Over the years of my working career I have held an eclectic collection of sales positions for various companies. I have sold vacation packages, video games, lawn care services and even jewelry. Within those companies I not only marketed a variety of goods and services, but I also became familiar with the wide range of quality that was associated with those products. As a salesperson that believes in integrity and honesty, I wish I could tell you that for the entirety of my career I was able to stand my ground against lesser products on the salesroom floor, refusing to sell my clients anything but the best. But, being younger and less experienced than I am now, I did not fully grasp the concept that as a sales professional I am not just selling a product, but also myself as a brand. My word as a salesperson means something.
Let me offer a couple examples to show the importance of fully standing behind the products I sell. Throughout my career I have completed and witnessed thousands of transactions, with two in particular standing out to me for vastly different reasons.
The first instance remains in my mind due to the exceptional experience a customer had with the company I was working for at the time. In this “home run” sales encounter, I was able to provide my client with a welcoming, informative, and supportive environment that led to them purchasing a high-quality, top of the line product that I was confident would support them for years to come.
In the second standout sales experience, I watched as a customer purchased a cheaper, inferior quality product that I knew would not serve them in the ways they best needed. This client decided that the cheaper option was the better selection because, to them, “all products are made the same”. Although it would be fantastic if that were true, my years in the sales industry have shown me that quality can fluctuate drastically within or between companies, even if they are offering similar goods and services.
Both of these instances did have one thing in common, however. In each scenario, the respective clients went on to tell their family and friends about their experiences with the products they had purchased, the salespeople they had purchased them from, and the companies that supplied them. Knowing that a client’s experience was impacted by more than just a product or a salesperson exclusively, made me want to align myself with a company that put forth goods and services I truly believed in. At this point, I came to understand that the products I sell are synonymous with the way I brand myself, meaning I want to ensure both are as high quality as possible. I now know that if I, Shawn Paterson, want to feel confident in what I am selling, the product has to match my beliefs of what quality means. I wish I could tell you that this is a common sense strategy in the sales world, but as some of you might know, it is not.
Armed with this knowledge, I accepted a position with Arctic Spas® in 2019. I was drawn to this company as I knew it was renowned for its unshakable determination to engineer the world’s finest hot tub. Knowing this, I was confident that my values as a salesperson would finally be aligned with the company I worked for. However, it wasn’t until I had flown out to Edmonton, Alberta, and visited our manufacturing facilities and offices that I was entirely confident in my decision to join Arctic Spas®. By meeting with various team members, I found myself enlightened. I quickly learned that every Arctic Spas® employee was dedicated to excellence in everything they do!
The brilliant minds in our Research and Development department are consistently delivering innovative technology and interfacing, allowing them to be leaders in the hot tub industry. The Arctic Spas® experience is perfectly complemented by the charismatic superstars in our Marketing department who are working tirelessly to share a message of relaxation and rejuvenation with the world. From our ownership to our delivery drivers, each team member exists on a wavelength that develops a culture of peak performance and the highest quality standards.
Now, here we are in 2024. Five years after starting my journey with Arctic Spas®, I can tell you with absolute certainty that this company develops the finest hot tubs in the world. And, after searching for a company that aligned with my values of excellence, I, Shawn Paterson, am overjoyed to provide this superior product to our customers.
At Arctic Spas® we challenge the status quo, we refuse to exist as a meek figure in our industry. We will stand together to deliver one clear and consistent message; quality lives at Arctic Spas®. And that is what is most important to me.
