Pool professionals and consumers are embracing salt-chlorine generators and reaping the benefits of this technology. However, retailers are learning that this is not a product you sell and walk away from. Consumers need to be educated on how the product works and provided a simple salt-system maintenance program. Not only will a well-organized plan ensure…
With water conservation at the forefront of so many people’s minds these days, it’s no surprise the idea has trickled down into the pool industry. But Ted Kampe, Western division sales manager for Waterco USA in Augusta, Georgia, has been thinking about it for much longer. A dozen years ago in Australia, he developed the…
For many pool pros, podcasts have emerged as a popular way to keep up with best practices and industry trends while driving from customer to customer. While it’s not a replacement for trade shows or conferences, it’s a valuable method for gaining free industry knowledge from your colleagues and experts. These audio talk shows are…
Your marketing budget requires planning, flexibility Building a marketing budget can be tedious for pool professionals, but as Ian Schatte, marketing coordinator of Manning Pool Service in Houston, Texas, says, the best-laid plans require funding. Schatte prepares a quarterly budget for each department and a large umbrella marketing budget for the year, assessing its largest…
The subject of test kit interferences and whackadoo results has been discussed ad nauseam. The frequency of this topic is beneficial, because knowing your chemistry results are accurate is pretty darn important. We don’t, however, see a lot of the ancillary information these oddball findings bring to light. What is initially observed as erroneous may…
While many pool companies find it challenging to deal with HOAs for building and servicing, Krystle Stiles, owner of Tennessee Custom Pools in Brentwood, Tennessee, says understanding the role an HOA plays in any pool-building process is a must. “HOAs are a good thing,” Stiles says. “They oversee the common areas of a development, manage…
For pool service professionals, raising prices can be a tricky topic. How much to raise prices and how to inform customers of the changes are decisions that should be approached with care. Beau DeRohan, the owner of Great White Pool and Spa in Boise, Idaho, knows it’s a daunting but necessary task. “Our rates are…
Paolo Benedetti says pool owners should not have to accept cracks in pool shells as an inherent risk to owning a pool. While there is a difference between shrinkage cracks and structural cracks, says Benedetti, founder of Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa in Morgan Hill, California, “in a properly built shell, structural cracks should never…
It happened again. A few months ago you had your annual meeting with your CPA and he or she told you the same thing they have told you year after year. “John, you had a great year. Your net profit was $88,000 last year, which you will pay taxes on.” Wow, that made you feel…
Meet the Solar Breeze NX2. At 11 pounds and 2 feet long, this solar-powered robot skims the surface of a pool, removing 90% of the debris and contaminants. Created by Solar Pool Technologies in Tempe, Arizona, the NX2 works by cleaning debris before it can sink to the bottom of the pool and decay. SPT…
Panelists share their experience with industry Facebook groups Joshua Mattey CPO, CST, owner JPS Pool ServicesNorth Scituate, Rhode Island Residential/CommercialPool Cleaning, Repair and MaintenanceEmployees: 4Accounts: 100 I first started using Facebook groups about five years ago on a recommendation from a friend in the industry. I was skeptical because in my eyes, most pool guys…
Deep breath, everyone — there are still a few more weeks before another frenetic pool season begins. I think our schedules are on opposite trajectories because we frontload as much of our work as possible, so that when your busy season hits, we aren’t bugging you for story quotes and information. I’ve worked in the…