Manual Processes Guidance for RV or Marine Dealership Business Continuity

Sales and F&I 

Objective: To continue sales and F&I operations, including customer interactions, sales transactions, and financing arrangements, during system outages. 

Manual Processes: 

Customer Information Collection: 

• Use a pre-printed Customer Information Sheet to record customer details such as name, contact information, and vehicle or boat preferences. 

• Capture any lead information manually and note down specific interests or inquiries. 

Sales Documentation: 

• Fill out a Manual Sales Agreement form to document the vehicle or boat details, pricing, trade-in information, and any additional sales conditions. 

• Use a Unit Inspection Form to note any visible conditions or damage on trade-ins or new sales. 

• Print out a manual Four-Square Desking Worksheet to use to work deals with your customers. 

F&I Documentation: 

• Use a Manual Finance Application Form for customers seeking financing, capturing all necessary personal, employment, and financial information. 

• Prepare a Temporary Payment Agreement if immediate payment is required and all systems are down. Document the amount, method of payment, and due date for official processing once the system is restored. 

• Prepare a Manual Menu Presentation with specific product information sheets for each product in your presentation. 

Insurance and Warranty: 

• Record insurance details and warranty selections on a Manual Insurance & Warranty Enrollment Form. 

Documents and Forms: 

• Customer Information Sheet 

• Manual Sales Agreement 

• Unit Inspection Form 

• Four-Square Desking Worksheet 

• Manual Finance Application Form 

• Temporary Payment Agreement 

• Manual Menu Presentation 

• Manual Insurance & Warranty Enrollment Form 

Information to Collect: 

• Customer name and contact details. 

• Product details (make, model, VIN/HIN) 

• Pricing, trade-in details, deposit information 

• Financing information, payment terms 

• Insurance and warranty preferences 

Parts Department

Objective: To manage parts sales and inventory manually during system outages. 

Manual Processes: 

Parts Order and Sales: 

• Use a Manual Parts Purchase Order Form to record customer orders, including part numbers, descriptions, and quantities. 

• Note down the customer’s contact information and preferred notification method for when parts arrive. 

Parts Sales Invoices 

• Maintain Manual Parts Sales Invoices to be entered once operations are restored.  Ensure date, part numbers, and quantities are recorded as well as payment method.  

Inventory Management: 

• Maintain a Parts Inventory Log to record stock levels manually, noting down received shipments and sales. 

Documents and Forms: 

• Manual Parts Purchase Order Form 

• Manual Parts Sales Invoices 

• Parts Inventory Log 

Information to Collect: 

• Customer name and contact details. 

• Part numbers, descriptions, quantities. 

• Stock levels received shipments. 

• Invoice details, payment dates, and methods. 

Service Department

Objective: To continue servicing units and managing service records during system outages. 

Manual Processes: 

Service Appointment and Check-in: 

• Record appointments and check-ins using a Manual Service Appointment Log. Capture customer information, vehicle/boat details, and service requests. 

Service Work Order: 

• Use a Manual Work Order Form to detail the services provided, parts used, labor hours, and any additional notes on the service performed. 

Job Tracking: 

• Maintain a Service Job Tracking Sheet to monitor the status of ongoing services, prioritizing urgent jobs and noting estimated completion times. 

Documents and Forms: 

• Service Appointment Log 

• Manual Work Order Form 

• Service Job Tracking Sheet 

Information to Collect: 

• Customer name and contact details. 

• Vehicle/boat details, service requests. 

• Services provided, parts used, labor hours. 

Accounting Department

Objective: To manage financial transactions, including sales, expenses, and payroll, during system outages. 

Manual Processes: 

Sales and Payment Recording: 

• Use a Sales Transaction Log to manually record sales transactions, including customer details, amounts, and payment methods. 

• Prepare Manual Receipts for any payments received. 

Expense Tracking: 

• Maintain an Expense Log to track dealership expenses, noting down the amount, purpose, and vendor details. 

Payroll Processing: 

• Record employee hours and wages on a Manual Payroll Sheet, ensuring accurate payment calculations. 

Documents and Forms: 

• Sales Transaction Log 

• Manual Receipts 

• Expense Log 

• Manual Payroll Sheet 

Information to Collect: 

• Customer names, transaction details 

• Payment amounts, methods 

• Expenses, vendor information 

• Employee hours, wage details 

Post-Outage System Input 

After the system is restored, ensure a team is assigned and responsible for entering all manually collected data into the system of record (DMS) . This includes updating customer records, inventory levels, service records, sales transactions, and financial data. Conduct a thorough review to confirm that all manual records match the system entries and resolve any discrepancies immediately. 

Tips for Effective Manual Processing: 

• Assign a Manual Processing Response Team: Assign a team to manage the manual processing functions should they be required. 

• Pre-print Forms: Ensure all necessary forms are printed and readily available if required. 

• Training: Train staff on manual processes to ensure smooth transitions during outages. 

• Communication: Clearly communicate the manual processes to all employees and ensure they understand the importance of detailed record-keeping. 

• Document Destruction: Have a process in place for the safe destruction of manually captured information that is not required to be safely stored for financial record keeping. For example, ensure you have a paper shredder or a secure bin for offsite document destruction.  

Maintaining detailed and organized manual records will ensure that your dealership can continue operating effectively during system outages and facilitate a smooth transition back to digital systems once they are restored.