Wilderness, New Zealand’s largest supplier for German motorhomes, has further raised the bar on how the industry services motorhomes and caravans.
The Wilderness team has a well-earned reputation for exceptional knowledge and experience in matching Kiwis with the motorhome of their dreams. With the help of the head of training at the Erwin Hymer Group, they’ve now taken this a step further by up-skilling their fleet team in all aspects of motorhome maintenance and repair.
By special invitation, Thomas Katzenmaier, who leads the renowned Leiter Service Academy at Erwin Hymer Group, has spent a week with the entire Wilderness fleet team. Thomas generously shared all he’s learnt from working on Germany’s biggest motorhome brands, including training on heating, plumbing, gas and refrigeration, suspension and chassis, electrical work, materials, as well as component and timber repairs.
Thomas has visited other dealers worldwide and was highly impressed with Wilderness' level of engagement and team spirit, noting that it was one of the best sales and service centres he’d experienced.
“The service centre is very well organised and superbly set up. The staff were really professional, eager to learn, and friendly,” he says, adding with a laugh, “even though they prefer rugby to football.”
Patrick Frick, the fleet team leader at Wilderness, says the week-long training was invaluable.
“We gleaned an amazing amount of information from Thomas. His background as a mechanical engineer and his wide experience in manufacturing and servicing really boosted our general knowledge across all the brands, as well as specifics for our Bürstner and Carado brands.
“We now have a lot more expertise at our fingertips to service our customers’ motorhomes more efficiently with the latest technology. Working to the manufacturer’s specifications will ensure our customers retain the value of their precious motorhome,” he says.
Managing Director John Managh says the training is the latest endorsement of Wilderness' level of care in looking after clients every step of the way.
“Erwin Hymer Group came to the party to further our initiative, showing the strength of the head office commitment to the New Zealand market,” John says.
“We’re the only company in the industry that offers full servicing in Auckland and Christchurch, and we have more spare parts on hand than any other service centre.”
“As New Zealand’s largest supplier of pre-eminent German motorhomes,” he adds, “it’s important for us to demonstrate leadership in any aspect that helps our clients spend more time on the road making memories.”
Wilderness plans to have Thomas visit every year to keep their team fresh and up-to-date with the fast pace of technology and innovation in the industry (and he might even eventually build their enthusiasm for football).
Contact us if you would like to book your motorhome service and benefit from this first hand training.
