35
Helena says:
Thank you for your comment Stefan! We will take this point into account as we move forward!
11 March 2018 - 19:01
Göran says:
The situation described is very common at trade fairs in various sectors. That is, exhibitors stand outdoors, even at the entrance. So nothing strange about it! It's good for the organiser to also be able to use the premises outdoors!
15 March 2018 - 7:55
Otherwise says:
Do you mean that customers find it difficult to distinguish between the exhibitor (Svea) and the fair organiser?
Should Svea be penalised for rethinking how they wanted to position themselves?
Could it be that the attractive spaces inside the fair are booked by the same brands year after year?
The fear of competition shines through and does not favour the end customer!
11 March 2018 - 23:38
BP says:
Don't know why, but spontaneously I thought of the US President's tweets... Sandbox there too.
Companies that respond to constructive criticism and address any security risks should always win the day.
You know how I feel about Facebook. There are no discussions that often lead to misinterpretations on FB. That's just the way it is.
It's great that you dig into the "sandbox" on your blog.
11 March 2018 - 17:42
Helena says:
We also believe that the best thing to do is always to respond to criticism. Whether the customer is right or not, the criticism should be addressed.
11 March 2018 - 19:02
year says:
I just want to say that I'm glad that you are able to tackle the problem. Already in high school we were once taught that trusts and cartels are a bad practice, even forbidden, but it happens all the time that people think they can make more money from various forms of dishonesty. I have learnt in my profession that if someone complains, respond immediately and if you are wrong, lie on your back, or even better, give some form of compensation.
11 March 2018 - 22:19
Göran Stolpe says:
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
It is good that you highlight this "lid on".
I also see cartelisation in this context, referring to the international new car warranty provided by most motorhome dealers in Europe.
Most motorhome dealers in Sweden categorically refer customers to the respective seller for complaints about the motorhome. Whether the vehicle is purchased in Sweden or abroad.
We all know that motorhome manufacturers compensate their dealers for warranty work regardless of who sold the motorhome. (However, they feel that they are not being paid in full for the time spent).
Instead of kindly receiving a customer with a motorhome, within the warranty period and of the brand they represent, they refer to the seller. (Who wants to come back to this dealership after the warranty period?)
The erroneous term "grey imports" is used in the motorhome industry, even if the motorhome was purchased within the EU. On the one hand, there are no imports within the EU and on the other hand, businesses and individuals are "free" to import products within the EU.
Volvo Cars realised early on that their dealers could not refuse within the warranty period. Regardless of where the car was purchased, a Volvo owner is welcome to visit a workshop to have faults rectified free of charge within the warranty period.
A motorhome dealer I spoke to said that they do not refuse to carry out warranty repairs unless they have no time. It was also not possible to book an appointment far ahead in the calendar. This is in the world of refusal.
12 March 2018 - 9:53
Darek says:
Hi Göran, as a representative and importer of some motorhome brands, I would like to clarify some things:
1. It is not at all the case that manufacturers pay for all warranties. We get through maybe 50% - some brands take most of it, some do nothing at all. The risk is entirely the dealer's. You can probably imagine how easy it will be to get paid by the customer - if the customer thinks it's the factory warranty.
2. Spare parts management in the industry is under all criticism, delivery times of several weeks/months are nothing strange. It is a very expensive handling that no company wants to deal with - other than when they have to = for their own sold cars.
3. Yes, in theory "grey import" is a misnomer, but in practice it is absolutely correct. Part of the profit we and the other dealers make in Sweden is used to build up spare parts stocks, expertise, workshop capacity, goodwill guarantees, etc. "Grey" imports free ride on that - and who wants to pay for that? Not the factory anyway. Not you either, right?
4. Comparison to Volvo is also not fair, The foreign factories (have no experience with Swedish manufacturers) that I have contact with (with some brilliant exceptions), consider the Swedish market as "fly shit", 2-3 motorhomes here or there does not matter - especially now during the boom, when all factories are struggling to produce as much as possible - because everything is sold as soon as it comes out. This means that my - and the other dealers' - ability to influence the factory and force sensible solutions with general guarantees etc. is equal to zero. If I start arguing, there are others who sell - no problem. Will the factory lose out on that attitude in the long run - of course. Can we do anything about it now - not a chance. We have to wait for the next recession. Those of us who survive, that is 🙁 .
16 March 2018 - 16:19
Withdrawal says:
Darek. If a recall is sent out by the factory asking to contact the nearest authorised workshop for action and mileage reimbursement is paid to indemnify the customer. Do you mean that you do not receive compensation from the factory for that job and your costs? I was denied this type of work a year or so ago. Agreed with the German dealer to do the action when we drive by. He did not understand what the Swedish dealer was doing "We get full compensation for these jobs so we are happy to do them". In any case, the matter was forwarded to the factory and a week later I was contacted by the Swedish dealer who said that there must have been some misunderstanding. We make no difference between Swedish sold or imported cars and they fixed the problem. In other words, they tried to tell a white lie, but the factory did not accept it.
25 March 2018 - 11:16
Shamrock says:
Great that you are addressing this. I have no personal experience but have seen how it works in FB groups and other groups. I am actually surprised that people still write there because it seems to be more of a "backstabbing group" and if you have a different opinion in any direction, you are usually attacked. Many people leave the groups after that and I think it's sad. A group with many members and many opinions is often better.
12 March 2018 - 19:37
Mr Leif Kahlman says:
That such a thing can happen in 2018 is like going back fifty years, isn't it?
13 March 2018 - 11:55
Anonymous says:
Got involved in a conflict when someone posted a picture of a littered rest area, and the "thread creator" urged all motorhome owners to bring their own rubbish bags for the "good cause", I'm not going to bring other people's rubbish, and it got even worse when I said that "this problem" is relatively new.
I chose to "leave" the group myself as I felt attacked. Regards
15 March 2018 - 18:23
Darek says:
I can comment a bit from the other side (I represent a company that exhibited at the Kista fair, but not involved in the direct discussion). There are several aspects:
1. as one of the relative newcomers to the industry (we've been at it for 10 years), I have some sympathy for Svea, nice to have a little "David vs Goliath" fight...as well as new ways to utilise social media, BUT:
2. Svea Husbilar has clearly wanted to make a PR coup. The purpose of the whole arrangement was to get the talk and publicity going - without paying the regular price for the fair. It is probably right for Svea to try - but equally right for the others not to accept....
3. The purpose of the Kista fair is to present new motorhomes. Svea does not sell any new motorhomes, so their presence can be questioned on natural grounds. It is obvious that Svea had not wanted to present Nordic etc as vehicles - but wanted the publicity themselves.
4. The Hymer group (and the other big ones) have of course over the years invested an awful lot of money and the Kista fair MUST listen to them. To let Svea carry out the coup and get a lot of cheap publicity at Hymer's (and the others') expense is just stupid - and of course the fair realised that.
5. Then there is the talk about Svea's grey imports, not handling guarantees and various other things - I can't judge that, Hymer and the others may have more insight into the issue.
6. the Kista fair needs to step up - and meet today's challenges. The fact that 4 out of 5 major brands did not have representatives at the fair is nothing more than an understatement. The space is not enough for those who want to exhibit (the Kista fair is too small). 10,000 visitors compared to Elmia's 40,000 speaks volumes, as Mälardalen is Sweden's population centre. The new management had an uphill battle this year and made some rookie mistakes with the Svea organisation. I know that work is underway right now to reverse the trend.
16 March 2018 - 15:49
Svea Motorhomes says:
Hi Darek (Solhem motorhomes).
The interesting thing is that the speculation of many of you in the motorhome industry seems to have no end. You, including mainly the Hymer Group with some dealers, all seem to have thoughts and opinions, but nobody bothers to check the facts by something as simple as a phone call to us as this actually concerns.
How difficult should it be?
Here are answers to your assumptions:
2.
The Milky Way has been the Fair's idea and it was actually us who were contacted by them regarding a stand. Among other things, they wanted help to spread the message about the fair, which would attract more visitors this year. Win win, you might say, as we had a lot of marketing commitments planned together with the fair. Through our marketing, we easily reach a wide audience, which the fair wanted. Incidentally, this costs money so your thoughts about "without paying the regular price" do not hold.
If the stand location itself was a problem, why couldn't they place us somewhere else at the fair. It is always possible to find space if you want to, but apparently this was not an option for the Hymer Group, so the fair could not offer this. So this whole argument falls like a rock.
3.
The idea that the purpose of the fair is to present new cars is completely fabricated and another made-up excuse to try to legitimise the situation.
There is no statement that the fair should only be for new car sales, if you have that argument, all those who sell accessories of various kinds and services can be removed from the fair, which is a lot of stands (which do not sell motorhomes/caravans at all)!
No matter how you/you try to twist and turn your arguments to try to find an excuse for a general agent and dealers to join forces and blackmail the fair and Svea Husbilar, you will surely understand that it is quite ridiculous in this context.
4.
No matter how much the Hymer group and the others have invested in the fair historically, it does not justify being able to behave in any way towards anyone and that investments made have returns, a fair is not a cost, it is an income!
It is sad that you think we have attempted some kind of coup.
Times change and things may not always be the same. All industries move forward. Unfortunately, it seems that many of you in the industry spend your energy preserving or striving backwards. Time to wake up.
5.
What questions do you have about Svea and grey imports? We are happy to answer.
We have also openly disclosed our imports during the start-up phase of the company where we imported two used and two new motorhomes. Like most people who start a business, in the beginning you need to learn where to put your future energy and strategy. Now, import is not a path we chose as we put all our focus on brokerage.
There is no more info than that. So you and Hymer can keep speculating if you like.
However, at Solhem Husbilar, you have your own tab on your website called "Import help" where you offer to help customers to grey import motorhomes. http://solhemhusbil.se/importhjalp
You write on your website: "We have German partners who can help with the whole process including shipping to Sweden, call for info".
Now we at Svea Husbilar have nothing against imports as it is an inevitable evolution even in the motorhome industry, but Erwin Hymer Group will not appreciate this? In fact, you were a lot of exhibitors at Caravan Stockholm who are engaged in grey imports, which the Hymer Group probably knows, but you were not thrown out ........
Your connection to the Erwin Hymer Group does not make you impartial in these matters, as you rent and sell Sunlight and Dethleffs, which are their brands.
According to them, you were also part of the group that carried out this blackmail against the fair and us. Fredrik Uhlin has famously said that "everyone is in on this".
But if you are interested in the real situation, why don't you call us and ask BEFORE they/you make accusations or blackmail us and others.
We are puzzled that none of our industry colleagues who have opinions call us to check the situation before making accusations and assumptions.
We are open to discussion and have nothing to hide.
Regards
John Lönnqvist
Founders & Co-owners - Svea Husbilar
Mail: john.lonnqvist@sveahusbilar.se
Tel: 0707702098
21 March 2018 - 17:30
Darek says:
Hi John, you seem to think that I have something against you and am part of a conspiracy against you. I want to make it clear that neither I nor anyone else at Solhem Husbil AB has discussed/reasoned/investigated/been contacted by Hymer or anyone else. You have your battles - we are not involved, what I wrote about in the post - is just my own opinions and thoughts. The purpose of my post was to show a - to some extent informed but uninvolved, and as objective as possible - party's opinion.
As I wrote in the post - I have a certain sympathy for small upstarts (as I consider myself) - this applies to you as well. Having said that - I must comment on your post:
Point 2. I don't want to delve into that - I'm not familiar enough with the facts. But my opinion remains - to you it probably sounded like a good and cost-effective way to get attention at a low cost - because you're not saying that your arrangement would have been more expensive than the equivalent square metres in the hall, are you?
Point 3. Yes, you can rant as much as you want about how ridiculous the arguments are - but the fact remains that no other company that only sells second-hand is at the fair. I myself started my journey in the industry by selling second-hand - then I did not feel that Kista mässa is the right place.
Point 4. John, you try to lump me in with others (the big bad wolf Hymer) all the time. I represent no one but myself and Solhem Husbil. What I am trying to say is that it is clear that the fair listens to Hymer and the others, more than they listen to you (or me for that matter). If the fair has to choose sides - of course, they choose the side that is closest - obviously and right. Then I'm not sure why you think it's sad that I say that you made a coup. It's obvious that you tried - and as I said, I don't have a problem with that - but you can't expect everyone else to just accept it.
Point 5. Here you seem not to have read my comment - I have no views and the rumours that exist I did not comment on - due to lack of insight. Moreover, I have no interest - nor do I care, it is not my business. As you rightly point out, we ourselves sometimes help with the private import of used motorhomes. According to the EU it is allowed and even good with free trade - and I like it too, the Swedish market is sometimes too small. But I also understand the logic that grey imports (parallel imports of new cars) are problematic for Swedish general agents.
Then you once again try to bundle me with the Hymer group - and Svea Husbilar's controversy against them. My links to the Hymer group are very loose, (but of course they exist), our cars do not come through Hymer but through the Dethleffs agency in Denmark, so Fredrik Uhlin I am very vaguely familiar with - and neither I nor anyone else at Solhem Husbil has discussed the issue with him - or anyone else. I actually have the integrity to tell you what I think myself and do not have to hide behind others.
Finally, you have made a point of being controversial and modern, "us against the establishment" "David against Goliath" etc. You are using social media in a new and smart way. It seems to be working for you, congratulations - you are getting attention and publicity. I have no comment on that. You found your thing - we all try to find "our thing". But to me the whole controversy is part of your marketing. You have NOT been harmed - it is rather the Kista fair that has, through its waffling and bad publicity. You could not have bought that publicity and people's interest for money. As I said - congratulations. But if you drive too hard to be a victim of big bad Hymer (and all other Hymer lackeys such as Solhem Husbil 🙂 you will just be ridiculous.
In fact, you can make it easy for yourself and play the "us against them" card only when you are not brand-bound and do not need to co-operate with other companies in different contexts. Those of us who are bound by dealer meetings, joint trade fairs, guarantees, price lists, etc. can't do that. It's a bit like with teenage children - it's fun to play and be wild - but at some point you become an adult, have your own children - and then compromise and co-operation are the order of the day - not rebellion.
However, what bothers me most in your post is that you repeatedly try to claim that we (Solhem Husbil) are part of the whole "deal". According to YOUR own way of expressing yourself: "But if you are interested in how it really is, you can call us and ask BEFORE they/you/you make accusations or blackmail against both us and others". End quote.
22 March 2018 - 17:41
Svea Motorhomes says:
Hi Darek.
Thank you for the information, it is good to hear that you have not been involved in this mess.
I should make it clear that this is an undesirable situation for us. We are just trying to make the best of it. If this has now resulted in what is perceived as positive publicity, that is good.
Just to be clear, we are not interested in any kind of smear campaign. But we will of course respond when we feel that the perception is skewed.
2.
Well, the cost of our planned marketing for during and after the fair easily exceeds the cost of the small stand we would occupy.
I would like to remind you that we would not be at the fair to sell any motorhomes, we would not even have any motorhomes on site. Just a small stand where we would be welcoming people and handing out a flyer on our brokerage service.
3.
As I said, we were not there to sell second-hand. Just handing out flyers and talking to customers.
4.
Good to hear that you were not involved.
We have not had any thoughts of a coup. As I said, our purpose at the fair was to distribute flyers and, of course, to build our brand. If the stand location that the fair offered us was a problem, they could have easily repositioned us. But this was not even one of the alleged problems with our participation according to the fair.
5.
I agree and we also understand this.
I don't want to conflate you or anyone else with the Hymer Group.
That all exhibitors are involved in blackmailing us and the fair is the word of Fredrik Uhlin of Erwin Hymer Group, NOT ours.
Good to hear that you are not interested in this type of grouping.
Unfortunately, I believe that many traders do not have the courage to speak up when the Agent General issues directives. This means that they get involved in these unfortunate situations.
We understand that your Danish agency unfortunately fell victim to just such a situation when they recently put pressure on their own customer club. Really sad, we think!
It is exactly as you say. If we had been branded, I doubt that we could have stood up in the way we did. However, we believe that honesty is the best policy and being open about what has happened is the right way to go, even if the motorhome industry is stirring the pot! It seems to need it!?
Whether or not we have managed to turn this into something potentially favourable for us, the situation is regrettable.
We are certainly not claiming that you are involved in this, as Mr Hymer said.
We wish you a pleasant weekend and good luck with the sales.
Regards
John Lönnqvist
Founders & Co-owners - Svea Husbilar
Mail: john.lonnqvist@sveahusbilar.se
Tel: 0707702098
23 March 2018 - 15:53