Update: Nice surprise from Bish's in Idaho Falls

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

Yesterday, we took our Monty to Bish's in Idaho Falls for the free winterizing the dealership is offering to its customers. We were first in line (thank goodness, because it looked as if the free winterizing was a raging success, with rigs pullin in from all directions just after we arrived). But, before the winterizing was done, Janet LePray (service) asked if we had anything that needed attention, other than the winterizing. We said yes, the drawer under the sofa still wouldn't close, and we also needed the handrail by the steps replaced because it suffered a bit of an accident when our rig slid into our hauling trailer as Wayne was trying to get the Monty out of its parking spot, through the snow and mud, and into the driveway for the trip to Bish's. I also mentioned that we'd had to buy a dedicated remote for our TV because the one that came with it never worked correctly.

Bish's fixed the drawer and replaced the handrail--no charge--and the cost of the new remote was taken care of on the spot. We were back on the road home in no time. Before we left, however, we had a brief visit with Cindy Reese, the service manager, who was running herself ragged maintaining order in the line of rigs waiting for winterizing. As busy as Bish's was, the employees were doing a great job of getting everyone taken care of and happy.

It was nice to see Bish's so busy, not just with the free winterizing, but also in the service department and in the showroom itself. I think Janet and Cindy have made a huge difference at the dealership. They deserve recognition for their determination to keep the customer happy and make sure things are done right.

While waiting on our rig, we had a nice surprise when fellow MOCer "Gramps" (Dave from Rigby, Idaho) walked in to buy a part for his Monty. We met him and his wife through the MOC board and had a nice face-to-face meeting with them at Yellowstone last summer.

It surely is sad to look out at our forlorn Monty, all winterized and covered with snow instead of being pulled behind our truck, off to another adventure. In our part of Montana, winter has definitely arrived, complete with snow and zero temperatures forecast for Friday and Saturday. I blinked . . . and missed fall entirely.

Carolyn

[Tom S.]

It's so refreshing to hear a story about a dealer going the extra mile!

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

I can't imagine what all that winterizing and labor to do it is costing Bish's, even at the dealership's cost. They're doing it only on Tuesdays between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM, but they're doing it at both of their Idaho locations, and from what we saw Tuesday, every former customer must be taking them up on the offer. We were told that the rigs were "backed up and lined up on the street" waiting for the service, and what we saw was no exception. The rigs were backed up in an orderly line throughout Bish's lot, and the overflow was lined up on an adjacent show lot. Even so, with several techs working, that line moved fairly quickly and orderly.

Going the extra mile, providing any reasonable courtesy service. is worth its weight in gold. It's customer service that produces a loyal customer, not a one-time-only buyer. We have certainly been pleased with Bish's after our last two dealings with them, both of which went above and beyond our expectations. The dealership is a good example of what happens when the right customer service manager is in charge and when the service counter people are knowledgeable and helpful.

Carolyn

[Fire5er]

Now that's a good dealer!! That's a good trip between Dillon and Idaho Falls. Do you do it all in one day or do you spend the night and drive back the next day?

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

We prefer not to do it in one day just because it's such a long, boring (flat, no scenery) drive, but most of the time that is what we do--drive down for the day and then try to be close to home by dark. Much of I-15 between Idaho Falls and Dillon doesn't have cell service, and we don't want to get stranded at night on that road. Also, we are having a wolf and coyote problem around our place, and we worry about our dogs when it starts to get dark.

Another reason that we usually do the trip in one day is that Monida Pass lies between us and Idaho Falls, and can be trouble in a moment's notice. Wind frequently causes the pass to be closed, and this time of year, snow and ice frequently close it. In fact, that pass was closed for a long time Monday afternoon because of high wind and wind gusts. When we spend the night in Idaho Falls, it's generally been because the pass was closed and we couldn't get home even if we'd wanted to do just a one-day trip. When we drove it yesterday, however, the conditions couldn't have been better.

Carolyn

[exav8tr]

GEEZ Carolyn, This almost makes me want to move to Montana. What did I say? After 14 winters in Alaska, NOT! Just kidding, of course. Glad to hear someone is doing things right. If ever in the area I might just have to stop in and buy something to support them.

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

You may remember that we had some issues with Bish's in the past, but in the last few months, the dealship, particularly Janet and Cindy, have consistently bent over backwards to provide us with the best service possible. A little excellent customer service goes a long way in restoring the faith!

Carolyn