One thing that has struck me since I started at Pool & Spa News last summer is that almost everyone in the business (beside those of us at the magazine, of course) seems to have a favorite among “The Big Three” pool equipment makers. Builders and service techs alike seem to have a go-to company when they’re installing new pumps, heaters, filters and the like.
There’s nothing wrong with having a preferred company. Some techs like one over the others because they believe the equipment’s of better quality, or because one company’s reps are more attentive to techs’ needs or for other reasons.
But I was talking to a pool tech the other day and the name of one of The Big Three companies came up. It wasn’t the company I associated with this tech, so I said “Wait, isn’t [Company X] your favorite?” His reply was great. He told me that whichever company he preferred, his choice was the one that worked best for his customer. If his customer already had an electronic control setup from one company, he usually recommended replacement equipment from that company as well, just so it would be easier for the customer.
And that’s as it should be. In the end, making the customer happy is what puts more money in your pockets.
