Matt Rublee , general manager and Brett Horne , service manager
Harvey RVs
In For The Long Haul
In 1986 , Don Harvey was a self employed building contractor who thought it would be a great idea to build and sell picnic tables as a source of extra income . He and his wife , Nancy , lived on busy Route 15 in Glenburn and he would put the finished tables out by the road for sale . Don ’ s ideas never stopped and he eventually started to build utility trailers which he also set out by the road to sell . These proved to be very popular and Don and Nancy were off and running in the trailer business . Harvey Trailers became a significant player in the manufacture , sale , and service of trailers in Maine and beyond . Don and Nancy continued to expand the scope of their businesses and added RVs in 2002 and a truck accessories business in 2007 . The RV business quickly grew , and in 2007 Harvey RVs opened their own location … back on busy Route 15 in Glenburn , across from Don & Nancy ’ s home . Don passed away in 2014 and Nancy sold the utility trailer and truck accessory business in 2015 , but Nancy continues to own and operate Harvey RVs with longtime employee and General Manager , Matt Rublee at the helm .
Today , Harvey RVs has become the largest RV sales and service dealer in the state of Maine , selling well in excess of 300 new and used units annually . Their sales are comprised of 65 % new RV sales and 35 % used inventory sales . The tow-behind trailer remains Harvey RV ’ s bread and butter ; however , they provide a full selection of models which includes new and used pick-up campers , pop-ups , 5th wheelers , tow-behinds and motorized campers . An inventory of such magnitude requires an 8 acre lot at their Glenburn facility . Matt states that “ It ’ s very common for buyers to start with a pop-up and within a few years move up to a larger model with more amenities . Many campers will own as many as 5 different campers in their lifetime and change models based upon lifestyle and family requirements ”.
Harvey RVs has three unique revenue streams ; rec vehicle sales , service and accessory sales . Their new inventory is comprised of Prowler , Palomino , Coachmen , Sportec , Durango , Venom , Winnebago and Georgetown with each brand having its own area of specialty in the RV market . They pride themselves on an open customer showroom with a wide variety of inventory with all parts and items easily accessible to clients in customer view .
Currently , Harvey RVs has 26 employees handling sales , financing , inventory and service with service being the most heavily staffed area . Matt is quick to point out that it is the experience and dedication of his staff that helps set Harvey apart from its competitors . Quality service helps keep customers coming back and results in satisfied clients . In fact , Harvey ’ s has recently invested in an on the road service van to meet customers ’ needs where required .
The computer age has become as important to the RV business as it has with many businesses more commonly associated with computers . From the time an RV is purchased to the point of delivery , the entire process is computerized . Each employee monitors the sales or service progress by using iPads as the RV moves from one station to the next when being readied for customer pickup .
Matt notes that change is coming fast to the camping industry . Where a slide-out was once a unique accessory , it ’ s now not unusual to have 2 or 3 slide outs in a unit . Also , power hitches , power stabilizers , power levelers , power awnings , large screen TV ’ s , electric fireplaces and outdoor kitchens are becoming more the industry norm . Higher quality and lighter building materials are also allowing easier pull for larger units . One of the more unique technological changes in newer units are outside solar hookups where 20 ” x 40 ” solar panels can recharge batteries and run lights and water pumps on units . LED lights are becoming the standard , which requires much less electricity than incandescent bulbs and gives off significantly less heat . Also , electrical control wall units for running lights , heat etc . are being replaced by iPads .
Harvey RVs is proof that old fashioned service coupled with a family oriented consideration for employees , while integrating the newest innovations in design , service automation and customer visibility through social media is a winning combination . +
BY : KEN WHITE , WCP , V . P . SALES
Ken specializes in personal and commercial insurance . He holds the Workers Compensation Professional designation .
30 | FALL 2016