Pool and spa service professionals are known as technicians, but the job also is extremely customer-facing. Techs must explain to homeowners how problems occur, why new systems would work better, and how to use said technology.
Not only that, but you must enter the client’s property. The aim is to affect it as little as possible. That’s why service professional Ben Honadel and his staff at Pools by Ben keep their trucks off the driveway. A number of mishaps can occur, such as the chlorine stain Honadel witnessed when he visited a property for the first time to perform a repair. Placing a truck in the driveway can cause other annoyances, such as oil stains — or just blocking the homeowner’s car when they want to leave.
“I train all my techs to not park in the driveway,” says the owner of the Valencia, Calif.-based company. “Every time you do, it seems like somebody wants out or comes home and you’re in the way.”
In fact, Honadel’s wife, Jill, feels even more strongly about this. In working with Ben to choose remodelers for home-improvement projects, she has been known to eliminate contractors from the list of candidates for parking in the driveway. They both believe this shows a disregard for the customer and their needs.
So, with dolly in hand to carry your gear, go the extra (quarter) mile and park on the curb. “It’s just a courtesy and helps avoid a problem that’s totally not necessary,” Honadel says.
