Bond's New Weapon

It’s early morning; a mist lingers in the air. Amid the drone of city traffic, the sound of tires protest as rubber meets pavement in raw accelerated horsepower. It’s Mr. Bond.

In his BMW Z3 convertible, Joe maneuvers the express way. The deep throaty sound of the exhaust gives way to the tune of the engine revving between calculated shifts.

It’s time to do business…and nothing is going to stop him.

Yes, it’s Bond…Joe Bond.

There are few in the vacuum industry who have not heard the name Joe Bond, and for good reason. Bond was Beam’s largest Canadian independent central vacuum retailer, and he is well known for his dynamic and friendly personality. Moreover, those who know him can vouch that he is indeed a man founded on principle, hard work and integrity.

Those who haven’t had the pleasure to meet Bond need to understand that when it comes to this man -- you have to think BIG. When it comes to advertising, marketing and selling, Bond is a giant. His advertising budget alone would make most faint, yet it is a testament to his tremendous success.

In true Bond fashion, no challenge is too big, nor is the smallest customer too small to escape his friendly service.

It was hard to believe several months ago, Bond was only mere days from selling his Vacmaster store. He was about to leave the central vacuum business forever, opting for early retirement to enjoy the fruits of his tremendous achievements.

Even harder to believe, days before his impending retirement, his business virtually sold; Bond made a shocking announcement. He was going to stay in the central vacuum business, cancelled the sale of his store, and began to re-invent his Vacmaster location.

Bond, the Sequel:
In a matter of weeks, Bond had gone from having his business sold and looking forward to early retirement, to wheeling a 360, re-inventing his Vacmaster store, and switching central vacuum brands with renewed energy and vitality.

“It was a hard decision,” Bond said. “After all, I invested 22 years in one brand and became its largest dealer through hard work. To not sell that brand, well that was completely foreign to me. But then at the end of the day, I realized it’s me selling the product and I will sell what I believe in. The name is secondary.”

Bond’s gamble proved itself correct.

He explained, “Yes there were a couple minor hiccups adjusting. I mean I sold and heavily promoted one brand for over 20 years! I had to learn something new and my sub dealers had to learn something new. It was a natural process, but ultimately my profits are much higher, the ease of doing business is far easier and I can sell whichever accessory kits I want!”

Bond said if he had known then, what he knows now, he would have switched to Cana-Vac® long ago.

“My advice to VDTA readers: it’s never too late to reinvent your business. We often get stuck in our daily routines, and we overlook opportunities. Fear of change prevents most from reaching their full potential and sometimes we need a nudge or life changes to get out of the routine holding us back,” he said.

Since then, Bond’s business hasn’t skipped a beat.

“I’m having fun again!” he laughed. “I have a reason to get up everyday and look forward to each new challenge.”

When asked about retirement, Bond shrugged.

“Guess I’ll live to Die Another Day,” he smiled, quoting the 2002 James Bond movie title.

Bond has earned his reputation in the industry, winning numerous awards, because he listens to what each and every individual customer is looking for. It’s obvious because of the amount of referrals Vacmaster receives.

He attends the VDTA Show in Las Vegas every year to keep up to date with new product lines and technology.

“Nowadays it’s even more important to know the ins and outs of every central vacuum on the market, and the quality of those products,” Bond said. “Patience wears thin when parts have to keep being replaced just because major manufacturers, in an effort to build a cheaper product, use cheap components sourced from China. That’s not the product we want to sell at our store!”

Cana-Vac was the brand that stood out most for quality and reputation, in Bond’s opinion. He has known David Lawrence (president of Cana-Vac) and Tim Sommers (his Cana-Vac sales representative) for many years and is excited about the opportunities that are now available to him.

If you would like to learn some tips on improving your business or if you just want to congratulate Joe, contact him at Vacmaster: 1-905-472-2036.

Article submitted by Cana-Vac.

Reprinted from Central Vac Professional, January 2008