For those who think they want to own a spa company

[J._McD]

Some spas may require replumbing if it had bad glue or leaks that you didn't know wher they were coming from.  While none of us want to go through the extra effort to remove the electric and move the spa to get it up on edge, you have to do that anyway, you might just as well put it on a trailer and get it back to the shop.  This way it can be filled, monitored, and the leaks discovered maybe working on it 1 hour a day until you get the leaks identified.

Sometime it can be dug out as time is available while attending to all of the other needs of the day, talking to customers, talking on the phone, running out to check something else, etc.

Imagine having 2 guys tied up for 2 days doing the same job in someones back yard.

[dpgtech]

so is that your regular procedure? or only in rare situations such as a case of bad glue?  I understand what your saying about having two guys tied up for two days but... removing the spa and bringing it back to the shop and then having to bring it back even if you can work on it an hour at a time while tending to other duties, do you save that much money by taking it back for repair ?  I guess some of it depends on how far the spa is from your shop or if it was craned in.  does the Manufacturer you retail for pay you to bring it back and then reinstall it?  I'm just wondering because in all the years I have worked for my company we have never taken a spa back to the shop for repair.  

[J._McD]

No the Mfg does not compensate us for such an unusual event.  There are several factors that are involved.  The setting in and around the spa, can we get access?  Can the spa go on edge?  The process is going to be involved with digging out the foam, do we want the customer see his spa looking like a turkey the day after Thanksgiving.  The customer wants to watch, when they do they want to talk, when the do the guys courteously respond with conversations, it takes longer, mistakes are made and things are missed, and we have to go back.

All around, its about the customer and getting his problem taken care of in the shortest most efficient time, especially if he is a distance from the store.  Plus, we have the use of the hi-lo and can wet test our work.  Have you every spent 2 days working on such a project just to get a call 5 days later to hear the customer complain, sometime with great anger, that it still leaks.  What a great way to start your day, eh.

This problem shouldn't occur in the first place and it is not the dealers fault, but the manufacturer probably wants to disavow any responsibility because the didn't make the glue.  If it is in warranty, that's one thing, but if it is out of warranty, they are going to be angy with us.  We will probably offer the customer a very good trade value to upgrade them to a new unit with a new warranty with new updated features.  1/3 of them will go this route at our loss, 1/3 will want it repaird and we charge them a minimal charge, 1/3 will hate you and and blame you for selling it to them.  

Although the customer is looking at some sort of expense, it becomes the choice of spending the money on the repairs or replacement.  This is not about a profit making sale.  This is about a customers unfortunate dilema of buying a product from US that failed.  When you have worked with close to 900 of these unhappy customers over 5 years on specific production in certain years, you try to cut your losses, please the customer, get a unit count for production and try to make everybody satisfied, usually at the dealers expense.

And then, the new shopper comes in and wants a cheaper price.  What can I tell you.  They think all dealers are the same, and all products are similarly the same as well.

[drewstar]

As for the car, we now live in a global economy and cars were first created by American inventors, then developed by American business's, then copied by foriegn companies, who until mandates were put in place drained the American economy.

Now, let's talk about Hot tubs, currently an American concept spreading around the world.

Actually, Americans did not create the first cars. It was the Germans. Nicholas Otto invented the first practical piston internal combustion engine.  Nicholas’s employee: Gottlieb Daimler is credited with building the first practical four wheeled automobile. (there is some dispute over if it was Daimler or Otto who invented the first motorcycle.)

Daimler later went on to found Mercedes and the rest is history.  I am confident that all the hot tub dealers are intimately familiar with Mercedes?  (Jokeing J_McD...joke)



But I  digress…

[J._McD]

I believe you are right, it was Ford who was credited with production manufacturing.

Buy American when you can.  We are our own worst enemy.

American manufacturers just need to make better products that are more desireable, meet the demands of the consumer and are meet their needs, fuel economy is big issue at $3.00 a gallon and this is cheap on a global scale.

Buy a Jaguar instead, they are owned by Ford.

[Spatech_tuo]

Buy American when you can.  We are our own worst enemy.

I have 3 GM autos in my driveway ('98, '02 and '03). They've all been great so far as was the 12 yr old Pontiac that I just got rid of last year. Made in the US  by US owned companies. The cars that are made in the US but have their profits going overseas are certainly well made cars and better for us than buying foreign made products but I feel better going the full route and doing my small part.

[Chas]

It would seem to me that taking the spa back and then re-delivering it after the repair would be much more costly than repairng on site.  Please educate me If I'm am way off base.

You're way off base.

Actually, in some cases it's much cheaper to pick it up and do the repair in the shop. In other cases it's a matter of being able to (safely) do an overnight water test with the spa up on blocks.

[Chas]

OK, maybe just a little off base.

[dpgtech]

Thank you chas For the semi retraction.  I am just new to taking a spa back to the shop, maybe we have just been lucky.  I've have never had to re plumb an entire spa or had such a catastrophic failure that we have had to remove the spa for repair.  I know, I know I probably haven't been in the business long enough right?  In all the years I have been doing spa repair we have done it on-site.  thanks for the input.

[stuart]

We have had several air injector leaks on these spas due to nothing more than not leaving any slack in the hose from the manifold to the jet and as the tubing hardens, shrinks and pulls against the jet.

Because you usually need to change a manifold in these situations we have found that it's easier and better for the customer to pick the spa up.

MAAX so far has been pretty good about paying all pick-up and re-delivery costs.

BTW,
In my opinion anytime you can pick the spa up on a major plumbing job your better off doing that. It not only gives you a better opportunity to do the repair right. Your customer does not go through the trauma of seeing their spa disemboweled and then setting on blocks. At times it's cheaper than making 3 or 4 trips to check for leaks.

Think of how you would react to a mechanic coming over to your house and tearing your car apart in your driveway as opposed to taking into the shop.

[Spatech_tuo]

Think of how you would react to a mechanic coming over to your house and tearing your car apart in your driveway as opposed to taking into the shop.

That says it all.

[hymbaw]

I have 3 GM autos in my driveway ('98, '02 and '03).  Made in the US  by US owned companies.

Don't be so sure unless you've checked. Many GM cars and especially trucks are mfg. in Canada and Mexico. Lest we forget the Japanese and European cars they rebadge as a domestic brand to dupe the unsuspecting consumer.

[Spatech_tuo]

Don't be so sure unless you've checked. Many GM cars and especially trucks are mfg. in Canada and Mexico. Lest we forget the Japanese and European cars they rebadge as a domestic brand to dupe the unsuspecting consumer.

All the same with Canada as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure some parts are made in Mexico as well but like Canada, if you go there you see a ton of american made cars and it's more of a North American thing in reality.

I know the company that owns it and profits (oops, forgot I got a GM, "should profit") is sitting within our boundries and that means a thing or two to me. Having said that, I don't gernally get on my soapbox to those around me that they should do the same. I do that because I feel better for doing so. to each his own.

[stuart]

....and now for the final outcome!

Customer is moving and wants to use the spa as a negotiation tool in the house sale but can't transfer the warranty. We agreed to give her a new model that is less expensive (by far) and warranty it to the new home owner. We also claimed the spa on insurance at the price the customer paid for the original spa but took a hit on the $1000 deductible.

Here is the clincher, we then gave the customer a $1000 in-store credit on a new spa at regular showroom price when they move insuring they buy from us again in the near future.

MAAX will pay for the pickup, repair and delivery for the damaged spa.

As long as my insurance doesn't go up everyone is happy (except the guy I fired)!

Oh BTW, we also kept the old spa for $500 and will be able to do a major training repairing it and sell it for a profit.

[Lablover2004]

after looking at the picture it looks to me ( and I am NOT an engineer, just a VERY HIGHLY intelligent Homemaker/ Marketing extraordinaire) that this spa was not supported correctly.

I totally agree with nitlion15.


also not to be mean but what kind of stupid idiots were hired to work for you??


OKAY NOW I AM GOING TO BE PREACHY HERE TO EVERYBODY--------------  GIVE THE BOSS WAY MORE THAN HE HAS PAID YOU FOR. WHY???PRETEND GOD IS WATCHING YOU! DO A GREAT JOB EVEN IF IT SEEMS MENIAL TO YOU!