Posted by Mark Slaby on November 3, 2008 at 11:30pm
Is a deposit requirement a good thing for a pool project?We've all heard the stories - 80% up front and then the contractor is gone for a long time or for good. We've also had the experience of a customer changing his/her mind after the sale and havi
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Posted by Marc L. Brown on November 3, 2008 at 3:03pm
Hi all,I am setting up a seminar for the Atlantic City Show called " Tricks Of The Trade". Along with Ed Cohen from Long Island, we hope to replicate the Ideas and knowledge we have gathered to present to attendees. Education is key to this industry.
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Hi. I work on the Outer Banks of North Carolina installing inground pools and free standing spas. We have to deal with a lot of rental properties and the neglect and abuse that happens then. We have been proponents of Ray's "No Main Drain" policy for
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Posted by Rex Richard on October 31, 2008 at 3:00am
To facilitate "self examination", I have researched and prepared 150 specific questions to not only ask, but to use as a guide to closely examine your business health.
Last Friday I gave you the first five questions, and today we will explore the ne
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Posted by Mat Luebbers on October 30, 2008 at 3:03pm
Swimming pools. Great to have, right? Well, yes, that is the industry of this site. But what about the people that use the pool? Don't overlook them! I am a pool user, coaching swimmers of all ages and abilities. My side of things leans toward the co
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Posted by Ray Cronise on October 29, 2008 at 8:30am
As many of you know, I am often hailed as the “no main drain guy,” because for the last 6 years I have been pushing for the option (not the mandate) to build pools without a drain. You can read more about this concept in the November 2008 WaterShapesRead more…
Posted by Joe Dethloff on October 25, 2008 at 9:14am
Good morning from Jacksonville, FL. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about the initial success of the PGN!My background and formal education is in construction management. I began my college career with a love for science and engineering. W
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Posted by Rex Richard on October 24, 2008 at 7:28am
Mastering success in your swimming pool business includes many aspects, but it always requires attention to detail and the ability to "truthfully" self examine your behavior and performance.
To facilitate "self examination", I have researched and pr
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Posted by Steven Gorlin on October 24, 2008 at 6:30am
Business DevelopmentAre you a Wandering Generality or a Meaningful Specific?What is you Aim in life?If you already set goals this should be right up your ally. Truth is, only 4% of Americans set goals. Determining where you want to go and when you wa
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Posted by Judi McKay on October 22, 2008 at 9:56am
One of my favorite sayings is "Customer Service is not a Department, It is an Attitude"! How true it is! As much as we try to complicate what great service is...it really is pretty simple. It is giving more than what the customer expects...consistent
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Posted by Steven Gorlin on October 22, 2008 at 6:39am
Just a Suggestion from a student of Raving Fans.Step 1 DECIDE. Get together with your staff. Brain storm. If you already haven't, first define your customer. If you already have...do it again and see if anything has changed. Now... with that customer
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Something that has puzzled me of late is why we humans persist in asking questions that we have no intention of having answered. We posit a question when we have already fashioned a desired result. Our quest for the answer is a quest of self-satisfac
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As we all know, the life of a pool guy isn't always the easiest these days. Between the economy, the election uncertainties, and the housing market, I'm sure most of us are having a rough time selling the number of pools we need to in order to experi
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Posted by Ray Cronise on October 21, 2008 at 4:30am
All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, and/or, desire according to Aristotle. One is pressed to argue with this even 2300 years later. There are those in life that do not reflect
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Posted by Dennis Mino on October 20, 2008 at 8:30am
Addition of an Ozonator to a swimming pool enhances the overall swimming experience and reduces maintenance time and chemical requirements. They are a great addition to swimming pools with or without salt chlorine generators.The advantages of using o
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Posted by Steven Gorlin on October 20, 2008 at 6:23am
"There is one thing that is common to every individual, team, family, organization, nation, economy, and civilization throughout the world - one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the mos
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Posted by Ray Cronise on October 18, 2008 at 12:00pm
A few years back the people at Apple Computer asked us to “Think Different.” It was catchy, memorable, and to the point. Steve Jobs and the rest of the creative genius were doing just that - thinking different. Could we ever have envisioned that appl
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Posted by Wendy Purser on October 10, 2008 at 2:33pm
As I approach the half century mark of my life of which all but six or eight have been in this industry. From going on sales with Dad very young to the entrepreneur that I am now I have seen many changes. In the next few months I will reflect on thes
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Charge for Design or Give Yourself Away for Free?Charging for design in the pool industry has been a much debated and controversial topic of discussion since I entered my career, designing and building outdoor living environment in 1983. After studyi
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Posted by Rex Richard on October 9, 2008 at 7:30am
Most of us have entered the pool industry as "technicians" rather than businessmen. By that I mean we primarily began as either a "sales designer or manager", or a "construction super or service manager" who felt we could do the job as well as others
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