Photography by Scott Murrish Jack manilla had it all. After years of working for large corporations and “chasing the golden ring,” as he puts it, he had acquired large homes, condominiums, boats, cars and other toys. But he ended up in business with people whose values were in stark contrast to his, so he cut…
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…
Zodiac Pool Systems’ MX8 ELITE pool cleaner is the first to use scrubbing brushes that come into direct contact with the pool surface. This cyclonic scrubbing action powers away algae and fine, stuck-on debris that other cleaners often leave behind. “Most mechanized cleaners do not make active contact with the floor,” says Skye Svenningsen, product…
When Hayward hired Bob Hughes in 2007, its Rhode Island plant was out of space. Since then, it has almost doubled production there without expanding. How Hayward has accomplished this is a lesson in manufacturing efficiency and creativity, coupled with a commitment to improvement from the organization’s top leaders to its factory workers. In 2004,…
Although building a pool in someone’s backyard is no easy task, the world’s most massive water-based superstructures test the earthly possibilities of engineering and construction. From seemingly insurmountable design challenges to a complicated web of international laws and regulations, the minds behind the world’s most ambitious projects must find solutions to match their ideas. OdySea:…
in the last two years, marketing on Facebook has become very sophisticated, and advertising there can be profitable when done correctly. In 2014, a Gallup poll showed social media influenced only 5 percent of consumers’ buying decisions. The tide has turned since then, says Thorin McGee, editor-in-chief and content director of Target Marketing magazine. “This…
It creates massive frustration for you and your customers: A customer pays for the technician to come out, check the water chemistry and clean the pool; any chemicals added are noted as an additional expense. Unless the customer knows about these charges in advance, the bill can lead to heated debate when it arrives in…
Tracking fleet vehicles has become standard operating procedure for many businesses, including the pool service sector. There’s a high-tech name for this technology, too: telematics. You might even have a telematics device in your vehicle and not know it. “Telematics is better than GPS,” says Kelly Frey, vice president of product marketing at California-based Telogis….
You’re driving your family on a road trip, back before GPS or Google Maps. It seems like you should have arrived at your destination by now. The kids are asking, “Are we there yet?” Your wife gently suggests you might be lost. What’s your reaction? “I’m not lost; we will arrive soon.” Twenty minutes later,…