The signs are everywhere: Now hiring. Help wanted. Bonuses for new employees. But good help still is hard to find. Frank Disher, a Poolwerx franchise partner in Texas, says COVID has had a huge impact on the employment status of local pool pros in his area. He receives a ton of applications but can’t seem…
Successful employee-recognition programs have little to do with the awards themselves, and more to do with a company’s culture. Kim Peters, an executive vice president at Great Places to Work, a global authority on workplace culture based in Oakland, California, says before singling out individual employees for awards, build a culture of trust. “Otherwise, these…
Keeping maintenance logs when servicing commercial pools is one of those tedious tasks that has to be done, as it is often a regulatory requirement. However, the rules and regulations regarding service logs can vary greatly from one area to another, or even from one health inspector to another. “Every inspector is different and will…
The Pool & Spa Apprenticeship and Training Committee (PSATC) has launched what is being described as a cutting-edge workforce development strategy, says Jennifer Farwell, program director for PSATC. An apprenticeship program is an approach to workforce development and quality assurance through a formal organized system that combines online training and coursework (144 hours) with on-the-job…
What to charge for pool service is not often discussed in our industry due to fear of anti-trust laws or price fixing. But while we need to be careful, everyone must figure out what to charge to run a profitable business. I’m not talking about cash flow or moving money around; I’m talking about understanding…
As summertime approaches, pool companies are preparing for another jam-packed season that could match last year’s surge in consumer demand for new pools. Despite the increased workload expected this year, many companies will offer employees vacation breaks during peak season. To prepare for both a busy season and planned staff vacations, companies have boosted hiring…
Working around beautiful pools all day sounds nice in theory, but when a repair or touch-up needs to happen in a customer pool, service pros must plan and prepare. No, we’re not talking about tools and materials here — we’re talking about the logistics of looking and staying professional when you may need to get…
Preconceived notions are a tricky thing, especially in the business world. And regardless of whether we recognize it, we all tend to assume things from time to time. Gender bias is the tendency to unconsciously attribute certain behaviors to one gender. In the pool industry, it can tend to show up on the sales floor,…
Pool professionals are in the business of taking care of customers, making it easy to focus on customer happiness and well-being. But how often do you think about the mental well-being of your employees? Mental health may be out of sight, but it shouldn’t be out of mind for pool company leadership, says Jules Johnson,…
For many pool pros, podcasts have emerged as a popular way to keep up with best practices and industry trends while driving from customer to customer. While it’s not a replacement for trade shows or conferences, it’s a valuable method for gaining free industry knowledge from your colleagues and experts. These audio talk shows are…
There are plenty of options for borrowing money for business needs, but knowing which to choose can be a challenge. Business owners often look to bank loans and lines of credit. With a fixed loan, the borrower is given a specific amount of funds for a certain amount of time, sometimes at a fixed rate…
By Kandice Matteson Pool company employees, like any other, are going to want time off for whatever reason. As seasonal as the pool industry is, specific policies for employee attendance and time off are essential. Flexibility is Key “Our earned time off is called FTO — flexible time off,” says Angela Barta, operations manager for…