Photos by: Derek Salyer Scott Waldo’s pool industry resume is varied, to say the least. He started in pool construction at age 13; was selling pools by 17; tried wholesale distribution; built pools in Nigeria, Africa; worked for a company in Florida, then moved back to Texas to open some of its locations. By 1998,…
My dad was a business owner. I clearly recall his reaction when the local police would call him at home to say his business was broken into, and equipment or inventory (or both) had been stolen. It’s more than a miserable feeling; it can halt your ability to make a living. Ryan Shepherd, who manages…
Chances are, most of the pools you build or service don’t have waterfalls and multiple LED lights. They’re likely relatively simple pools built for people who actually want to use them: They don’tcare about bells and whistles; they just want a nice place for theirkids to play. But even people with simple pool setups live…
You’ve done the job; the customer is delighted — they say, “Send me the bill.” You do. You wait for payment… you send a second reminder — and still await payment. Then a third notice is mailed…and a fourth.Phone calls to the customer are not returned. Collection letters are sent certified, return receipt. Each comes…
You used to see fancy water features like laminar jets or rock grottos only in commercial pools or public settings. But now more and more, homeowners are requesting these features in residential pools. “In the last five to nine years, a lot of that technology or that style of design has been brought down to…
Previously, we touched on the first step to getting potential customers to read your email marketing campaign: avoiding the spam folder. The subject line and preheader text are vitally important to deliverability, but there’s more. Allison Reynolds, co-founder of The Get Smart Group marketing firm, oversees email marketing campaigns for its clients. She says the…
An increasing number of commercial pool owners are requiring any service profession who offers pool maintenance to carry liability insurance. As the exclusive insurance provider for the Independent Pool & Spa Service Association since 1981, Ray Arouesty, J.D., senior vice president of Arrow Insurance Service (a division of HUB International Insurance Services, Inc. in West…
Testing water quality is a constant for pool service professionals. What is not constant, however, are the testing methods or the results. A few pointers will ensure an accurate reading on the pool water, starting with a reliable test kit. Greg Garrett, director of technical services for the National Plaster Council and Association of Pool…
Most company owners spend more time planning their vacation than they do planning for the growth of their company. Let’s take a fictional family vacation and draw a few comparisons between vacation planning and business planning. Let’s assume you live in Winston-Salem, N.C., and you are going to drive to Fargo, N.D., for your family…
Looking back What kind of a year 2015 was for you, and why? “Very slow with pool installations due to the weather. People don’t buy pools if it’s not hot enough to swim!” — Doreen ZettleBZ Pools & Decks Inc.Johnstown, Pa “Moderate growth, improved margins, lower operating costs, and higher net profits were slightly offset…