Posted : 04/01/2003
DISTRIBUTOR CONNECTION
Pacific Tanning Supplies
All In The Family
Debbie Latka-Takami, the company's director of sales and marketing, says the company's mission statement is simple. "We are committed to being the most knowledgeable, service-oriented and hassle-free company in the industry," she says. "We distribute everything a salon owner would need to operate his or her salon."
Latka-Takami took time out of her busy day to speak to LOOKING FIT about Pacific Tanning Supplies' past, present and future.
Q: How did Pacific Tanning Supplies break into the industry?
A: Pacific began back in 1995 as a lotion distributor based out of Paso Robles, Calif. California Tan gave us our first break and it just took off from there. We had very humble beginnings, basically out of my parents' [George and Pat Latka] six-car garage.
They were semi-retired, but needed to get back into the business because they were restless and needed the money. It was pretty much my mom's baby for the first two years and then grew fast enough so my father needed to come aboard. After that, they relocated it to the Simi Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, to be closer to family and friends.
Q: How has your company evolved to meet the industry's changing needs?
A: When we started Pacific, the industry already had evolved into a price-driven business, so we were forced from the beginning to operate lean and mean to meet our customers' demands. However, we always have been aware that it takes much more than price to service an account effectively.
Q: What do you want industry newcomers to know about Pacific Tanning Supplies?
A: Coming from the manufacturing background, I had the opportunity to get to know many distributors from around the country. I saw firsthand what works and what doesn't work. We are firm believers in service. From same-day shipping on all lotion orders and customization of introductory deals to salon co-op advertising and rebate management, as well as on-site product education, we are committed to a salon's success.
Q: Which of your products are most popular?
A: The New Technology lamps have taken the West Coast by storm and we are excited about the opportunity to represent them. As far as lotions, our main lines we carry are California Tan, Australian Gold, Supre, Designer Skin and Fiji Blend.
Q: Can you tell us about your catalogs?
A: We put a lot of work into developing the catalog. It seems like every year I get a little bit more in tune with what our customers are looking for. It takes a lot of coordination among the manufacturers, designers and the printer, but we don't really consider ourselves to be a "catalog house." Our catalog is merely a tool, not a solution. We rely on our reps to educate our customers, keeping them abreast of the latest products and programs.
Q: What does the future have in store?
A: All I can say is that it keeps getting better. We have expanded our sales force, added three industry veterans, along with three experienced sales consultants. We will continue to have a presence, exhibiting at trade shows and hosting educational symposiums throughout the West.
Our Napa Valley Sales Symposium and Retreat was a tremendous success and we look forward to our next one this fall. Even with all that we have going on, we never lose our focus, and that is our commitment to our customers--whatever it takes!
