As the world-class leader of evaporative media and portable evaporative cooling solutions for more than 30 years now, Portacool is proud of the world-class teams that serve as our organization’s foundation. As a company built on customer service, the sales department works every day to ensure customer expectations are not only met but exceeded. So, how do they tackle that challenge? Today we highlight an interview with several key team members.
What does a typical day look like for a member of the sales team?
While the sales team’s day-to-day operations may vary, all aspects revolve around one thing – consistent communication with the customer. The customer for a Portacool sales team member really falls into two categories – distributor partners and end-user customers. Our team works to ensure both groups know how a Portacool evaporative cooler works and how it can make a difference for them.
Our team is hands-on when it comes to showing customers how Portacool portable evaporative coolers work. We know the best way to demonstrate our cooling power is by having people feel it for themselves. Our team spends most of the day on-site (or on Zoom during COVID times) doing trainings or demonstrations. You’ll see our sales department members on-site at distributor shows or major tradeshows, like SEMA in Las Vegas, walking people through the features and specifications of our product and what sets it apart from other cooling solution options.
And the relationships don’t end after the sale. Our team works hard to ensure our Portacool evaporative coolers exceed expectations and stay in tip-top shape. Sales team members follow up with end-users and play a crucial role in gathering feedback to help shape future innovations.
Our sales team gets to see how America is made. Portacool portable evaporative coolers work well in any environment with heat, ranging from a dryer sheet manufacturer to a jet engine builder. We are constantly forging ahead and finding new ways to engage people.
What do you think sets Portacool apart from other sales teams?
First and foremost, the Portacool culture that extends throughout the sales team sets us apart. We are one team and work very closely together, constantly bouncing ideas off each other and holding each other accountable. Everyone genuinely cares about each other and their families because we are one big family.
We view our distributor partners and customers as an extension of the Portacool family. We have a genuine concern for our distributor partners and their business, so we do everything in our power to make our relationships profitable for both entities. Our team always remains flexible – doing whatever it takes to meet our customers’ needs.
We also have a pretty significant sales team located throughout the country and a few targeted locations globally. Our dedicated field team is broken into specific channels, which allows us to bring years of experience within the automotive and industrial industries and provide an unparalleled level of service to our customers. Our size enables us to be nimble and respond quickly to customer and distributor needs.
Lastly, our team believes in our products. We proudly wear the Portacool name like it’s our own last name, and we know our evaporative coolers can make a huge difference. When we demo our product in a hot facility, it is very rare to find a customer who doesn’t see the value of implementing our solution to address heat, improve productivity and morale, and keep employees safe.
How do you work with customers, and what is the process for tailoring the cooling solution to their needs?
The most important thing is listening. We partner with Plant Managers, Safety Managers, and end-users to find a solution that delivers the cooling comfort they are looking for to increase employee productivity and morale. We don’t simply calculate the number of products they need based on square footage. While that is a factor, a vital part of helping customers determine the proper Portacool cooler(s) to use is walking the facility. We do physical site assessments, evaluating the space, where employees are working, existing air circulation, water availability, etc. We often demo products on-site so customers can feel the difference it will make in their space.
Many times, customers will say they have 100,000 square feet of warehouse space they need to cool. However, they may only have 10 employees at two workstations in the entire space. Through our site assessments and demos, we can tailor that to what actually needs to be cooled – like those 10 employees – instead of cooling open space. Our team has integrity and focuses on our product as a heat stress solution, improving worker safety, productivity, retention, morale, and comfort. Our goal is to create real solutions to problems caused by challenging environments.
Portacool is a company that stresses customer service. How do you implement a customer service approach in your job?
All Portacool employees deliver world-class customer service. The sales team keeps a hands-on approach through on-site product demonstrations, site assessments, and customer support in the field. For most customers, the sales team represents the face of Portacool – and we take that very seriously. We work to create a top-of-the-line experience for all customers, both with our products and with us. We go above and beyond to maintain open, honest, and prompt communication. Everything we do is to serve and take care of our customers.
What motivates you to sell portable evaporative coolers? 
While some may view a portable evaporative cooler as a luxury or nonessential comfort, at the end of the day, it’s a product that could potentially save someone’s life. The sales team is motivated to work for the leader in an industry that makes a difference in how people live, work, and play.
As mentioned previously, Portacool is a family, and our customers and distributors are an extension of that family. What we do on a daily basis impacts the family. We work to not let the family down and to ensure everyone gets to go home to their own families at the end of the day. We are grateful to provide a cost-effective solution that improves the environment people work in and keeps them happy and safe.
What is the greatest strength of the Portacool sales team?
Simple – culture, relationships, flexibility, and customer service. We’re willing to go the extra mile, and we get there as a team.
