What should the government’s role be in small business? We had so many great responses to our survey that we couldn’t fit them all. So here are some of the leftovers that we thought you’d enjoy. Keep in mind, survey respondents were given the option to sign their name to their comments. “Provide consumers with the cash in pocket they need to make disposable purchases. ...

Promoting Employees From Within Five Common Faux Pas (Mistakes) By Shari Roth Promoting employees from within is an effective way you can maximize the use of the talent in your organization, create employee satisfaction, be recognized as an employer of choice and save money. In order to be effective in promoting from within, there are a few things that you want to keep in mind. First, ...

Join the Fight Small business owners tend to be independent do-it-yourselfers. You take care of your business, your employees and your family, which is a lot of responsibility so it might be hard for you to throw your hat into one more arena. However, supporting an industry association (any association) can save you time and headaches down the road. Association of Pool & Spa Professionals ...

Off-Site Event Trend Many would say that the hot tub industry was built on sales from events like home shows, fairs etc., but somewhere along the line there was a shift and it became preferred to sell hot tubs in retail locations. Now it seems we are at the precipice of another shift, are off-site events making a comeback? “I find the hot tub industry to be kind of an odd industry because ...

The Value of Good Service Has the poor economy made it harder to provide the customer service that you would like? “We’ve tried to keep our customer service at the highest level from day one. That was our main objective. Without that, I don’t know how you can stay in business in today’s world. You just have to treat the customer, the customers that are buying from ...

What Will Come in 2010? As we leave 2009 behind, retailers talk about the future. By Alison Stanton “I feel that the first half of 2010 will continue to be a leveling-out period for the retailers. Many retailers are in survival mode and I think that this will continue through the summer of 2010. We are a spa-only retailer and after the last quarter of 2008 and the first quarter ...

Business Capital Woes Retailers are worried about how the credit crunch will affect their long-term options for financing. Interviewed By Clay Dillow “We’re going to have real hard times in this industry; the credit market has collapsed. We were using Textron, and they’re done. We’ve talked to our bank and they won’t lend for flooring or inventory. They ...

Should There be National Certification for Hot Tub Technicians? Electricians and plumbers have to be certified, so what about hot tub techs? The idea definitely stirs up some different viewpoints. See what some retailers and manufacturer representatives say and check out our in-depth coverage of the topic on page 42 of our magazine. “There are way too many unqualified people ...

IT USED TO BE THAT GETTING A SALE WAS THE TOUGH PART, NOW RETAILERS ARE CRINGING WHEN IT COMES TIME TO FINANCE THEIR CUSTOMERS PURCHASE. INTERVIEWED BY CLAY DILLOW “Credit is still out there. Those with really excellent credit are getting financing, but it can’t just be a good [credit score]. It has to be a really excellent score. And people can still put it on their credit cards if they ...

DEVELOPING A GOOD PRODUCT MIX CAN BE DIFFICULT. HOW MANY BRANDS SHOULD YOU HAVE? WHAT PRICE POINTS SHOULD YOU HIT? CAN OFFERING TOO MANY TUBS BE CONFUSING TO CONSUMERS? THESE RETAILERS HAVE TRIED IT ALL AND SHARE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM. INTERVIEWED BY CLAY DILLOW “I think you need to embrace and love one brand. When you sell more than one, it’s hard to do that. I know in the past, when ...

This issue’s Opinions discusses the advantages and disadvantages of operating in a single location versus multiple locations. SpaRetailer sat down with two successful retailers to discuss their thoughts on an issue that many retailers wrestle with on a regular basis. No matter which side of the fence post you’re on, similar basic business concepts apply to both: hire great people, develop ...

"It’s easy to fall into a trap, especially when things start to get a little bit slower and you’re not as excited and pumped-up about selling the product as you are when things are really busy. You’ve got to try and maintain that [attitude] because when you’re excited about the product and when you’re able to show that enthusiasm to your customers, they respond better." - ...

AN ANNUAL SHOW IS CRUCIAL TO BUSINESS: With advances in technology and the importance of understanding advocacy issues, attending an annual meeting is important to the success of professionals in our industry. Training and certification programs have a positive impact on performance, and good performance improves the company’s bottom line. Attending an annual meeting is a great way to connect ...

"In our particular area, we’re very lucky because we’re in a somewhat isolated area. So we’re feeling confident. We’ve been off a bit this year [2008], but not like a lot of companies, so our anticipation is that we’ll hold through next year [2009] and possibly even improve some, that’s our outlook for right now." - Cindi Blechschmidt Owner, Aqua Spas and Pools Gig ...

"Everything has changed now. It used to be people would come in the door and the salesmen could be paid commission and you didn’t have to worry about salary. Now that nobody is coming in the store, it’s tough to figure out how somebody should get paid. It’s tough because a guy can’t live on commission-only waiting on somebody to come in the door." - Bob Ely Owner, All American ...