My RV Resource loves sharing details about our Featured VIP members and this week, we’re proud to spotlight Scott Andrews with Suite Wheels RV Inspections and Services, LLC.
Tell us a little about your situation while running your RV business.
Based in Prior Lake, MN., we are a Twin Cities local business that covers most of the state of Minnesota, as well as Western Wisconsin, Northern Iowa and Eastern South Dakota. Suite Wheel RV operates as a multi-purpose service, providing new and used RV Inspections, and RV repairs.
Do you live in an RV full-time?
We have a 2012 Keystone Cougar 330RBK that we escape our lives from the bricks n stick home where we reside.
What inspired you to start your own RV business?
Owning an RV is the short answer. The “readers digest version” would be that after a long career working for others, I realized that working for myself helping others and being outdoors and sharing experiences is mutually beneficial.
I have learned to accept that I am good working worth my hands and my expertise in several fields help me have a diverse background in being able to problem solve and get people into the outdoors.
While most all work can be stressful, having a passion for your work makes the day much more comfortable.
What RV services or RV products do you offer?
We provide new and used RV inspections for buyers and sellers alike. Our inspections provide our clients with a minimum of 80-100 photos (including 360°) of the RV and a comprehensive examination and detailing of the inner workings of the unit. The Inspection details our findings in a digital format allowing the client to build a “repair list” directly from the report and provide that to a Certified RV Repair Technician of you choosing for a quote.
Our Technicians provide repair services that will cover all of the house functions within an RV. We service, repair and install, roofs and seals, furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, electrical, generators, solar power systems, plumbing, slideouts, optional equipment, leveling systems, hydraulics and many more.
What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start your business?
While we opened Suite Wheels RV in 2020, the career path for the company has being paved for decades. As a youth I learned general contracting trades growing up with a residential draftsman as a father and building and remodeling houses with master tradesmen as family. I even worked summers on hay farms dealing with large vehicles and equipment. Within my years in the work force, I worked in a manufacturing facility learning to build and work with air conditioning equipment.
Later that transferred over to the automotive and HVAC industry becoming OSHA 511 safety certified. Through this time I worked closely within logistics and local municipalities understanding codes and practical applications for transportation and industrial manufacturing industry. From there I transferred my skills into a machining manufacturing facility where being able think ahead and come up with creative problem solving for seemingly unsolvable solutions were a necessity.
What has been your business’s proudest moment?
Helping a client named “Judy” who is an elderly woman that has been RV’ing for decades. I received a call from a 3rd party locator (based in California) stating they had a client who was in need of help and their slideout would not function. After repairing the issue(s) and showing Judy what was wrong, she had nothing to worry about. She openly started weeping telling me that she had taken her rig religiously to a local, well known dealership, for the past 20 years and when they reviewed her complaint they found nothing wrong with the function of the slideout.
She was ecstatic that is was resolved due to the fact she needed to get down to Florida to see her brother and relax. For the next 1/2 hour I was able to sit and listen to Judy’s story how within 1 year she had lost her daughter, 2 grandkids and her son was now in the hospital for the past 9 months with covid.
What has been your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge is not having all of the answers all of the time. Being the professional, you want to be the source people come to for the solution. It is always a hard day when you are not able to resolve the issue on site at that moment. Most RV’ers are clients that take things in stride, understanding when you need to research an issue more to give a proper resolution rather than just putting a “band-aid” on it.
Describe your typical work day.
We are up and ready to move by 6am with most of our appointments start around 8. We are either in the truck or at our service call from 8 am – 6 or 7 pm. If there is time in between jobs, we catch up on voicemails. Otherwise we try to make those calls in the evening when we find people are more available to speak when they are not at work. Our day ends around 10pm after we have placed orders for the service call to come and organized our schedule for the following weeks.
Tell us something interesting/fun about your business.
We take the time build a rapport with our clients, learning from them as they learn from us. We don’t mind having clients learning from us while we are performing repairs. Keeping clients educated helps us diagnose future issues if they arise which saves both of us time in the future.
We also offer a 10% veteran and first responder discount as our way of being able to give back.
If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?
I would have started sooner. The career change has been more rewarding than I could have imagined.
What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start his/her own RV business?
If you enjoy it, don’t let the “bad times” get you down.
Every day and every rig is a new experience…the rigs change with the times.
Any other comments or advice you'd like to share?
Check your seals and sealant regularly and often!
Glad to chat with you, my friend!
To read more about Scott Andrews and Suite Wheels RV Inspections and Services, LLC, click here to check out his company listing page.
You can also follow Scott on Facebook and visit his website at https://www.suitewheelsrv.com/.
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2 thoughts on “Suite Wheels RV Inspections and Services LLC”
Awesome interview very informative as always. I have learnt alot from you all. I’m taking my Inspector exam this coming week. Already started on the Service Technician courses. Thank you for inspirating me on my new career journey.
You are more than welcome, Angela! Looking forward to e-meeting you at RV Inspector Office Hours soon 🙂