Modular hot tub environments: Painting a more appealing picture in the backyard

by Samantha Ashenhurst | January 24, 2019 5:12 pm

By Noble Hibbs

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To stay relevant and profitable in an era of big-box mega merchants and fly-by-night super sales, it is vital to elevate the customer experience in ways that translate to the bottom line. That said, modular hot tub environments are a great way to keep a showroom on-trend and operating in the black.

Speaking of trends

From a backyard living and patio design perspective, traditional and lip-mounted gazebos, along with shoji houses, have become a thing of the past. The demands of maintaining natural wood, like the staining required to keep the wood grain full, is more of a hassle than most consumers want. That said, wooden pergolas seem to be holding their own, as well as pergolas constructed with vinyl or glass fibre and reinforced concrete (GRC).

Increasingly versatile solutions like roman shade canopies are gaining momentum. The ability to transform a deck or patio from being covered to uncovered is appealing to many homeowners. They can escape the sun during the day, while enjoying unobstructed views of a starry night. Some fabrics offer a 99 per cent shade factor in a variety of colour options, ranging from solids to stripes. Mesh options are also available, which offer a 75 per cent shade factor.

The biggest trend seems to be ‘outdoor great rooms,’ combining outdoor kitchen space and seating with amenities that extend usability into cold weather, such as gas fireplaces, patio heaters, and fire pits. For comfy outdoor sofas and chairs, the go-to fabric choice is fade-resistant and waterproof acrylics, also popular in ‘sling’ furniture sets.

Lighting remains a priority, especially variable systems with different colour and brightness combinations. Again, homeowners appreciate versatility, creating different ambiance levels from intimate to bold. And finally, the great room concept would not be complete without ultra-high definition, high-dynamic range TVs designed for outdoor use, which are typically backlit to allow daylight viewing. Across the board, the common denominator is quality, with homeowners willing to invest in products and materials that last.

Colour palettes are shifting away from beiges and light browns toward greys, true blues, green hues, and bright accents that contrast or co-ordinate with a background atmosphere. Natural wood tones ranging from warm to dark remain fashionable, with black accents are as classic as ever. In terms of materials, glass is out while wicker and waterproof acrylics are in. Concrete, natural stonework and budget-friendly alternatives like porcelain pavers are coming into vogue. Low-maintenance, durable products such as composite decking and extruded synthetic polymers are the new standard.

Focusing on the hot tub area

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While online resellers are content to deliver a shrink-wrapped palette to the homeowner’s driveway, brick-and-mortar retailers have the ability to deliver so much more. Namely, the insight and empathy needed to populate imaginations and deliver results that exceed expectations. Modular hot tub environments will help retailers sell hot tubs, but the secret to success is having them on display in the showroom. Like any other product a retailer sells, the items on display are typically the store’s best-selling units. Better yet, modular hot tub environments tend to sell themselves.

Many retailers have customers who struggle to explain what they like, but when they see it they say, “I want it to look like that!” By staging fully rendered vignettes that showcase hot tubs in ideal settings—complete with modular environments—it paints a more appealing picture. In fact, experience shows it helps to garner additional hot tub sales. When customers have the opportunity to see and touch modules in person, it adds value to their buying experience, providing something a website and brochure cannot. Further, it makes it easier to weave them into the sales process.

Whether a retailer offers construction services or not, modular hot tub environments streamline the design and installation process. This saves time, allows for easier access and servicing later, and achieves a complete and polished esthetic. For outdoor great room concepts, it helps to integrate the hot tub area into the grander theme, blurring distinctions from one area to the next. Instead of a big box of water in the middle of the party, modular environments bring the hot tub into the mix and help to incorporate it into the backyard living space. The resulting mise-en-scène is greater than the sum of its parts.

Compatible footprints and colour schemes

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On the other end of the spectrum, imagine a new homeowner who inherits an older hot tub and they reach out to start a new service relationship and, at the same time, express interest in sprucing up their neglected hot tub area. Modular environments are a great option and could open the door to a new hot tub purchase. With careful planning, measurement, and the right selection of modules, a retailer should be able to achieve a nice result without too much fabrication.

Of course, each hot tub manufacturer has different tolerances for the accessories it offers, which are designed to fit seamlessly with a corresponding series of hot tub or swim spa. A palette of natural colours and black accents ensures a broad range of visual co-ordination. Depending on the manufacturer, there is typically a wide selection available. Further, depending on the hot tub model and its dimensions, materials, and colour scheme, some accessories between brands may be complementary.

Investing in quality products

To ensure customers always have safe access to and from their hot tub, retailers should offer modules made from durable materials that have a rugged build and quality. Light plastic steps and cheap hot tub enclosures might seem easier to sell in the showroom, but they will not stand the test of time or keep customers satisfied long-term. It is not worth risking years of positive customer relationships either.

Staging quality modules allows customers to feel the difference, especially when compared to patio sets at the home improvement centre. It is an intuitive experience that speaks for itself, and toward the quality of the hot tubs. All in all, it goes a long way toward winning the upsell and increasing the average ticket, margin, and profit.

Premium manufacturers build their hot tub module environments to order as a way to achieve high quality standards. For example, frames are built out of cedar and a combination of spruces, pines, and firs with stainless steel fasteners. Decking lids, shelves, and stool tops are heavy-duty composite, and are co-ordinated with weatherproof skirting. For extra protection on storage lids, the seams are sealed underneath with waterproof silicone, while the underside of every module gets a rugged poly sheet vapour barrier, which helps keep rodents out.

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Instead of shipping knockdowns that still have to be put together by the dealer, customer-focused manufacturers pre-assemble their modules. Further, to save dealers money on shipping costs, each module is protected with, cardboard and foam sheet, and are fitted carefully inside the hot tubs as they come off the production line.

Steps, benches, and filler sections

Hot tub steps were one of the first modules introduced. Today, a variety of designs, heights, and widths are available, including those with hinged lids to provide extra storage. Hot tubs steps should always feel substantial and secure and not be prone to sliding or overturning—especially when wet.

Some steps also have adjustable mounting brackets to secure them to the hot tub skirt. Swim spa steps are taller and more substantial, offering access to the front or back of a unit. Some of these steps are manufactured of 25-mm (1-in.) thick, heavy-duty, all-weather decking material to support heavy loads and resist harsh winter weather.

Benches and filler sections can be used for anything from hot tub ingress and egress to group seating, so they should be stable and strong. Standard benches do not provide storage access, but storage benches do, and these should employ quality hinges to ensure safety and structural integrity. Bear in mind, filler sections are typically open on the ends and rely on adjacent modules to close them in. This is generally not an issue, but is worth remembering when the cover lifter limits a hot tub surround to three sides.

Cabinets, shelves, and stools

A customer may express simple reasons for wanting a hot tub, like hydrotherapy or relaxation. But, if given the option, they might want more use out of their hot tub area. This becomes the retailer’s chance to shine. Cabinets, shelves, and stools add versatility and are a great way to create a backyard living environment that encourages outdoor meals and entertainment around the hot tub.

Storage cabinets double as bar tops and dining surfaces, while keeping unsightly hot tub supplies tucked away. A shelf attached to the hot tub skirt, coupled with a few stools, can provide a comfortable, casual dining area. By making the selection and installation process as easy as possible, retailers add further value to their customers’ buying experience.

Planters and towel bars

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Extra details go a long way toward achieving the backyard resort ambiance so many customers desire. Planters introduce natural, leafy accents or a pop of floral colour into the scene. For designs with a lagoon feel, planter modules accent the natural landscape and inject some organic variety into the angular lines of the hot tub. With more than 4100 vascular plant species native to Canada, there are plenty of options to appeal to any taste, limited only by the customer’s imagination and region.

Finally, towel bars are a simple and inexpensive way to add amenity and functionality, especially when paired with plush white pool towels or another fun accent colour. Though easy to overlook, towel bars keep everything within reach and reduce clutter in the hot tub area. It is an inexpensive add-on that proves surprisingly useful for most customers.

Anticipating objections

While luxury model hot tub customers do not usually bat an eye, some retailers may find homeowners looking for an entry-level product, or do-it-yourself clientele, to balk at the price tag. In these cases, retailers might offer these clients a hot tub step upon their original purchase and leave the option open to add more pieces later. Or, if the topic of financing comes up, retailers might show them the difference in monthly payment with and without modular hot tub environments. For those who want versatility, a higher payment will make sense, as long as the retailer provides realistic options and does not pressure them.

What do others have to say?

John Walsh, the owner of Peterborough Landscape Supply in Peterborough, Ont., a full-service landscape design and garden centre, has noticed a shift in how people want their hot tub incorporated into an overall design concept.

“It’s not enough to just plop it on a deck and call it good,” he says. “They want it to feel integrated, like a backyard oasis, someplace to sit and drink their coffee in the morning. With modular hot tub environments, we have the ability to create any number of scenarios, from seating to bar tops, and everything looks really nice.

“I’ve never had anyone come back and say they were a waste of money. If anything, it gives them a reason to return to our store, seeing as though they don’t have to purchase them all at once.”

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Ro Mehta, owner of Ajax Hot Tub Warehouse in Ajax, Ont., has also seen success by offering customers modular hot tub environments.

“In the past, a hot tub used to be the ‘add-on’ to a pool or backyard landscape project. You looked for an empty space to fill in and that’s where the hot tub went,” says Mehta. “But as hot tub designs evolve, they’re becoming the focal point of outdoor living spaces. Customers want to emphasize the hot tub and complement it, which makes modular hot tub components a perfect fit.

“When it comes to selling them, we don’t display pricing. Instead, we allow customers to see it in context and imagine their own yard. We hear them discussing how this or that step makes sense, or how this bar top and stool would be perfect. They get themselves excited about creating their own unique space and look.”

This is why Mehta stresses the importance of having these items on display, especially around a running model. Flashing lights and music are impressive, but when a hot tub is complemented with steps, wraparound benches, storage benches and/or cabinets, bar top and stools, it adds a whole new dimension the customer may not have imagined.

Where the rubber meets the road

At the end of the day, the breadth and depth of the products a retailer sells adds tremendous value to its local market. So does one’s consultative prowess and emphasis on quality and versatility. It is tempting to focus on big-ticket items that do the heavy lifting in terms of revenue, but remember, the customer experience is just as valuable as the invoice total. For all the reasons discussed, modular hot tub environments paint a more appealing picture for customers and should be part of any well-merchandised showroom.

On a higher level, specialty retailers must remember mass merchants want to dominate the conversation by enticing and distracting potential customers by flooding the market with products that are less-than-perfect. When it comes to staying relevant and profitable, the showroom is where the rubber meets the road. If anyone is in a position to breathe life into the products being sold, and exemplify the unsurpassed service customers appreciate, it is none other than a specialty retailer and its staff.

[7]Noble Hibbs, a digital development specialist with Marquis® Corp., is a strategic marketer with a background in multi-channel content marketing, digital channel development, and user experience optimization. He can be reached via e-mail at nhibbs@marquiscorp.com[8].

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