We are all familiar with the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. So the question is, do you have 30 years of experience — or one year of experience repeated 30 times? Wise, profitable companies review past performance, make necessary changes, and move forward. 2016 is…
When Scott Cohen began using drones for aerial photography in 2013, he was not aware of another pool builder using the technique in the entire United States. Three years later, drones have taken flight across the industry. The days of standing on barbecue grills and climbing on rooftops to get overhead pictures may be coming…
When the pool patio gets hot enough to burn your feet, is the pool still too cold for swimming? Therma-HEXX, located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has a solution. “ThermaPanel is a modular heat exchange system that collects, distributes and transfers energy,” says Robert Barmore, CEO of Therma-HEXX. Installed underneath the patio deck, high-density polyethylene panels…
Miguel Angel Mercado, owner of Ocean Gallery USA in El Paso, Texas, is equal parts entrepreneur, marketer and P.T. Barnum. Barnum knew how to create attention for his business endeavors and utilize what he called “printer’s ink” (the press) to his advantage. Mercado has assembled that puzzle by merging reality television with brokered (paid) TV…
If it weren’t for the monthly invoices customers receive, most would never know a pool technician had come around. Arizona entrepreneur Herman Gunther figured there had to be a better way for pool technicians to notify customers about pool servicing. Flimsy invoices fluttering across lawns, against pool pumps or soaked in pool water weren’t quite…
On December 1, 2016, new overtime regulations were supposed to begin, affecting nearly half of America’s 5.5 million small businesses. The regulations, ordered by President Obama in 2014, are designed to “put more money in the pockets of middle-class workers or give them more free time,” according to the United States Department of Labor. In…
Baby boomers are retiring, and millennials are entering the work force in droves. However, posting a general job listing may not be enough to get applicants, and millennials are a special breed when it comes to retention. The benefits of employing a younger generation make it worth a little extra effort. Benefits David Williams, CEO…
Truck wraps, logo uniforms…pool companies have used these and other means to brand and promote their businesses for years. Here, a group of success-minded retailers offers six tested concepts that keep them visible and produce revenue. No. 6: Direct Marketing Brooke Rossi, retail general manager at Wilmington, Illinois-based DesRochers Backyard Pools & Spa stores, makes…
Experts say every commercial pool operator should consider making an old technology new again. For years, ultraviolet water treatment has been used to help sterilize drinking water and has been used in wastewater treatment plants. But only in the last handful of years has UVC technology made its way into the commercial pool industry. It…
As an organization grows, processes and standard procedures evolve. The new person needs training, so someone jots down the steps in a couple of key procedures. Perhaps a prospective customer wants to know how you’ll service their account, so you put it in your proposal. Gradually, stopgap procedures and one-time solutions begin to accumulate. You…
By Christina Blakeslee-Sexton, Zodiac Pool Systems Lights add drama and sizzle to any pool or spa. Most pool professionals are familiar with traditional niched incandescent lights that for swimmers can mimic the sensation of moving head-on toward a locomotive. Fortunately, advances in pool lighting technology mean pool builders can leave those eye- and energy-burning incandescent…
When it comes to PVC renovation for swimming pools and decks, RenoSys is an industry pioneer. For almost 30 years, it has manufactured and distributed products specifically designed for the commercial swimming pool industry. One of its top products, RecDeck, is an ideal solution for customers looking for slip-resistant, nonabrasive products. “It has a very…