Don Gwiz: profits with profiles: Lewis Aquatech's astute marketing honcho declined tempting job offers to jump-start the family business

Pool & Spa News, April 10, 2006 by Shabnam Mogharabi

About six years ago, Don Gwiz was at a wealthy client's home when he began to sense discontent. "Their facial expressions were obvious," he says. "The clients wanted to feel special, and we were whipping out a pool design in a matter of minutes without taking the time to impress them."

That's when Gwiz, vice president of Lewis Aquatech Pools in Chantilly, Va., decided to put his marketing degree to the test. The solution to his dilemma, he realized, was to profile the client and target the presentation to his or her specific needs.

"From a marketing standpoint, we now put our clients in a category of a C-level, B-level or A-level based on the potential revenue they will generate," says Gwiz, who turned down offers from firms such as the Coca-Cola Co. to work for the family business. "The presentation then needs to mirror that level.

"We look at demographics, geographies and design criteria," he adds. "We establish the range of budget and start work on the presentation, which can take up to two weeks to prepare."

The decision paid off. Since implementing the client profiling system three years ago, Lewis Aquatech has increased its sales to A-level customers by 45 percent. "Once you establish A-level clients, the work speaks for itself. We are currently working on seven jobs in excess of $1.5 million," he says.

PERSONAL BESTS:

Taking design presentations to the next level was Gwiz's winning idea. "If you look at what's available in our industry for design presentations, it's unprofessional, and we have to go sell a luxury item with it," he says. "We've reached out to other industries [such as] architecture, and now we use Photoshop for presentations and AutoCAD for construction documents.

Gwiz says more than half the company's pools are designed using Photoshop software and show precise detail. The images are printed in poster size and mounted for the presentation. Without fail, he says, clients are floored.

LESSONS LEARNED:

The most important revelation Gwiz has had as a sales and marketing executive is to change the company's message. "In the mid-'90s, we realized it wasn't about cooling off in a kidney-shaped pool anymore," he says. "It was about a lifestyle. Our clients were interested in lifescapes--pools, spas, pool houses, gazebos and everything tied together.

"It's how tasteful, grand and elegant we can design an exterior," he adds.

What's more, Gwiz requires his salespeople to partner with other members of the department once a month for sales calls. "We listen to each other's presentations. We can learn from each other to hone our own skills," he says.

BEST DECISION OF 2005:

Gwiz initiated a daily team huddle. For years, company executives and personnel would meet once a week. For a seasonal business, Gwiz felt it wasn't often enough.

"By the time of the meeting, problems had been left unresolved for too long or had exploded out of control," he says. "Now, at 7:30 a.m. every morning, in the winter and summer without fail, we have the team huddle. Then, for about five or 10 minutes, we reach out to each other to determine how to deal with our challenges.

"It's worked out well," he adds.

BEST DECISION EVER MADE:

Investing in a vast, multitalented workforce turned out to be a lucrative move.