May 28, 2016

►    Everything changes Sunday, May 29.  Advertising, promotions, department sales, and pool supply sales: “Pool and Patio Sale”                      

►    Customer Feedback:  Customer Jean G. from Twin Mountain, NH rated her general shopping experience as Excellent. “Your sales staff was always available for help or questions, but didn’t “get in your face” as soon as you entered the store.  I will definitely drive the 2 hrs. to do business with you (it’s 4 hrs. round trip!).”  Did any of our team members did an unusually good job? “Allison was very helpful and went above and beyond to replace bolts I had lost after bringing home my new chairs.  She also provided helpful info. that influenced my purchase.  She’s a “keeper”.”  Sales help, operations, communication, and product performance were all rated Excellent.  “Your staff works well together.  When I had a question, it was always answered – whether by Allison or another rep who was closer at hand at the time.  Really polished folks.  The warehouse men did an excellent job “breaking down” my new adirondack chairs so they would fit into my Subaru.  They also put large pieces of cardboard in to prevent scratches – very thoughtful.  The comfort and durability of my new Telescope adirondack sling chairs far surpassed my expectations.”  What do we do really well?  “Customer service.”

►    We are doing a FREE Grill Accessory sale this month.  A little complicated, but the same thing we have done the last two years in June. On grills with a Napoleon give-away, we will offer the Napoleon give-away instead of ours.

►    Remember we close at 5PM on Memorial Day.

►    Events during the next couple of weeks:

         May 28:  Customer Appreciation Day: Free Gifts with any purchase, while they last.

         May 30:  Memorial Day: Open 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM ONLY

         June 4:  Meet our Bioguard Chemical Rep., Kevin Gray. Special coupons on select Bioguard chemicals will be available to customers.

         June 4-5:  FREE Food. Add cookies & pastries to your FREE coffee and tea in the Coffee Shop while supplies last.

         June 8:  Pool School 101 ~ Introduction to Pool Maintenance, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

         June 11-12:  Customer Appreciation Day: Free Gifts with any purchase, while they last.

►    Kevin will be giving out Bioguard chemical coupons during his June 4 visit.  He will also be buying us lunch that day.  Please thank him when you see him.

►    People often ask us how big their pool is, which we can’t look up if they didn’t buy it here.  And even if they did, we can’t look it up when it’s old and Anne-Marie isn’t here.  But we could put it in the Notes section of their Retail Pro customer record, if you don’t delete the notes that Anne-Marie keeps there.  That would be the kind of good customer service that  Amazon (our biggest competitor) would provide.

►    We park behind the store on weekends from May 21 to July 2, plus Memorial Day.  But you have to park between the lines on the ground or the lines on the guardrail.  If you don’t see the lines, you are wrong.  Also, could one person take the space closest to the pallets.  If we run out of the 59 spaces in front, they will know enough to park in back also.  This does  not mean weekdays, or your car will be hit by a dump truck or tractor trailer.

►    Due to popular demand, I added prices for curtains, mosquito netting, and the track that holds them, for the Victoria gazebo.  So if someone wants to adapt them to a different gazebo, you now have an answer.  For instance, to add them to a 9’ gazebo, cut the track with a hack saw.  Either trim and hem the netting and curtains (a big job), or just let them gather at the ends!

►   Laughter is The Best Medicine from the Reader’s Digest:

A therapist has a theory that couples who make love once a day are the happiest.  So he tests it at a seminar by asking those assemble, “How many people here make love once a day?”  Half the people raise their hands, each of them grinning widely.  “Once a week?”  A third of the audience members raise their hands, their grins a little less vibrant.  “Once a month?”  A few hands tepidly go up.    Then he asks, “OK, how about once a year?”  One man in the back jumps up and down, jubilantly waving his hands.  The therapist is shocked – this disproves his theory.  “If you make love only once a year,” he asks, “why are you so happy?”  The man yells, “Today’s the day!