March Leads Offer Hope for Some Pool Builders - PSN Insider

April 8, 2009

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Industry News

March Leads Offer Hope for Some Pool Builders
- Pool & Spa News
Many builders across the nation reported that March saw an increase in leads for middle- to high-end pools over January and February. While this is nothing approaching the spring leads seen during the housing boom, it represents a much-needed improvement.
Same as Cash: Good as Gone?
- Pool & Spa News
Pool and spa retailers soon could be forced to ditch a popular sales and marketing tool.
Study: Early Swim Lessons May Reduce Drowning
- The New York Times
Amid Drought, VGB Act Has Commercial Pool Owners Worried About Wasted Water
- Mercury News
News Video: Shasta Aids Homeowner Left with an Unfinished Pool
- AZFamily.com
Crypto Clue: One Person to Blame for Sydney Outbreak
- The Sydney Morning Herald
Miami Heat to Make a Splash with 2009 Learn to Swim Water Safety Campaign
- Heat.com

Service Tip

At a time when saving every penny counts, make sure your truck is getting the best gas mileage possible. First, make sure you’re only carrying what you need for the day, and try to avoid driving on a full tank. The extra weight will reduce your MPG. Also, be diligent about checking your tire pressure. You can save 3.3 percent on gas mileage by maintaining a proper psi reading for your tires. Also, if you have an older truck, cleaning the air filter is a simple way to improve your MPG. Although these may seem individually insignificant, an eye toward fuel efficiency will put extra money in your pocket.

Top 50 Buzz

What new initiative are you working on?
We’ve gotten our company very lean in fixed payroll, salaries. So I’m chief cook and bottle washer now. I’ve gotten more diligent about watching the business, and I don’t let anybody else do it anymore.

How does it work?
I sit at my desk day in and day out, and crunch numbers and watch schedules, people, cost and overhead.

I watch every lead that comes in and every sale that comes in. I'm always looking at percentages of sales versus leads, so I know that I'm still good. And I’m watching permit reports to notice if my competitors are fighting the same battles I'm fighting.

I watch construction. I approve payroll, down to my concrete finishers — by how many hours they put in and how long they stayed on a job. I look at every invoice from every subcontractor, to be sure that they’re right on budget. I watch how much I spend for cement. If I can save $1 per bag somewhere else, then I’m looking for it.

— Ron Robertson, president, Robertson Pools, Coppell, Texas
PSN Top 50 Builder (No. 30)

Snapshot

“I have been doing a lot of volunteering with [industry associations and charities]. I volunteer more than 500 hours a year. I really enjoy it. Every group meets monthly or quarterly, so it is a time commitment. It’s a matter of having good help and proper planning, so I can leave the office to go.

“It’s a way to give back, but it gives me a lot as well. I wind up with good friendships. And, when you develop all of these contacts, if you run across a problem, it’s easy, then, to pick up the phone and network to solve it. Plus, by being involved in these organizations, you gain credibility among your peers and your customers. We showcase our involvement with these organizations on our Wall of Fame, so our customers know how active we are.”

— Mark Berns, president, Palace Aids Fireplace, Pool & Spa Center, Torrington, Conn.

Upcoming Events

Benefit: Shawn Perry
A benefit will be held April 25 to support Shawn Perry, a Massachusetts-based independent pool builder/ installer, who is fighting cancer. The event will include live bands, a buffet, an auction and more. Proceeds will assist with medical bills and other expenses. For more info, call 508.496.7939. Or, donations can be sent to the Shawn Perry Family Fund, c/o Carmen Almeida, 119 Mendall Rd., Acushnet, MA 02743.

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