Quote Originally Posted by Sumo1 View Post
Thanks, Ted. I've always liked reading your posts. I've wanted to ask you whether you feel any conflict about servicing people's pools with the 'pool store' method versus BBB. I try to keep myself from being "preachy" and trying to convert everyone I talk to about pools. I find myself really fascinated by pools and can imagine myself operating a pool service business in the future, perhaps as I reach retirement in my current job. A lot of people move into lawn service/landscaping but I think pool service would be more enjoyable for me.
Hal
Hal, I ranted a couple of times last year about not being able to 'spread the word' on BBB Ben posted on one of them, something to the effect: 'Even the Bible allows dishonesty if it's to be able to eat', and that I should try to come up with something that would allow my boss not to loose $$ on chem sales while still being honest. I've thought a good deal on it and can't find a way (other than pointing out the problems caused by 'set-and-forget' puck feeders and that a SWCG might be a better alternative for certain customers). I also DO tell some of the customers, who seem to actually care about their pools and don't buy their chems from us anyway about BBB (& this site and the new 2 sites- and who I am [I ask them never to mention my companies name in connection w/ me - as that would cause me an ethical dilemna, I don't want someone to realize that I was in their backyard a week ago and added chems that I don't recomend here ]).
After a while I figured out that most of our customers don't want to be bothered with taking care of their pool - all they want is to throw a couple of pool parties each summer and, if someting goes wrong, they call us and we fix it - no matter the cost or how preventable it could have been!!!! I always tell people the truth about their pools but, unfortunately - sometimes it has to be the 'company line' (use pH+ and not tell them about the washing soda they could get for ~1/2 price,- sins of omission)
In the meantime, I TRY to explain to my boss why what we're doing isn't right - but he's 'old school pool' and doesn't get, why the things that used to work don't now (it's because they only worked by luck) - I'd love to lock him in a room with chem-geek for a couple of hours :-)