The Art of Asking for Money Practical collection tips that will get you paid without losing customers. by Cristina Rizen It’s unlikely that retailers will find themselves making collections calls on a hot tub purchase, but what happens when you stop getting paid for completed maintenance and service calls? Don’t panic. There are always options. Be prepared One ...

A Spectacular Service Department Give your service department a fresh start with these money-saving tips. Service is often described as a necessary evil and it’s certainly not as fun as selling a hot tub to an excited customer. The service department typically gets to see the Mr. Hyde of customers who are Dr. Jekyll during the sales process; besides having to deal with the disposition ...

WHILE EVERY STORE HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS AND CHALLENGES, THERE ARE SOME TRIED AND TRUE TASKS THAT A RETAILER SHOULD DO ON A DAILY BASIS. BY KIRSTEN KOROSEC DIVING INTO A NEW BUSINESS endeavor can be rough even in the best of economic times. These days it’s crucial for first-time hot tub retail owners to make the right decisions from location and displaying product to sales strategy and proper ...

A NEW WEBINAR SERIES GIVES SPA PROFESSIONALS RELEVANT TRAINING AT THE RIGHT PRICE. BY PATRICK SISSON VALUE HAS RARELY BEEN as important to consumers as it is now, and spa industry professionals are well aware of the difficult task in changing people’s perspectives on what is or isn’t a luxury purchase. But sometimes, retailers, renovators and builders also need to rethink the cost versus ...

A lot as it turns out. While it’s certainly true that a store’s name can help generate foot traffic, enhance its Internet visibility and achieve market positioning, spa dealers are divided about whether or not it is advisable to name a store for the brand it carries. The Upside: Instant Name Recognition Incorporating a well-known spa brand into a store’s marquee provides instant ...

If you are a new spa business owner, you may not realize that the manufacturers you carry might have programs to help you pay for advertising. Surprisingly, these co-op advertising programs are often underutilized. "You have to know that such a thing as co-op advertising exists," says Francine Warwick, owner of Summerwind Pools and Spas in Carrboro, N.C. "Some of the local newspapers and advertising ...

You’ve probably heard hundreds of sales pitches in your life. Some immediately captured your interest, while others you tuned out almost as soon as they began. The most effective sales pitches were those that were well prepared and delivered with confidence. And even if you weren’t interested in that product or service, you remembered the pitches that made a positive impression when ...

If you recently serviced your car or purchased a new product, chances are you were asked to give some form of customer feedback. Whether it was conducted in person, over the phone, by mail or was web-based depends on the retailer, but every survey is intended to capture similar information. Retailers want to know about their store’s service, how employees are performing, what customers think ...