Opportunity Knocks For Jacuzzi Dealers

‘Opportunities’ provided the theme for the annual Jacuzzi Spa and Bath training seminar held at the Rookery Hall Spa and Conference centre in the heart of Cheshire, writes Christina Connor. UK-based dealers were given statistics on another record- breaking year of sales for the Jacuzzi hot tub brand. But they were challenged to grow their business and their target customer market base further to push hot tub sales even higher in 2013.

Dealers were inspired through a series of presentations with key information on a brand new, Italian-inspired range of spas as well as the Sasha, a home wellness unit that offers sauna, steam and emotional shower. Break out groups tackled specific areas such as the potential of sales to hotels, to finance, on-line development as well as research and development brainstorming.

After the focused training of the day, the Italian theme was continued with a cabaret dinner complete with a Pavarotti impersonator, as the achievements of the Jacuzzi dealers were acknowledged in the annual Jacuzzi awards. “2012 was another great year and something for us all to celebrate,” head of UK Jacuzzi hot tub sales, Duncan Simcox said. “Achieving a 15% increase against 2011, is a brilliant achievement given the economic news. “We feel we are now recognised as the number one hot tub brand in the UK,” he added. “It is working with successful retailers that makes the Jacuzzi brand a leader in the industry. “This event is an opportunity to recognise and reward some key players in our group who have excelled in our eyes in the last year,” continued Duncan.

BIGGEST STEPS

“They are retailers that make the greatest efforts to support and drive awareness; they are retailers who have made the biggest steps towards improvements in the year and never rest on their laurels.” he said. Outdoor Living, with showrooms in Hull and Leeds, cemented their place as Jacuzzi’s top-performing retailers with 221 hot tub sales in 2012.

The team also scooped the top Jacuzzi Retailer Of The Year Award for its outstanding commitment to the Jacuzzi brand, customer service, sales turnover, marketing and communications as well as business and financial control. A Jacuzzi retailer for seven years, Euphoria Lifestyle, with showrooms in Surrey and West Sussex, was presented with a special Long Service Award in recognition of both brand-loyalty, its pro-active exploration of new opportunities and service levels that are second to none. Euphoria Lifestyle also took the title of Jacuzzi Retailer Website Of The year thanks to its inspiring web design, presentation of the Jacuzzi product portfolio and links to other on-line sources.

Opened in March last year, Splash Spas, of Hampshire, won the award for Most Innovative Jacuzzi Showroom for its outstanding display of seven tubs, set off with mood lighting. Their display is backed up by outstanding sales and marketing tools to guide the consumer towards their purchase. Gloucester-based Sapphire Leisure was presented with the Jacuzzi Dedication Award in recognition of their significant growth and aptitude to identify opportunities while optimising the Jacuzzi brand to its full potential.

RISING STARS

The Most Improved Jacuzzi Retailer Award highlights Jacuzzi’s rising stars, celebrating sales growth and the progress on the business development journey. Having included in its 2012 achievements, the refurbishment of its existing Northamptonshire showroom and the launch of a second showroom in Ascot, the award went to Wittering West. The Jacuzzi team underlined its commitment to raise awareness of the Jacuzzi brand at strategic shows such as the Hampton Court Flower Show and the London Triathlon as well as attending at least 30 county shows across the country.

The award for Best Jacuzzi County Show Display in 2012 went to the Oyster Leisure team for their ingenuity and determination in overcoming torrid weather conditions which resulted in the Jacuzzi show trailer partially sinking on the site and therefore unusable. With an unprecedented number of entries in the installation awards, Oyster Leisure also beat off strong competition from Wittering West, in third place and Euphoria Lifestyle who were runners up, to win the Best Jacuzzi Hot Tub Installation Award for 2012. While celebrating their 2012 achievements, the Jacuzzi retail team is already looking forward, encouraged by Jacuzzi’s Jetset sales incentive scheme that will see top-selling retailers flying off to either Venice or Rio de Janeiro, dependent upon their 2013 sales performance.