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Industry News
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Video Gallery
 Check out the latest videos featured in the Pool & Spa News Video Gallery. The videos showcase the latest products and equipment, as well as in-the-field demonstrations.
Latest video: See how to retrofit a spa drain to become compliant with the VGB Safety Act.
• Watch Videos...
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Service Tip
Regardless of the situation, avoid trying to talk your customer through a pool problem on the phone. In most cases, they don’t know the equipment well enough to accurately describe the problem, and giving them a step-by-step solution could just lead to more confusion. Worse yet, if they are injured in the process, you could be liable. Instead, make a personal service call to diagnose the problem on-site. In addition to collecting a service charge, you’ll leave knowing the pool is operating as designed.
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Top 50 Buzz
 What new initiative are you working on?
We’re implementing a variety of cost-cutting measures that seem to be working.
How does it work?
We have meetings before we start work to plan everything with our supervisors. Let’s say we’re going out to lay out the pool, then we try to set up where we can find a close dump site. ... When we order materials, we get it from the best [local] supplier and make sure it’s in stock, so we’re not starting a job and then having to quit because there’s not enough.
We’re not allowing our supervisors just to drive all over. We have them report to us where they’re going during the day. We put trackers on our trucks. We follow up to make sure they shut their vehicles off when they come to a job, and don’t leave the trucks idling. In fact, instead of letting them take the trucks home at night, we keep them in the yard.
The supers now cover each other. We’ve cut back on our superintendents because they can overlap. This has been a great big success for us. This year, it’s changed our bottom line by about $3/4 million for the good.
— Dale Overson, president, Barrington Pools Inc., Barrington, Ill.
PSN Top 50 Builder (No. 17)
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Snapshot
 “Right now, we just finished a chemical sale that was very successful for us. It was better than last year. People are being conscious of what they are spending and wanted to take advantage of our sale. We came into the season hesitant about what was going to happen. Everyone was nervous. But, so far, we’re doing OK.
“At this point, the number of aboveground and inground pools we have sold aren’t as many as we have usually sold, but we are selling. We need to sell even more, though, to keep the crew on for the rest of the summer. We have enough to keep busy until the end of June. While the economy is a factor right now, the weather is always a huge factor. We’re just hoping for some warm weather.”
— Maria Geraty, owner, Geraty Pools & Spa, Herkimer, N.Y.
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Trade Show News
Make your Reservations Now for the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo
The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is the official headquarter hotel for the 2009 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo. Offering rates starting as low as $159 per night, this tropically themed hotel features a vast array of entertainment, dining and recreation experiences.
Last year the Mandalay Bay rate started out at $213, whereas this year the rate is only $159 — a staggering 75 percent savings! This upscale luxury hotel is located on the famous Las Vegas Strip and is just 1.5 miles from McCarran International Airport. Most importantly, the hotel is adjacent to the Convention Center — no wasting money on taxi cabs!
To receive Expo discounts, you must book your reservations through our online reservation system at www.HanleyWoodHousing.com. Only HanleyWoodHousing.com can sell rooms in our official housing blocks and at the lowest possible rate.
 Exhibits: Nov. 16-18, 2009
Conference: Nov. 13-18, 2009
Mandalay Bay Convention Center
Las Vegas, Nevada USA
972.536.6350
www.PoolSpaPatio.com | info@PoolSpaPatio.com
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