Aqua-Tech sees success by building strong relationships

by arslan_ahmed | January 26, 2023 10:00 am

By Tristan Marks

Aqua-Tech has been Winnipeg’s leading installer for swimming pools since the late 1970s, proudly offering high-quality water care, on-going service, and extensive maintenance support. Building from the superior quality of their pools, they now also offer a line of hot tubs, stunning pool remodels, and even luxurious bathroom renovations. They also provide beautiful, robust outdoor patio furniture, and custom outdoor kitchens.

As a company, Aqua-Tech prioritizes its network of relationships; both with its staff, clients, and the industry at large. Kathi Belcourt, the company’s director of sales and service, says when a business has a culture rooted in caring, profitability comes naturally.

“We have a seasonal staff of 125 and a full-time, year-round team of 26,” says Belcourt. “Our supplier partners are also great at helping us diversify to accommodate the changing demands of our consumers, as well as being innovators in the industry—they help us look smart.”

Building lasting relationships

This focus on a lasting relationship also extends to the client, too. The completion of any project is often just the beginning of a relationship with Aqua-Tech, explains Belcourt.

“Providing industry leading services, accessories and water care products, we are here to serve our clients for years to come, helping them keep their pool, hot tub, and backyard beautiful and clean with the least amount of work,” she says.

The company primarily sells steel and vinyl pools but is also eager to build concrete pools when needed. It has also teamed up with a major hot tub manufacturer to sell/install its line of spa and hot tub products.

Additionally, all Aqua-Tech’s products are backed and serviced by their in-house service and parts department. If there is a malfunction, or a product is not working correctly, an Aqua-Tech technician who has the knowledge and skills to solve their problem will be dispatched to the client’s house.

For pool installations, Aqua-Tech turns to its network of trusted and professional subcontractors to complete excavation, natural gas, and electrical work. Belcourt says this is another area where the importance of relationships shines.

“The subcontractors we use are the same team we’ve worked with for many years, so they understand us, and we understand them—again, it all comes down to wonderful relationships,” she explains.

Renovation work helps company growth

The company is also ready to perform renovation projects for its clients. This skill has become an important addition to Aqua-Tech’s repertoire. As the rash of new pool installs cools off in the changing, post-pandemic economic landscape, the renovation side of the business will keep up momentum and help the company grow.

Company growth also comes through the adoption of innovative technologies. Belcourt says this openness to innovate is key to Aqua-Tech’s ability to keep up with shifting industry paradigms and is—by far—the best opportunity to make the business more efficient and profitable in the long term.

Why take all that math in school? It really helps to understand pool construction plans.

“We have just gone through an ownership change and—wow—has our upgraded technology been amazing,” she says. “Regardless of the type of project folks are entrusting to the Aqua-Tech team, the project begins by working closely with our sales/design staff. We use 3D design software to help homeowners visualize the project, which, in many cases, fosters further growth in terms of the overall project plan—nothing helps fulfil a dream like seeing it.”

Using the latest technology to enhance the customer experience

Technology also helps Aqua-Tech offer a better customer communication experience, which then solidifies its relationships. With an ever-expanding to-do list and more automated industry practices, the company turns to new innovations as the best way to consistently deliver a great end-user experience.

Even with automation, the company sees people power as its greatest resource. Belcourt explains this means finding terrific people with the right fit to be part of Aqua-Tech’s staff who can grow alongside the company. This requires going the extra mile to find new staff and retain its veteran team members.

“We are automating as much as possible and finding great people,” she says. “Sure, we must pay a little more and find creative ways to retain our staff, but it is our people who differentiate us from big-box stores and online merchandisers. We know this is part of what makes us special and, therefore, is worth the extra investment.”

In any project, effective planning is the first step to take to be successful.

In fact, Belcourt says this investment in having the right team in place paid off during the surge in demand for pool installations during the pandemic.

“We were very lucky we had a lot of seasonal team members who were with us for many years and were ready to be promoted into supervisory and sub person roles,” says Belcourt.

Kathi Belcourt, Aqua-Tech’s director of sales and service, performs some in-store water testing with a smile.

Overcoming recent challenges

The main challenge during the pandemic surge was access to parts and components, something many businesses in the industry also faced. However, Aqua-Tech adopted several strategies to mitigate them, even as they began to unfold. For instance, the company changed its purchasing planning and made extensive orders early on during the pandemic.

Thanks to this early prudence, it allowed Aqua-Tech to become very flexible with its installation schedule. Instead of booking an install date based on a first come, first serve basis, staff could install and/or deliver items from a stocked complement of components. Still, this strategy was not perfect, as some clients had to wait longer than normal.

However, it allowed Aqua-Tech to have the most efficient production achievable during this period which helped them satisfy as many clients as possible. In a positive turn, most of the company’s supply chain challenges are either resolved or will be settled soon.

“Our goal for the future is diversification into as many things as we can tackle,” says Belcourt. “Being a seasonal business in our climate is fun but really, the biggest plans we have are investing in more products that can be used during the off season (cold weather months) so we can use our existing infrastructure to reach more potential customers and give our 99 seasonal employees a terrific future with us.”