Cover Care operates on a simple premise: “First to respond, fast to recover.”
The Indiana firm aims to repair automatic pool covers within 48 hours and install them within one week of order.
“Oftentimes in this industry, it’s two to three weeks to get someone to come out and service your cover,” says Jacob Bloss, operations director. “Our whole model is based on getting those pools covered as quickly as we can.”
It’s a strategy that has served Cover Care well over the past 35 years and fueled a rapid expansion over the past three. In 2014, the company opened its second location in Cincinnati. It’s now serving 15 markets in 11 states.
Bloss says there is very little competition in the locations where Cover Care currently operates. And where there are competitors they may also be pool builders who are booked weeks out. That gives Cover Care, with its laser focus on automatic pool covers, a competitive edge. Common service calls include replacing the fabric, which generally has a five- to seven-year lifespan. Over time, pinholes can develop in the material, causing water to seep through — rendering the cover unsafe.
Cover Care considers an uncovered pool, a malfunctioning or worn-out cover a danger that needs to be addressed ASAP. The company dispatches technicians as though they were emergency responders. Its service trucks are stocked with nearly every conceivable part for every make and model. Most repairs can be done immediately onsite.
“There are a lot of reasons to own an auto cover,” Bloss says, “but it’s all about the safety for us.”
Prompt repairs and installs means keeping technicians’ skills fresh and up to speed on the latest technologies. That’s why Cover Care’s employees go through 100 hours or training every year at its Indianapolis headquarters. Part of that training includes getting CPR-certified.
“That speaks to our focus on safety,” Bloss says. “We want people to feel like their pool is safe from the time we get there until the time we leave.”
Service isn’t the only thing the company does with speed: It’s also quick to expand to markets where there’s a need. Cover Care has already opened three locations this year with more on the horizon.
“We want to grow as fast as we can,” Bloss says. “We want to take over the country, to be honest with you.”
