Father and son Earl and Josh Michels stood in the parking lot of their hot tub business and watched it burn in June 2018. Before the fire trucks and smoke had cleared, Josh had his marketing guy there shooting video. They would have a literal fire sale. The news and drama gave their business, Backyard…
To stay atop everything from increased web traffic and online orders to deliveries and service calls, many hot tub retailers have created new positions or hired additional support for existing employees in the pandemic. For those lucky enough to find people able and willing to come to work as COVID stubbornly hangs around, adding staff…
The cover is one of the most important parts of the hot tub in providing safety, energy efficiency and ease of use, says Andy Tournas, president of Hot Tub Products, an accessories manufacturer in Wallingford, Connecticut. He adds that, in his years of industry experience, the quality of hot tub covers and the difficulty taking…
Early in the pandemic, we had a difficult time finding terrific candidates for seasonal positions. Our government agencies did amazing things to help support citizens during the pandemic, but the offers they made to students and lower-income earners incentivized people to stay home and collect program subsidies rather than seek employment. So far in 2021,…
If there’s one activity as important as sanitizing a hot tub, it’s water testing. While it’s ideal for hot tub owners to do home water testing at least twice weekly, not every customer is disciplined at the practice. Whether customers are unmotivated or too busy, spa retailers can step up by offering water services that…
While the rampant requests for spas wasn’t a huge shock this past year, the eternal runner-up — billiards and game tables — came as more of a surprise. With people spending so much more time at home, all things home entertainment have seen a boost, but it’s tough to predict how long the newfound popularity…
After a long year, a lessening of the most frustrating COVID restrictions may bring some breathing room into your retail plans, including adding special promotions to your schedule. In the past, many of you created strong promotional events all around your sales areas. It looks like you’ll be able to do that again, but with…
Spa retailers have embraced the stories option on social media to promote their products and services, and are finding that it drives engagement. To show off their best work, hot tub retailers can leverage short six- to 30-second videos on social media platforms like TikTok, or with Twitter Fleets or the stories features on Facebook,…
If conducting virtual troubleshooting diagnostics and appointments were not part of a hot tub dealer’s customer service pre-COVID, many dealers began implementing the service over the last year. Meanwhile, retailers who were already conducting business this way have continued to experience time-saving results during the pandemic without skipping a beat. Hans Kissmann, owner and president…
Celebrating 25 years in the pool and spa industry, King Technology, a chemical manufacturer in Wayzata, Minnesota, has always prioritized giving back to its community. Fifteen years ago, owner Joe King and his wife, Mary, started investing in the lives of disadvantaged children and families in Flores de Villa, Peru, through the organization Peruvian Partners,…
This past winter, New England Spas, a spa retailer with three Massachusetts locations, posted free pallets on Facebook Marketplace. Karen Larsen, co-owner of Liberty Farms — a nonprofit animal rescue on a 100-acre sanctuary in the foothills of the Berkshires in Warren, Massachusetts — responded to the post. Larsen came to the New England Spas…
If you open this issue of SpaRetailer to the back, you might notice our news section is a little light. It feels like the calm before the storm: Everyone is quietly adjusting to the new normal (yes, I also hate that term) and before we know it, there will be a slew of announcements. I’ve…