I was fortunate enough to get to Dallas for the Pool | Spa | Patio Expo and had meetings with others on the PHTA’s national builders council, as well as networked with many other swimming pool professionals. Everyone I discussed pool construction with are already sold out at least a year if not two years….
Rick Woemmel left his computer science job to start Bi-State Pool & Spa in 1994. Like most small business owners, back then he was the president, CEO, janitor and technician. Now, Woemmel can focus on leading, supporting and teaching his employees, making sure they develop within his company and in the industry. A longtime PHTA…
Commercial accounts can be a lot of work for little to no reward. Look for solid management. The neighborhood doesn’t always matter — rich or poor, they are all on budgets. Are they easy to deal with? Polite? Understanding? The budget impacts repairs getting done in a timely manner to keep the pool safe and…
Chris CavanaughOwner Cavanaugh PoolOwensboro and Madisonville, Kentucky This year, I see the pool service industry continuing to grow like 2020. With COVID still present, I imagine the community still staying safe at home, and we are in the perfect industry to help bring the at-home vacation to them. For us, this year’s biggest challenge includes…
Chris CavanaughOwner Cavanaugh PoolOwensboro and Madisonville, Kentucky After 2020, price increases were inevitable due to supply and demand. Most of our price increases were like a normal year, but there were several that hit harder than normal. Steel vinyl-liner pool kits are continuing to rise, due to lack of raw material and huge demand, and…
Tracy BondOwnerGreat Valley PoolFrazer, Pennsylvania We try to hire as many people as we can get in the spring. We are always looking for unskilled helpers to assist our technicians with openings and closings. We hope they gain skills and progress into a service technician. Depending how good they are, they may be able to…
Chris CavanaughOwner Cavanaugh PoolOwensboro and Madisonville, Kentucky The 2021 trichlor shortage is on every retailer’s mind. [In 2020] between both of my retail stores, we sold roughly 25,000 pounds of 3-inch tablets. My manufacturer is promising 100% of what I purchased in 2020 to be available to me for 2021. I typically buy 75% of…
Ana Manning Co-owner and COOManning Pool Service Houston, Texas Ana Manning started at Manning Pool Service in 2012, four years after her husband, David Manning, joined the company. She says it was chaotic until she came on. One of the first things she tackled was restructuring the pool routes. Manning worked at Manning Pool Service…
*These responses have been condensed and edited for clarity. Dick AbareCPC, owner Algae Busters Pool Service, inc.Tampa Bay, Florida ResidentialInstallation, Warranty and RepairEmployees: 2 I’m going to sound like a broken record, but LaMotte’s Spin Touch is amazing! The ability to run 10 tests within minutes makes us much more efficient. We use it…
Dick AbareCPC, owner Algae Busters Pool Service, inc.Tampa Bay, Florida ResidentialInstallation, Warranty and RepairEmployees: 2 Something new and innovative helps pull us out of a rut and makes us step out of our comfort zone. Embrace technology you haven’t already. If you have, take some more updated classes. One of the many things I…
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…
One panelist shares her experience doing both Heather Lintonco-owner Swim Carefree, LLCCarrollton, Texas ResidentialPool Cleaning, Repair and MaintenanceRenovations, Remodels and InspectionsEmployees: 9Accounts: 150 We purchased a route in 2010 or 2011. We were brand new into the business and we had one route, but my husband wanted to get out of where he was working…