Finding the value in trade show networking to benefit your business By Michelle L. Cramer In 1996, Tom Landi and his wife, Jennifer, purchased what would become Landi Pools & Games out of Vineland, New Jersey. Tom Landi recalls that, at the time, they lacked knowledge of the products and equipment available to the industry….
A Google search on the state of labor in the pool industry reveals an ocean of ominous headlines chronicling talent shortages, cross-company poaching, a perception problem and even an epidemic of suicide among construction workers. But if the labor crisis is real, some companies seem to be immune. Many businesses, no doubt, are caught in…
Because the sale is the fundamental building block for business success, sales teams are critical to the company, says Mario Rossetti, owner of business consulting firm Rossetti Enterprises. “As the old saying goes, ‘Ain’t nothing happening until something’s sold,’ ” he adds. Mike Logan, owner of Logan Pools in Brentwood, California, and a Certified Business…
By Evan Dawson Marketing to your ideal customer in 2017 We all know the worst thing you can do in marketing is, well, nothing. But wishing for results without a strategic plan in place is almost as bad. Some retailers sit back and hope a customer will walk into their brick-and-mortar location or wind up…
By Stacy Fender More than 20 years after Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department of Justice expanded the law’s scope with new standards governing accessibility for public pools. The rule was scheduled take effect in 2012, but implementation was extended to January 31, 2013, to avoid closure of pools around the country…
If you’re running your pool service company without a service agreement between you and your customers, you’re flirting with danger and loss of revenue and growth. “Service agreements are the foundation stone for profitable growth,” says Tom Grandy of Grandy & Associates, which works to teach contractors how to run profitable businesses. “It’s what ties…
Surprises during construction are never good. No pool contractor wants to bid out and start a job, only to start digging and realize there are soil issues that will increase costs or impact the project’s schedule. The risky business of soil “You want to make sure you’re putting the pool structure into competent soil,” says…
Photos by Wendy Stewart Adam Litke and Loren Cohodes got their start in the pool industry in different ways. Litke’s father, who was a high school principal, made him find a summer job when his biology grade wasn’t up to his standards. Litke made a good impression at the company, All Seasons Pools & Spas;…
photos by Womna Agbaza Next year, 600,000 people are going to replace pumps, says Greg Fournier, senior product manager for controls and backyard synergies at Hayward. Some will replace old single-speed pumps with another single-speed, but many will upgrade to a variable-speed pump. “Most new pools, probably about 65 percent, get some sort of automation,…
If you had been married 25 years and were having relationship problems, would you schedule an appointment with a 21-year-old college graduate? I have a hunch the advice provided wouldn’t help a lot. On the other hand, suggestions from an older couple probably would. Last year, I spent three days providing free coaching sessions for…
Jennifer Clements Pla-Mor Pools Mechanicsville, Virginia What do you love, or hate, about industry trade shows? I have always enjoyed attending industry trade shows. It’s exciting walking the showroom floor looking for the latest, greatest innovation to make our work easier, or our customer’s pool more fun. It is also a valuable opportunity to have…
What’s keeping you from hiring the best? The lack of labor comes up a lot in the pool industry. We hadn’t done a story on it, and I figured it was time — and would be a good read for our show issue. I didn’t expect the article to partly become a debate over whether there…