April 25, 2015
► Remember, the April Sale absolutely ends Sunday, May 3rd at 5PM. So if people cannot make it, they should order on the phone with a credit card. We can mail the pink copy of their sales order and they can pick up later.
► If a customer is not sure if they want to buy something, but they want the sale, they should place a sales order, with a deposit. When they decide, they can ask for a refund, or take their purchase at the sale price.
► Customer Feedback: Customer Amy S., of Tyngsboro, MA stated that her general shopping experience with us was Excellent. “Staff was excellent! Friendly and helpful.” Did any of our team members do an unusually good job? “Allison on 6/17/14 helped with color selections, pattern options – all around great.” Sales help, operations, communication, and product performance were all rated Excellent. “Pick up was smooth, quick, friendly. I have had my Lloyd Flanders wicker for 16 yrs. Just replaced cushion for the first time!” She would recommend us to a friend. What can we do to improve? “Lower prices.” What do we do really well? “Customer service! Staff were all fantastic.”
► Advertising, promotions, and specials all continue from last week: “April Pre-Seasonal Sale”
► We start staying open until 9PM on Monday, May 4th. For two weeks we will have extra time to clean, train, get stock, and prepare for the busy season at night, before customers catch up with the new hours. Please use that time wisely.
► Remind people about Pool School. Everyone you wait on in the pool department with questions. Opening school is Wednesday, the 29th. Maintenance is the 6th, and Chemistry is the 13th.
► It apparently bears repeating: Mia is in charge of Pool Schools this year. So if you are finishing a page of sign-ups, put it in her mailbox – not Anne-Marie’s, Rose’s, or mine.
► If the customer purchased their hot tub from us, use the serial number if you are ordering a spa cover, not the year. Unless, you know the model year that it was made, which is not necessarily the year it was purchased. Let alone that model years often change in the fall – not on December 31. Sunstar can get the dimensions because they can cross reference the serial number.
If it is not our tub, use as much information as possible – year the customer tells us, and serial number. Sunstar won’t necessarily have non-Marquis serial numbers, but they might. It happens a lot, that the customer is wrong about the dimensions, and we can get it right. Because Sunstar knows the pattern.
► I just paid a batch of bills, measuring six inches tall, and totaling $264,000. Plus, one by wire transfer (for hot tubs) that was another $26,000. So keep on selling things!
► From Stephanie: Jen wins the snow pile competition.
► Marquis just sent us an acrylic sample: Alba by Lucite. They sent a note that, due to its satin finish, Alba tends to show the slightest flaw in the surface. So I made a label and added that note to the sample. I haven’t revised the special order pages (yet again) because they have not yet shared which tubs can get Alba.
► Our Generic powdered shock comes in two brands this year. The case of 12 is Robelle. DO NOT OPEN THE BOXES. In fact, tape them shut so that we don’t. The individual bags are by Drytech. They come in cases of 24, so we do not sell them by the case. DO NOT GIVE out the Drytech at customer pick-up.
► I have had some discussion with Marquis since we got in trouble for posting low prices on the web. At the request of a sales person, I then requested ideas for reasons to drop prices used by other dealers. This is a technique that is normally used at home shows – and dealers typically sell different units at a home show than in their store to allow for it. I was warned that we cannot afford to lower prices anymore, because we are already too cheap. I agree. I ran low margins for the first two years, while we learned how to sell them at regular prices. Fifteen years later, we are still learning!
► From Mia: Reminder: Please get your Water Test Test done ASAP!
► Internet Humor: One day, Tim’s mathematics teacher looked at his homework and saw that he had got all his sums right. The teacher was very pleased and rather surprised. He called Tim to his desk and said to him, You got all your homework right this time Tim. What happened? Did your father help you? No, sir. He was too busy last night, so I had to do it all myself, said Tim.