MEET THE DEALER
How did you become involved in the koi industry?
We were doing pond building and landscaping through the nurseries and then it just developed into koi. We have definitely been bitten by the bug as we can’t think of ever not having koi now!
How do you feel the industry has changed since you first opened your ‘koi’ doors?
First, the internet is killing shops off! You spend ages and ages selling someone the benefits of this filter or that filter, talk them through what they need and what their options are, and then when you ask if they want to buy one they say: “Oh no, I’ve seen it on Ebay for half the price!” I have given this person my time and advice and then they don’t even buy from me.
People need to be loyal to their local koi outlets as it’s the best place to come and see the fish, equipment and get advice first hand from someone that is actually passionate about the koi hobby.
The second thing that has changed the industry lately is the exchange rate. The yen dropped loads when the autumn harvest came around. We had to pay more for the actual koi, and more on transport etc to get it home. The problem is we can’t put the price up at our end as no one would buy anything at all then.
Some customers
have been known to call me out late into the night to help with problems
38 KOI CARP
What would you say is the most important aspect of running a koi dealership?
After sales service is one of the most important things in this business. You have to help the customer to understand what’s involved in koi keeping and then support them through the purchase, transfer to pond and the koi’s life in the new pond. Some customers have been known to call
me out late into the night to help with problems. I couldn’t bear to think of the koi suffering overnight until we open up the next day! Also understanding your customer needs is very important. It isn’t just about selling the most expensive thing – you need to understand what type of pond they want and how they want it to run, and then match your products to their needs.
The koi industry has seen many new products that have been revolutionised the hobby. What do you consider to be the most innovative in the last ten years?
No particular brand stands out but filters have really progressed massively in the last ten years. If you think about what you used to have to do with a filter – clean the sponges, clean the brushes and flush the pipework etc. These days there are so many great low maintenance versions on the market. They have really decreased in size too. You used to have a massive, ugly machine sat on the edge of your pond, but now you hardly notice it’s there at all.
Tell us about your new nitrate controller
We have been working on our nitrate controller for two years. It was fully trialled before launching and has been selling extremely fast since they went on sale. It is installed in a similar way to a dechlorinating carbon filter and effectively absorbs nitrate ions and exchanges them for harmless chloride ions. Only the nitrate is removed – the unit will not absorb sulphates so therefore does not affect the pH.
As well as stocking koi, what else do you offer your customers? We are well stocked with equipment and brands from the main manufacturers
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