Pool Retailers Service and Delivery
Is Your Installation Process Costing Your Business Money?
Oct 23, 2007
Managing the delivery process is an integral part of any retail business. This is especially true in the spa/hot tub business. Although the complexity of the delivery process may vary depending on the retailers' size, the fact remains that an unmanaged delivery system can ultimately add to the bottom line expense.
Pool Delivery Process
Business owners have much to stay on top of. Managing the delivery process need not be an additional burden. A smart retailer will utilize the appropriate tools to enhance and manage the process. The key words are enhance and manage the process. Incorrect tools will detract from and cause a bottleneck in the process.
Equipped with a computer and proper software, retailers can take advantage of the latest technological tools available. Large and small companies alike can benefit, although one size does not fit all. Smaller companies can benefit by using a simpler user-friendly delivery management program like Schedule View.
Small Pool Reretailers
Scottie Payne, owner of Environments by AR Pools & Spas, a small pool and spa retail operation outside of Memphis, Tennessee admits, "Although we're not a large company, with 8 employees, we found that using Schedule View improved our delivery process and increased our efficiency."
Medium Sized Pool Retailers
"We use ACT database management software to maintain our delivery and customer calls," explains Chris Callanan of North Shore Pool & Spa in Wakefield, Massachusetts. "Were' in a small town where just about everyone knows each other. A sophisticated GPS system isn't necessary for our business. " He quips, "If Mrs. Brown has a problem with her hot tub, it's highly unlikely that we would need to track down one of our service techs with a GPS system to have him service Mrs. Brown's hot tub."
Large Pool Retailers
Quite a different story for Melinda Sides of Clearwater Pool Service in Chester, Virginia who uses @Road, a Mobile Resource Management (MRM) system and Garmin a Global Positioning Software (GPS) product to manage their spa and pool delivery process. "@ Road allows me to track my employees and verify how long they were at a customers house, where they go and how fast they go." Ms. Sides advises, "We use the Garmin GPS system to give directions to our drivers on how to reach their destinations from one house call to another. These devices are installed in the trucks and I can view their progress from my laptop or office computer."
Ms. Sides further adds, "The company saves money in three ways. First, it makes employees accountable for their time; second, it cuts down on getting lost from one house to another (unbillable time) and lastly, it makes collections easier in the event you have to go to court to collect and the customer claims you did you did not come…" She admits, "I haven't had a chance to quantify the gas savings since using these systems, however, I do know that we've been able to complete at least one to two more service calls daily as a result."
No matter what size the company, it pays to review, analyze and streamline the delivery process.
