Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: stuart on September 12, 2008, 04:36:41 pm
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I swore for years that I would never sell CalSpa products...I never liked Chuck Hewitt’s way of marketing or lack of customer service and then when Casey Lloyd Took over I felt as if he was a loaded cannon and pretty volatile.
We where looking for another line of spas to fill the gaps in our product offering price wise after ending our 4 year relationship with D1 (which I promise I will get more into later).
I said that I wouldn't even look at the product until Casey jumped in his little Lear Jet, flew out here and sold me on why himself.
Well about two weeks ago Casey jumped in his jet, flew out here and spent the day with us!!! ;)
I was pleasantly surprised and even told Casey that I was fully prepared to not like him but was in no way prepared to like him as much as I did! He was pretty transparent and owned up to the mistakes he made in the first several years including his inability to control the customer service at the dealer level from some of the dealers that came from the Chuck Hewitt regime and attitude.
He shared his own complaints with some of the issues that match ours, explained his own growing pains as a factory owner, let us know what he's done to correct things and what his future goals for the company (and us) are.
In 20 years of doing this I've never had such a real discussion with an owner of a factory nor have I ever seen someone with such a complete product offering across the board.
The jury is still out as to whether I think their product stacks up to my first choice of Marquis but what they are offering right now is just what our customer base is requesting. We got a small load of them in on Friday of last week and already sold 5 of them.
As far as customer service and reliability, they don't have to go far to beat the issues we've battled over the last several years with MAAX, Master Spas and D1.
One of the most impressive things he did was to walk through a marketing plan and sales ideas to get the remaining d1 spas off our floor before he even talked with me about buying a load of his spas. This was very refreshing considering that in all the years of dealing with companies like D1 and Master they couldn't seem to see past the next truckload and build a relationship. It seems we had to use every truckload with D1 as a negotiating tool to get service a warranty issues taken care of.
I can't belive the differance in price and I'm thrilled to finally have a spa to fit every size price and budget!
I knew I should not have hired SpaMan!!! ;) ;D 8-)
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Welcome to the Dark Side.
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I have secretly been giving him>>>>Cal Spas (http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b51/cristcabin/kool.jpg)
MUAHAHAH! ;)
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I swore for years that I would never sell CalSpa products...I never liked Chuck Hewitt’s way of marketing or lack of customer service and then when Casey Lloyd Took over I felt as if he was a loaded cannon and pretty volatile.
I knew I should not have hired SpaMan!!! ;) ;D 8-)
I'll bet SpaMan was really a double agent all along. He was paid by Cal to take a job in your store and slowly convert you over. Now that you have their product on the floor he'll wait a month or so to quit so he can then take a job with another store in a city where Cal needs representation!!
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I'll bet SpaMan was really a double agent all along. He was paid by Cal to take a job in your store and slowly convert you over. Now that you have their product on the floor he'll wait a month or so to quit so he can then take a job with another store in a city where Cal needs representation!!
You know....Now that you mention it :o
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They still have horrible Customer service.
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They still have horrible Customer service.
Well I guess I will find that out...I interviewed existing dealers that I know well that picked them up and they are happy so far.
Again, it can't be worse than the battles we fought with D1...I could tell you some real horror stories
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They still have horrible Customer service.
Now there is a well backed statement!
Hot Spring has poor customer service as well. I can show you my back warehouse full of the local Hot Spring dealers lousy attemps at repair. I also have a list of people who have had horrible experiences with them here in the Springs. So to throw out a blanket statement like that just shows the ignorance of a closed mind.
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Now there is a well backed statement!
Hot Spring has poor customer service as well. I can show you my back warehouse full of the local Hot Spring dealers lousy attemps at repair. I also have a list of people who have had horrible experiences with them here in the Springs. So to throw out a blanket statement like that just shows the ignorance of a closed mind.
I think what SpaMan is trying to convey is that more than likely your refering to one dealer or one incident and if your not then we are open to hearing something that validates this statement.
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Now there is a well backed statement!
Hot Spring has poor customer service as well. I can show you my back warehouse full of the local Hot Spring dealers lousy attemps at repair. I also have a list of people who have had horrible experiences with them here in the Springs. So to throw out a blanket statement like that just shows the ignorance of a closed mind.
The DEALERS lousy attempts at repairs yes but Watkins has great C/S.
And yes Cal Spas has had a horrible Customer and Dealer support for the past 10years.
btw thanks for assumption of a closed mind. i have a mind that absorbs and respectfully considers all options/opinions and theories. I have had extensive experience with Cal Spa from our store over the past 25 years.and seeing 3 Cal Spa store go in and out of business in my area the past 4 years doesn't help their company much either. the current Cal dealer cant service any of his spas because he can't pay for the parts and then wait to be reimbursed for them. So i have customers calling us asking if we can repair their spa that they bought from the other dealer, under warranty through Cal.
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Zep is dancing in the streets...he's been telling us all along how wonderful his Cal is ;)
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the current Cal dealer cant service any of his spas because he can't pay for the parts and then wait to be reimbursed for them.
I have done it that way for over twenty years. Is there another way? I have done it that way with about a dozen different companies - I'm sorry, but I don't see the problem here, nor do I see that as Cal's problem.
I'm one of those who have had terrible experiences with Cal in our area, but I am always glad to hear that there are solid dealers who 'do it right' with ANY brand of tub.
8-)
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There are a lot of people who have a less than great opinion of Cal but there are also people who say they think Cal has turned it around, or there is an owner like Zep who likes his spa or someone like Stuart who thinks they can work out for him.
In the end we have differing opinions of Cal but that’s fine. Merlin certainly doesn't have to change his opinion (especially since it was gained with direct experience) just because of what Stuart thinks. At the same time Stuart doesn't have to justify why he has changed his mind and is giving them a try.
Good luck to Stuart. I'm sure you and your sidekick will do your best to make it work. Hopefully it'll be a winner for you.
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The DEALERS lousy attempts at repairs yes but Watkins has great C/S.
And yes Cal Spas has had a horrible Customer and Dealer support for the past 10years.
btw thanks for assumption of a closed mind. i have a mind that absorbs and respectfully considers all options/opinions and theories. I have had extensive experience with Cal Spa from our store over the past 25 years.and seeing 3 Cal Spa store go in and out of business in my area the past 4 years doesn't help their company much either. the current Cal dealer cant service any of his spas because he can't pay for the parts and then wait to be reimbursed for them. So i have customers calling us asking if we can repair their spa that they bought from the other dealer, under warranty through Cal.
Once again your talking generic...If there is an incident or incidents that you can pinpoint that the factory has not taken care of let me know. I'm not one to pull punches or "test the depth of a stream with both feet" so I've done a lot of research.
I've seen Hotspring dealers go in and out of business in specific areas not because the factory was bad but because the dealers where not a good mix for the product.
Hotspring does have good customer service as does many other brands...I doubt you've seen me take a potshot at a brand without a reason or valid point behind it so deal in facts not opinions.
Your opinion of any brand is jaded by the brand you sell....I started selling LA spas when I wasn't much older than you and now that I've been in the industry almost as long as you are old I've formed a different opinion of them.
I never for a moment thought that I would sell Cal Spas but things change...I never for a moment thought that I would see waterfalls, disco lights and stereos on Hotspring, in fact we sold against that for many years when I was a HS guy, they now joined the ranks of many other brands with features.
Funny, your profile states that your 23 years old however you claim “I have had extensive experience with Cal Spa from our store over the past 25 years.”
That’s what I’m talking about with claims….my children grew up in the spa industry but they know little about any brand that we haven’t sold or owned at home and the only one that has had a lot to do with the industry growing up can only claim a few years of service even though she’s 25.
Spa industry knowledge isn't genitic as you would have others assume. I'm betting many of the old timers here would argue that we've earned our strips after 20 years even if we weren't born into this business.
BTW, my family doesn't "own the business", I do...It's me on the line for chosing whatever product I sell. It's my name that is spoken by customers when they have a problem not anyone else. I paid the dues, I pay the bills and I take the hits....
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Once again your talking generic...If there is an incident or incidents that you can pinpoint that the factory has not taken care of let me know. I'm not one to pull punches or "test the depth of a stream with both feet" so I've done a lot of research.
I've seen Hotspring dealers go in and out of business in specific areas not because the factory was bad but because the dealers where not a good mix for the product.
Hotspring does have good customer service as does many other brands...I doubt you've seen me take a potshot at a brand without a reason or valid point behind it so deal in facts not opinions.
Your opinion of any brand is jaded by the brand you sell....I started selling LA spas when I wasn't much older than you and now that I've been in the industry almost as long as you are old I've formed a different opinion of them.
I never for a moment thought that I would sell Cal Spas but things change...I never for a moment thought that I would see waterfalls, disco lights and stereos on Hotspring, in fact we sold against that for many years when I was a HS guy, they now joined the ranks of many other brands with features.
Funny, your profile states that your 23 years old however you claim “I have had extensive experience with Cal Spa from our store over the past 25 years.”
That’s what I’m talking about with claims….my children grew up in the spa industry but they know little about any brand that we haven’t sold or owned at home and the only one that has had a lot to do with the industry growing up can only claim a few years of service even though she’s 25.
Spa industry knowledge isn't genitic as you would have others assume. I betting many of the old timers here would argue that we've earned our strips after 20 years even if we weren't born into this business.
BTW, my family doesn't "own the business", I do...It's me on the line for chosing whatever product I sell. It's my name that is spoken by customers when they have a problem not anyone else. I paid the dues, I pay the bills and I take the hits....
Well I'm not going to dig through 25 years of warranty claims and work orders to give you a specific account. My family owns this store but its everones neck on the line everyday because we all make the choices to better our store, our product and to give our customers the best spa experience they can ever have.
Yes i have heard of late that Cal is taking the necessary strides to become a respectful manufacture of spas in this industry again. However their reputation of horrible service is something they will have to negate in a huge way before they will become the company they once were.
and my sentence about 25 years i was referring to my family and the length of business of the store. not about myself. I grew up learning everything i know from one of you "old timers" my uncle was a very respected spa man in california for many years before he passed and one thing he taught me was that if a company cannot recognize a problem, initiate on that problem and fix it in a timely manner then it's not worth wasting your money with that company because it will continue to happen. so until i hear and or see other wise, Cal Spa is known for having a very poor customer service department.
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Funny, your profile states that your 23 years old however you claim “I have had extensive experience with Cal Spa from our store over the past 25 years.”
[glow]BTW, my family doesn't "own the business", I do...It's me on the line for chosing whatever product I sell. It's my name that is spoken by customers when they have a problem not anyone else. I paid the dues, I pay the bills and I take the hits...[/glow].
Well said Stuart.
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Well Merlin, your still not getting the point so I will have to be more blunt...
Having been in the industry almost as long as you've been alive I know one thing for sure...EVERYTHING CHANGES!
I've already stated that I've had similar experiences with CalSpa and know very well about their reputation. That's why I took the time to research them and talk with the owner of the company before giving them another chance.
Remember I sold HS for as long as you've been in the industry and I remember the step cracks, the circ pump failures, the light lens leaks, the heater fires, the pink cabinets and much more but they changed all of that, haven't they!
I'm laying it on the line as to why I'm choosing Cal and your attempting to belittle that with less research and less experience. I may very well find I don't like their current philosophy but not without looking hard into it.
Who knows, in another 10 years I might be selling Arctic (Tom, does Darcy or the Keirsteds have a jet they would fly out to see me?)! :o
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Well I'm not going to dig through [glow]25 years of warranty claims[/glow] and work orders to give you a specific account. My family owns this store but its everones neck on the line everyday because we all make the choices to better our store, our product and to give our customers the best spa experience they can ever have.
Merlin,
Are you saying that your company has been a warranty station for Cal Spas for 25 Years? I just checked the website and there is no mention of you. I think back and I can't remember your company being a warranty station for Cal at all in the last 3-5 years. How can you make claims like: "Cal Spas has had a horrible Customer and Dealer support for the past 10years." ? Have you yourself actually ever dealt with Cal Spas for an extended period of time? (5 years...10 years)
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When I sold Cal I found that for a dealer if you spoke to the proper person and only dealt with that person everything ran as good as it could be. I had huge issues with the guys in tech, some of my customers knew more than these guys. I only then dealt with the guys in engineering. A couple of those guys bent over backwards to find solutions for me. Jim G made many of my warranty issues go through without conflict. If Cal based their service on a couple of the core people I always dealt with they would improve tenfold. My opinion has been the higher end models are great but everything below was pretty much garbage.
Stuart, good luck with the new line.
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Merlin sounds bitter....maybe he eats too many sweet tarts.
Instead of selling his own brands like most of the dealers on
this site he needs to trash others.
Looks like he's already been "owned" on some double-speak.
Well unlike Merlin I own a Cal Spas tub and don't sell other brands
of spas. Merlin has a vested interest in Cal not making a comeback.
I love my Cal Spas tub and have had excellent service from
my Cal Spas dealer and from the Cal Spas factory. I
have a feeling Cal Spas may not be in the elite group (yet)
of HS/Jacuzzi/Sundance but Cal is improving and not nearly
as poor as "Mr. Sweet Tart" describes.
But as always 2EachHisOwn! 8-)
(http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/candywarehouse_2018_9387172)
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Remember I sold HS for as long as you've been in the industry and I remember the step cracks, the circ pump failures, the light lens leaks, the heater fires, the pink cabinets and much more but they changed all of that, haven't they!
Is this a back handed compliment? Why do you no longer sell HS? It is a rare dealer who drops them. Stuart, the question you and Merlin are talking about is customer service, not change. (Sounds like the presidential race.) Hot Spring has had all of those problems, and [glow]they have great customer service and stand behind their dealers and end users.[/glow]
I will say that perhaps Merlin has some maturing to do. When I was his age a had my opinions and I was always right. ;) Maybe Cal Spa has changed. Time will tell.
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Is this a back handed compliment? Why do you no longer sell HS? It is a rare dealer who drops them. Stuart, the question you and Merlin are talking about is customer service, not change. (Sounds like the presidential race.) Hot Spring has had all of those problems, and [glow]they have great customer service and stand behind their dealers and end users.[/glow]
I will say that perhaps Merlin has some maturing to do. When I was his age a had my opinions and I was always right. ;) Maybe Cal Spa has changed. Time will tell.
Not at all...I think HS is still one of the finest brands made however, I get frustrated at times with the myopic veiw of many of thier dealers towards other brands. That aside HS does a great job of selling the dream to the dealer, keeping customers happy and taking care of dealers on the back end of things. I think they also have a pretty good offering price wise but knowing both lines pretty well I'm confident that Cal gives me tools that will make me more of a contender against them than before.
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Well Merlin, your still not getting the point so I will have to be more blunt...
Having been in the industry almost as long as you've been alive I know one thing for sure...EVERYTHING CHANGES!
I've already stated that I've had similar experiences with CalSpa and know very well about their reputation. That's why I took the time to research them and talk with the owner of the company before giving them another chance.
Remember I sold HS for as long as you've been in the industry and I remember the step cracks, the circ pump failures, the light lens leaks, the heater fires, the pink cabinets and much more but they changed all of that, haven't they!
I'm laying it on the line as to why I'm choosing Cal and your attempting to belittle that with less research and less experience. I may very well find I don't like their current philosophy but not without looking hard into it.
Who knows, in another 10 years I might be selling Arctic (Tom, does Darcy or the Keirsteds have a jet they would fly out to see me?)! :o
they may or may not have a jet, but in my opinion their product speaks for itself. If you are ever in the need to look for a future product and they want to sell to you they are worth looking at. I have sold their product since 1998, and have been nothing but impressed from day one.
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Good luck Stuart with your new spa line!
It has been said - the dealer makes all the difference in the world. Based on what Stuart has said throughout my stay here, no matter how good or bad the manufacturer is he will take care of his customers.
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they may or may not have a jet, but in my opinion their product speaks for itself. If you are ever in the need to look for a future product and they want to sell to you they are worth looking at. I have sold their product since 1998, and have been nothing but impressed from day one.
They would have to go a looong way from where they are now in my personal veiw of the distance between thier marketing and engineering to ever convince me of that! :o :P
But...like I said, things always change! 8-)
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They would have to go a looong way from where they are now in my personal veiw of the distance between thier marketing and engineering to ever convince me of that! :o :P
But...like I said, things always change! 8-)
Your highly mistaken on all of that, but we can agree to disagree.
Just my opinion.
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pink cabinets
:o
Most of what I have learned in 5 years in this forum, other than my own direct experience has been through osmosis. I must have missed this shameful event from HS past.
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Your highly mistaken on all of that, but we can agree to disagree.
Just my opinion.
I really don't think that you want to turn this in to a session of what I agree with or don't agree with on Arctic but considering your high jacking the thread that way, let me know if you do ....I'm primed and ready to open that up.
I'm always amazed at the defensiveness of many dealers...when you continually highjack other threads to tout your brand you do nothing more than show your inner fear that something might be wrong with what you’re doing.
Because I cracked a joke to Tom and touched on your insecurities do you think we need to open up a discussion on why I don't sell Artic or are you OK with letting this continue as a Cal spa discussion without that?
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:o
Most of what I have learned in 5 years in this forum, other than my own direct experience has been through osmosis. I must have missed this shameful event from HS past.
I wouldn't call it shamefull...they took care of those customers for the most part so those things never became huge issues but rest assured that even HS has problems as big as other dealers.
I could detail many issues by brand that technicians know a spa brand by but it would suffice to say that if you haven't heard a lot about it the company is probably one of the better ones that takes care of those problems.
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Oh, so Pink cabinets were not a product issued in bad taste, but a discoloring issue? I had never heard of this one.
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Stuart, I am so glad you started this topic. The information you provided about new Cal Spa ownership as well as old problems with HS is exactly what needs to be stated on this forum. People who find their way to this forum are not seeking advertisement they are looking for information. I wish all of the dealers who tout their product here would also tell us about their bad experiences too. That would take some balls.
Please feel free to spill your guts and let all of us know your opinions and insights about all brands that you have experience with.
Where is Chuck Hewitt working now?
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Steu
Go Arctic didnt hijack your thread. You brought up Arctic and he just responded to you, thats all. Dont need to make a big deal out of it.
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Instead of backhanded comments, why not just say good luck.
Good luck Stuart. I hope it works out for you.
Please PM me if you don't mind telling me about your experiences with D1.
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I like every hot tub ever made and everyone in here. :)
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Are you kidding me with all this wishing Stuart luck with his new product? He has SpaMan, he needs no luck, there will be no "only time will tell". We have the Cal Spa line, as long as we have pens, contracts and myself, all will be GRAND! Luck is what people wish for when they have no confidence in themselves or the product they sell.
I take nothing a 22 yr old boy says as truth when it comes to my profession. He is a sponge and eager to learn. This is the beginnings of a professional. In all reality to say he has been selling hot tubs for 6 years, is a stretch. These are major purchase items, people don't put alot of trust in our youth with big money purchases. I would love the day when my competitor put a 16 year on the floor to sell against me. ;)
I was 21 when I started selling these things, I had a baby face, black hair and a know it all attitude. Needless to say it took me along to master the art of selling competitively.
Merlin is going about it the right way though, he is learning, he is biased, and someday will probably be an "old timer" in the industry. Until then, he is a puppy with a waggly tale and sharp little teeth. People pat him on the head and walk on to the next dealer. If the next dealer is not on their game Merlin may get a "be back" or 2.
This in no way shape or form makes him an industry professional, nor should his opinion really hold any weight. He is a puppy.
I am sure those words will be seen as a bit harsh, but myself and all the others who have been in this industry for any amount of time have been there. I can remember the frustrations of people not buying because of my age, but it was a learning process.
Now, I have said all along since coming to this forum that Cal Spas stands up in the industry as a quality product that they stand behind, I have never had any problems getting parts nor getting service, if you can not afford to buy parts and get reimbursed, perhaps you can not afford to be in the spa business, many factories operate this way. I remember changing out over 200 gecko packs in Phoenix, it is a good thing the company I worked for had the funds and man power to make this happen. It is a strong dealer that makes things happen. It is a weak dealer that sits back, complains and drops the ball consistantly on its customers. It is a strong factory that is bold enough to loan its name to its dealers "Hot Springs of Denver" "Cal Spas of Denver" This is where the potential for the factories getting bad "internet press" is created. If a dealer bearing the factories name screws up, the first thing a customer does is go for the throat of a name they know. I don't fault customers for this but it does make the problems seem as though they are factory related. I have studied this long and hard and found that a majority of the time this is the case. A dealer not taking care of their customers.
O.K Let me have it!
I am excited to have them on the floor again, the product is very sellable. The price points are right on track and Cal Spas has a great reputation in our area.
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I have a feeling Merlin is one helluva salesman, and could outsell many of the old breed around here.
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I have a feeling Merlin is one helluva salesman, and could outsell many of the old breed around here.
HAH! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Oh, so Pink cabinets were not a product issued in bad taste, but a discoloring issue? I had never heard of this one.
The cabinets turned pink! I should send you some pictures…Many manufactures had issues in trying to find a material that was maintenance free and still held up in sunlight.
Where is Chuck Hewitt working now?
Now that’s the million dollar question!
Steu
Go Arctic didnt hijack your thread. You brought up Arctic and he just responded to you, thats all. Dont need to make a big deal out of it.
I tossed a joke at Tom and Go Arctic used it to plug his brand on a Cal Spa post…If you go back are read every topic that Arctic is mentioned, even in passing, one of you Arctic boys either get defensive or throw in a plug…I’m wondering if there is something to that insecurity?
I like every hot tub ever made and everyone in here. :)
And are adorable little fairies riding unicorns through a meadow of flowers in your dream? ;) ;D ;D
I had a baby face, black hair and a know it all attitude.
Well, your hair isn’t black anymore and you…um, your hair isn’t black anymore! ;D ;D ;D
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Hey Stuart,
All the best to you, hope you are feeling well.
IN reading this thread and forgetting about any one brand. Selling to me is a over used term. I think the job of any "sales person" of any product type. IS to help the person make a good decision and find what will best fit their needs. To provide solid and accurate information. I truly strive to leave hype out of the sales process. As an example here on this board filtering and who's best gets brought up all the time. I think just about any decent spa on the market today will keep your water clean even those that use 25sq ft filters. I think our job as professionals in this industry is to provide customers with real world answers on what it takes to care for a spa and to show them how just about any spa can be a relatively simple product to care for. For me its more about listening to my customer than selling them anything.
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Well, I guess you should never say never should you Robert!!!! ;D ;D ;D
Just curious what changed? You seemed pretty passionate back then.
One I can assure you is that I won't be selling Cal....In almost 20 years of doing this I met a lot more dealers and salespeople that used to sell Cal and now sell something else than the other way around.
I haven't looked at the product in a very long time so I can't comment on quality but thier way of doing business and sales ethics have never appealed to me.
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...as long as we have pens, contracts, 8-) sunglasses so they can't see my eyes and my plaid jacket is dry cleaned all will be GRAND!
Go get 'em Georgie!!! ;)
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Well, I guess you should never say never should you Robert!!!! ;D ;D ;D
Just curious what changed? You seemed pretty passionate back then.
That's by far not the only time that I said I would never sell Cal...That might give you an idea of how far I think they've come. I was a crusader against them….That’s how I met Spaman, by beating him up over Cal.
If you still don't know what's changed then you either lack the ability to read the initial post or the ability to understand the initial post, either way I explained it there.
Remember, I'm the one that brought to your attention that I'm selling Cal now...
I still have some apprehension however....I've done the research and I'm giving it a shot!
Passion is something I've never lacked... ;)
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Wow......now in no way I am endorsing Cal Spas here....I am also not bashing them......BUt hey If Stuart likes what he is looking at than he certainly has earned the right to give them a try...No matter what he may have thought in the past......It is much like the political criticism you hear when a politician changes his position on something ....I think a leader in any field is always going to look at new things or to try see something from a different angle ....I mean you can't go against your core values but to change one's mind or to try something new is not a bad nor weak thing.....
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I understand and comprehend your thread just fine Robert. ::)
I applaud you for trying out Cal Spas. The one thing that you have always done is tell us what you think about different brands of spas, so I'm sure if they still aren’t doing things right, you will let us all know.
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Wow......now in no way I am endorsing Cal Spas here....I am also not bashing them......BUt hey If Stuart likes what he is looking at than he certainly has earned the right to give them a try...No matter what he may have thought in the past......It is much like the political criticism you hear when a politician changes his position on something ....I think a leader in any field is always going to look at new things or to try see something from a different angle ....I mean you can't go against your core values but to change one's mind or to try something new is not a bad nor weak thing.....
Thanks buddy! (is a check alright...they don't like cash coming through the mail) ;) ;D
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Who knows, in another 10 years I might be selling Arctic (Tom, does Darcy or the Kiersteds have a jet they would fly out to see me?)
Sorry, no jet. :-/ But I expect that someone would come to see you. No joke.
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Sorry, no jet. :-/ But I expect that someone would come to see you. No joke.
:-/ :o :-/ :oAre they going to be armed!!!??? How big are they!?? :o :-/ :o :-/
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:-/ :o :-/ :oAre they going to be armed!!!??? How big are they!?? :o :-/ :o :-/
It'll be the guy who comes in the store with a tuque on his head!
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It'll be the guy who comes in the store with a tuque on his head!
You know Term must be busy with storms if he missed an opportunity like that!
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Well today is the day that the national sales trainer comes in to teach me how to sell Cal Spas. ::)
There better be lunch served! 8 Cal Spas in 9 days, wait until I learn how to sell them. Is it really possible to teach OLD dogs new tricks? If not Stuart may as well not show up. ;D
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(http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/amc0383l.jpg)
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(http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/amc0383l.jpg)
Ya gotta love pharmacological humor!!
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A little late on this but congrats Stuart! I have no doubt that you have done (or are doing) your homework on this and will make the choice that's right for you and your business.
My feeling is that if you have gone through the steps that Stuart has to determine wether or not this is viable or if indeed, Cal is turning the corner, then I guess only then can we have the same information as he to make this judgement call.
Knowing what I know and have read from Stuart over the years, he can make anything work with his passion and knowledge. Go big buddy and I wish you well!
*Side note*
I always find it interesting to see how the people that have knowledge on ONE BRAND and ONE BRAND ONLY seem to have the biggest opinions. It's always been that way on this forum. As a matter of respect, I think until you have the exposure that Stuart has in this industry collectively, you should bite your lip and try and learn from it...
I have had extensive experience with Cal Spa from our store over the past 25 years.
I, meaning YOU... yes, a little misleading in your attempt at credibility Merlin. ::)
Steve
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A little late on this but congrats Stuart! I have no doubt that you have done (or are doing) your homework on this and will make the choice that's right for you and your business.
My feeling is that if you have gone through the steps that Stuart has to determine wether or not this is viable or if indeed, Cal is turning the corner, then I guess only then can we have the same information as he to make this judgement call.
Knowing what I know and have read from Stuart over the years, he can make anything work with his passion and knowledge. Go big buddy and I wish you well!
*Side note*
[glow]I always find it interesting to see how the people that have knowledge on ONE BRAND and ONE BRAND ONLY seem to have the biggest opinions. It's always been that way on this forum. As a matter of respect, I think until you have the exposure that Stuart has in this industry collectively, you should bite your lip and try and learn from it...[glow]
I, meaning YOU... yes, a little misleading in your attempt at credibility Merlin. ::)
Steve
THAST IS GOOD PREACHIN'!! 8-)
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:-/ :o :-/ :oAre they going to be armed!!!??? How big are they!?? :o :-/ :o :-/
Armed? No, no, that's the Hot Springs guys like Term.
The Arctic Spas owners are not very big size-wise, but they cast a long shadow. They took over a money-losing business in 1994 and within ten years had built it into one of Canada's top companies. I'm proud of 'em. :D
Sounds like you've met them at shows and such. I never get to go to those. :-/ :'(
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Stuart,
As a customer I applaud you for doing this. You identified a problem with your existing supplier and saw a opportunity to provide a better value for your customers and hopefully a better profit margin for your store. In today's economy you have to take chances to ensure your own longevity. Its good for Stuart and good for his customers.
For what its worth, I have no opinion of Cal Spas, in fact there is no dealer in our town so I have never even seen one.
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(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/100_4175.jpg)
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Congratulations Stuart, for having the hutzpah to stand tall.
With 26 years of experience in this industry, regardless of the Brand you carry, it is the DEALER who is on the Front Line when it comes to the consumer. Their Problems are not always the fault of the product (warranty), but it is the dealer that makes them right. I fought the old marketing methods of CH and his team of loose liberal dealers, as well as the "rebates" of Master Spa that all had your best interest at heart only until your check cleared.
I have experienced what Stuart explains. You can be a dealer of any uppity manufacturer, but it is still the dealer that resolves the problems. That is what we do, and that is what Stuart does. When your customer shops you, and you lead him to the premiere model line up of your wold famous manufacturer that tends to be sold in the upper price strata, and your customer stops you to say, HEY what about this one here with all these jets, motors, lights, etc, plus all the bling and they literally choose to purchase that one because of WHAT THEY SEE, but WAIT, I want to show you this ONE. It is just a little more $, but it is the world's best, as a matter of fact, I will make it the same price as that one if you buy it tonight.
People buy what they want, and Stuart has been around long enough to want to give the consumer what he wants (sometines it is easier, as the old dog gets wiser). That is what he is in business for. HE WILL MAKE THEIR EXPERIENCE the same whether it is D-1, Marquis, Master,Cal, or any other uppity manufacturer you want to add in. It is Stuart who puts his business on the line and it is his responsibility to make their experience both positive and memorable in order to stay in business and thrive.
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Well said!
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Hi Clover, Nice to see you back ;)
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Congratulations Stuart, for having the hutzpah to stand tall.
With 26 years of experience in this industry, regardless of the Brand you carry, it is the DEALER who is on the Front Line when it comes to the consumer. Their Problems are not always the fault of the product (warranty), but it is the dealer that makes them right. I fought the old marketing methods of CH and his team of loose liberal dealers, as well as the "rebates" of Master Spa that all had your best interest at heart only until your check cleared.
I have experienced what Stuart explains. You can be a dealer of any uppity manufacturer, but it is still the dealer that resolves the problems. That is what we do, and that is what Stuart does. When your customer shops you, and you lead him to the premiere model line up of your wold famous manufacturer that tends to be sold in the upper price strata, and your customer stops you to say, HEY what about this one here with all these jets, motors, lights, etc, plus all the bling and they literally choose to purchase that one because of WHAT THEY SEE, but WAIT, I want to show you this ONE. It is just a little more $, but it is the world's best, as a matter of fact, I will make it the same price as that one if you buy it tonight.
People buy what they want, and Stuart has been around long enough to want to give the consumer what he wants (sometines it is easier, as the old dog gets wiser). That is what he is in business for. HE WILL MAKE THEIR EXPERIENCE the same whether it is D-1, Marquis, Master,Cal, or any other uppity manufacturer you want to add in. It is Stuart who puts his business on the line and it is his responsibility to make their experience both positive and memorable in order to stay in business and thrive.
Thanks buddy, hope your getting time to ride both bikes!
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I'm not sure if this is in defense of Stew (like he needs that) or the other way...LOL
Because I have only been servicing tubs for 6-8 years, and we have had about 3-4 Cal dealers close by come and go. The independents get to see alot of these Cals, and there is only a couple independents in about a million mile radius it seems...duhhhhh Any way I have had the chance to see a change in Cal. I am married to a few older ones that are total pieces of crap and I am learning a few newers one that aren't that bad. Don't get me wrong they have to prove themselves yet but there seems to be some improvement being made.
Good luck Stew
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How are these things doing these days?
(http://www.pooldeals.com/files/detailed/d_1460.jpg)
8-)
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How are these things doing these days?
(http://www.pooldeals.com/files/detailed/d_1460.jpg)
8-)
You know, I'm not sure...It's a cool concept but I haven't got to try it out myself yet! I will let you know though ;)