Turning the Offseason into Opportunity

Pool service companies experience smoking hot peaks and quiet valleys throughout the year. While summer may bring the bulk of revenue, the offseason presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It can be a good time for streamlining systems, developing marketing strategies and focusing on administrative tasks, but the bottom line is still the bottom line. Smart operators turn these quieter months into productive ones, offering pool equipment inspections and proactive maintenance services that keep income flowing, customers engaged and technicians on the payroll. Instead of going dormant, these businesses are staying visible and valuable — all year long.

A proactive approach increases customer loyalty and helps build trust. It shows your customers that you have their long-term interests at heart.”

Dave Mele, Pool Scouts

“We like the foundation of recurring revenue business for cleaning and chemical balancing, but repair revenue is an important chunk of the revenue pie in our industry,” says Dave Mele, president of Pool Scouts, a pool service company headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with 40 franchises in 18 states. “A proactive approach increases customer loyalty and helps build trust. It shows your customers that you have their long-term interests at heart. It reduces the risk of negative experiences, avoiding pools that won’t open, equipment that breaks midseason and surprise repair bills … so you can be the company that prevents problems.”

To help pool pros set up or expand these programs, we asked industry leaders to share their tips and best practices.

Scheduling and offering the service

Inspection dates vary by region. As a company in a warm weather market with fewer hard closing or reopening dates, Javier Payan, CEO and president of Payan Pool Services in San Diego, has a streamlined plan that fits seamlessly into routine service visits. Office coordinator Toula Payan contacts customers to tell them their tech will perform a visual inspection of their pool equipment during the upcoming visit — at no charge. (It only adds about 10-20 minutes to the normal day, she says.) 

Technicians photograph the systems or equipment they inspect and submit them to the office, where Javier personally reviews them. The photos are kept in the customer’s file for future reference, and notes and recommendations are compiled into a customer report, including item codes and estimated costs, using Jobber management software, Toula says. Jobber sends an email with the report to the customer, noting that the inspection — valued at $250 — was provided at no cost, and, of course, that the notes are just recommendations and options for customers to consider. The company follows up with a phone call, and if there’s no response to the report, Jobber sends a follow-up email two weeks later. 

Smaller companies can keep it simple. Nonconformance report inspection checklists and recommendations, handwritten by techs in the field and shared with customers, work well, especially if discussed face-to-face, says Nicole Geissberger, service coordinator for Hansen’s Pool & Spa, with locations in Wisconsin and Illinois. If customers aren’t interested at the time, the company suggests they get a quote in case they want the service in the future. “It adds a personal touch and shows the clients we’re looking out for them,” she says.

For those markets with clear season-related dates, “Postclosing and preopening windows are a great time — March/April and October/November,” Mele says. “When you have a slow period, techs are available, and customers are more open to proactive service calls.”

Hansen’s early dates for openings and closings give staff time for assessments and repairs before peak season begins. At one recent reopening, a tech discovered a heater so outdated that the manufacturer no longer made the parts — which couldn’t be sourced elsewhere and meant a total replacement. Geissberger says they explained the situation to the customer, adding that “we know it’s an upfront investment, but on the plus side, it comes with a manufacturer’s warranty and, of course, Hansen’s workmanship guarantee.” The customer agreed to the replacement.  

What to inspect

To prevent costly repairs and generate new business, techs know exactly what to look for — and what problems tend to crop up year after year. 

“It’s like Groundhog Day,” Javier Payan says. “When you’ve been doing this for a while, you see the same things keep popping up.” Common problems include leaking seals, malfunctioning automation panels, faulty heaters, cracked pump lids, clogged filters and damaged drain covers. Techs also look for plaster and vinyl liner issues, corrosion and even rodent damage. 

Vinyl liners are major revenue-generators. “Liners have a shelf life — at some point, they’re going to stretch, get wrinkles and fade — just general wear and tear,” Mele says. “And they need to be replaced. So, the offseason is a great time to do that, when you don’t have to give up access to your pool at the prime time that you need it.”

Hansen’s begins its reopening programs April 1, and by mid-May this year, the company already replaced 40 liners, with about 10 inquiries in the pipeline, Geissberger says.

Boosting business

Offseason work isn’t just about generating revenue — it’s also a way to retain skilled employees. Javier Payan explains that keeping technicians working year-round helps maintain their loyalty and makes good business sense, since they’re already trained in your processes. His company begins offering pool checkups in October and continues through March (with a break for the holidays), keeping the team consistently busy during the slower season.

There’s a lot of gold in backyards. My advice is to start with existing customers; deliver value and service, and you’re going to build that loyalty.”

Javier Payan, Payan Pool Service

Offseason inspections also uncover new sales opportunities. “We deal with green pools, and one of the major culprits is sunlight getting through a cover,” Mele says. Pool Scouts’ techs will suggest getting a solid, dark cover. “If you do that, the odds of opening to a much clearer pool go way up,” he says.

When Hansen’s service techs are on-site, they may spot a hot tub and say: “I see you have a hot tub. How’s everything working?” That simple question may lead to the homeowner answering, “Well, it needs work.” Geissberger says the tech will then ask if the customer wants a quote, assuming the repair falls within their scope.

Getting started 

“There’s a lot of gold in backyards,” Javier Payan says. “My advice is to start with existing customers; deliver value and service, and you’re going to build that loyalty.” Plus, he says, you’re going to uncover things that need to be done and will become revenue-generating. For example, you’re starting customer conversations about new technology and innovation, even things like replacing regular lights with LED lights.

Another tip: Coach your team on how to sell inspections. “It’s not just having it as a product offering, you want your staff trained to sell it,” Mele says. “Your technicians are in the field, and they need to be able to communicate the benefits clearly. You also want your office staff, who are managing phone relationships with customers, to be able to explain the benefits of it.”

The payoff

Offseason doesn’t have to mean off the radar. By offering inspection programs and proactive service calls, pool service companies can maintain steady revenue, deepen customer relationships and keep staff busy and loyal.

“A lot of pool companies go quiet in the offseason, but if you stay in touch with value-added services like [equipment inspections], you remain top of mind,” Mele says. “You position yourself as a pool expert 12 months a year.”