Improving pool maintenance department efficiencies with smart service routes

Minimize driving time

In most parts of the country, travelling during rush hour can be a big problem for service technicians. It can put crews behind schedule and possibly even sour the relationship with a client. Therefore, service department managers should take heed of the ebb and flow of traffic as well as different road conditions in their service area and schedule their crews accordingly to avoid having valuable technicians stuck in gridlock.

One way to accomplish this is to schedule all local calls between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and then send crews to the furthest appointments from the office as their second stop after rush hour. Using this method, maintenance crews are then completing the remainder of their service calls as they make their way back to the office/local area. Depending on the service area and type of call, each crew should be able to complete five to six calls per day.

By scheduling service calls in this fashion, it provides the added benefit of having all service crews returning to the office roughly around the same time at the end of the day. In this regard, if a wrench is thrown into the mix, a particular technician/crew can swap with another that may be closer or more qualified for an emergency call.

Group call types together for a particular crew

This may seem obvious, but it is often overlooked. Be sure each truck is stocked with all the items needed for the same type of service call (e.g. pool opening/closing, repair, etc.). This might require the service manager to provide checklists to technicians to stock their trucks before leaving the shop. Service crews that are adequately stocked with the right materials and tools to complete their scheduled jobs are the most efficient.

Use historical information

With respect to a client’s historical information, this is the area where technology can be a big help. Being able to look up how long a service call took last year, two years ago, or even three years ago, is the best way to budget the time required for the same job this year. For example, if four hours were spent on a service call last year, a service manager can assume the same call will once again take four hours to complete and then plan accordingly.

For this to work properly, pool service companies should have their technicians keep detailed notes for each call. The notes should be kept in a database and include things such as arrival and departure times from year to year (and previously in physical files/Excel spreadsheets) so service routes can be planned the following year.

By integrating software that shows each customer’s history in one place—including equipment, pool features, and photos of the physical backyard space—it can increase service crew efficiencies, while also make planning easier. Further, keep track of any additional accessories and/or backyard amenities that may have been installed since the last service call (e.g. outdoor kitchen, barbecues, and fire features) that may require additional tools, parts, or products on maintenance trucks to ensure everything is being serviced and inspected in a timely manner.