DeMartini RV Sales in Grass Valley has been named one of only eight dealerships nationwide to receive the prestigious Mahlon Miller Diamond Service Award, the highest honor given by Newmar, a luxury RV manufacturer.
According to an article by The Union, the award recognizes outstanding customer service, and this marks the second year in a row DeMartini RV Sales has achieved the distinction.
Tony Hartman, the dealership’s service and parts manager, credited the accomplishment to teamwork and dedication. “I was the leader of the team and it was a team effort,” he said. “It felt great, especially two years in a row.”
The honor is based on achieving a 95 percent or higher Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) rating—a standard DeMartini not only met but exceeded. “So last year we hit 96 percent and this year we are at 100 percent for the whole year,” Hartman explained.
The CSI measures how satisfied customers are with their experience, and DeMartini’s perfect score played a major role in Newmar’s decision to award the dealership.
Newmar representatives personally delivered the trophy, now proudly displayed in Hartman’s office.
DeMartini RV Sales specializes in high-end diesel motorhomes, including “super Cs,” with some models on the lot priced over $1.8 million.
One customer was scheduled to pick up a $1.4 million vehicle this week. Though the dealership also offers smaller RVs and Sprinter vans, its niche in large diesel sales has helped it stand out—in fact, in 2023, DeMartini sold more large diesel motorhomes than any other dealership in California.
Founded in the mid-1970s and relocated to its current Idaho-Maryland Road location in 2008, the business draws most of its customers from outside the local area.
While RV demand has cooled since the COVID-19 boom, DeMartini remains confident, noting that the Diamond status brings practical benefits such as free air freight for parts, priority services, and internal warranty approval authority.
“(The award) gives us extra dollars an hour to take care of the retail customer,” he said.
Hartman added, “I’ve worked for corporations…this is the only place I have ever worked where the customer comes first. With the group of people I have right now…everybody is customer oriented. Everybody wants the same goal, and that is to get the customer taken care of and back in their coach having a good time like they are supposed to. That comes first.”
This recognition highlights the growing emphasis on exceptional customer service in a competitive market. As more buyers invest in high-end vehicles, trust in a dealership’s service quality becomes a key factor in long-term customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.