wet testing

[clayclay]

Hi to everyone.

I, went down to the calspa/caldera dealer. The dealer only had one calspa on site the belair version.I am very interested in the atlantic one. I asked her to let me know for when she would be getting one in so that i could wet test it. She said that she only allows wet testing of the one showroom model way in the back of course the most expensive model with all the whistles and bells. I told her that i wasn't even interested in wet testing that model since i was not even thinking of buying it. She told me to find somebody who had the model that i had in mind to wet test. I told her that i was not going to buy any model unless i could wet test it for this is a major purchase.

Before that we ran numbers on the atlantic models with the features that i wanted. She came up with 8,500.00 , i told her that i have 6 thousands in cash in my pocket and she told me that she would not bargain.

Should i wait for her to call  to offer me a bargain? I am going searching again next weekend.

Thanks

[anne]

I visited a Calspa dealer as I was learning about how to buy a hot tub, and was also told that they wont wet test models any but one tub- also a souped-up one with all the bells and whistles. We just told them that we wold not consider purchasing with out "test driving" and walked out. I'd look into other dealers in your area.

[jnsjr58]

Don't walk...... RUN!! And be thankfull you found out in advance what this dealer is really like. A dealer who can't or wouldn't facilitate you now will most likely be the same after the sale. ( Which is a big reason for dealing with a dealer).
There are some very good dealers out there, who will have your best interest in mind, they will be there for you now, help you through the learning process, answer your questions (honestly), and be there for you AFTER the sale!
Keep in mind in order to do that, the dealer has to get (and deserves) a decent profit margine. It is in your best interest as well, that your dealer is profitable and is there to service you for years to come.
If you keep shopping you will find the right combonation.....
Great Tub & Great dealer!!
Good luck, and have fun shopping!!

[Tatooed_Lady]

So she's not willing to be flexible now...it's doubtful that will change AFTER she's got your hard earned money in her pocket. My advice is cut your losses, find another dealer in your area that's able to give you the idea that s/he's in it for YOUR satisfaction in the long run....ask around, word of mouth may direct you to your dream dealer.

[drprwnap]

I wet tested two spas at my dealer.  The Reward had water in it.  That spa didn't work for us.  When they got in the Epic, my dealer filled it with NO PROBLEM, no hassles.  He let me wet test once by myself and bring the family back a few days later.   .  Needless to say, we bought from him and he's been very helpful since the sale.  I agree, RUN from this dealer. He /she won't be there for you AFTER the sale if this is the way they treat  you BEFORE the sale.

drprwnap  

[cappykat]

I agree.  It's no different than buying a car.  If you can't test it then find another dealer.  There are too many quality spas available to settle on a dealer that won't accommodate you.

[drewstar]

I'd walk away from this dealer.


You want to do business with someone who wants to do business with you,  helping you select the right tub and feeling confortable witht he purchase is part of the sales process. These folks don't even want to do that.  

[J._McD]

This post seems to be running 6 against the dealer and I would like to step in as the dealer advocate here with a different perspective.

First, we really do not have all the specific facts to interpret any situation in this forum because it is all biased to one side of the story, so it is very difficult to be judgmental on either side.

Hi to everyone.
I, went down to the calspa/caldera dealer. the dealer dealer only had one calspa on site the belair version.I am very interested in the atlantic one. I asked her to let me know for when she would be getting one in so that i could wet test it. She said that she only allows wet testing of the one showroom model way in the back of course the most expensive model with all the whistles and bells. I told her that i wasn't even interested in wet testing that model since i was not even thinking of buying it. She told me to find somebody who had the model that i had in mind to wet test. I told her that i was not going to buy any model unless i could wet test it for this is a major purchase.

The dealer must have some level of respectable credibility, IF they are a Caldera dealer, which is considered a Good Quality Manufacturer, NOT that Cal Spa is not.  The shopper seems to have a specific interest in what the dealer does not have, the Atlantic model, not the Belair that is there.  The question arises, why is he interested in something she doesn’t have especially if she has only ONE Cal Spa on site?  Did he see or hear of it elsewhere?  Have you any idea just how many model variations and combinations there are in the Cal Spa lineup?  It appears that he wants to wet test something she does not have and she is basically telling him to find it elsewhere, test it there and he certainly has the option to buy it there.  She could be saying “I won’t be getting one in”, and it appears unlikely that she will accommodate his wishes considering what he want to pay.

Before that we ran numbers on the atlantic models with the features that i wanted. She came up with 8,500.00 , i told her that i have 6 thousands in cash in my pocket and she told me that she would not bargain.  Should i wait for her to call to offer me a bargain? Thanks

It seems that Clay wants to discount the price to what he is willing to spend which is understandable.  Frankly, most dealers would find such an offer to be somewhat insulting and their willingness to incur the expenses required to please and satisfy a shopper is questionable and substantially impaired.  Maybe the next time Clay goes out for dinner instead of tipping 15 to 20% he should suggest a 30% discount off the price of the meal.

What stands out most here is that consumers are willing to suggest to Clay and others that he or they should not do business with dealers based on Clay’s explanation.  (She didn’t have it, he was interested in water testing and then MAYBE he will buy it, but only on his terms) The responses seem to judge the dealer as uncaring and uninterested, and maybe she is.  But, does it have anything to do with not wanting his business.  I would suggest, as she did, that he may want to look elsewhere to find what he wants.  Either way, there is no sale here because we do not have an interested buyer or an interested seller.  

It appears that you are suggesting that a dealer is not worthy of the consumers business IF they are not willing to order in what the shopper wants to water test even if he didn’t see it at the dealers store, with the understanding the consumer wants to pay 30% less.  

This is pretty one sided and I would expect none of you would want to do this for the shopper if you were the dealer.

Frankly, I do not think Clay should wait for any bargain offers.  I agree that he should probably not want to buy from this dealer, but then, I don’t think the dealer is interested in his business either.

[anne]

Well said, JMcD, and it is definitely important to keep the dealers perspective in mind, too. However, I think that most of us who said walk (or run) away were concerned about the dealer's unwillingness to wet test, not her inflexible price.

A question to dealers on this forum: do you all accomodate wet testing? If someone seemed genuinely interested in a tub, would you refuse to have them come back at a later date to try one out that was empty at the time? Seems like a no-brainer to me- I would not buy without testing- but I can also appreciate the extra work that we are asking you to do.

[hottubdan]

As you know, we try to work with you.  Sometimes it is easier said than done, given moving water and power.

[cappykat]

Agree...very well said, J_McD.  As Anne said, it was more about the wet testing than price for me.  Always two sides to a story and you represented the other side very well.

[jnsjr58]

After reading the post by JMcd, I  realize I need to do a partial "Flip Flop" on my initial knee jerk reaction.
Both buyer and seller need to benifit in order to have a amicable transaction. " There are always two sides to every story "

[J._McD]

A question to dealers on this forum: do you all accomodate wet testing? If someone seemed genuinely interested in a tub, would you refuse to have them come back at a later date to try one out that was empty at the time? Seems like a no-brainer to me- I would not buy without testing- but I can also appreciate the extra work that we are asking you to do.

True story, like it or not.

Customer wanted to wet test a spa that is not often wet tested.  It involved disrupting the showroom for a day to move it into a place to reach electric and fill the tub.  They came in to wet test and enjoyed it very much, but could not make a decision to purchase because they had 3 more tests set up.  On my pre-arranged follow up, there was uncertainty because they eliminated 2 and added 3 more and would be traveling 75 miles to wet test another dealer (same mfg. as another local dealer) because he had the style they were interested in and wanted to test.

I visited the home for a site inspection knowing their spa had to be removed and I told him it wasn't coming out of the house unless it was cut up.  Turns out, he found out that I knew what I was talking about, because his went in 18 years ago before the doorwall went in.

That was when they asked me if they could wet test my spa once again because she was so confused by all of them.  I was super pi$$ed, upset, angry and about to blow my top all the time while I had this very big smile on my face and said, but of course, when would you like to stop by.  (I had already made the decisiion they were not getting their clothes back until . . .just kidding)

Once again, disrupt the showroom, wire the spa, they came in 45 minutes early and were dissappointed that I was not ready for them, as I was just finishing the electrical hook up and still had to fill the spa.  They went back out to their car and I thought they were going to leave.  5 minutes later, I went out to get them.  What they did not know was that we use a pump to take the hot water from the other wet spas to fill their wet test unit.

All because she could not remember the details about the first water test, mine, lucky me.

3 times while they were in the wet test they said things like "this is the one", etc.  They bought that day and I was the most expensive Hot Tub they looked at and we all knew it.  

But then, he didn't have his checkbook and would return tomorrow.  (I've heard that one before)  I let them walk and he came back in 2 days later and paid in full.  We delivered it within a week, cut the other one in half, and they just absolutely love their new tub.

I smiled all the time, even when they walked out, do you have any idea how hard that is?  It is not always about the money now is it.

[Tatooed_Lady]

may've been a PITA for you, but it sounds like there was a happy ending had by all, in that case, no?

[jsimo7]

Going the xtra step is why jmcd got the sale. I am sure every business has had to go the extra mile at one time or another to get the sale. I know ours has. In the end when we as sales people give the extra effort, we feel better about ourselves and our PROFESSION, that's sometimes what it takes to earn a customer. We as professional business people should not be pi$$ed or mad when asked to give the customer enough info to make a desicion, even if we gave that info and the customer did not retain it the first time. Be sure to wet test and you should never feel bad about getting the info that YOU need to make your decision and spend YOUR money.