Getting back to the basics

[Steve]

Further down, I have been debating alternate heater and filtration methods with Chris_H. He's a decent bloke from Sundance.

The reason I'm posting a new topic is that I feel it's time we all buck-up and be honest. If we as sales and service people in our industry are getting frustrated with all the hype and BS, imagine just for a second how Joe & Joanne consumer feels?

A cut and paste from ealier today...

The point I was making is that plutonium heaters and 800 sq ft filters are gimmicks much like 90% of the stuff in spas today. If we were all 100% honest with ourselves, we would agree that clear, clean and safe water is important and that we have re-invented the wheel in order to sell our spas. If manufacturers did it all the same way, why compete? Why do you think Protec was introduced from Beachcomber? Not because it's the very best, but because it works well and it's different. RULE#1 If someone is doing something that works...change it so it works too but promote it as BETTER!

Why is it I can own a spa for 5 years, have great water, use it every day outside in Alberta, have a 25 sq ft filter, a 5.5 kw heater and never have problems with bacteria or water quality or operating costs that are more than a buck a day? WHY? Because the system I have works great.

The rest is semantics and splitting hairs to make the sale and I'll say it if no one else will. Sure, there some neat additions to spas but is the spa comfortable, therapeutic, energy efficient, low maintenance, adequate filtration for its usage and is my dealer looking after me? Those are big ones Chris and if we disagree on this, that's Okee dokee by me.

Take a good look at spas. They are amazing to own and it helps us all relax and reconnect with the people we love to share time with. An awesome investment in ones mental health.

That said, we as an industry are making it very difficult for consumers to purchase one. We've all seen the full foam / thermal pain debates that never end and worse yet, never get solved. TV's, Stereo's, misters, disco balls, titanium heaters, 500 sq ft filters, Horse power, jet number and cover differences just to mention very few.

As mentioned earlier, we are all re-inventing the wheel for the sake of the sale aren't we? What does better really mean? Is it better in all ways? How long will it be better or does it just start off that way? What's a SALE? Don't we always have a sale? When was the last time you sold a spa without "added value"? How free was your free delivery?

If the nut case in Colorado want s to revamp the entire spa world, these are the things he should be looking at. Problem is, he's worse than everyone else. Is there anything we can do as lonely salespeople / owners / managers?

I agree that there are varying qualities out there. I might have been born at lunch but it wasn't yesterday at lunchtime.

It was part of reasoning for posting "Your opinion on this statement". Do we really all believe our product is THAT much greater than other quality spas? I spoke to a local OWNER of Sundance here this morning. This is a great example of why I should've kicked his a$$. He said that a 48 frame circ pump will run about a dollar a day to just filter. I said"WOW..really"? Does that mean if the average spas are about a buck a day to HEAT, that any spa with a 48 frame circ motor is about $60.00 per month to operate? He said "That or even more"...He went on with other BS but this is my point. This guy has owned Sundance for many years here and is still clueless. Why is that? Is that exceptable? It shouldn't be but people continue to support his business and others like him.

It's like Pro hockey...we complain about the salaries but line up for tickets. When will it end? Ever?  

Steve

[stiffy]

Can't touch this!

[huh?]

Were on the same level buddie.

You got me thinking about something.  I was watchin' the tub and seen a truck comercial (sorry advertising execs but I cant remember Ford/Chevy/Dodge)  They were talking about the new bolts for the truck beds and how much stronger they are.  Has anyone seen a Late Model full size truck with bed that has fallen off?  Is this really an issue?  Does this fix any problems?  This would only be a concern if I was planing on dangling my truck from a crane like they do in the comercial.

[stiffy]

Huh?, that was Ford.

[huh?]

Huh?, that was Ford.

I don't remember.  Guess that comercial failed.

[Steve]

That's exactly what I mean. Now these heaters from Sundance are no fault but if I replace mine twice, it's cost me $150.00 total. Could it be that they have built this into the margins they're making on a more expensive heating system? This is the game people... Free delivery. Free promotion. Free ozonator.

If it's free its value is ZERO! If its better, get them to prove it with real data and not sales BS.

My staff aren't permitted to use the word "better" on the sales floor. They show a feature and its value to the prospective buyer. It's the most over-used word in sales and it means nothing unless you have a direct comparison with proven results. Period. I'm tough but they love me!

Steve

[Mendocino101]

Ford also increased the payload up to 5800 pounds which is huge for a pick up.....Truck guys always want more...more...more....as in Tim the Toolman....

[stiffy]

My staff aren't permitted to use the word "better" on the sales floor. They show a feature and its value to the prospective buyer. It's the most over-used word in sales and it means nothing unless you have a direct comparison with proven results. Period. I'm tough but they love me!

Steve

Nice to hear there is honesty in the dealer biz, u go Steve.

[huh?]

Related story Steve...Kinda.

A good freind of mine, for his own reasons, maried a beautiful lady from Vietnam (mail-order if you will).  She lives here now, obviously.  She frequently calls back to her family every weekend.  She asked my freind if they could get a calling card so they could talk for free.  She didn't understand the concept of free, or she understood it too well.  After much explaining that you have to buy the calling card to make the calls, she is still having a hard time with "Free".  Imagine what will happen when they go to a "smoke free" restaurant.

[wmccall]

Way over generalizing Steve's post, I have to wonder, for those of you in the business,  are our hot tubs better today than they were 10 or 20 years ago? How so?

[huh?]

I'd say so overall.

[KevinH]

They now have TV's.  Very cool, but I don't think I would use one. Guess you could watch the game wil relaxing!

Kevin

[Shut_Down_Stranger]

putonium heaters are radioactive.....

titanium is probally better for making golf clubs.

incolly will do just fine.

[HotTubMan]

I often say "there are 150 brands of hot tubs out there" (slight exageration)"...therefore there are 150 reasons why brand X is the best."

I agree Steve.
Hydropool is the best because of the "self cleaning floor"

Beachcomber because of "protec construction"

Artics cover is the best because ten sales guys can stand on it.

HotSpring has "no bypass" filtration and "Motomassage"

D-1 has "0" ozone gas off and "no corrosion" heater warranty

The list goes on. If the self cleaning floor or protec are what make them the best, then why is it no one has copied these features that are NOT protected by any patent? (sorry steve, not trying to pick on Hydro/Beach)

HotTubMan

[poolboy34]

Every sales person is going to tell a customer that their spa is the best in the industry................any GOOD salesperson will find out WHY joe & Joanne consumer really want a spa, and sell the features and benefits of their spa to Joe & Joanne consumer based on that information.  Now, are today's hot tubs better then hot tubs from 20 years ago???  I would say yes, because over the past 20-25 years technology, materials, science, engineering, and research has helped spa manufacturers produce higher quality spas.  the industry has shifted from predominantly wood cabinetry to now predominantly synthetic cabinetry.  Heater elements have evolved and become better.  Some of the units used today, such as the Laing fast flo heater, are made so well that less then 1% of them have failed.  The placement of Jets has evolved, nowadays ergonomics is taken into consideration when placing jets in a spa.  Pumps are more efficient at moving water, while consuming less energy to do their job.  Overall I would say if you compared a spa today to one from 20-25 years ago it would be a safe bet that today's spas are in fact better overall, even though they both will provide hydrotherapy.