Share Your Tips, Tricks, Techniques and Tools Of The Trade With Other Swimming Pool Professionals Here

Years ago a customer saw me doing something ( I do not exactly remember what it was) to her pool and remarked about it as being clever. She asked me if I was going to add it to my journal. I nodded with a grin to acknowledge her comment, but never really answered her question about making it a journal entry. First off, there was no journal. And secondly, what she saw was really not all that clever. Sure it might have been clever to her seeing it for the first time. Sure it might of been clever if I got it right the first time around. But I didn't and it wasn't. What she was really looking at was a culmination of many failed attempts disguised as cleverness.

A few years after this I actually started to keep a journal, of sorts, wholly prompted by this incident and this customer (unbeknownst to her). While not that organized and with lots of scribbling, a journal was born. The entries started to take shape and ultimately they began to share a common theme. They were all about methods and procedures. Ways of doing something easier. Things that worked quicker or better. These weren't exactly things you could buy or just take off the off the shelf and use. No these were things born from the trials and tribulations of failure. Simply the pains of experience.

Well over the years this journal has grown and is now as much as a sketchbook as it is a journal. I look at many of the entries and think of them like this: It is amazing how there are infinite ways on how not to do something yet only a few best or right ways to do something (think evolution, think a looong time). I will conclude this by leaving one example for now and ask all those interested to join in and share with others there own tips. Feel free to add anything related to the swimming pool industry including business, customer relations, technical, marketing and so on. I will look into forming a group with a similar headline.

Dusty DE

While DE filter powder is shipped dry primarily as a cost saving measure for the supplier, what remains is a health hazard for all those that handle it down the line. Eliminate this unfriendly and toxic dust cloud by soaking it. Simply empty the contents of a 25# bag of earth in a plastic bin or empty 100# cal-hypo container and pour about 3 gallons (more or less to taste) across the top of it. Remember, stand up wind and cut the bag lengthwise and across the bottom so it all dumps fast without shaking. Also wear eye and lung protection while doing this! The water will uniformly soak down through the powder when poured on the top only and requires no mixing. This water-permeated dampened DE “cake” can still be scooped and the volume will be somewhat less as when it was dry. Remember, keep a lid on it from drying out and you now have a safe (relatively), dustless supply of DE. This method can also be used to tame Perlite. So there, you can now live a long happy life as I have now given you no excuse to suffer and die from silicosis. In the meantime, search around for more eco-friendly filters and alternatives to DE.

Steve:

I've sent you a request to be a friend and included a comment regarding your 'skepticism' about Kurt Ridder's Z-Pumper.

As a pool tool inventor myself, I know how doubtful pool guys and gals can be when introduced to a new and perhaps radical idea. Because I can relate to his struggle of trying to bring a new product to market, I decided to try it. And guess what: the damn thing works. It works REALLY well. Go to the "VIDEOS" section of the PGN website and research the Z-Pumper video. It's not trick photography. I know 'cause I get the chance to use Kurt's amazing invention at least once a week around my pools here in Florida; especially during last hurricane season. Check it out.

I like your "Tricks, Tips..." post. I 'discovered' the "dusty DE" trick one morning after a rainstorm added a little unanticipated moisture into my DE powder container on my truck thanks to a small crack in the lid. It sure makes the whole measuring-out process less hazardous.

Here's one of my marketing tools: Offer one month of free service to an existing account when they refer a friend or neighbor. I usally qualifiy the whole deal with the stipulation that the NEW account has to establish a (good) 60-day pay history before giving away a free month of service. That's your call...

How many of you offer your customers email billing? It has cut my billing and invoicing time down to about 2 hours a month for 120 accounts and reduced my postage immensely. QuickBooks makes a really good, affordable program. Do you include a return envelope with your surface-mail billing? You'd be amazed at the return-time difference when you do. Think about a weekly service tag showing date, time and what you did (check boxes) WITH your company logo and contact info; it's a great little trust-building and business referral tool. Does anybody else out there offer one-invoice-a-year billing with a 5% discount? -Tal Millican

Replies

Chuck Beavers April 3, 2011 at 5:48am

When installing a new vinyl liner replacement in an older pool with a ledge we will build 2x4 Hs. It looks like a giant H or capital I. Then we would wrap wall foam around the edges of the cross boards to keep them from damaging the liner. Then slide them down the wall to sit on the ledge. It keeps the liner up on the ledge without sliding down the hopper. Then turn the vac on and start the water. Oh I don't know how many of you already know this, it's not new. Put the vac hose where the skimmer is. I mean cut a slot in the vinyl where you are going to eventually cut the skimmer out anyways. It allows you to install all of the bead in the track without having to wedge your vac hose in your bead.
Bud Brinkley March 30, 2011 at 3:02pm

Well it has been awhile since I've done the ole Leslie's lunch time thingy. I swear it worked like a champ though!
Heather Linton March 30, 2011 at 9:59am

Oh ok!! LOL I was about to say. I had intevied a girl for our office person, and I couldnt beleive that she said, " Leslies is the # 1 pool supplier ever" I about Craped a brick! HAHAH

BTW Thats a great idea!
Heather Linton March 28, 2011 at 12:30pm

WHY are you using Leslies??? There Prices are bazarr!! Do you not have a Jetline, SCP, PWP?

Bud Brinkley said:
It seems kind of silly, but I have made it a habit to eat my sack lunch in my lettered van while parked smack in front of my local Leslie's Pool Supply. I've lost count of the folks knocking on my van window asking if I could look at their pool for this or that problem. LOL

I got my best customer and job doing just that. We laugh about it together these days, because I told him about my tactics.

You have to do what you have to do when you are just starting out and starving......
Tal Millican January 28, 2011 at 7:42am

Steve:

I've sent you a request to be a friend and included a comment regarding your 'skepticism' about Kurt Ridder's Z-Pumper.

As a pool tool inventor myself, I know how doubtful pool guys and gals can be when introduced to a new and perhaps radical idea. Because I can relate to his struggle of trying to bring a new product to market, I decided to try it. And guess what: the damn thing works. It works REALLY well. Go to the "VIDEOS" section of the PGN website and research the Z-Pumper video. It's not trick photography. I know 'cause I get the chance to use Kurt's amazing invention at least once a week around my pools here in Florida; especially during last hurricane season. Check it out.

I like your "Tricks, Tips..." post. I 'discovered' the "dusty DE" trick one morning after a rainstorm added a little unanticipated moisture into my DE powder container on my truck thanks to a small crack in the lid. It sure makes the whole measuring-out process less hazardous.

Here's one of my marketing tools: Offer one month of free service to an existing account when they refer a friend or neighbor. I usally qualifiy the whole deal with the stipulation that the NEW account has to establish a (good) 60-day pay history before giving away a free month of service. That's your call...

How many of you offer your customers email billing? It has cut my billing and invoicing time down to about 2 hours a month for 120 accounts and reduced my postage immensely. QuickBooks makes a really good, affordable program. Do you include a return envelope with your surface-mail billing? You'd be amazed at the return-time difference when you do. Think about a weekly service tag showing date, time and what you did (check boxes) WITH your company logo and contact info; it's a great little trust-building and business referral tool. Does anybody else out there offer one-invoice-a-year billing with a 5% discount? -Tal Millican
Randy Mann January 25, 2011 at 10:56am

i got over 50 calls from one store alone
Matt Cellura January 25, 2011 at 10:47am

Nice idea, kinda ballsy, but i like it.

Randy Mann said:
go to home depot and tape your cards to the lids of the pucks buckets and shock boxes
Randy Mann January 25, 2011 at 9:05am

go to home depot and tape your cards to the lids of the pucks buckets and shock boxes
Kevin Humphreys January 22, 2011 at 9:59am

Like Bud i too have gotten customers while hanging out in local supply shops just by having my name on the back of my shirts, another place i have picked customers by the name on the shirt is at gas stations and grocery stores while waiting in line. Your like a mobile bill board when you have got your companies details on your apparel.

Kevin

PoolStar.net

RouteAccounts.com
Bud Brinkley January 20, 2011 at 8:51pm

Here is another tip. I had some stickers printed up that are sunlight fade resistant with my business name and phone number etc.and I place one usually on the control box or filter when I make a repair call. I have received a good many calls that way. It's really handy if the house is sold and the new owner is looking for pool services.

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