Re: Crossing dealer territories

[Steve]

If it's price that you are making this decision on then be prepared to pay more over time for additional travel charges for service.

Again, pricing can vary by the individual dealer and their overhead. Rent, shipping and many other factors play a major role in determining the revenue and profit margins needed to sustain business.

The problem is people will travel an hour to save a buck on the spa purchase and not support their local dealers until they realize that the inconvenience to travel there for their watercare products prohibits them from continuing to support them. This is when they go running to their local guys expecting to be treated like a customer that purchased a spa from them. I'm not saying you'll do this, but I've seen many that do.
Everyone wants their cake and eat it too until the company they purchased from offered the spa at a margin too low just to make the sale and lost the watercare profits as well, and then finds themselves eventually out of business…

You don't have to invite your local dealer for breakfast every morning, but instead, you're spending 20 minutes in a business transaction where money changes hands. If there's a real issue with personalities, then understandable but otherwise, I'm an advocate of supporting your local dealers.

Steve

[wmccall]

How many people, like my self who exhibit "dealer loyalty" think that also means buying chemicals from them?   I think if you asked my dealer, and I've heard the owners say that I am one of their best customers and contribute to their business substancially, but I seldom buy chemicals there.  In fact, they were very interested to know that I was paying less for Dichlor at the Hot Springs dealer up the street than what he could buy it for.  Now that may be $3 or $4 cheaper, but I'm not that dumb, that if I am already at my dealer I'll save that much in gas, or shipping to get something I need while I'm there.  My dealer, as happy as I am with the tub sale, and service has changed brands of chemicals several times the last few years looking for a better bottom line. I however, being the loyal type, have develped a loyalty to particular brands of chemicals that have worked well for me.

[J._McD]

Once the delivery is made the customer spends their money where it is convenient to spend their money.  There is little loyalty to travel out of their for filter cleaner or test strips.  Often times the perceptions is that they are all very much the same and in some cases they are.

On Doc's site 5# di-chlor is $25 to $38 but not only the price is different but so is the content.

We have found that chemicals do have differering effects and based on customer experience chose to use what we find to be the most effective for the purpose at the lowest cost, sometimes below internet cost on various sites.  That does not mean customers come back in to purchase.

It is kind of like gas for the car, while some shop for pirce the majority do not, they just stop anyplace to get what they need and pay the price.

We fix customer problems, they are most commonly in the water and then later manifest themselves to the equipment.  For those who care less about what they use or put in eventually see the repair person more often than the sales person.

[Brewman]

I get my micro filters and pleated filters and Sundance branded necessities from my dealer- not much other choice since they have a lock on this area.  
But I get my chemicals from a closer dealer (Arctic Spas) who happens to be a little cheaper, and the also clean my pleated filters for no charge, saving me a few more bucks.  They also test my water.  They don't mind that I'm not one of their spa buyers, and I'm sure they make money selling me Brilliance products!
Brewman