WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES NEWS
Best New Dealer of the Year
August 12, 2010 by Hill Country Community Journal - Your news is OUR news, Kerrville, Texas.
by Bonnie Arnold
Staff Writer
Ronnie, Kari and Todd Bock of Ronnie Bock's Kerrville RV recently received the Winnebago national "New Dealer of the Year" sales award for 2010, receiving a plaque from Tom Neal, the district sales manager for Winnebago.
Neal said he's been working for the company for almost 40 years and this is the first time anyone in his network has won this award.
The award is in recognition of Bock's sales achievement for 2010.
Todd Bock said last week that there are only 13 sales locations in Texas for Winnebago and Bock's business is the dealer for San Antonio's sales and service area.
Ronnie Bock said the next closest dealer is in Buda, then in Houston and Dallas.
The local dealership signed on with Winnebago in August 2009, and they took delivery of inventory in October 2009.
"Now the 2011s will begin arriving the week of Aug. 9," Ronnie Bock said.
"This award is based on our stocking, sales, service and marketing. The criteria is based across multiple factors," said Todd Bock.
"The funny thing is, we found out about the award through a company magazine. We found our own name and the award in it. We got a letter, but it came a few days after we saw it in the company newsletter," Todd Bock said.
The publication is called "Today Tomorrow – a report to our dealers" and the July 2010 issue includes a two-page spread titled Winnebago Industries Retail Sales Honor Roll.
Their letter read, "Dear Mr. Bock, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you and your organization on your sales achievement with Winnebago Industries products this past year. Your dealership earned honors for the Top New Winnebago Dealer. Congratulations and thank you to you and your entire team. Because of your efforts, Winnebago Industries remains the No. 1 motor home manufacturer in the United States.
"Your 2010 Winnebago Industries Sales Award will be arriving at your dealership in July. Please display it proudly. You earned it!
"Once again, congratulations on your achievements. Working together we can exceed our goals for 2011.
Sincerely, Robert J. Olsen, CEO and president."
Todd Bock said they'd been concentrating on their day-to-day sales and service, and "we didn't know this award was out there to set our sights on, especially after only one year as a dealer for them."
"What is really important is that our sales in this have been in our local sales area, mostly Kerr County, Gillespie County and in Comfort," said Ronnie Bock, "and that's with the majority of our overall sales being nationwide by the Internet. This one was based on a three- to four-county range."
The trading area assigned to the Bocks for Winnebago includes Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, McMullen, Medina, Real, Uvalde and Wilson counties in addition to Kerr County
Todd Bock said their plaque is the award, no other money or certificate.
"And keep in mind that this achievement all happened during what they're now calling the 'Great Recession' on the national news," Ronnie Bock added.
by Bonnie Arnold
Staff Writer
The Bocks' business totals a staff of 11 including the owner family.
Ronnie Bock said the Winnebago company asked them to sign an agreement to become a dealer in April of 2008, but the family turned down that request because the timing happened at the steep downturn of the economy.
"We said yes in 2009 after we were visited by people from Winnebago's sales, service and upper management levels. They're very picky," Todd Bock said. "New Winnebago franchises are rare in general. So this award is even more prestigious."
Winnebago is a 53-year-old company whose corporate headquarters is located in Forest City, Iowa.
They began by producing trailers to be pulled by other vehicles and about 10 years later began selling self-contained motor homes.
