What are your top tips for maintaining pool service quality during the busy summer season?

One thing we have done to help with the increased workloads during the summer season is to reserve a half day each week for unexpected items. This four-hour slot can be used for weather delays, unexpected equipment failures and emergencies. If left unused, this window allows our team to clean out their trucks, perform maintenance on their equipment and vehicles or simply leave work at a reasonable time, helping prevent burnout. We have found this unscheduled time creates a less stressful scenario when something comes up and prevents the maintenance crew from cutting corners because they know they have the time to get the job done right.

Sam Folaron
Co-owner
Puravida Custom Pools
Wall, New Jersey

Pool opening season starts on April 1 in coastal South Carolina, and the workload ramps up for a long, hot season.

Here are a few of my tips to stay on top of it all:

• Get up early! While the world is still quiet, I get a lot accomplished.
• Stay on schedule. Keep track of appointments and avoid overbooking. 
• Group jobs by location to reduce travel time and maximize efficiency.
• Stock up on supplies. Make sure you have plenty of chemicals, filters and replacement parts before the season gets crazy. Keep an inventory checklist to avoid last-minute supply runs and purchases.
• Use checklists. Our commercial pools are governed by our state health department, so we have a standard checklist for every pool. This helps us to be efficient and ensure nothing gets missed.
• Train employees to be efficient while maintaining quality — small shortcuts can lead to big problems later.
• Hire and train seasonal help early.
• Keep customers informed and establish clear expectations about wait times and service availability.

Anita Minervino
Owner and president
Coastal Pure
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Our 2025 Panel