Ideas & inspiration for business owners

Greetings:My name is Brian Woodworth and I consider myself to be an independent “expert” on the programming and operational optimization of Skimmer.   I am a business consultant that specializes in helping small companies achieve operational control using available technologies like Skimmer.In the two years that I have been using Skimmer, I have helped new users configure and optimize new implementations, and I have also helped existing users modify/supplement/enhance their existing installations.   I have installed CRM’s to work in concert with Skimmer, and I have also optimized their financial connectivity using the QBO integration.  I have helped companies with 0 to 6 years of experience with Skimmer, and ALL have benefited immensely.  I am well-versed in the fields of finance, employee engagement, quality control, human health & safety, engineering, inventory control & management, training, and customer service.  With respect to Skimmer, I am profici

Hey everyone,I’m curious to hear how other pool professionals approach billing for plaster startups. Do you typically charge a flat fee, base it on square footage, gallons, or go time and materials?Personally, I charge by the square foot of water surface area, with the rate varying depending on the type of interior finish. I stay on the pool for at least three weeks, and I usually try to wrap up the startup during the last week of the month so it transitions smoothly into normal maintenance billing. I’ll often discount the startup if the customer hires me for ongoing service — and in some cases, like a pebble pool with no salt system, I’ll even include the startup at no additional charge, since my costs are minimal.That said, I’m not always sure if I’m giving away too much on the startup when they sign on for maintenance, so I’d love to hear how others handle that balance.How do you all h

Hey everyone,I’m curious to hear from other pool service companies, when did you decide it was time to bring in a CRM tool to manage your business?A few specific things I’d love to know:Roughly how many pools/accounts were you managing when you made the switch How many employees or techs you had at that point What CRM features ended up making the biggest difference for your operations And of course, which company or platform you went withI’ve heard some people using Go High Level as a good budget CRM option, and it sounds like Skimmer might be planning an integration with them, which sounds interesting.Would love to hear your experiences, what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d do differently if you were starting over.

I think we should be looking at HVAC, electrical, plumbers who are all a decade ahead of us. Im in a best practices group and they are running trades much more profitable. Here is what I would like to see in Skimmer for pricing a jobSet a Job Install Pump. That is the job. In the job you set time. Two hours. In the system you set your $250/hr for labor. So it knows it needs to charge $500 for labor. Then when you select the job there is  an add product feature and you select the product from your catalog. So say you select a pump and the cost is $1500. you set in the settings all products between $1000-2000 get a 75% margin on them. So if the pump is 1500, and then later when we have heritage linked if the price becomes 1600 you don’t need to do anything, it will stall take the margin you want on the pump and the labor. And maybe you add a second item which is a new electrical whip. Price is $20 and your margins on that may be 150% because you set your margins at 150 for anyt

This is Part 6 in a series of posts looking at how to stop managing and start managing as a leader. We are exploring are the critical aspects of effective leaders.Tip 6: They Keep A Good PerspectivePowerful leaders don’t allow their desire to be liked to outweigh their commitment to be of service. There is a fantastic scene in the Nelson Mandela documentary A Long Walk to Freedom where he makes a public appearance shortly after being released from 27 years of prison. “You have trusted me to be your leader and as your leader, it is my responsibility to tell you that you are wrong,” Mandela says in one of his speeches. “We must forgive the British. We must put an end to this fighting.”Mandela knew many would be resistant to and angered by his message. But he was willing to say what needed to be said. He held a bigger commitment to b

Hello all,I am relatively new to the business. I own a company with ~120 pools. When hiring new employees, I would really like to know who exactly I am sending onto my client properties. I am wondering how many owners out there do background checks on potential new employees?  Also, what sites or companies are you using to do the background checks? Besides driving record and obvious violent crimes, what red flags should I look for?Tom

Hi, I’m shopping around for general liability insurance and am looking for recommendations. 

I have a unique business with 4 retail stores and routes.  We currently utilize Skimmer for routes and work orders (essentially every job our techs do). That being said, we are currently utilizing another platform for invoicing and inventory due to our retail showrooms. I am wondering if anyone has found a way to use Skimmer only for this type of thing, or have integrations to make it work that way.

Hi Everyone - is there a pool app out there that can give you the gallon capacity of a current pool when looking to take on a new customer (maybe just an address to punch in to get the figure) - I understand how to calculate from the CPO course I just completed, but thought there may be a quicker way to get the figure - I’m sure alot of these pool owners don’t even know their gallon capacity or they think they do and the figure is incorrect - Just trying to save time and be accurate….. Thank you all in advance - hope you’re having a good work summer - brutally warm down here in SW Florida right now - take care and invest in some “poweraid” when it’s on sale…. Cheers from the rookie “Big Steve - BBG Pool Services”

Is anyone able to do away with their external price lists?  I have a price list in Excel.  So far, it has 1200 items or so...been building it since starting the company 20 months ago.

Hey everyone, we are located in Georgia and currently we pay our technicians hourly. We have noticed there is no incentive to be quick other than finishing their day early (which means less pay for them) and a pat on the back. Has anyone had any experience on a pay per pool or any other way to encourage and reward technicians to be quick?

This is Part 5 in a series of posts looking at how to stop managing and start managing as a leader. We are exploring are the critical aspects of effective leaders.Leaders are willing to have direct, straight conversations with others. If something isn’t working with a team member, they address it head on. Instead of being negative, blaming or complaining, they are supportive and offer empowering feedback with the intention of making a difference. They are committed to each and every team member’s growth. If they keep their mouth shut and don’t offer feedback, not only does their team member not learn and grow, but it also sabotages the business and their ability to generate revenue. Ready to stop putting off those crucial conversations and start driving real results? Get Your FREE Report Now!

This is Part 4 in a series of posts looking at how to stop managing and start managing as a leader. In this series we are exploring are the critical aspects of effective leadership.THEY ALLOW THE FUTURE TO SHAPE THEIR ACTIONSPowerful leaders take action for the future instead of allowing the past to hold them back. Most of us take action based on our limited beliefs and perspectives in our business. For example, if you had a poor first quarter, it’s easy to feel discouraged. However, a powerful leader keeps recommitting to his or her vision, and they begin to succeed one step at a time.The only thing we can say that is the truth about the future is that it is unknown. And therefore it existsas pure possibility. Instead of working from their past, extraordinary leaders work backwards from their vision to create the future they desire. LEADERSHIP QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER: Identify one resu

Hi Everyone!My husband and I own Pure Blue Pools. For more than a decade, I have been in the software and web design industry before I was introduced to the world of pools. During my time as a web designer and co-pool business owner, I have learned a few SEO tricks that allow customers to find your website faster without spending any money on ads. For those who don’t know, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s a long, technical sounding phrase that simply means you should add certain keywords to your website, so the right people find you. As you know in the pool industry, when you know certain tips and tricks -- that non-pool industry people don’t know -- it can make your life a whole lot easier. The same goes for websites. All you have to do is make a few small changes to make a huge impact. Here’s what I’ve learned:1.) Before

This is Part 3 in a series of posts looking at how to stop managing and start managing as a leader. We are exploring are the critical aspects of effective leaders. THEY HAVE A DEEP CONVICTION TO SUCCEEDRegardless of how long it takes, these leaders hold a deep conviction that they will succeed in the end. They are tenacious. They don’t just give up after a short amount of time.In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins describes The Stockdale Paradox. Admiral James Stockdale was the highest-ranking U.S. military officer at the height of the Vietnam War. He was tortured over 20 times during his eight years at a prison camp. When he was asked how he made it through, he said, “I never lost faith in the end of the story. I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life.”Jim Collins and his team recognized this w

This is Part 2 in a series of posts looking at how to stop managing and start managing as a leader. We are exploring are the critical aspects of effective leaders.THEY ARE COMMITTED TO A VISION.  Leaders inspire others. They spend time working on their business instead of just working in their business, and they are willing to embody their vision.John Yokoyama, the owner of the world famous Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, appeared on my weekly Business Leadership radio show. People come from all over the world to watch the fishmongers at the Pike Place Fish Market as they toss fish to each other. They are drawn there because the fishmongers have created a playful, boisterous environment.When you enter, you are instantly greeted by the market’s energy. I asked Yokoyama how he supports his crew and creates such a lively and engaging workplace.“Each

AS A YOUNG GIRL, I was fascinated with why some people had amazing lives and why others failed.Nearly 23 years ago when I began coaching entrepreneurs and business owners, I became intrigued by what distinguished a good business from an extraordinary business. In both growing my own business and coaching my clients, I’ve learned the secret lies in transforming yourself from manager to leader.Your business is either growing or dying; you can’t stay in one place. Building a successful business and team is about evolving. You’re either progressing and expanding, or stalling and contracting. This includes being a leader that focuses on the important things — even in the midst of your busy season.Many leaders struggle with managing (i.e., being a manager) vs. being a leading (being a leader) in their business and at work.I will be creating a series of posts in r

One pool and spa/hot tub business client shared with me that a customer had purchased a sauna and was extremely unhappy due to multiple service calls. An employee then drove to the customer’s house before and after work multiple times to get it running the way it should be. Since then, the customer went on to buy a sauna and a hot tub! Studies have been done that prove that we have an opportunity to turn upset customers into raving fans when we are committed to having a heart of service. Teach your service department to resolve customer frustrations by following these simple steps:1) Acknowledge the problem instead of jumping to defend the company or the service tech involved.2) Empathize and apologize regardless of whether they are right or wrong.3) Accept full responsibility to fix the problem in a timely manner.5) Remai

I received a phone call this week from an employer who is struggling with finding the right employees in today’s job market. I was thinking about some of the suggestions that I shared with him, and I wanted to pass my advice onto all of you! TAKE ON A POSITIVE MINDSET Good people are out there. You will find awesome candidates. If you have this mind-set, you will take more effective and empowered actions than the leader who believes all the good people are taken and no one is out there. Be the kind of leader who finds employees in unique, easy and effortless ways. Though you may have had a position open for a long time, don’t resort to hiring just anyone. You have an obligation to your current staff to hire someone who fits you