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Growing your business

Tap into the community network to buy and sell routes and share information & best practices to help you grow as a business owner and leader.

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wakefieldpoolandspaRookie Member

asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Best Fleet Fuel Card Recommendations

Howdy everyone! I’m shopping around for fleet fuel cards and just wanted to see if anyone had any solid recommendations in their experience.

1495

1 year ago

Happy PoolsGeneral Member

posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Structured pricing vs. “winging” it?

How many of you guys use a pricing structure to generate quotes? At the moment I kind of pull a number out of my butt and see if it sticks. It’s an educated guess of the high end of the range I think I can get without too much price pushback, but it delivers inconsistent results. I am working on a solid price structure that I use consistently, but I’m trying to make sure I cover my bases without being overly complex. Pro’s and cons- Winging it lets me experiment with pricing on the fly based on the conversation I am having with the customer. Structured pricing would let me delegate the quoting function, or not have to put much mental energy into it (maybe AI can do it for me if I have the right guardrails…). What do you guys think? If you were building a pricing structure for the first time (or again) what elements would you include in the structure?

2795

1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

The year is flying by as we get ready to head into the long weekend, and it's full-on right now to keep up with everything to ensure your customers, your team, and the day-to-day operations are running smoothly. But it's also important to take a moment to stop working IN the business and start working ON the business as part of a 2024 midpoint check-in! This interactive workshop design is precisely for that, to help you understand how you are tracking against your FY24 goals so you can either stay the course with renewed confidence, revise your goals based on insights and trends, or even set new goals—which it's never too late to do!The session will be hands-on, with worksheets, activities, and live discussion. Its purpose is to help you create clear, actionable goals for the remainder of 2024 and set yourself up for heading into 2025 with aligned business objectives. Even if you didn't start the year with a plan, this is your chance to map out what you want to achieve before the end

24816

1 year ago

ClarityDerekRookie Member

asked in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Orenda and Skimmer

Does anybody know when Orenda and Skimmer will integrate on Skimmer app? Thank You!

48616

1 year ago

PoolScientistNew Member

asked in Buying & selling routes & equipment

Trucks

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1 year ago

GreySharkPoolsConversation Starter

posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

From Bland to Branded: How a Wrap Put Our Mascot on the Map

When our pool company started, we noticed that most service companies in our area had plain work trucks with poor signage, if any. It was hard to tell who they were, what they did, or how to contact them.We knew we needed a way to make a splash (pun intended) and stand out from the crowd. Still, when the only available pickup truck that met our budget and equipment needs was a plain white pickup truck, we contacted a highly recommended vehicle wrap company. They assured us they could turn our plain truck into a rolling billboard that would stand out and be memorable.After providing them with our logo featuring our mascot, Greyson the Shark, they got to work on the design. We were pretty excited when we approved the final renderings but were amazed to see the fully wrapped truck in person. The transformation accurately represented the look and feel we wanted for our business. It communicated who we were, what we did, and how to reach us. The visibility of our business skyrocketed after

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1 year ago

sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Are you struggling with reconciling Skimmer payouts in QuickBooks? Would you be interested in a live demo with Q&A to ask your questions? I understand how QuickBooks can be overwhelming and confusing to set up and use, especially in a business like pool cleaning.No worries, I’m here to help. So take some time to get out of the heat and join me on Zoom by selecting YES in the poll below! Date: Thursday, July 11, 2024Time: 3:30 - 4:15 PM EDT / 12:30 - 1:15 PM PDTLocation: Zoom Select YES to register, and we will email you the Zoom link 👇

510

1 year ago

Pool Man MikeSpecialist

asked in Buying & selling routes & equipment

financing Pool Routes

This is for anyone that has financed (not owner financed) a pool route. I’m curious as to how the experience was? What were the terms like? Were you still profitable while paying back the loan? Would you do it again if given the opportunity?

580

1 year ago

365Pools_77Rookie Member

posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Dominate the Game: Empowering Major Accounts with Irresistible Value Propositions

I recently had the opportunity to write an article for Pool Pro Magazine for the FSPA. I wanted to share it here in hopes that it might help others in their pool endeavors. Cleaning the pool, balancing the water, passing health inspections, making repairs, replacing pumps—sounds pretty mundane, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. Any licensed pool technician can shoot off a quote with a click of an email. But landing that big commercial pool contract for repair or service? That requires a connection that goes beyond the everyday tasks.Major account clients seek more than just routine maintenance. They look for partners who offer something exceptional. From my experience, the most common complaint from commercial clients isn’t about cleanliness or inspection failures—it’s about the lack of significant value beyond basic pool maintenance.A compelling value proposition promises an exceptional experience, not just an invoice. It’s this great experience that sets you apart and helps clients s

701

1 year ago

Michelle KavanaughSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Effective Project Management Tips

As a pool service professional, managing multiple projects, client requests, and team members can be a daunting task. Skimmer is great for managing your customers, work orders, and keeping track of your pool service pros, but, how are you managing internal projects, human resources, and administrative tasks.Effective project management is essential to ensure that everything runs smoothly, deadlines are met, and team members are happy. By addressing these areas, you can enhance your workflow, boost productivity, and provide exceptional service to your clients.Team Synchronization: Keeping Everyone on the Same PageOne of the biggest challenges in project management is ensuring that all team members are synchronized. Miscommunication and lack of coordination can lead to delays, errors, and frustrated team members, which can impact your clients in a negative way with absences, turnover, or lackluster performance.Here are some tips to improve team synchronization: Regular Team Meetings: Sch

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1 year ago

RyanSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Launching Google Ads - Ask Me Anything!

Hey there! Wanting to run Google Ads to get more pool accounts this summer? Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect and how we see them perform for our clients! Google AdWords search campaigns are the top way to get in front of potential clients that are in need of weekly pool service. You can skip the years of SEO and essentially buy your way to the top of Google at a good price. (If It’s Done Correctly) There are many different types of Google campaigns but the most popular are “Search” campaigns and “Smart” campaigns. Custom Search CampaignsThis type of campaign is usually the most effective campaign if you know what you’re doing. This Is the type of campaign that we run for our clients. It makes sense when you know what you’re doing as google doesn’t give you any training wheels and you’re 100% in full control of your strategy. Smart CampaignsThese campaigns are usually what Google pushes when you first start your new google ad account. They are very easy to setup as google

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1 year ago

RyanSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Marketing tips to get new customers

Hello!My name is Ryan, and I will be a regular contributor to The Pool Deck, sharing marketing ideas that I've had success with and learned from running my own pool service business.I hope I can inspire you to use new tactics to promote your business, attract new customers, and build your brand!I've been seeing shifts in the pool marketing space, and it's more important than ever to start diversifying your marketing strategy. Relying on only one marketing channel can deliver inconsistent results, especially when the pool business is so seasonal. My company, Pool Monopoly, has also seen a change in the last year or two with how much competition has entered the pool business, especially with private equity firms getting into the space. One of the most significant impacts is the cost per lead, and I think it will continue to rise. So, I am constantly finding new ways to keep lead costs low with unique strategies to acquire new customers throughout the year. Here are some ideas to get you

2756

1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

On-demand access: Double Your Profits - Strategies for Growing Revenue (Without Adding More Pools)

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Join us for a webinar featuring renowned business strategist and Yummy Pools Co-founder Casey Graham. He'll share his insights on how to increase pool service revenue without adding more pools.

860

1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

On-demand access: Not Just Keeping Score - What Great Account Can Do For You

Matt McMichen, CEO and Co-founder of Margin CFO, joins Skimmer to discuss what good accounting can do for your business. When accounting is done right, it can be a powerful tool to help you make informed business decisions.

140

1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

On-demand access: How to Raise Prices (and Increase Profit)

In this webinar, Bryce Sirrine and Niki Acosta discuss the why, when, and how of raising prices, as well as debut the Skimmer Price Increase & Profit Calculator.

860

1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

On-demand access: Making Cash Flow - Best Practices to Get Paid Faster

The best pool & spa pros know strong cash flow is the key to growth. Hiring techs, buying new trucks and equipment, and even keeping up with chemical prices all require a healthy bottom line.Join Skimmer and special guest, Professor of Accounting Eric Hirst, as we discuss how to fund growth (or pad your retirement) by making simple changes that accelerate your ability to generate cash. You’ll learn:How to measure the health and speed of your cash flow How to create a payment experience that helps customers pay faster The financial metrics you need to know (and lenders or acquirers want to see) The 3 simple rules to maximize cash flow (spoiler: don’t take cash)

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1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

On-demand access: Managing Expectations with Service Agreements

Do you have customers who refuse preventative service? Do you find yourself chasing down payments for customers who consistently pay late?In this webinar, Beyond Pool Cleaning owner Bryce Sirrine and Skimmer's Niki Acosta share strategies to protect your business and delight your customers. You’ll learnHow to create service contracts with clauses that protect you and your customer Welcome packets that define success and create long-term partnerships Setting healthy boundaries and parting ways with customers who aren’t right for your business

960

1 year ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

On demand access: Buying and Selling Pool Routes - Considerations and Best Practices

Buying and selling pool routes is integral to owning a successful pool service business. In this webinar, Owner of Beyond Pool Cleaning, Bryce Sirrine and GM at National Pool Route Sales, Chris Webb discuss considerations and best practices for buying and selling routes.

420

1 year ago

sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Customizing QuickBooks for Business Insights

The key is customizing your Chart of Accounts and Product Income and Expense accounts to align with your business and the reports you want to see. In order to generate reports in QuickBooks that show you the information you want to see, customize your chart of accounts tailored to your pool service business.For example, if you clean pools and charge labor plus chemical, I would suggest creating the following income accounts: Sales of Pool Cleaning Labor Income Sales of Chemical IncomeIn addition, I’d recommend creating a custom cost of goods sold account:Cost of Chemical SoldFor each chemical product you create, designate the income and expense account in QuickBooks accordingly: Examples: Non-Inventory Product: Granular Shock Income Account: Sales of Chemical Income Expense Account: Cost of Chemical SoldIf you charge customers for repair labor separately from the parts needed, I would suggest creating the following accounts: Sales of Repair Labor Income Sales of Parts IncomeIn additio

760

1 year ago

sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Sales Tax Settings in QuickBooks to match Skimmer

In case you’re struggling with QuickBooks changing the sales tax rate on invoices, this post may help resolve the issue. Without actually seeing your QuickBooks account, I'm guessing what I think may be the issue.My guess is that you may have each customer's tax rate in QuickBooks set to "based on location," therefore, QuickBooks is "correcting" your invoices with the tax rate based on the physical address of the customer and not using the custom sales tax rate you created and assigned in Skimmer.In order to stop the autocorrection, try the following steps:Set up custom Sales Tax rates that are identical to what you set up in Skimmer. Edit each customer's sales tax rate in QuickBooks to the tax rate that you assigned to the customer in Skimmer.Here’s a video to show you how to make the changes. I demonstrate how to use three tax rates, but if choosing to only use one or two, you would only create the custom sales tax rates needed and manually apply it to each customer as shown in the v

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1 year ago

sharonburchSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

What’s your biggest challenges when it comes to using QuickBooks?

In talking with pool pros, I noticed there can be some eye rolling when it comes to Quickbooks and bookkeeping in general. Is this true for you? If yes, I’d love to learn what your biggest frustrations are when it comes to using QuickBooks. Would you mind taking a minute to respond to the poll below?I’ll use your feedback to share the top three challenges in a future post, along with specific resources to address those challenges directly, once several people have taken the poll.Thanks in advance! What’s your biggest challenges when it comes to using QuickBooks?

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1 year ago

nikiacostaTeam Skimmer

posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Clean is Key: Keep Clients Happy Between Service Visits With Pool Cleaners - AQUA Magazine

Upsell opportunities! Bonus if you’re skilled in the art of repairing Polaris units. https://www.aquamagazine.com/retail/pool-cleaners/article/15668847/clean-is-key-keep-clients-happy-between-service-visits-with-pool-cleaners?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD240530006&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=3792A1312967B9X

230

1 year ago

blueoasispoolsConversation Starter

asked in Buying & selling routes & equipment

Routes for sale

Does anyone have any routes for sale in the Mesquite, Nevada area?

430

1 year ago

Michelle KavanaughSkimmer Verified Partner

posted in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Setting Revenue Goals for Pool Service Pros

As a pool service professional, setting clear revenue goals and accurate forecasting are crucial steps in ensuring the growth and sustainability of your business. Many small business owners overlook this aspect, focusing solely on daily operations. However, taking the time to plan your financial future can provide significant benefits. I'm Michelle Kavanaugh, President of MK Inc., and I want to share some insights to help you set realistic revenue goals for your pool service business.Understanding the Importance of Revenue GoalsRevenue goals act as a roadmap for your business. They provide direction and measurable targets to strive for. Without these goals, it’s easy to lose focus and miss opportunities for growth. Setting revenue goals helps you:Measure Progress: Track your performance against your targets and adjust your strategies as needed. Motivate Your Team: Clear goals can inspire your team to work harder and more efficiently. Plan for the Future: Understanding your financial ob

1011

1 year ago

Michelle KavanaughSkimmer Verified Partner

published in Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Mid-Year Strategic Planning

Hello everyone, this is Michelle Kavanaugh and I have been in the pool industry for 20 years mostly on the education side. I was the Mission Development Director of NSPF (the CPO people before PHTA) and then I was the Executive Director of the California Pool & Spa Association. I started my own business in 2019 and I am committed to mentoring small business owners who are ready to transform their businesses from a job to a legacy. Whether you're new to setting business goals or reassessing your current targets, now is the perfect time to review and pivot if necessary. If you haven't been a goal-setter in the past, start today! There's still plenty of time left this year to test strategies and try new things. Here are a few tips to get you started:Set Clear, Specific Goals: Define what success looks like for your business. Break Down Goals: Divide big goals into smaller, manageable tasks. Track Progress: Regularly monitor your progress and adjust as needed. Stay Flexible: Be ready t

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1 year ago

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