Customer Survey Results

[Buckman]

Survey's are almost always the averaged results from a sample, and as we should all realise when you see an "average" there must be some variation in the individual responses. If you make a purchase based on a survey result you are just as much risk of receiving a product or service which is better or worse than the average shown in the conclusions.

Where I would disagree with the comments about "Which?" reviews is that the Consumers Association has a long history and track record of professionally gathering evidence and their reviews usually take into account not just the average result, but also the spread or consistency of results.

However even when a product or service is highly recommended by "Which?", it is only a better probability of satisfactory performance compared to other brands. It certainly isn't a guarantee, and of course a failure may not be caused by the manufacturer, it could be transit, it could be fitting, or it might even be the owner buying the wrong product or using it incorrectly.

I would like to point out that Which scores on many items that are fairly new on the market and not used every day for several months. They may review the same item 2 - 3 years later, but by that time it is too late as you have already bought the item.

Also many Which reviews understandably are not based on a collective widespread consumer review input where the item is new to the market, but rather by their own team using their own tests. In our case on at least two different occasions has definitely been a manufacturing failure!

However Which reviews are a good starting point and reading their views carefully you can determine whether the item is suitable for your needs even if it has a lower score.

 

[Raywood]

Just received my magazine.
Statistics prove nothing. Adria sales were 2.3% compared to Bailey at 27.7% and Swift at 37%.
The Dealer aspect was interesting. It appears those awarded medals in 2023 did not factor in the 2024 results.🤔🤔
Not sure why that was but if my reading is correct then hardly surprising new names appear as top drawer dealers. But how do they compare to the 2023 winners🙀Eventually all the top dealers will achieve gold / silver medals. Then those not worthy get a gong🤔🤔. In the end the numbers of caravan manufacturers and Dealers are so small maybe everyone has a chance of a gong as the years expire😉
But worth the read to see who’s who.

I do understand the difference in the market share can skew figures sometimes but the fact is that one disgruntled Adria owner can do far more damage to their result than one Swift owner. The simple fact that they have been consistently top does show an element of customer satisfaction only Coachman can get near to. When surveys throw up the same results year on year you have to believe this.
I do accept the dealer survey is less reliable as the numbers are far smaller and many dealers are not included simply because there are not enough replies. I do wonder also if the figures can be hurt by caravan makers errors, although the best dealers should have sorted many of these before the caravan reaches the customer,

 

[Buckman]

Most surveys rely on people completing the survey plus of course market share which is why results are always skewed. For example one brand sells exactly the same as the other brand and both have the same number of complaints. However more people of the one brand answer the survey while people complaining of the other brand don't bother. Results are very skewed.

 

[ProfJohnL]

... I do wonder also if the figures can be hurt by caravan makers errors, although the best dealers should have sorted many of these before the caravan reaches the customer,

I know the way the most caravan manufacturers work is to build as many caravans as needed in the shortest possible time, and the dealers will pick up any manufacturing mistakes.... if they spot them. Unfortunately that is a broken and ineffective process witnessed by the numbers of caravans requiring warranty repairs and fixes, as well as all the smaller items that customers fix for themselves.

It all becasue what the manufacturer will allow out of the factory has a very low threshold of pass, there are wide variations in both the competence and commitment of dealers and their staff .

Caravan Manufacturers still do not believe and cannot seem to see that doing it right first time, produces less warranty costs, keeps dealers and customers happier all with a better bottom line cost for every one.

 

[Dustydog]

The other factor is Adria are not UKBuilt and probably not subject to poor UK workmanship practices. Maybe Slovakian workers are more conscientious in what they do?
The main concern must be why our UK made caravans still leak 🥴🙀.
Bailey have known since 2010 their Alutech system still allows leaks causing the main floor to become rotten. Have they fixed it ?Not yet. Apparently according the repairers I’ve spoken to the remedy is simple. But leaks are still happening!

 

[toad a caravan]

Caravan manufacturers are guilty of many installation issues, some of which can impair the performance of an appliance. However in the case of hot weather and fridges, in most cases its the hot weather thats the unusual factor rather than just the caravan manufacturers installation.

Absorption fridges have a limited range of ambient temperatures in which they will function most effectively. if you dig into the details you will find the fridge manufacturers might have alternative refrigerant combinations to service different climate conditions.

If the caravan is used in an extreme ambient temperature outside the fridges designed range then it's hardly surprising they can struggle.

The addition of fan assisted cooling for some situations can extend the working high temperature range for the fridge.

Perhaps the increase in the number of occasions caravan fridges need assisted cooling is another indicator showing the climate is heating up.

My. Friend has an elderly hymer motor home with an equally elderly fridge as you mention this was fan assisted but the fan had gone down .I replaced it with a 12v fan out of a computer..The hymer is based on a fiat ducat and is L/H drive