By Chris Hunt
Partnering with specialists allows pool builders to focus on their core business
Builders construct homes and often collaborate with companies specializing in plumbing and HVAC systems. This practice serves several purposes, one of which is relieving builders from the need to hire in-house experts for the installation and the servicing of plumbing and HVAC systems within the home. Much like home builders, pool builders also find it beneficial to partner with automatic pool cover specialists both for the installation and servicing of the growing number of automatic covers in the marketplace.
This is particularly evident in the case of pool builders, who face ongoing challenges in recruiting employees in today’s tight labour market. It is much simpler to hire and train staff for the showroom than to find skilled individuals who can be trained to install and service automatic covers. For businesses aiming to consistently provide clients with automatic cover service and maintenance, partnering with a company specializing in all makes and models is the ideal approach to ensure the continued safety of clients’ pools by keeping this equipment operational throughout the year.
Growth of automatic covers
Automatic covers are rapidly becoming the preferred option for covering pools in today’s marketplace. Many pool builders report a growing acceptance of the pools they construct having an automatic cover. These covers not only allow pools to be easily opened and closed at the push of a button but also provide the ultimate safety cover for pools that are not in use. However, this equipment does require a certain level of technical skill, both for the installation of the cover and, more importantly, for its maintenance.
“All of our service techs and installers complete a rigorous training program and are exposed to every possible installation or service challenge before they are considered qualified,” says Allan Horwood, owner and president of The Pool Patrol in Vancouver, B.C. “Even our most experienced technicians, including myself, run across scenarios never anticipated.”
Horwood’s company not only provides automatic cover installation services but also offers maintenance and servicing for individual pool owners. In addition, it partners with many pool builders and retailers in his area.
“To become a real expert in this field, it requires installing a lot of pool covers and it’s hard to develop in-house talent on just a few covers a year. Unlike the installation of a pump or a filter, every installation is a little different,” says Horwood. “I partner with many pool builders as well as retailers and pool service companies who want to ensure their clients’ pools are safe, but they realize they don’t have the in-house expertise to service and maintain the automatic covers.”
There is a growing number of pool professionals specializing in the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of automatic covers. The combination of installation expertise and the ability to service and maintain this equipment is compelling builders across Canada and the U.S. to outsource their automatic cover business.
Installation expertise
Some pool builders can figure out how to install an automatic cover by following the instructions and getting it to work. However, what they may not realize is how to anticipate potential issues that could occur, which means they might not install the cover in a way that makes future maintenance calls fast and easy. Once again, it is the experience gained from installing and servicing covers day in and day out, along with the ability to plan for potential future issues, that makes outsourcing the cover installation and maintenance so logical.
Ensuring the cover operates successfully after installation is something builders can achieve with minimal glitches. However, some builders often neglect to inform the consumer that a certain amount of maintenance is required to ensure the cover works properly over the long run. Amid explaining various water chemistry and maintenance issues to the consumer, the maintenance needs of the automatic cover can sometimes be overlooked. Therefore, having the phone number of a service company that specializes in automatic covers is key.
As with any installed product, pool professionals must decide whether to handle both the sale and installation of automatic covers or simply sell them and outsource the installation. This decision hinges on evaluating the company’s competencies and determining whether it is more profitable for the staff to focus on installing automatic covers or on building more pools and installing other equipment.
Keeping staff consistently trained on automatic covers can be challenging, especially if it is not a task they perform daily. Outsourcing allows builders to concentrate on their strengths. Even for builders with service departments, it allows staff to focus on their core competency and outsource the installation, profiting from the work done by a cover company partner treated as a subcontractor.
Given that installing automatic covers demands a specific skill set, pool professionals should consider whether it is more advantageous to handle both the installation and service or to outsource to a company specializing in automatic covers.
“I have a builder that does 30 pools with 30 covers. He won’t sell a pool without one,” says Horwood. “This builder is far too busy selling and building pools and doesn’t have enough staff to train in the intricacies of auto cover installation and service. As a result, we work together very closely and I continue to ensure his clients are happy with their pool investment long after he, as a builder, has left the backyard.”
According to Horwood, many of his builder-partners continue to profit on the initial sale of an automatic cover without ever having to directly touch the product themselves.
Service, repair, and maintenance know-how
As with any installed product, service and maintenance are integral aspects of automatic covers. Companies providing services may choose to handle the maintenance themselves or opt to outsource it. The decision ultimately depends on a thorough examination of one’s business, market dynamics, and the profitability associated with taking on both the installation and service of automatic covers.
Fortunately, numerous cover companies cater to pool professionals throughout Canada and the U.S. These companies exclusively specialize in the installation and maintenance of automatic covers. This makes it simpler for pool professionals to subcontract this aspect of the job, enabling them to effortlessly offer automatic covers and still profit from sales without the need to train or maintain in-house staff for cover installation and maintenance.
“With auto covers, you might always have to go back and make one or two adjustments on the cover once it’s installed,” says Horwood. “Outsourcing the job allows my pool builder partners and their crews to stay focused on the front end of the pool installation, not having to mess with things after we are done with the pool.”
For this reason, an increasing number of pool professionals are outsourcing this aspect of the job, with the subcontractor handling both the installation and maintenance of the cover. This relieves the builder from concerns about cover management, which is particularly crucial for pool builders grappling with tight labour markets and the challenges of finding skilled workers.
Once pool professionals begin outsourcing these tasks, they discover they can concentrate on their core business—whatever they excel at. In many cases, this involves building more pools, which proves more profitable given the time involved. Recognizing the seasonal nature of the industry, all business owners understand the imperative to accomplish as much as possible during short summer months.
For some builders, it is not so much the time required for installation but the intricacies, inventories, service parts, and maintenance details that may necessitate post-installation visits when the building company is already working on the next project.
Professionals specializing in automatic covers can manage all the adjustments needed after the initial installation. For instance, it is quite common for automatic covers to shift slightly right after the initial installation with some use, requiring an additional visit to restore it and ensure homeowner satisfaction.
In fact, it is not uncommon for specialists in automatic covers to acquire new clients through partnerships with builders.
“Sometimes these builders lose their installer, so they pick up the phone and call us,” says Horwood. “Other times, they are just so busy building, renovating, or servicing pools; they are too busy to have their crew spend a day installing an automatic cover.”
Horwood emphasizes that issues with the servicing of automatic covers typically arise not because of a builder’s faulty installation, but because the builder might not handle enough installations per year to be familiar with certain industry tricks that help prevent problems in the future.
Some pool builders may not be fully aware of the challenges associated with repairing an automatic cover. Troubleshooting and fixing the mechanism poses one set of challenges, but addressing issues with the cover’s ropes or vinyl material is an entirely different matter. Cover specialists handle these aspects daily, ensuring a fast and easy resolution to get the consumer’s cover operational again promptly. However, for a pool builder lacking expertise in their staff to handle such service calls, this could become a significant headache.
For instance, one of the most common repair calls involves the cover no longer gliding smoothly during opening and closing. Often, this occurs due to the retainer or track along which the cover glides being compressed, especially when the concrete above the track is too heavy over time. This compression reduces the space, preventing the lead gliders and ropes from smoothly operating the cover. Unfortunately, addressing this problem often requires breaking the deck to replace the track.
“Those specializing in auto cover installation recognize that a thicker, stronger retainer can be used during installation to avoid problems like a smashed track,” says Horwood.
Further, when a builder identifies the need for a part to address an issue, they must place an order and await for its arrival before scheduling a separate service call to make the repair. In contrast, numerous automatic cover specialists carry parts for all makes and models of automatic covers in their trucks, allowing them to resolve the situation within hours, not days. This swift resolution not only ensures customer satisfaction, keeps the pool safe, and also contributes to a more gratifying long-term pool experience for the customer. This positive outcome reflects well on the builder, who, by partnering with an automatic cover service, effectively resolves issues.
In turn, this fosters homeowner loyalty to the builder and their retailer/service department for future product sales. Consumers develop genuine trust in their pool builder—a trust the builder must continually work to maintain, given its invaluable nature. When a pool builder recommends a cover service company, they essentially extend the builder-consumer trust to the cover service company, and vice versa.
Keeping homeowners content with their pool investment directly influences the enjoyment derived from the pool, rather than the trouble or time involved in its maintenance. It becomes the responsibility of industry professionals to make owning a pool a hassle-free and minimally time-consuming experience.
Author
Chris Hunt is the regional operations manager for Cover Care LLC, a company specializing in the installation and repair of automatic covers and removable pool fences. He has been in the pool industry for more than 15 years. Hunt has assisted numerous pool builders in avoiding costly mistakes during crucial construction phases, particularly concerning pool cover preparation. Collaborating closely with builders, he explores innovative ways to integrate a pool cover into unique pool designs. He can be reached at [email protected].
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