Keep Your Service Star Shining

Aqua Magazine released their 2012 "State of the Industry" Report in their May issue. The Service segment of the pool industry received glowing reviews, and were dubbed the "Star of the Recession." While every successful service company deserves due praise for keeping the industry moving through the downtimes, maintaining success requires just as much determination as creating it in the first place.

With this mindset, it is time to start planning forward - bring your success to the next level with a strategic plan of action. Adding a few minutes of education to your route can help you build your business and expand your customers horizons.

According to Aqua's report, maintenance and repair comprised a large portion of the work service comanpies were engaged in. Two very obvious reasons for this was the new legistation around VGB and ADA. 

Educating your customers on what the new rules are and how they can become complient was probably a regular speech for you - almost too easy of an argument for education. 

Apparently, "salt system installation averaged 5th in importance, but for 12 percent of providers, it was their NO. 1 profit center, indicating a focus on salt conversions as a business emphasis." If you aren't already promoting salt systems to your customers, this proves that it is a viable source of added income. If you start pointing out all the benefits to your customers - educating them! - you may find a nice spike in your profits is the result.

There was another section in the report that outlined products that sold well, somewhat to the surprise of service companies. This list included items like solar heaters, ozone and UV systems, liquid solar blankets, mineral removal products, and many more. If you start talking to your customers about how these products can improve their pool situation, you may also be surprised at the potential to increase your project profits. Just make sure that you are able to asnwer all the questions that may arise when you start talking about a new product. It may also be a good idea to have one-time installation products, like a solar heater, in addition to complementary items that build continual income, like a liquid pool cover.

One of my favorite comments throughout the article was in response to questioning about why revenue went up: "More focus on the complete service package." 

Offering the whole meal deal helps your business prosper, but it will also make life easier for your customer. Who doesn't love a one-stop-shop?