By Bob Harper
A customer enters a pool store with an electrolytic chlorine generator (ECG) cell that is scaled beyond repair. If the customer wants to continue enjoying his/her saltwater pool, the cell would need to be replaced and a better quality pool salt with scale preventatives should be recommended. However, due to fear the customer might balk at the cell’s replacement cost, the dealer finds it easier to recommend the customer converts back to a traditional sanitizing method (e.g. chlorine pucks).
Should this switch be recommended, assuming the customer is not willing to pay for a new cell and/or more expensive saltwater pool products? Or, should the opportunity be seized to recommend effective products, which can ultimately save the customer money and increase satisfaction in the long run?
Here is another scenario. A customer is having problems with staining and scaling and is currently enrolled in a basic pool service program. This includes a weekly vacuum, filter backwash and test for chlorine and pH, in addition to monthly testing for salinity and other water balance factors. However, due to the problems at hand, the customer would benefit from the premium service program, which includes a high-quality, mechanically evaporated salt product, along with treatment products designed specifically for saltwater pools that effectively combats stain and scale.
Should the premium service be recommended to the customer or should the dealer presume the customer does not want to pay more?
Recommending the right product or service is not difficult when using the principles of value-based selling. As the name implies, value-based selling involves uncovering the customer’s unspoken desires and then communicating the benefits of the right product or service that addresses them. This also allows customers to make informed decisions.
