Hot Tub Forum
General => General info Somewhat hot tub related => Topic started by: D.P. Roberts on May 31, 2007, 10:03:02 pm
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After spending the last 8 years or so involved in retail management, I'm looking to make a change. I've gone as far as I care to go in my current company (any advancement from here would mean relocation to NY, which I'm not interested in). I like the idea of sales and customer service, and my several years-long interest in hot tubs has me wondering about starting a career in the hot tub industry. From what I've read here, it sounds like most dealers aren't doing very well. Is this a bad time to enter the business? Is it better or worse in certain areas (I'm in central Ohio)? Can spa salespeople earn a decent living? What are the significant hurdles to becoming a dealer? Any advice - either here or via PM - would be greatly appreciated.
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I wonder if MJB sitll checks in here occasionally. He worked at All Seasons Spas for a few years, before moving to Arizona. I'm sure he could give you some insight.
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HymBaw could also give you some interesting personal insights into what it takes to be successful in the hot tub industry. I haven't seen him around here lately though....
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Do you mind working weekends?
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Being a spa salesman I can tell you I do pretty good, not rich by any means, but we live very comfortable. The wife owns her own childcare and that helps of course.
As for opening a business in the spa world I would say you can do anything you put your mind to the key would be location.location,location. And a good product. ;)
The spa industry is down from what I heard about 20 to 30% least up in this area it is. I have been selling spas but not as many as I would like. :'(
Others I hope will chime in as to how there sales are doing, and from what I understand only having sold spas for only 4 years now,the spa industry goes like a roller coaster up for 4 to 5 years then a down trend and back up agian??
Any truth to this?? Dan,Term??
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HymBaw could also give you some interesting personal insights into what it takes to be successful in the hot tub industry. I haven't seen him around here lately though....
(snicker)
I KNEW you were going to say something about that!
I'd have been dissapointed if you hadn't, forcing me to.
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HymBaw could also give you some interesting personal insights into what it takes to be successful in the hot tub industry. I haven't seen him around here lately though....
Ouch! Wheres the love? ;D
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LtDan....thank you for changing your avitar.....that last one kinda grossed me out ;D
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Do you mind working weekends?
I work evenings and weekends all the time anyway. I don't mind the job, I just have no chance of ever earning a decent income, or any opportunities for advancement, or any possibility of ever being my own boss. I seem to spend most of my free time on hot tub forums anyway, so it seems like something to look into.
It just seems like there are a lot of salespeople and dealers here. For those of you in the business- do you think that most salespeople are planning on making careers (such as becoming dealers) out of what they're doing, or are they basically just happy doing what they're doing, & they move on to something else?
Or, to look at it the other way, are most dealers people who rise up from the ranks of sales or service people & eventually start their own business? Or, are they people from other areas (i.e. "small business" people) who decide to start a hot tub dealership?
For example, for most franchises (like fast food) your experience with that particular business is almost irrelevant- if you have the business skills, the willingness to sign the loan papers, and a good location, they will teach you how to run the business. You can make subs for years and years, but you'll never own a Subway until you can help get the cash.
Alternately, there are some companies where a proprietorship/dealership is more of a promotion. You work your way through the ranks, and eventually earn your own dealership- working your way through the ranks and knowing all the ins and outs of the business are more important than your financial status or outside experience.
Those are oversimplifications, but I'm just wondering how this business works - there aren't any books on it, and I can't find anything on the internet either. Any help or advice of any nature would be greatly appreciated.
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As I understand it, there is a SIGNIFICANT difference between "being a spa salesman" and OWNING your own Hot Tub business. It seems that like any other retail, you MUST generate volume in order to be successful. Selling only 3 or 4 tubs a month would not support your own storefront (not even a cheap one) but a single salesman selling 3-4 tubs could likely make enough to keep at it ($3 to $5K/month depending on the split with the owner of the business). If you want to run your own storefront for a reasonable company, it will take about $80K to get started and then require anywhere from 6 to 10 tubs (minimium) to stay afloat. Location is also VERY important as you need visability to the public for a successful shop (IMHO) and therefore, rent will also be more than a warehouse somewhere in an industrial complex. Reading other posters it appears that the sucessfull guys do sell between 10 and 20 tubs a month on average and they therefore probably do bring in a healthy income (even without owning the company) but they do have a number of factors in their favor (time in business, size of business, support staff for not just sales but repairs as well) and often even have off-season (is there such a thing) things in their shops like fireplaces, patio furniture, etc
By the way - I do not sell tubs nor do I own a dealership. I "had" investigated it pretty deeply a couple of years back. I have managed (and even owned) my own retail storefronts in the past (Computers) so much of the details were VERY similar for the two industries. Both use floorplanning, both have local competition, both "could" be considered simple "commodities" and therefore price competition could be a factor in your area. #1 thing you MUST do BEFORE entering into the business it to first understand your own local market, local competitors, etc to determine if there is any opening for the product you want to rep for. If are the "major" retailers already have sufficent representation, you may not have any "good" options. Nobody wants to have to sell a Phoenix or SunBelt Spa as their PRIMARY spa (for a number of reasons).
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As I understand it, there is a SIGNIFICANT difference between "being a spa salesman" and OWNING your own Hot Tub business. It seems that like any other retail, you MUST generate volume in order to be successful. Selling only 3 or 4 tubs a month would not support your own storefront (not even a cheap one) but a single salesman selling 3-4 tubs could likely make enough to keep at it ($3 to $5K/month depending on the split with the owner of the business). If you want to run your own storefront for a reasonable company, it will take about $80K to get started and then require anywhere from 6 to 10 tubs (minimium) to stay afloat. Location is also VERY important as you need visability to the public for a successful shop (IMHO) and therefore, rent will also be more than a warehouse somewhere in an industrial complex. Reading other posters it appears that the sucessfull guys do sell between 10 and 20 tubs a month on average and they therefore probably do bring in a healthy income (even without owning the company) but they do have a number of factors in their favor (time in business, size of business, support staff for not just sales but repairs as well) and often even have off-season (is there such a thing) things in their shops like fireplaces, patio furniture, etc
That's basically what I thought. In other words, becoming a salesperson would provide me with useful experience and insight into the industry, and plenty of cash to save up [compared to my current salary] towards opening my own business. The only issues are whether I can find a job with a local spa dealer, and whether I could be a successful salesperson.
By the way - I do not sell tubs nor do I own a dealership. I "had" investigated it pretty deeply a couple of years back. I have managed (and even owned) my own retail storefronts in the past (Computers) so much of the details were VERY similar for the two industries. Both use floorplanning, both have local competition, both "could" be considered simple "commodities" and therefore price competition could be a factor in your area. #1 thing you MUST do BEFORE entering into the business it to first understand your own local market, local competitors, etc to determine if there is any opening for the product you want to rep for. If are the "major" retailers already have sufficent representation, you may not have any "good" options. Nobody wants to have to sell a Phoenix or SunBelt Spa as their PRIMARY spa (for a number of reasons).
That's what got me thinking. As I've been shopping for a tub I've discovered that several of the better-known brands - Marquis, D1, and Arctic among them- don't have local dealers. I'm in a small town (outside of Columbus, Ohio) that's growing rapidly and doesn't have any dealers at all yet. I'm not sure if the town (and surrounding population) is still too small to support a hot tub dealer.
I've done a lot of market research for other businesses I've investigated- a bookstore (a very bad idea) and a paintball field (a very good idea, but has several startup difficulties I can't overcome at this point). However, market factors are entirely different from one business to the next, so I'm starting over at square one with hot tubs.
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Selling only 3 or 4 tubs a month would not support your own storefront (not even a cheap one) but a single salesman selling 3-4 tubs could likely make enough to keep at it ($3 to $5K/month depending on the split with the owner.
Holy smokes, first I read a techs pay is around $70k, NOW you can sell 3-4 tubs and make $3-$5k a month.....Man am I in the wrong area of the world!!! :o
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Holy smokes, first I read a techs pay is around $70k, NOW you can sell 3-4 tubs and make $3-$5k a month.....Man am I in the wrong area of the world!!! :o
Is that not accurate? Most of the posts I've read seem to indicate that salespeople earn a commission of about $1000 per tub for the higher-end tubs (I assume $10,000 or so). Is that not correct?
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Not certain of the "current" profit but when I was investigating the actual GROSS profit (before ALL expenses) of a $8-$9K tub, it was anywhere from $2,500 to $3,000. In most retail businesses, the sales reps make anywhere from 25%(1st year rep) to 50% (sales Manager) of the sale in commissions and NO base pay at all. Figured I needed 10 tubs a month to bring in the minimum $15K to $20K in gross revenue to keep the doors open. Since I don't actually run a shop, some of the other guys on here might be give better estimates. I've also heard that some dealers simply give their sales people a flat $500/tub (no matter the size) in an effort to keep them form trying to up sell (when the client doesn't need or want to be up-sold). So, I'd say the bottom revenue to the salesperson "could" be as low as $500/tub and therefore 4 tubs/month would only yield around $2K before taxes and I don't think that $24K a year is much above poverty levels so I don't think you'd get "quality" reps at those levels (at least not around here). I expect that most Spa reps make anywhere from $40K to $80K/year. Owners sellign 200 tubs a year bring in around $150K AFTER all expenses. IMHO, i'd rather make a buck fifty working for myself than these corporations.
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Holy smokes, first I read a techs pay is around $70k, NOW you can sell 3-4 tubs and make $3-$5k a month.....Man am I in the wrong area of the world!!! :o
I have been in this industry over 20 years. I have many salespeople that work for me. As far as I know, no salesman in the spa industry makes 3-5k for selling 3-4 tubs. Thats about double of what the good ones make
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On a good month I average say 5 to 15 spas a month give or take, at various price ranges. I only get 3% from any spa sale I make, but I also make a really nice salary as I dont do just sales.
I do all the purchasing for the spa end,I am also the service manager,handle all the service calls and set up all deliveries for the customers, not to mention anything else that comes along in my spa world. ::)
What happens though I dont get paid my 3% till the spa is delivered,so I could sell 15 spas in a month, none of which might not get delivered for a month,2 months and even longer so as far as money coming in I am basically collecting money monthly from sales that could be 3 weeks/3 months ago or longer.
Quite a few spas I sell if in stock, do go out pretty fast. If they are an order in its about 3 1/2 weeks and most people are ready for there spa at that point.
So is not getting paid till after the delivery the norm in the industry??
Some months I am glad I am paid that nice salary,if not I know I could not live in the house I do and would probably be doing something else.
Will I stay here? Yes, the company I work for is a major heating and A/C business, and is in the process of building a new store the 2nd one now with patio furniture,bbq"s spa's all kinds of back yard type stuff, along with gas/wood stoves,fireplaces the works. All in all pretty happy doing what I am doing. :)
Till I win the lottery that is,I just have to play more. ::)
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I have been in this industry over 20 years. I have many salespeople that work for me. As far as I know, no salesman in the spa industry makes 3-5k for selling 3-4 tubs. Thats about double of what the good ones make
It looks like someone took my original comments out of context. I said the GROSS profit was around $3K PER TUB for the DEALERSHIP, not the salesman's cut of the profit.
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On a good month I average say 5 to 15 spas a month give or take, at various price ranges. I only get 3% from any spa sale I make, but I also make a really nice salary as I dont do just sales.
I do all the purchasing for the spa end,I am also the service manager,handle all the service calls and set up all deliveries for the customers, not to mention anything else that comes along in my spa world. ::)
What happens though I dont get paid my 3% till the spa is delivered,so I could sell 15 spas in a month, none of which might not get delivered for a month,2 months and even longer so as far as money coming in I am basically collecting money monthly from sales that could be 3 weeks/3 months ago or longer.
Quite a few spas I sell if in stock, do go out pretty fast. If they are an order in its about 3 1/2 weeks and most people are ready for there spa at that point.
So is not getting paid till after the delivery the norm in the industry??
Some months I am glad I am paid that nice salary,if not I know I could not live in the house I do and would probably be doing something else.
Will I stay here? Yes, the company I work for is a major heating and A/C business, and is in the process of building a new store the 2nd one now with patio furniture,bbq"s spa's all kinds of back yard type stuff, along with gas/wood stoves,fireplaces the works. All in all pretty happy doing what I am doing. :)
Till I win the lottery that is,I just have to play more. ::)
Sounds like you are a sales manager so the salary seems like a better plan (less risk) than a traditional salesman would have to endure. I would expect that holding payment until the Spa is delivered would be a pretty common method as it is in other "big ticket" retail industries. In my prior business I didn't pay the rep until the client paid me. That simple precaution helped protect me from an unscrupulous sales person that tried to write a bunch of "paper" (orders) right before his departure.
Three percent of a $8K spa is only $240.00 so it doesn't sound like much but if you average 10/month your still bringing in an extra $2,400/month as "icing on your cake" so it sounds like you are doing pretty well.
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a single salesman selling 3-4 tubs could likely make enough to keep at it ($3 to $5K/month depending on the split with the owner of the business).
ndabunka,
This is the quote I was refering to. My statement remains the same. In our industry selling 3-4 spas will not make a salesman 3-5 k. If I am "misquoting" you I am sorry. It does however seem to me like you are saying that a salesman can make at or above $1000 in commission per tub. Average sale is lets say $7500, that means the salesman is getting 13.5% commission. That is the best paid salesman I have ever heard of in the spa industry.
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Will I stay here? Yes, the company I work for is a major heating and A/C business, and is in the process of building a new store the 2nd one now with patio furniture,bbq"s spa's all kinds of back yard type stuff, along with gas/wood stoves,fireplaces the works. All in all pretty happy doing what I am doing. :)
1) Jim, the company you work for is primarily a heating & A/C contractor? That sounds a little unusual. Most of the companies around here "diversify" into other products such as the patio furniture, fireplaces, etc. like your second store is selling. Pool tables and other "rec room" stuff is also a common combination. In some areas of the country, swimming pool installers also sell tubs.
I'm just curious because it seems like most spa dealers sell other stuff besides spas to support themselves in the "off season". HVAC is a little unusual - are there any other "weird" combinations out there?
2) To generalize:
A) Owners sometimes pay themselves a salary, but basically live off whatever net profit they may make.
B) Full-time salespeople earn about 5%-8% commission or a flat $500 or so on their sales.
C) Employees with other responsibilities earn a salary plus a small commission (like JJ's 3%) if they also make some sales.
Is this a reasonable summary of what one would expect to see at most spa dealers?
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By the way - I do not sell tubs nor do I own a dealership. I "had" investigated it pretty deeply a couple of years back.
If I may ask, what made you decide against it?
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ndabunka,
This is the quote I was referring to. My statement remains the same. In our industry selling 3-4 spas will not make a salesman 3-5 k. If I am "misquoting" you I am sorry. It does however seem to me like you are saying that a salesman can make at or above $1000 in commission per tub. Average sale is lets say $7500, that means the salesman is getting 13.5% commission. That is the best paid salesman I have ever heard of in the spa industry.
Micah - Maybe I am the one in error. I was thinking $1K/tub would equal $3K/month. Maybe dealers don't pay that much. I would have, but then again It was just a plan and never actually put into play. As far as to why I did not "jump in" myself is primarily because my "real job" Voice/Data Convergence consulting is too busy and lucrative to depart (six-figure+ and 40-50 hours/week). My original intent of the Spa dealership was a business my wife could run while raising a 2-4 year old until we hired a full time manager 2 years down the road. I would have stayed involved for those first two years (every minute in the dealership I wasn't on the phone for my consulting business) but in the end, my wife decided that she did not want to sell hot tubs. One aspect may be the fact that she only goes in the tub we do have only about once a year (seriously).
PS - Wife's salary would have been $40 to $50K/year (as owner/operator) as her income from her "previous" job (as a Med Tech) only paid around $32K/year. Most of the profit during those first 2 years was going back into the store or into a fund to pay for land.
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Just throwing my hat in the ring.....
Our business is pretty strange lately. January and February were great, March and April were not so great. May started slow but finished strong and June is off to a good start. We started doing a lot of offsite promotions in May and they helped tremendously. I truly believe spa companies need to try and do as many off premise events as possible.
Regarding careers in the spa industry: I don't think spa sales is typically a career path one should pursue if they want to make a lot of money. I talk to many salespeople at different sales training events and we all compare notes about our jobs. I wouldn't work under the conditions most of them do. However, most of them sell swimming pools primarily and the spas are typically somewhat of an afterthought.
I am very, very, very fortunate to be in the position I am in. I work alone, so no interoffice politics, drama, squabbling over commission....just the occasional inappropriate office romance to deal with.
Being the branch manager, I am responsible for everything that goes on in my territory. I also receive compensation for everything that comes through my territory. I get a nice salary plus a single digit percentage commission on everything.
My family's medical insurance is paid by the company, we have a profit-sharing plan, and a bonus structure set up whereby I get a little spiff for every spa I sell over my quota (9 spas) each month. I also receive a substantial gift around Christmas and get to qualify for company trips (Australia, New Zealand, Greece).
The best part is that I get tremendous support from my boss, co-workers, Watkins Manufacturing, and customers that no one else in this part of the world could possibly get. I sold 153 spas last year without really doing much more than being personable, being forthright and honest, and selling the very best product in the market. Once you establish yourself, your business will become self-sustaining if you take care of the customers. This is where my local competition falls woefully short of the mark.
The customer is GOLDEN. 65% of our business is referrals. Make them happy and they will make you happy. :)
Terminator
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Regarding careers in the spa industry: I don't think spa sales is typically a career path one should pursue if they want to make a lot of money. I talk to many salespeople at different sales training events and we all compare notes about our jobs. I wouldn't work under the conditions most of them do. However, most of them sell swimming pools primarily and the spas are typically somewhat of an afterthought.
Term,
Thanks for the response. This leads me to two questions:
1) What conditions do these salespeople work in? Are these poor conditions more a result of the spa side or the pool side? Here in Ohio, all the spa stores I've seen specialize in spas, as hardly anyone has an inground pool.
2) What, exactly, is the "career path" of a salesperson? If one's ultimate goal was to own a spa dealership, should one start as a salesperson?
It might help if I explained where I'm at. I started working at a bookstore 8 years ago, with the idea that I would eventually open my own bookstore. I knew I'd have competition from larger chains like Borders and Barnes & Noble, but I knew that big chains like that don't open stores in small towns, where I hoped to open a store. It seemed like a pretty good plan.
Of course, 8 years ago the internet wasn't having the impact on bookstores that it's having now, nor was the internet affecting the use of printed material as a whole. I wouldn't consider opening a bookstore now.
So, I'm thinking of opening a hot tub store. Starting as a salesperson seems like a good idea, as I could learn more about the industry and hopefully save up enough startup capital to open the business. So before I switch careers, I want to hear all the reasons my plan won't work, or any suggestions from people in the industry for a better idea.
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1) What conditions do these salespeople work in? Are these poor conditions more a result of the spa side or the pool side?
My impression is that most emphasis is placed on selling swimming pools and the accompanying chemicals and accessories as that is where the big money originates. Salespeople are telling me that they have to split "ups" with 2 or 3 other salespeople, that there is some backbiting and subterfuge amongst them, that they work straight commission and have no benefits nor receive sufficient vacation time. They carry very little inventory and have few floor models, no mood room, they carry competing brands, etc.
I admit that my job is an absolute dream. I don't have any of the above situations to contend with, I get 4 weeks paid vacation (which I never take...my job is like an everyday vacation). I have the best office equipment available, a full beer cooler, a great supporting cast of 3 full-time service techs and a primary and backup delivery crew. We keep our stores full of spas and have a beautiful warehouse and parts department that we keep stocked. And I don't have to sell anything but HotSpring, Tiger River, Solana, and HotSpot Spas. Makes things pretty easy.
2) What, exactly, is the "career path" of a salesperson? If one's ultimate goal was to own a spa dealership, should one start as a salesperson?
It seems like most of the salespeople I run across are short-timers. Based upon the way they are treated, I can certainly understand why. Again, I'm very fortunate to have a boss who wants me to make a lot of money and have job security. He realizes that I will do everything within my capabilities of making our company successful. All of our other employees feel the same way. We're more like a family as opposed to some corporate conglomerate. The owner of our company is independently wealthy, so we don't sweat the ups and downs of the industry like some others may. Our company is pretty unique, I would imagine, compared to most.
What I'm saying is that it looks to me like it would be very difficult for someone to try and start up and sustain a spa business in today's climate, especially if they are not fully committed to excellence and have a STRONG financial backing. It is dang near impossible to sell a crappy brand of spa and have long-term financial success.
Term
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What I'm saying is that it looks to me like it would be very difficult for someone to try and start up and sustain a spa business in today's climate, especially if they are not fully committed to excellence and have a STRONG financial backing. It is dang near impossible to sell a crappy brand of spa and have long-term financial success.
Term
Thanks for the encouraging words Chris! I'm sure pumped now ;D I'm pretty confident with HotSpring, though. What's the worst that could happen? End up working in Shrevport? :o
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It seems like most of the salespeople I run across are short-timers.
I was speaking to a dealer who was looking for a new sales person and he described them this way. Half are capable salespersons who know how to interact with people and it just so happens that what they sell are spas, the other half are "the Carnies who have teeth". He was looking to avoid the latter.
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Thanks for the encouraging words Chris! I'm sure pumped now ;D I'm pretty confident with HotSpring, though. What's the worst that could happen? End up working in Shrevport? :o
The industry may be in a little bit of flux now, but I really think it's going to grow over the next few years. From my small amount of research, it seems like a lot of people pay for hot tubs with home equity loans. With all the turmoil in the housing market, it's not surprising that equity loans would be harder to come by.
However, I think the industry is really going to grow long-term. The main reason being that baby boomers are getting older, and more of them will want spas to relieve all those aches and pains. Secondly, with gas prices continuing to rise and no end in sight, it sounds like people are traveling less and spending more on their homes, which should continue to help hot tub sales.
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Read the thread on "No cover suction" in the other forum. This is the type of things you will have to deal with...How about replacing a $300 cover (which may or may not fix problem) because their is no "suction" :-?
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You also get to meet exciting, verbose, intellectually stimulating conversasionalists like this guy:
Me: Come on in and make yourself at home! I'll be with you in just a minute.
Mr. Excitement: We're just looking.
Me: Great! Feel free to look around and I'll be happy to help if you have any questions.
Mr. Excitement: What do these run?
Me: Well, we've got 27 different models. They run between $3000 and $12,000. If you have a few minutes, I'll be happy to show them to you.
Mr. Excitement: I'm just wanting to know what they cost.
Me: $3000 to $12,000.
Mr. Excitement: Well, alright....let us think about it.
Me: OK. Take care.
::)
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Oh, believe me, I have PLENTY of great customers at my current store. For example:
1) Two weeks ago, we finally asked a guy to stop coming to our store until he got his bladder control problem under control - he had already ruined three chairs. He then swore at me loudly for several minutes. He then threatened to burn our store down. An undercover cop happened to be standing right nearby and heard the whole thing- then the fun began.
2) A woman was found giving her pet monkey a bath in our restroom sink.
3) More restroom stories? Okay. People unaccustomed to western plumbing clog the toilets with paper towels, and then think flushing over and over again is going to fix the problem.
4) Finding some "adult sophisticate" magazines in the men's room. And they're used.
5) This was a fun conversation:
Customer: "I'm looking for a certain book. I don't know the title, and I don't know the author. I don't even know what subject it's in. But I know it was purple and had a cucumber on the cover."
Me: "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that title. We have over a hundred thousand different titles here- do you have any other information about it?"
Customer: "No, but can you go look?"
6) I love presidential elections. Conservative customers yell at me for hours for having too many liberal books. Then, liberals come in and yell at me for having too many conservative books. Then they start yelling at each other. If we're lucky, we don't have to call the police.
7) Homeless people spend all day in our comfy chairs. Some have died while sitting there.
So I'm used to dealing with the general public. More importantly, I'm GOOD at it. I'm not really worried about that part.
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You also get to meet exciting, verbose, intellectually stimulating conversasionalists like this guy:
Me: Come on in and make yourself at home! I'll be with you in just a minute.
Mr. Excitement: We're just looking.
Me: Great! Feel free to look around and I'll be happy to help if you have any questions.
Mr. Excitement: What do these run?
Me: Well, we've got 27 different models. They run between $3000 and $12,000. If you have a few minutes, I'll be happy to show them to you.
Mr. Excitement: I'm just wanting to know what they cost.
Me: $3000 to $12,000.
Mr. Excitement: Well, alright....let us think about it.
Me: OK. Take care.
::)
Folks should know that you can right click on someone's photo and select "View Image". Some folks have better pics than others.
Niiiiiiice.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/bigsexy.jpg)
LMAO
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DP,
If you have no spa stores in your town,
And you have 10's of thousand of dollars
And can qualify for a $100,000 line of credit
And you can sell and/or service
Not to mention deliver
Then
Contact Hot Spring and Sundance and see if they want a new dealer.
Otherwise, get yerself a job selling and see if you like it!
Dan
:)
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DP,
Otherwise, get yerself a job selling and see if you like it!
Dan
:)
Yeah, that's the question I've been asking about - aside from whether I actually enjoy selling tubs, will the job itself teach me what I need to know? Not just from my point of view (which is easy to find out), but also from the perspective of potential lenders and manufacturers? If not, what else should I be doing?
It does seem like getting a job selling hot tubs would be ideal preparation. However, there are only a handful of hot tub dealers in the nearest large city- if they aren't hiring (or just don't want me), would sales experience in similar big-ticket items be useful?