How to prevent a "down year" in 2007

[Zep]

re: Unlike many "retail" places that their clerks have no idea what they are selling,

I have a friend that has been in the AC/HVAC supply business for many years
and he says people would be shocked at how many AC repair people don't
really know whats wrong alot of times and just start replacing stuff in the hopes
that what they replace will fix the problem.

[drewstar]

re: Unlike many "retail" places that their clerks have no idea what they are selling,

I have a friend that has been in the AC/HVAC supply business for many years
and he says people would be shocked at how many AC repair people don't
really know whats wrong alot of times and just start replacing stuff in the hopes
that what they replace will fix the problem.

In the electronis and computer industry, they call that "board swapping".  

[Steve]

HAve any of you ever gone out of your way to be nice and attentive to a person you know wouldn't be buying  in hope that it could turn into a sale a year or two in the future, or is that too far to think ahead?  I remember we considered a hot tub several time at least 3 years before we finally made the purchase.  The interest had been there at least 5-7 years prior to that.

Here's what happens to eliminate confusion. All salespeople should have an arsenal of questions that they are prepared to ask in their presentation. This is done to determine the correct spa, their level of preparedness, urgency (or not), etc. If I start off early in my presentation and determine that you aren't going to purchase this year (which I will specifically ask), I will go through everything you want me to in a somewhat abbreviated fashion but give you ALL the information you require to make a buying decision.

I will manage you properly as a lead and keep my product top of mind to you while inviting you to pre-sales and first buying opportunities. I will gain an understanding at each communication of your readiness to buy and respect your timeline.

By the time you are ready to make the purchase, we would have had a number of communications and hopefully I was able to get you in the store the few times to help build that relationship and level of trust.

It can easily take 6 months to 6 years for some people to make that buying decision on a spa. It's not up to the consumer to let the salespeople know, it's up to the salesperson to ask the right questions and alter their initial presentation to plant that first seed and watch it grow over time. In a store full of people, this can't take 2 hours to do.

Steve

[caribbeansun]

As a consumer this has been an interesting thread to read.

I've looked at 5 dealers in the last couple of weeks and I can say that none of them had a clue how to sell.  One came close but has dropped the ball.  For those that might be interested here's what I encountered:

- Artic Spa - best of the bunch but still didn't have a clue.  Provided lots on good information, did an admirable job of trying to differentiate their product from the rest, had plenty of expensive marketing collateral which explains at least part of why their tubs are so expensive.  Did get me to sit in the tub dry, didn't offer a wet test, got my name, number and email address but hasn't followed up (this was 3-4 weeks ago), didn't ask for the sale, made some bizarre comment about "here's the price list but you can ignore it because our real prices are much less" which left me wondering what the hell that was all about.

- Jacuzzi - sales person didn't make much of an attempt to inform us, we had to ask numerous leading questions to get them to tell us anything about the product, didn't differentiate between product lines, didn't seem to be knowledgable about competitors products, after much proding did give us a bit around the jets used by Jacuzzi, didn't get any contact information at all, gave us the price for 2 tubs (yes, a total of 2 and not even the ones we had looked at), contradicted themselves about the salt water option that's available, did mention wet testing, didn't get us into a tub nor did they offer, didn't ask for the sale.

- Artesian - seemed to know their product pretty well and did differentiate from competitors products, had marketing collateral available for all product lines, didn't ask for contact information, did offer a wet test after hours and privately which differentiated them from all the others immediately as my wife would be horrified by the idea of being in her swimwear in the middle of an open store, didn't ask for the sale, did offer to come to the house but rather half-heartedly.

- Sundance - haven't been able to get into the store yet as they are closed on Sundays and Mondays, not open in the evenings and I don't remember when they are open on Saturdays - lots of "by appointment only" stuff on their sign.  Dealer is a member of this board by the way.  Frankly, if they can't be open other than when I'm at work what's the point?

- Vita - horrible!  One salesperson in the entire store, no eye contact, stood talking to buddies at the register the whole time (these were not customers) - basically we were outta there in less than 10 minutes.

[drewstar]

As a consumer this has been an interesting thread to read.

- Sundance - haven't been able to get into the store yet as they are closed on Sundays and Mondays, not open in the evenings and I don't remember when they are open on Saturdays - lots of "by appointment only" stuff on their sign.  Dealer is a member of this board by the way.  Frankly, if they can't be open other than when I'm at work what's the point?

That's a HUGE pet peeve of mine and would cross them off my list imediently.  

Great post.  I'm curious, did you get a chance to go into a hotsprings dealership? I'm not  nesecarrly interested in talking about the tubs in this thread,  but, it's been my expereince that that sales folks there are seem to be better trained, and present themselves well.  I am curious if this is other people expereince as well?

[Steve]

As a consumer this has been an interesting thread to read.

I've looked at 5 dealers in the last couple of weeks and I can say that none of them had a clue how to sell.  

Great feedback! It's interesting to note the lack of gaining prospects information for a database and follow up. It shows the importance of this one key aspect of sales and that chances are high that the competition down the street doesn't do it!

If someone asked me, what is the ONE key componant to increasing sales, I would respond with gaining and managing leads properly. It's amazing that very few do it...

Drewstar: Business owners are individuals and salespeople come in all shapes and sizes. No one manufacturer cookie cuts great salespeople. I've seen great salespeople in no-name stores and idiots in huge spa stores. Stereotyping any one brand as having better trained people would not be accurate in any way.

A quick example is that Beachcomber offered some of the best training available including Anthony Robbins and many other world class speakers. Would it be fair to suggest that all Beachcomber salespeople are advanced over any other group? It all depends on the individual and what they got out of it and how they transfer that information.

Steve

[drewstar]

Steve,

I wasn't trying to set steroe types.  But was noting my experinces and wondering if other's had similliar expereinces. Of course there are alway exceptions to the rule.

To go a bit further, HS is the industry leader. Why? Are thier tubs that Superior? Thier production abbility and structure?  Is thier marketing/adevertsing  that much better?  Market penetration? Sales training? Market inertia? (Success breeds success?). All of the above? None of the above? A mix?  

Since in this thread we are specifically discussing managing sales, I was curious if the industry leader, who by my experince have found them to be overall pretty good if others had the same experience and if so, what are they doing differently?  OR is my exerpeince not representative of the market as a whole?

Or, do you feel the Sales training and support across industry leaders is pretty much the same?

[East_TX_Spa]

I will tell you this drewstar, I cannot possibly imagine any other company being more committed to customer service training than HotSpring.  You start with Beginners Level, move to Advanced, and then by invitation only to Top Gun.  After Top Gun, a select few are invited to attend the Next Level.  It is incredible the amount of support you are given and it is all done from a standpoint of selling the positive, never as a negative.  I've said it many times before...I have never heard another company's name mentioned at any of the sales training I've attended except in passing.

Now, several HotSpring dealers sell lesser brands of spa as a secondary line.  In talking to some of these folks, I've asked them about the sales and customer service training they've received from the other manufacturers.  They inevitably laugh and say "What training?!  All they do is talk about how to sell against HotSpring and Sundance.  That's it!"  Most of them say the other brands don't even have formalized events, the RSM just comes and gives them their script.

I've been to 5 training seminars in going on 8 years.  At Top Gun, we worked from 7 am until 10 pm 3 straight days!  On the 4th day, they took us all to the USS Midway aircraft carrier, to Kansas City Barbecue, and then out for a great evening of food, drinks, and dancing at some Mexican food restaurant.  It was unbelievable the confidence a person gains by being given the opportunity to work with their peers in a setting that encourages the "students" to mold and modify the "curriculum".

That (and 100% No-bypass filtration) is what makes HotSpring Spas the world's #1 selling brand of portable spas and the industry leader for over 20 years!

Terminator  

[drewstar]

Term,

I asked my question, because I know you had mentioned sales training many times,  and I haven't heard it mentioned that much from other dealers. Now I agree that there are good salesfolks and bad salesfolks in every brand, but I do think proper training can make a difference between being mediocer and being great.  

I also remember a job posting here from another manufactuer/dealer taken from a trade magazine, where the recruiter specifically mentioned "Hot springs Training prefered".  That really stuck with me.  

Now, If you could just get out of the habit of roaming around the store with your pants off, your plan for world domination might come to fruition.  

[East_TX_Spa]

I don't want to dominate the world, my friend (that's Wisoki's plan)...I just want to dominate the spa industry in East Texas, and that's something I CAN do without my pants...or shoes....or fear of global warming.

Term

[hottbpete]

I would also suggest to the sales people....

The first time someone comes in it is imerative to seperate your product from the others.  If you cannot do that, then there is no driving force to get the customer to come back to your store.  This is a 5-12k decsion....most people are going to look around.  If you are no different from the rest.....then it alweays comes down to price.

[Steve]

I would also suggest to the sales people....

The first time someone comes in it is imerative to seperate your product from the others.  If you cannot do that, then there is no driving force to get the customer to come back to your store.  This is a 5-12k decsion....most people are going to look around.  If you are no different from the rest.....then it alweays comes down to price.

A USP (unique selling position) is critical as it's what seperates one brand from the next.
A USP is either within the product itself, marketing or in price. Price is the most difficult as you need to show greater value while maintaining quality and be priced lower than all competitors in your region.

Why does Arctic promote thermal lock, Beachcomber promote Protec, Hotspring promote 100% no bypass and so on? Because those are USP's and it allows them to be different from others. Not better than others nessecarily.... just different! The consumer needs to be aware of that!

Drewstar.... stop feeding the monkeys!

[drewstar]

I was hoping to get insight, not turn this into a monkey spanking-feeding thread. Sorry.  

You never did anseer me steve, as a former salesman, whats the deal with N2? Do yuo promote it because it works, or more so that there is a %100 mark up?

[Steve]

I was hoping to get insight, not turn this into a monkey spanking-feeding thread. Sorry.  

You never did anseer me steve, as a former salesman, whats the deal with N2? Do yuo promote it because it works, or more so that there is a %100 mark up?

Sorry, never sold it.

Anything I ever sold was for long term benefit and repeat business. Not to make a quick buck. If it didn't benefit the consumer, there was no benefit to me long term...

[caribbeansun]

There aren't any Hotspring dealers in my area so didn't get an opportunity to talk with them.

Hmmm - seems there is one afterall with the help of the dealer locator on the HS web site.  I'm going to go there this afternoon and see what they've got.

That's a HUGE pet peeve of mine and would cross them off my list imediently.  

Great post.  I'm curious, did you get a chance to go into a hotsprings dealership? I'm not  nesecarrly interested in talking about the tubs in this thread,  but, it's been my expereince that that sales folks there are seem to be better trained, and present themselves well.  I am curious if this is other people expereince as well?