Pool cleaners to increase revenue

by habiba_abudu | April 15, 2019 9:16 pm

By Colleen Newhouse

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The busy pool season is about to start and service companies as well as retailers are getting ready to kick into high gear. Service technicians tend to focus on big-ticket items like salt chlorine generators and retailers focus primarily on selling furniture and outdoor living products, but pool cleaners offer subtle revenue streams and high profit margins that should not be neglected. For service professionals, pool cleaners save time, allowing them to pro-actively look around the backyard for higher value revenue streams.

Pool cleaners help service techs

Service technicians generally gauge their success by the number of pool owners that sign-up for pool service with the goal of maximizing the number of pools serviced per day. The ability to obtain as many clients as possible in a tight geographic area is not only one of the best ways to optimize the use of time by maintenance crews, but also one of the easiest ways to maximize a maintenance professional’s revenue per hour. That said, clever maintenance technicians also realize the importance of not rushing through a service call as other potential revenue opportunities could be missed—especially if there is not enough time to look around the pool.

Pool cleaners save time and increase revenue

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Battery-operated pool cleaners are a perfect example of a technological advancement that can buy time for maintenance professionals. Rather than spending an excessive amount of time lugging around heavy vacuum equipment, dragging out hoses, and then priming them, a handheld, battery-operated pool cleaner can be used to expedite the cleaning process. As a result, it gives them more time to check on the pool equipment and other essential components.

Service professionals carry handheld battery-powered cleaners in their trucks to spot clean specific areas of the pool where dirt often accumulates
(e.g. steps and cuddle coves). In most cases, a service technician can spend up to 20 per cent less time per pool when using this type of cleaning equipment as opposed to a traditional vacuum with hose, which takes a lot of time to set-up and put away. Not only do these pool cleaners save the service crew time, they are also able to clean more pools which results in increased revenue. As service professionals start using these high-end vacuums to clean pools, they will realize they have additional time to pursue more profitable business.

For example, when opening pools, service technicians typically need at least an hour to manually vacuum the pool (not to mention the need to backwash and clean the filters). Handheld, battery-operated cleaners are much more efficient when opening and closing pools—especially when there is no need to remove large debris and leaves.

Service technicians can save at least 10 minutes per pool when using these vacuums. The extra time offers them the chance to talk with the pool owner about upgrading to a salt chlorinator or maybe installing a variable-speed pump (VSP). It also gives technicians more time to complete detailed notes about the maintenance call as well as list other products that may need to be replaced on the pool (e.g. old fibreoptic lights) and relay the message back to the shop.

For example, if a pool company services 6000 customers annually, saving 10 minutes per pool can yield incredible profits just from replacement products alone.

Out with the old, in with the new

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Replacing old equipment or parts is one of the top revenue streams for many service departments. By using a handheld, battery-operated pool cleaner, a service technician has time to inspect the pool and backyard and can see the fibreoptic lighting is not working properly and can contact the pool owner and explaining the benefits of having a light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system installed. This presents a multi-channel sales opportunity as the client can be sold not only on the benefits of energy efficiency, but also how the improved lighting will enhance the ambience around their pool at nighttime—all because they saved time during the pool cleaning. Further, once the pool lighting has been upgraded, it becomes easier to start other conversations with the client about automatic control systems and other automation devices that will improve their pool experience. Automation systems have become a huge revenue stream for most pool companies as the product simultaneously builds loyalty among customers,
as it helps to simplify their pool maintenance responsibilities and allows them to enjoy their pool more. Replacing salt chlorine generators is another product that yields much greater profits for service companies than cleaning pools, but being in the backyard allows service technicians to check on equipment like this and/or install new units.

Show and sell

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Many service technicians have also had success selling handheld, battery-powered vacuums simply because pool owners have seen their pool professional using them to clean areas such as the pool steps. Stairs always have junk on them and pool owners need or want to do spot cleaning on their pool between weekly maintenance visits so selling both automatic and handheld, battery-powered cleaners to customers has become more commonplace for service technicians.

Once customers see their service technician use a handheld cleaner on their pool and realize it is as simple as adding a vacuum poll, it becomes appealing for those who want to keep their pool as clean as possible between maintenance visits. In fact, many retailers say 90 per cent of their robotic and handheld, battery-operated pool cleaner sales come from their existing customer base.

Sell with video

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Today, the use of video is everywhere. Just like a picture says a thousand words, a video tells people even more. In fact, video is proving to be a particularly good solution for introducing and selling pool and spa cleaners. Over the course of the summer, most retail staff in every pool store sees more customers and has an increased amount of work (some more than he/she can handle). That said, swimming pool cleaners are not always the first product they plan to pitch to their customers.

Rather than trying to find ways to clone employees, videos can be used to educate customers about the importance of keeping their pools and spas clean. They can also be used to explain how these products are an easy solution to keeping their pool looking great every day, even between service appointments. Most manufacturers will provide retailers with a video that can loop on an iPad display or video at the water testing station. Some pool retailers are embracing video and are even creating their own by having someone from their store tell the consumer why they need a pool or spa cleaner.

By having information about pool and spa cleaners at the registers and water testing stations, a retailer can provide customers with information that in-store staff may not have had the opportunity to cover on the showroom floor. Sometimes, customers simply have not thought about the issue of removing dirt from the pool floor. In this case, a video can educate the customer while staff continues to help other customers.

Sell with displays

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Selling pool cleaners with a clever display can produce terrific sales revenue. Much like video, retail displays can easily sell a pool cleaner. In fact, many manufacturers provide compact, dynamic displays for retailers to position by the door, water testing station, or register to help increase sales of these products. Another terrific way to expose the client to these products is to set-up a display tank (or pool) that allows customers to touch, feel, and use the vacuum. These displays can also keep young children entertained, too.

To create a display, retailers can fill the tank (or pool) with golf balls or granules that imitate sand, dirt, pebbles, and other debris that might end up in the pool’s shallow end. Then, have the pool cleaner staged next to the display with a sign that says “Try me!”

Depending on the cleaner being displayed, retailers can even put up a sign that says “Clean the pool. Win a prize!”

Create more revenue with pool cleaners this summer

This summer, service shops should get their service technicians to incorporate handheld, battery-powered cleaners as part of their maintenance routines to give them extra time in the customer’s backyards to generate higher profit revenue streams. Retailers should also take the time to set up their store with videos and displays that make it easy for a client to want to buy a high-end pool cleaner. Indeed, pool cleaners can really help pool professionals ‘clean up’ this summer.

[7]Colleen Newhouse is the director of sales and marketing for Water Tech Corp., a manufacturer of swimming pool and hot tub cleaners in East Brunswick, N.J. She can be reached via e-mail at colleen@watertechcorp.com.

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/pool-cleaners-to-increase-revenue/

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