You’ve been considering a spa. You’ve learned about the health and social benefits, and you really want one — but you also want to get a great deal! After all, hot tubs are expensive.
You get a card in the mail or see a sign on the highway. “Save up to 50%! This weekend only!” This seems like your chance!
But wait … Remember what your mother always told you? If it seems too good to be true, it is. That applies to “too good to be true” hot tub sales, too, and here’s why:
High-Pressure Sales with an Unrealistic Time to Decide
Another piece of sage advice is, “fools rush in”. High-pressure tactics like, “This weekend only!” mean one thing: these guys are in town to sell hot tubs, and they’re out of town the second the sale is over. They pressure you to buy, make promises they have no intention of delivering on, and often have a zero refund policy in the fine print. So many customers have left bad reviews for these guys, trying to stop other customers from being taken advantage of.
Your local hot tub dealer is there permanently. We’re part of your local community. You don’t have to decide today, because we’ll be here next week, next month, and next year! We know that a decision involving thousands of dollars isn’t one most people make overnight.
Little to Zero After-Sales Customer Service & Support
What happens when you have questions about water chemistry? What happens when you need warranty work on a part? Does the spa, possibly a brand you’ve never heard of, from the Hot Tub Expo even come with a warranty – and if so, who can perform that service? Local hot tub dealers specialize in their brands and almost always only service and repair those brands. You may not even be able to find a local dealer to service a hot tub you pick up at the Spa Expo.
The guys at the Expo tell you they do have local service. The reality is that they subcontract out the service to the lowest bidder of local independent repair guys. There are several big problems with this:
- You aren’t the independent tech’s direct customer, so your repair isn’t a high priority for them.
- Independent repair shops don’t stock parts for your spa (At Colorado Custom Spas, we keep most parts in stock). When you buy your spa through the Expo, you’re going to have to do some of the leg work yourself. First, you’ll have to call the manufacturer (usually between the hours of 9-5, Monday through Friday VS our 7 days a week). The person you get at the factory is usually a receptionist; They’ll get you over to the warranty department. Then the warranty department has to reach out to the local tech. Only after that will the local tech get you on their schedule to come out and diagnose the problem. After diagnosing, the part must be ordered from the factory and shipped out. Once you receive the part, you’ll have to call the local technician to get back on their schedule for them to finally repair your hot tub.
By contrast, here’s how it works for Colorado Custom Spas customers.
You call 303-HOT-TUBS when you notice the problem – any day of the week. The person who answers knows you you are, what hot tub you purchased, and is knowledgeable about your spa. If you prefer, feel free to call the salesperson who sold you your spa directly (he’s NOT in another town this week!).
At Colorado Custom Spas, we care about you because you are our direct customer. You can come in, face to face, 7 days per week. You can speak with the owner of the company, our general manager who has been here over a decade, the person who sold you your spa, or any other of our team members – all of whom care about your problem and want to get it fixed ASAP.
We stock the majority of parts for everything we sell. So, when we diagnose the problem, we almost have the part available to quickly repair your spa. There are many times that we’ve seen problems arise that were the fault of the electrician, yet we were out there the same day to diagnose and address that problem. Multiple times, our service manager has worked his day off to fix a hot tub rather than have the customer wait through the weekend. You will never get that kind of service from a road show.
Set Up & Delivery
Getting a hot tub or swim spa isn’t like buying a grill or swing set. Most require some specialized setup. For example, most full-size hot tubs require special electrical wiring. You can’t just plug one of these babies into your ordinary household 110 and fire it up. Additionally, a filled hot tub weighs upwards of 5,000 pounds. This requires a properly poured concrete pad or a correctly reinforced deck. If you buy your hot tub from the Hot Tub Expo, you’re going to be on your own when it comes to figuring out your site prep, installation, and set up.
On the other hand, when you buy a hot tub from Colorado Custom Spas, we walk you through every step! We can recommend a reputable local contractor to pour your concrete pad or reinforce your deck, and then we’ll be there to handle installation. At Colorado Custom Spas, we also specialize in in-ground and partially in-ground installations, a beautiful way to incorporate your spa into your yard!
The Reality of Buying from a Hot Tub Show or Expo
What to expect with those “blowout savings”
- High-pressure sales. They can’t give you time to look, think, and plan because Monday they’ll be pulling up stakes and heading to who-knows-where pulling the same sham on the unsuspecting folks of Omaha or St. Louis.
- Not the savings they claim. Sorry, guys, the markup on high-quality hot tubs isn’t enough to slash 50% off the price and make a profit. At Colorado Custom Spas, we have great quality spas that are honestly priced, PLUS all of the service and support you deserve after the sale. Plus, we carry a great selection of high-end spas that are much better quality than anything you’ll find at the expo.
- No installation and maintenance support. A very heavy, large, expensive hot tub or swim spa gets quite literally dumped in your front yard. Set up is up to you, including preparing the foundation, setting it in place (do you have a crane in your basement?), running the electrical, filling it with water, and navigating the chemistry of water care all on your own.
What to expect from Colorado Custom Spas
- Great Prices! You’ll often find the same price — or better — on our spas.
- Customer service & honoring your warranty. Colorado Custom Spas is a registered dealer, and as such, we are able to back up any of our warranties and promises, as well as the manufacturer’s. We’re here next week when you’re ready to test your water quality. We’re here when you have questions. And we’re here if you need warranty work or a new part down the road. Our phone rings all day with customers calling to ask about programming, water chemistry, filtration, etc. We’re happy to give them free, friendly advice anytime.. You just don’t have that support from a road show.
- Guidance through the entire delivery and installation process. We don’t dump your hot tub at your front door and disappear. We work with you until your foundation, electrical, and other set up requirements are met. Then we orchestrate a professional delivery and installation that doesn’t involve you and six of your best friends.
- No high pressure sales. Take your time! Come in and see what we’ve got. Ask us questions about sizes, shapes, jet counts (and why the amount of jets really doesn’t matter anyway), cabinet colors and styles, interior colors and styles … whatever YOU want to know before signing on the bottom line. Take a test soak. Bring your brother and neighbor and mother-in-law in for a test soak, too. We’ll be here when you’re ready to buy.
- Get the financing you need. We offer multiple financing options to meet your needs. Our financing partners offer fast decisions and low monthly payments that allow almost any homeowner to get the hot tub or swim spa they want, when they want it. With the support and customer care they deserve, and payments they can afford.
- Great quality, American-made spas. At Colorado Custom Spas, we proudly carry the best names in the hot tub industry, all of which are made in the USA.
A well-maintained, high-quality hot tub or swim spa lasts for years. Don’t you deserve the care, attention, and service only a local dealer can provide?
Visit us to take a closer look at our variety of spas and compare models and options. We’ll gladly answer any of your questions – with no pressure to buy immediately or blow your budget.
