The pool/spa service franchiser Pool Scouts experienced significant growth in the first half of 2023 and expects that trend to continue through the year.
Overall, the company showed a revenue increase of 55% over the first quarter of 2022, said Michael Wagner, President of Pools Scouts, based in Virginia Beach, Va..
The company now has franchisees in 18 states. Unlike several of the other franchises or consolidators, this company spans into more seasonal states, including northern Virginia and Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Kansas, Idaho, and Utah.
The first half of the year saw six expansions and the addition of four new franchisees. In making these changes, Pool Scouts made its first entrances into Missouri and Illinois.
The company added approximately 5,000 new customers to its collective rosters.
“Almost 50% of our customers are brand new to Pool Scouts, and we’ve gotten more revenue per customer of those we already had,” Wagner said.
It establishes franchise territories in areas with single-family homes that have inground pools and where families tend to earn more than $100,000.
In addition to adding new franchisees, the company reported that sales for existing franchisees grew 39% over the same time last year. “That’s always a really healthy indicator of a business,” Wagner said. “It’s not just about new [franchisees], it’s about the existing locations.”
While inflation did play a part in that, he also attributed the growth to customers requesting more services than before. This includes repairs, as the company has put a greater emphasis on training franchises on repairs earlier in the process than before. Average revenue per customer rose 16% over last year, he said.
In its more seasonal states, Pool Scouts has seen a benefit that others don’t necessarily present. “A tremendous customer-acquisition opportunity occurs during pool openings and closings,” he explained.
Pool Scouts now has a total of 47 unique franchisees. This year, it hopes to increase that count by 18, with each holding up to two territories.
The firm is making aggressive moves to increase that number, targeting the Northeast and Southeast. It is close to selling out all its territories in North Carolina and South Carolina, and soon will open operations in San Antonio, Texas to expand its reach in the Lone Star State.
The company has been happy with the performance of its territories in Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho, so it is looking to expand into the Denver market as well. It also hopes to expand its Ohio footprint beyond Columbus, and it is strategizing an entry into the dense Las Vegas market.
