My Friend, Matt Giovanisci owner of Swim University interviewed me a few years ago about my experience in the hot tub business for his blog on the Swim University site.

One question that he asked me was “What’s the one thing you love most about the hot tub industry?” 

I can never give a short answer! My answer grew and grew, but saying “making people happy” can sum up every example.

Since today is Thanksgiving I turned it around to ask what are the things I’m most grateful for about being in the hot tub industry?

I’m most grateful for the chance to help the hundreds of people who buy hot tubs from Olympic Hot Tub every year. Whether it’s helping with relationships, creating memories, making a gift or providing a way to recover from injury or pain, being able to provide a hot tub to every one of our customers is the main reason I love being in the hot tub business.

The short list:

Helping people relax. Putting a smile on customers’ faces.

Hearing customers say that buying the a Hot Spring Spa was the best thing they’ve ever done for themselves & their family.

Hearing from police men injured in the line of duty say that the hot tub really helped them. We had customer who in the line of duty who jumped off a 1-½ story building in pursuit of a suspect. He had spine and neck injuries. When he came in, he could not turn his head on his neck, he had to move his whole body. After a month of owning the hot tub he came back to the store, and demonstrated again how he had to move his whole body to turn his head. Then laughed and showed us that he could now turn his head on his neck.

We all laughed & cried. It was so amazing.

Hearing about family togetherness, especially when teens and parents talk in the hot tub. One man took me aside and said in an astonished voice, “Last night in the hot tub was the first time my son and I have talked since he turned 13 two years ago!”

Hearing “cure” stories from customers- the hot tub cured my back pain, my arthritis, whiplash, etc. We’ve said that our customers’ stories sound like reports from trips to Lourdes.  But it’s not a miracle cure; it’s regular hot tubbing.

Hearing from soldiers in training that having a hot tub got them through basic training, which is hard, beyond belief. Training has to be harder than combat they say so that their survival rate is higher. Here’s an email from a Lacey store customer:

“Hi Alice, my name is Andrew. I just wanted to write to you and let you know that I LOVE my Hot Tub. I had been looking around for months for a Hot Tub. I finally went into the Lacey store where I met Rick. He really took the time to educate me on hot tubs and all the products you had to offer. He didn’t pressure me at all. He even offered me to sample “get in” which was nice. His Professionalism was of the highest caliber. From start to finish, everything went smoothly, from placing the order to delivery to set up. All went well. Training for Combat is sometimes harder than being in Combat; it is nice to come home after a hard days work and relaxing in my Olympic Hot Tub. Thanks, Andrew Gonzales”

Creating a surprise for a birthday, anniversary, Christmas or return from Iraq or Afghanistan. We’ve had emails from soldiers in Iraq who wanted to surprise their wives on their birthdays by having a hot tub delivered because they couldn’t be there in person, but each one wanted his wife to know he loved her, was thinking of her and wanted her to be warm thinking of him!  Sometimes people purchase the hot tub for their own birthday pleasure: “Today is my birthday, and I felt so lucky to sit in my tub, enjoying a cup of coffee and looking at a clear blue sky – WOW!”

Thanksgiving wishes to all of our Olympic Hot Tub customers. And, deepest gratitude to our Olympic Hot Tub staff from sales to service, support and delivery who inspire us and make our customers happy with their hot tubs 365 days a year.

Thanks to Diane Gottsman for the gratitude image.

RES EST SERVAS VOLUPTAS. Latin for pleasure is serious business.