Most of us have heard the saying, “Do you have 30 years’ experience, or one year of experience repeated 30 times?” The other one we have all heard is the definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.” The point is the same in either case. Are we…
photography by Christian Hernandez In the mid-2000’s, Mike Burns and his wife, Amanda, were ready for a change from their life in England. Setting their sights on sunny Florida, the family purchased Doc Dean’s Pools from its original owner and emigrated in 2005. It’s been a great fit, says their son James Burns, because of…
Undoubtedly, in the first minutes of conversation a pool builder has with a prospect, two questions will arise: “How long will it take?” and “What will it cost?” And though most can answer these quickly, they need to be contemplated before answering. Estimating price and time accurately is vital to the success of any pool…
Human error is largely to blame when a commercial pool experiences problems, which is why automated systems are gaining popularity year after year. An automated system eases the burden of having to be on-site several times a day to take a reading. And with growing public concern around water condition in commercial pools, these systems…
We asked pool pros what they kept in their service trucks. Their answers varied based on the season, location and individual service professional. But everyone had chlorine and a pole. John Reid, Founder and President Primo Pool Care (Norfolk, Virginia) @primopoolcare “The most important item in the back of the pool truck is the pool…
More than 70 percent of the leads generated for Patriot Pool & Spa of Austin, Texas, come from Yelp, company president Hal Denbar, says. Genna Gold, senior manager of business outreach for Yelp, says 2018’s second-quarter analysis shows 104 million people visit Yelp on their mobile devices each month, and 74 million on desktops. Since…
As entrepreneurs, running an efficient business is key to smooth operations — especially when dealing with hundreds of customers. While managing a pool business, there’s a number of tasks to be done, including inventory, marketing, scheduling and everything in between. Some days it may seem like nothing is getting done if you do it all…
MK: What do you see are the challenges going forward for the pool industry at large? MPM: First of all, we’re in a great industry. We have, from an end-product standpoint, a great product that people aspire to have, people enjoy, it enhances the quality of a family’s home life. It’s very positive and the…
Thomas Lachocki, CEO of the National Swimming Pool Foundation since 2003, announced his plans to retire in 2019. During Lachocki’s time as CEO, NSPF has grown from offering just the Certified Pool & Spa Operator Certification, to offering a gamut of promotional, educational and training opportunities for both the pool and spa industries — from…
Pleatco, LLC, with longtime co-sponsors GENESIS and the National Swimming Pool Foundation, announced the winners of the 2018 Perfect Pool Guy and Gal Search: Dick Abare of Tampa, Florida, and Andrea Nannini, from Port Saint Lucie, Florida. The annual Pleatco PoolGuy/Gal Search honors the hard-working men and women of the pool and spa service industry. The…
On Sept. 28, Zodiac Pool Systems announced that effective Jan. 1, 2019, it would no longer allow its Jandy Pro Series equipment to be sold online. The company will not provide a warranty on products purchased online and requires equipment to be installed and/or serviced by a qualified pool professional. The only exception will be…
Hurricane Harvey ravaged the greater Houston area on Aug. 26, 2017, leaving a wake of utter devastation from the floodwaters. Mark Uberecken, owner of Unified Pool Solutions in Houston, says that once the floodwater receded, thousands of volunteers came into help with cleanup. The streets were lined with piles of trash, which amounted to practically…