Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 5 "When I fi rst bought this business, I said, 'I want to be the L.L.Bean of hot tubs.' Really, that was my mission," he says. To Van Fleet, that meant not just selling quality products, but also providing an "unswerving commitment to taking care of people after the sale." at includes having support staff at the ready to service hot tubs, spas and other products when they require maintenance. "I don't think I'm in the sales business," he says. "I think I'm in the take-care-of-people business and they happen to have bought a product from me that I know how to service and repair." To be in the taking-care-of-people business, Mainely Tubs wouldn't be complete without its sales team, more than half of whom were previous customers, Van Fleet says. All of them own hot tubs, perhaps primarily for their own enjoyment, but also because it helps them provide better service to customers who may have specifi c questions. Van Fleet says none of them work on com- mission because he wants to foster teamwork and avoid pitting salespeople against each other. e result, he says, is gaining a reputation for hav- ing the "friendliest, most outstanding staff in any business anywhere." When asked how he has managed to retain some employees for more than 10 years, Van Fleet says I should just ask them. In a matter of seconds, Van Fleet is gone, apparently tending to matters in his offi ce, and I'm alone with a few of his salespeople, including two who have been here for more than 12 years each. ree others are more recent hires. Patrick Parent, a salesman who has been with the company for 14 years, says Mainely Tubs has good wages and benefi ts. And the benefi ts include being able to take time off for family time, which he and others say is a top priority for the company. "It actually fi ts my lifestyle and it's relaxing" for employees and customers, Parent adds. " is is discretionary spending. It's not like, 'Oh, we have to get the car fi xed again?' Or, ' at root canal's gonna cost 800 bucks?' It's a positive, at- their-discretion experience." Julia Leighton, one of the younger salespeople, chimes in, perhaps best encapsulating what Van Fleet wants most for his company. (Van Fleet even brings it up after coming back out.) "It's a family business and everybody is treated as family," Leighton says. DyLan Martin, Mainebiz online editor, can be reached at Dmartin @ mainebiz.biz and @ DyLanLJMartin 1 - 8 5 5 - 8 6 1 - 9 1 3 5 W W W . D E A D R I V E R . C O M G N I R E V I L E D ON A PROMISE D E A D R I V E R C O M P A N Y / C O M M E R C I A L S E R V I C E S T O T A L E N E R G Y S O L U T I O N S We know that as a business owner or manager, you wear many hats and have multiple demands on your time. You shouldn't have to worr y about whether your fuel deliver y will be made on time, or if your fuel provider can keep up with demand when inventor y is tight. Dead River Company offers your business a broad range of energy-related products and ser vices. Whatever your fuel of choice — you can always depend on us for sound advice, competitive pricing, reliable deliver y and exceptional customer ser vice. Contact us for more information. D E P E N D A B L E F U E L S O U R C E S A T E A M A P P R O A C H N E W E N G L A N D B A S E D I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales I don't think I'm in the sales business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the business. I think I'm in the take-care-of-people business and they happen to have bought a product from me that I know how to service and repair. — Jim Van Fleet, Mainely Tubs owner

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