CUSTOMER INTIMACY THROUGH SERVICE
Published in SpaRetailer
July/Aug 2009

Scott Prociv says that if you don’t have a passion for the hot tub industry, it’s time to get out. And passion is certainly not lacking at his store, Montana HotSpring Spas in Billings, Mont., where they have assembled a team that is willing to take care of the smallest of customer needs.

Their service team faces some unique challenges, sometimes having to cover 300 to 400 miles in a day.

“The truth is, we’re always researching ways to make a profit in the service department, but it’s difficult to do because of the geographic region we serve,” Prociv says. So, like many retailers he looks at the intrinsic value of service rather than the monetary. “We just use that edge of our sword to stay sharp with our commitment to back up our product,” Prociv says. “It’s like selling the invisible. Service is a word, it’s a cliché, until you need it and then when people have a problem it’s revealed in how fast we can ‘make it easy to take it easy.’”

Prociv got into the hot tub industry back in 1988 and he and his wife purchased a store in 1998. They recently finished a 2,000-foot expansion of their showroom, which is quite an accomplishment since their store burned to the ground about eight years ago. While many wouldn’t recover from a disaster like that, Prociv can’t see himself doing anything else. “You [have to] love it to have [the] passion to stay in the business for that purpose or get out of it and find something else to do. If you got into it to make money and you’re not serving people truly with the passion of the business – the relaxation, the therapy, the wellness of the hot tub – then you probably don’t belong in it anymore.”

Award Winning Service

Montana HotSpring® Spas, a local hot tub retailer was recently name Territory Dealer of the Year by their manufacturer, HotSpring® Spas, the world's number one selling brand of portable spas. Montana HotSpring® Spas was selected from among all the dealers in the region to receive the award. The region includes Montana, Wyoming, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and parts of Idaho and Utah.

According to Mike Dunn, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at HotSpring® Spas, the business is an award-winning dealer because of their commitment, professionalism, product knowledge, and superior customer service. "It is with great pleasure that I present this award to Scott Prociv, his wife Julie, and their entire team for their remarkable efforts," said Dunn. "They have displayed tremendous dedication and commitment to providing the local market with the utmost in customer service and dependable, superior products."

Prociv says that aside from receiving this honor, the best reward be can get is to put a smile on a customer's face, one that won't go away. "I have people coming in after they've owned their spa for a month or two, with a big smile on their face telling me that they can't believe how much they benefit from their spa; how often they are using it, how much closer they feel to their loved ones and how much more relaxed they feel. There's a lot of reward that comes from hearing that kind of positive feedback," says Prociv.

Montana HotSpring® Spas is a locally owned and operated professional portable spa retailer specializing in spas, but also offering spa accessories, quality water care products, gazebos, and Finnleo sauna and steam products. Scott Prociv and his wife Julie purchased the business in 1998. Scott had been the store's general manager for 10 years prior to becoming the owner. They are also staffed with factory-trained technicians in order to provide outstanding service to all customers and are the only authorized HotSpring® Spa dealership in the area. HotSpring® Spas are endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation and the National Sleep Foundation.

Montana HotSpring® Spas offer the ultimate in hydro-therapy products, Featuring the #1 selling hot tub in Montana and America. Four brands made by Watkins Manufacturing are available, which include HotSpring®, Tiger River, Caldera, and Hot Spot Spas. Each brand offers a variety of sizes, styles, and price points to fit various customer needs. Since 1986, Consumer Digest has rated spas six times. Each time, a spa from the makers of HotSpring® Spas has received a Best Buy Award. No other spa manufacturer can make that claim. All four award winning models are on display and available in our showroom located at 2217 Grand Avenue.