As the growth of POU devices and coolers continue to grow, the market for selling this equipment becomes more competitive and complicated. Being able to send the right messages to the customer for why these items are effective and innovative becomes very important for the dealer.

Talking to dealers and experts in the water treatment industry, it is apparent that this product category is stable and has a bright future. However, similar to the selling challenges of other water treatment products, for dealers who are trying to get their customers to understand the value of these systems is where it may be a bit tricky.

The most important aspect to a potential customer these days is saving money and time. Especially in this economy, every company and homeowner is constantly looking for ways to cutback and save a dime. Using POU devices, and particularly water coolers, is a great way to save money and the environment, which can be huge selling points.

Advantages of POU devices and coolers

Finding reasons for why customers should buy POU devices and coolers is not very hard to do. They save money and time and are safe for the environment, as mentioned, but there are many other advantages that can get overlooked.

"POU coolers have numerous advantages over traditional bottled water, assuming a top-quality system with state-of-the-art and well-maintained filtration equipment is utilized," says Bob Boerner, president of Culligan Southwest Inc. "Storage space for bottles is totally eliminated, which doesn't sound like a huge deal but it can be for smaller offices that just don't have much space to begin with. Also the time for making deliveries and signing the delivery order, keeping track of empty bottles and reconciling a bottled water statement are eliminated."

While some of these seem like simple things, they can be time consuming for a big business where every minute counts and high productivity, with reduced staff, is required. Additionally, most homeowners do not have the luxury of always having someone around who can lift a heavy replacement bottle immediately after the old one empties.

According to Bill Logan, president and CEO of Innowave USA and CoolerSmart USA, "There is no disruption of business for any of the customers having to bring in bottles. You can have unlimited water supply through basically a filtration system right there in the office or home."

Logan continues and points out other advantages, such as minimizing trucks on the road and limiting the need for plastic bottles. POU devices and coolers can sell themselves to knowledgeable customers and prospects, but there are other aspects dealers need to push to stay ahead of the competition.

Selling points to bank on

When dealing with a product that is in high demand, it's important to find out ways to make that particular product more attractive than a competitors'. There are always going to be certain features or brands a customer prefers over another. Dealers need to know the customer's preference and exploit those selling points.

"We emphasize that especially businesses can take advantage of POU coolers to minimize the logistics associated with bottled water, including storing and keeping track of bottles, the possibility of running out in high demand periods, high costs during high demand seasons, storage space, possibilities for injuries with employees dealing with the 42 pound bottles, etc.," adds Boerner.

Fortunately for dealers, there are many high points to cover when it comes to POU devices and coolers. Emphasizing these points can help you ride the wave of success in coming years as expected growth continues to take hold.

For instance, when trying to sell a water cooler to a business, that customer may be more interested in trying to find ways to cut costs as well as water and a simplified process and maintenance plan. A doctors' office, as another example, may be more concerned with the sanitary issues that come with a water dispenser. Finding out these important needs will help in selling a POU device to each customer.

"There is certainly a spike (in POU sales) in the health care arena," notes Logan. "Doctors' offices, hospitals and dental clinics are more aware of cross contamination, bacteria growth and germs."

Also to the delight of dealers, this product category is appealing and is ideal for any customer, prospect or market. With that type of open market, say the experts, opportunities are limitless.

Stock continues to rise

Knowing what direction a market is trending will certainly help when selling a product. Customers don't want to buy something that's just going to be replaced by something better in the next couple of months. They want to know that they are buying a product that will be useful for years to come.

"POU coolers are simply a better alternative to providing great tasting drinking water than traditional bottled water delivery," adds John Miller, regional sales manager for Vertex Water Products. "These systems are becoming more essential in office environments. In the future, they will be seen as an essential appliance. Our job is to listen to the customers and supply them with the features and packages they want."

In terms of being a stable source of profits, POU devices and coolers seem to be trending in the right direction for the future. These product categories offer advantages that will be the same for years to come. Most of the country is moving towards trying to build a more sustainable, reliable and healthy environment and that is one of the main advantages of coolers.

"There are a lot of good features that go with these items, but certainly some of the key highlights are included in the go green initiatives," explains Logan. "There are a lot of things that make this a good product [solution] for health reasons."

Mike Rice, senior product marketing manager for Follett Corporation, says the number one advantage in today's ice and water dispenser market is sanitation.

There has also been a trend in the amount of POU devices that have been sold throughout the country compared to bottled water over the last several years. As Logan points out, "Between 2005 and 2010, approximately 73 percent of new water dispenser installations were POU systems as opposed to bottled water solutions. We believe that the movement away from bottled water to POU water dispensers is set to continue its current trend as a result of cost, convenience, health benefits and environmental considerations."

This does not sound like a market that will be dying any time soon and knowing how to sell these products will be vital to the growth of any dealership. Whether you're already selling these types of devices or looking to get into the market, having a game plan for selling this type of equipment is instrumental to success.

"Even some of the bottled water companies are starting to get into the POU industry because they see that shift getting away from the bottles," notes Logan. "So the success of the bottled water cooler market has provided a nice platform for which the POU business in the U.S. has been launched."

Boerner agrees that the POU cooler market is definitely on the rise and will become an even bigger part of the water quality industry over the next couple of years. "The dealers' challenge will be to maintain those POU systems and their filtration devices, whether they be RO or simply carbon filtration, in a top notch, professional manner to assure the product quality is excellent on a consistent basis, essentially like bottle water customers have come to expect," adds Boerner.

Over time there will always be certain items or fads that will become trendy and popular. Any smart company will take advantage of those times and look to capitalize on those items. Having a strategy for marketing these products and knowing the best way to sell them is like money in the bank.