Then and Now

by Scott Hoover

PC Marketing has been an indoor tanning distributor and manufacturer mainstay for nearly two decades; however, don't confuse mainstay with stagnant. As one of the industry leaders in developing new and innovative technology, PC Marketing is designing new territories as it heads toward the millennium.

Then and Now

"The company began as a distributor, but we wanted to offer the best equipment possible, and the only way to accomplish that was by becoming a manufacturer," says Susan Miller, president of PC Marketing. "We wanted to ensure our customers the best possible equipment and entrust the company with the control and confidence it desired."

Today, in its second decade, the company continues to expand and is known throughout the industry for its Big Bear™ Superbeds, Montego Bay(r) 10-minute Legends, Montego Bay Wolff Classics and Wolff Celebrities(r) and now, its new Tropical Series™ beds.

"PC Marketing has evolved into a company that can function as a total resource for a tanning business," Miller notes. "Besides our multiple lines of high-tech tanning equipment, we carry the top brands of lotion, as well as a complete complement of accessories, lamps, acrylics and parts. In fact, we have one of the largest parts departments in the industry and an excellent technical support team. We also offer training, seminars and advertising assistance."

PC Marketing serves it customers through a national network. In addition to its Ridgefield, N.J., headquarters, the company also has a Southeastern regional office located in Birmingham, Ala., that serves customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina.

"The company manufactures tanning beds in Alabama and uses a national distributor network so we can provide first-rate local service and support," Miller adds. "We can provide a full salon setup, with all the equipment including salon layout and systems to run the beds. In other words, we offer a complete turnkey operation."

Ringing in the New Year with Color

When Miller plotted the company's growth for 1998, she set out to do something totally unique to the indoor tanning industry.

"We told our designers that we wanted to broaden our horizons with something creative and we wanted a series of beds that would introduce some genuine technical innovations," she says. "We got both with our Tropical Series Beds."

The Tropical Series offers four exciting colors to salon owners including Banana, Orange, Kiwi and Lichee. Miller says because of their unusual shape and spectacular color, the beds will attract a lot of attention in any salon.

In addition to the exciting colors, the Tropical Series offers a number of technical innovations.

"For example, they are the first beds to use frosted acrylics which more effectively disperses ultraviolet light," notes Miller. "This means the beds are more efficient and allow customers to tan evenly and more efficiently. It also gives the light a softer, more pleasing look and keeps customers from seeing any blackening on the ends of the lamps."

The Tropical Series also offers 15-minute tanning with either high-pressure or low-pressure facials. The lamps in both the canopy and lounge section are Cosmolux VLR™ which use the VHR™ System technology.

"By putting these lamps in both sections of the bed it allows the salon owner to not only get the most advanced technology but also put it to its most effective use," Miller states. "That is pretty impressive when you realize that these are the most powerful, highest UV-maintenance reflector lamps in the industry."

Preferred Customers

In addition to the new products offered by PC Marketing, the company continues to offer special savings to its Preferred Card holders.

"As a card holder salon owners automatically are notified of many special opportunities before they are ever advertised," Miller says. "These specials are an easy and quick way to pick up some extra profits."

The Preferred Card also can improve cash flow because of its 90-day-same-as-cash benefit allowing salon owners to restock lotions, lamps and equipment with a definite savings. In addition, PC Marketing can help salon owners to outfit an entire salon, including lease programs for their most sophisticated tanning beds.

"Not only will card holders receive early notice of special prices and offers, they also will be the first to be notified of seminars and workshops designed to help them get the most out of their tanning businesses," she says. "It allows instant accessibility to every product, service and special pricing event at PC Marketing. And, using the Preferred Card keeps other cards clear so salon owners can operate their businesses more efficiently."

An Industry Evolves

Miller has been in the indoor tanning industry for more than 15 years, and has been deeply involved since its inception. She sees the industry, as well as salon owners, taking some very positive steps.

"I'm seeing more concern for keeping customers informed on how to tan properly," she says. "As a company, we push that very strongly in our own dealings with our customers. First, we always are ready to help a salon improve its performance in this area. We offer seminars on a regular basis. During these seminars we cover ideas like how to make a business more profitable through the use of retail sales, ways to lay out a salon for effective traffic patterns and how to do more effective advertising."

In addition to the business advice, Miller states that the company also continues to stress the importance of educating a salon staff about sensible tanning practices. For example, how to advise customers on how much time to spend in the bed and how to tan and receive the best results. In order to strengthen its stance on education, PC Marketing includes a certificate redeemable for training with every bed it sells.

Miller also sees salon owners becoming more professional and business savvy as the industry matures.

"We are seeing many more megasalons opening," she notes. "These 20-plus bed salons are where the real growth and profit in the industry comes from. We will work with a business to get their plans thought out and down on paper so the salon owners are equipped to grow and profit. I think they have to realize that as the industry gets larger it also is going to get more competitive.

"Salons that are not looking to the future are eventually going to lose out. The name of the game is technology and business techniques, and that means that successful salon owners are going to have to upgrade both equipment and facilities to keep their customers happy."

One of the reasons for this is the huge advances in indoor tanning technology in both the United States and Europe the last few years, especially in lamp technology. The utilization of ultraviolet light has become far more sophisticated which means a better tan for the customer and a more-efficient, cost-effective operation for tanning salons.

"There have been some incredible developments in both high- and low-pressure facial tanning systems as shown in our Big Bear Superbeds," Miller says. "I guess the most important result of the new technology from the point-of-view of the salon is that the tanning business is now more productive and profitable, tanning times are shorter, equipment more effective and customers are happier with the results."

Customer Service Guaranteed

So where does PC Marketing go from here? Actually it's very simple--the company's goal is to treat customers even better than ever before.

According to Miller, although PC Marketing has introduced some magnificent new equipment, like the Big Bear and Tropical Series, it cannot base its future plans for success solely on product development.

"It's tempting," she says. "However, the company just has to remember one thing--the entire reason PC Marketing has been so successful is because of the way we treat our customers. We are a service-oriented organization which is how I want the company to remain. Of course we are going to continue to push to develop the best new equipment with state-of-the-art tanning technology; however, you can have the greatest tanning beds in the world but they will not sell if the salon owners don't have faith in the company."