Once again this year, the German Institute for Service Quality and the news channel ntv awarded the German Fairness Prize 2020 to companies in various categories. For the fourth time in a row, the motorhome and caravan manufacturer Dethleffs has emerged as the overall winner in the motorhome manufacturers category. “We are overwhelmed by this success”, says Robert Bielesch, Head of Dethleffs Corporate Communications. “This year was certainly a great challenge, and not only for us. But we have done everything possible to be accessible to our customers, transparent and to remain a reliable partner. To this end, we have pushed even further ahead with our digitisation plans in order to provide customers and interested parties with assistance, information and advice in a variety of ways and to maintain a presence for them,” says Bielesch, looking back on recent months. “The fact that we have once again been crowned the overall winner and can call ourselves the fairest company in our industry makes us proud and gives us certainty that our service department is on the right path.”
The company responded in the very early days of the pandemic and reorganised its services to ensure that consultations could still take place despite the restrictions. The dealerships also adapted very quickly to the new situation and, by implementing hygiene measures, ensured that customers could still receive individual advice on site in a safe and relaxed environment.
Until further notice, Dethleffs will not participate in any trade fairs or major events. However, Dethleffs is again offering a substitute here, as Robert Bielesch explains: “To enable our customers to get to know our new products without having to leave the house, we have created our first ever digital show for new vehicles. You can move around the event, just like at a normal trade fair – only using a tablet, notebook or PC instead of your feet – and can explore our new products from the inside and outside in total peace and quiet. Furthermore, additional information is provided for each vehicle – just as you would find at a normal trade fair or exhibition.” The company has also set itself firm goals for i ts jubilee year – in 2021 Dethleffs will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the invention of the caravan by company pioneer Arist Dethleffs. With anniversary vehicles and edition models as well as a further expansion of its service spectrum, the motorhome and caravan manufacturer will once again not rest on its laurels in the coming year.
The German Fairness Prize
The Fairness Prize is based on an extensive survey of German consumers. Over 55,000 customer ratings of around 792 companies were collected by the German Institute for Service Quality (DISQ). Consumers were asked to assess how fairly these companies treat their customers. Does the company offer fair prices that ensure value for money? Does it provide information about product features, contractual services and pricing? And is the company reliable – both in terms of the reliability of its products and services, as well as its response to problems and complaints? In a total of 57 categories, awards were given to the two or three “fairest” companies in the view of consumers. As in the l ast three years, Dethleffs once again secured first place as the overall winner among the ten companies in the “Motorhome manufacturers” category.
Erwin Hymer Group
The Erwin Hymer Group is a 100 percent subsidiary of Thor Industries, the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational vehicles with more than 22,000 employees worldwide. The Erwin Hymer Group unites motorhome and caravan manufacturers as well as motorhome and caravan accessory specialists, hire and financing services under one roof. The motorhome and caravan brands Buccaneer, Bürstner, Carado, Crosscamp, Compass, Dethleffs, Elddis, Er iba, Etrusco, Hymer , Niesmann+Bischoff, Laika, LMC, Roadtrek, Sunlight and Xplore, the motorhome renta l companies McRent and rent easy, and also the chassis specialist Goldschmitt, the accessories specialist Movera and the touring portal freeontour all belong to the Erwin Hymer Group. Further infor mation is provided at www.erwinhymergroup.com.
"Not without my family!" This decision taken by Arist Dethleffs in 1931 inspired h im to d es ign Germany’s first ever caravan, which he called the "Wohnauto" (camper car) – all because the ski pole and horsewhip maker wanted to have his family by his side when he went on long business trips. Very few people were familiar with the word "leisure" ba ck then; family holidays were a privilege and tourism was still in its infancy. The invention of the Dethleffs caravan ma rked the beginning of a new era – especially for the company, which eventually devoted itself entirel y to the production of caravans, followed by motorhomes.
The pioneering spirit of Arist Dethleffs can still be felt throughout the company to this day. It can be found in the ongoing development of model ranges, in the countless innovations and, needless to say, at the heart of the Dethleffs camping story – the family. The company has had c lose ties with Isny im Allgäu since the very beginning and, with its position as a "Friend of the family", has its sights firmly set on the core values of the brand.
In addition to motorhomes and caravans of the Dethleffs brand, camper vans and urban vehicles for the Pössl and Crosscamp brands are also developed and produced in Isny.
Dethleffs GmbH & Co.KG
Arist-Dethleffs-Straße 12
88316 Isny im Allgäu
Telefon: +49 (7562) 987-0
Telefax: +49 (7562) 987-101
http://www.dethleffs.de
Leiter Marketing/PR
Telefon: +49 (7562) 987-210
E-Mail: helge.vester@dethleffs.de
Telefon: +49 (7562) 987-218
E-Mail: anita.lorenscheit@dethleffs.de
