THE SCOOP ON SERVICE
8
Florida Pool Prosm • January 2016
When you compete on price alone, someone
else can always do it cheaper
By Keith Johnson, Tri-FL Water Treatment d/b/a Pool Works / [email protected]
When the great recession hit it
was pretty obvious that big ticket sales,
renovations and even pool service accounts
went on the decline. Pool service companies
had a diminished market share and pool
construction companies started taking on
work they had previously ignored, such as
renovations and repairs. As a result, many
of us reacted by dropping prices to defend
market share. For some it worked and for
many it didn’t, as price cutting still must take
into account the costs of doing business.
As things stabilized and have now
somewhat turned around, the last thing
to come back to normal is the old pricing
structures. It is obvious in the years since
the devastation of the recession that the
costs of doing business have increased yet
many are still holding fast to those lower
“recession era prices” at the detriment of
the financial health of their business.
So many companies today base
everything on price and fail to see the value
of what they offer. Take a good look at your
business model. Forget about pricing for
a moment and make sure that what you
offer is a true value. Are you licensed?
Do you carry proper insurance? Are your
trucks clean and well lettered? Are your
employees clean cut and well dressed in
a well lettered uniform or company shirt?
Lose the flip flops and be a pool service
professional. Are you offering a dependable
weekly service? If you tell a customer their
cleaning day is on Thursday make sure that
you not only adhere to that but be there
at approximately the same time EVERY
Thursday. Stand behind your work even
if it costs you money. Do comprehensive
background checks and drug testing on
your employees. Make sure you have the
best training for your staff.
Once you have those things in order
you should do one more thing. Advertise,
advertise, advertise all of those things. Use
your website, your employees and even
your door hangers to tell your customers,
“Always feel comfortable with us, we never
allow anyone in your backyard who hasn’t
undergone a comprehensive background
check, drug screening and drivers license
check. We are DBPR licensed, fully
insured and undergo more training than
anyone else in our marketplace.” Make
appointments and then keep them. Set
cleaning schedules and then keep them.
Do not base your business model on
price. Base it on quality, trustworthiness
and dependability. Drive those points
home every possible chance you get and
it will begin to stick. Once it sticks you can
then base your prices on your cost of doing
business. You can even start to build this
really cool concept into your business called
profit. Working for a profit is way better than
working for a wage. Profit allows you to
grow your business, add trucks and, best
of all, send your children to college!
Download the Expo App!
View course information. See
exhibitor information and plan who
you want to visit! View the exhibit
hall map and more!
Search FSPA in your app store to find it! The app is named Orlando Pool Show.