A talented EcoWater staff in Nebraska

Name: Kyle Christensen and Rick Kolm
Dealership: EcoWater Systems, Fremont, NE
Nominated by: Terry Reeh, Owner
Fact from nomination: Both men are top 10 salespeople in the EcoWater system.
          Terry Reeh, owner of EcoWater Systems, Fremont, NE, is hoarding some serious sales talent.
          Kyle Christensen, a dealership salesperson who also manages a branch office and trains other salespeople, has never been below the top 5 in the nation for EcoWater in each of his seven years with the company.
          Christensen generates all his own leads and sets his appointments. He's averaged 200 to 300 sales and rentals per year.
          "I'm always on the phone, in contact with people," Christensen said. "It's a non-stop process. The more people you contact, the better off you are. Not just in the water business, but with any job.”
          While many water treatment dealerships would love to have one salesperson as effective as Christensen, EcoWater Systems also has another top performer on its staff.
          Rick Kolm, another dealership salesperson, is also a top 10 performer in the EcoWater system, selling from 200-300 units a year.
          Kolm says his secret is aggressive prospecting and smart use of his time.
          "In my situation, I'm constantly calling people during any spare time I get," he said. "You only have so much time in the evening. That's the prime time to work. If I have half and hour between appointments, I make calls." 

John Carrison: 40 years of persistence and success

Name: John Carrison
Dealership: Superior Water Conditioning, Tampa, FL
Nominated by: Ken Weinstein, Sales Manager
Quote from nomination: “John is always a top producer and has won many awards from Kinetico.”

John Carrison, a salesperson for Superior Water Conditioning, Inc., Tampa, FL, for 15 years, began his water treatment career delivering exchange tanks in Wisconsin in 1963.
          “The tanks weighed more than I did,” Carrison said, referring to the Culligan tanks he used to deliver at the time.
          Carrison’s experience has held him in good stead. He has won numerous awards from Kinetico, whose equipment he sells, and he sold 160 units in the first 11 months of 2002.
          Carrison started with door-to-door sales in the days when “people didn’t even know what soft water was,” he said.
          Carrison was a water salesperson in Kenosha, WI, where business relied heavily on door knocking. He said it taught him the value of persistence.
          “It’s one of the hardest ways to make a living but you don’t know any other way.” Carrison continued, “It’s a numbers game, strictly numbers.”
          Carrison said door-to-door sales showed him that the biggest sales blunder is to stop working or lose your motivation.
          “I learned, over all these years, that you never take anything for granted,” he said. “A sale just isn’t a sale until it’s sold.”

Joey Bombaci: With $1 million in annual sales, this cooler salesman is hot

Name: Joey Bombaci
Dealership: Aqua Perfect, Scottsdale, AZ
Nominated by: Alex Carr, Owner
Quote from nomination: “Joey’s gross sales exceed $1 million annually. His secret is amazing phone work.”

Joey Bombaci, vice president of major accounts, Aqua Perfect, Scottsdale, AZ, started at the ground floor, making his beginnings as sales representative and in just five years, became vice president.
          Aqua Perfect mainly sells POU bottle-free coolers, and company owner Alex Carr said Bombaci always “keeps the pipeline full.”
          Bombaci’s sales exceed $1 million annually, a feat both Carr and Bombaci attribute to excellent phone skills and an ability to quickly establish rapport with customers.
          “I don’t give up and I don’t take no for an answer,” he said. ““If it’s ‘no’ now, then it will be ‘yes’ later.”
          Although you have to sell an awful lot of coolers to hit $1 million in sales, Bombaci said he’s not willing to sacrifice customer service for the sake of the next sale.
          Bombaci estimates a customer satisfaction rate of approximately 99 percent, and says the key is to quickly return customer phone calls and address problems immediately.
          “I don’t lose too many customers,” he said. 

Jeff Hodgson: Engaged, professionally and politically

Name: Jeff Hodgson
Dealership: Agway Water Treatment of Western Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, PA
Nominated by: George Rodgers, Owner
Quote from nomination: “Jeff passionately believes in private water treatment vs. public for rural areas and works with state and federal legislators.”

Jeff Hodgson, salesperson for Agway Water Treatment of Western Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, PA, has worked in the POU/POE industry for 20 years and is committed to remaining engaged with decision makers in the POU/POE industry, and also in the region in which he sells.
          Hodgson is a member of the Water Quality Association (WQA), but is also on the board of directors for the Eastern Quality Water Association (EQWA).
          “You can always learn new things from people – especially people who are industry leaders,” said Hodgson. “You may learn new selling techniques, ways to promote your products or even stimulate your intellect.”
          Hodgson, a firm believer in private water treatment for rural areas, works with state and federal legislators and frequently offers opinions on issues affecting the water treatment industry.
          “Every time I see there is something that may affect the industry, I try to make a point to sit down, pick up the phone and call or write my state legislators,” said Hodgson. “Even if there’s nothing pressing that your industry is facing at that point, it’s a good idea to shake your legislator’s hand and let them know you are one of their constituents.”  

Georgia Smith: She makes them laugh, then makes them buy

Name: Georgia Smith
Dealership: Valley Water Treatment, Harrisonburg, VA
Nominated by: Jerry Gilmore, Owner
Quote from nomination: “She is a successful saleswoman in a traditionally man’s field… She is very effective with all age groups, with an 80-90 percent closing rate.”

Georgia Smith is salesperson for Valley Water Treatment, Harrisonburg, VA, uses a unique sales approach that has been incredibly effective.
          Smith, who has had zero cancellations on her sales for this year, says she uses laughter and, to better relate to customers, makes each visit feel like it’s her first one.
          “I tell them that I’m shaking just as much as they are,” said Smith. “They now know I’m nervous, and I tell them to just let me get through this.”
          Most customers are ready with a predetermined “no;” Smith combats this by finding a way to make them feel comfortable and not pressured to make an immediate decision.
          “I never make people feel like they are boxed in,” said Smith. “I make them feel that comfort zone, and when we get to the end of the presentation I say, ‘that’s it.’ At that point, they are asking me for the order.”
          Smith has taken a ‘you catch more flies with honey” approach to sales and there’s been plenty of honey to go around – her closing rate is nearly 90 percent.

 Lance Overmyer, Jr.: Committed to education

Name: Lance Overmyer, Jr.
Dealership: Overmyer Soft Water, Culver, IN
Nominated by: Lynn Overmyer, Co-owner|
Quote from nomination: “Lance personally sells and installs both commercial and residential equipment.”

          Lance Overmyer, Jr. of Overmyer Soft Water, Culver, IN, is the current president of the Indiana Water Quality Association and keeps himself on a strict education and training regimen.
          Periodic equipment training helps Overmyer stay extremely knowledgeable about the equipment he and his company sell, making it easier to conduct installations and to answer any customer inquiries.
          Overmyer attends roughly three to four training programs a year, and also attends one-day classes through Hellenbrand – the dealership’s main supplier.
          He recommends that water treatment salespeople get as much training as possible, whether through water treatment associations or supplier and manufacturer programs.
          Selling equipment to both commercial and residential customers in an area with a population under 2,000, Overmyer claims he knows about everyone in the market.          

James Burrill: Culligan’s gem in the Northeast

Name: James Burrill
Dealership: Culligan’s K.T. Herdman Corp., New City, NY
Nominated by: Ken Herdman, President
Quote from nomination: “Jim was the top household salesperson for Culligan in District 13 for 1999, 2000, and 2001 – quite an accomplishment!”

James Burrill, salesperson for Culligan’s K.T. Herdman Corp., New City, NY, since 1995, says his success stems from setting a combination of daily, weekly, monthly and annual goals, and scheduling his daily activities around achieving them.
          Burrill says that he knows each day what he needs to get done, and is never sitting at his desk waiting for a phone call.
          “You make success, you don’t wait for it,” he said.
          Being goal-oriented has made him top household salesperson for Culligan District 13 – New York and New England – for the past three years – soon to be four.
          Although Burrill is focused on winning the honor for the fourth straight year, he readily credits the staff around him for his success.
          “I get the plaque on the wall, but without the people I work with, the team here at Culligan, it wouldn’t work,” he said.