Fool me once, shame on me; Protect your pool!

We recently received a call from a desperate pool owner literally begging us to help him after he had a botched acid wash done by a company he found on a non pool industry referral website. He later found out the company was not licensed and was unwilling to resolve the problem they caused. No wonder they refused, they ruined the finish after dumping 32 gallons of muriatic acid in his pool and letting it sit stagnant and half empty for over a week. Sadly, the finish was only 8 years old and is now too rough to swim safely.  He will now have no choice, not only is he out the money for the acid wash and the loss of therapeutic use of his pool, but will now have to hire us to refinish his pool. His plight need not be yours and you should make sure you do the following BEFORE you hire anyone to touch your pool:

1.       Verify their reputation. Google the company and look for any complaints. Not all complaints negate using them, but significant complaints might be a red flag for you.

2.       Verify licensing. In Florida you can look up any licensed company by going to http://myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/. We cannot stress enough the importance os verifying licensing BEFORE hiring any person or company.

3.       Ask the company for references. Established, reputable and professional pool and spa contactors who do exceptional work will always have past customers ready to sing praises about them to other customers. Ask for phone numbers and names and CALL THEM.

4.       Get pictures of their work. Pool contractors are proud of ther work and cannot wait to share it with others. Adk for pictures of similar jobs as that you want to hire them for.

5.       Get a signed proposal. Make sure it includes everything you talked about, pricing by line item and recourse or warranty information should it be needed.

6.       DON’T PAY IN FULL UP FRONT. A deposit is not uncommon for some jobs, but most companies will either do a draw wth a percentage at specific points during the job. NEVER pay in full up front.

This poor man is paying a huge price for what he hired another company to do. He is frustrated, angry and completely helpless to resolve his issue. In the end, we will take care of him and he will once again be reassured the pool and spa industry is reputable, honest and willing to things right ethically. Please take the time to research before hiring your next contractor and save your money for something more enjoyable, like a premium outdoor kitchen which is about the same cost as a refinish!    

Negotiation is Nonnegotiable; So, Offer Up

The art of negotiation and bartering is alive and well in the other than internet world. Prospective customers now have all the ammunition, knowledge and power at their finger tips and small

businesses are on the defensive whenever challenged about prices being higher than they are on the internet. With lower prices everywhere, how does a small business compete? The first rule in my experience is to not lower prices to match, rather offer-up.

Offering up is a way to give your customer more than what they can get anywhere else, and even better it need not be product or cost you valuable resources. Here are some suggestions to help differentiate your offering from competitors:  

Install the new equipment faster

Many customers want immediate gratification. The faster you can get the product they want and have it installed, the more likely you are to get the sale. Typical differntiators is 1-2 business days which is faster than the customer can typically get their product shipped to them.

Add an extra

Offer a free cleaning, extra service call or discount on future service requests when they purchase from you. Giving an extra will offer more to the customer thn what they can get on the internet and will better position you as a company willing to stand behind your customers.

Be the expert

Customers will need information they cannot get from an online sales rep or marketing brochure. How long does the equipment last? What problems have you seen? Is it the best product for my needs? These are only a few. Do not refuse to offer information, rather help them make an informed decision. You will be seen as an expert and valuable resource and will have a better chance of being hired than if you cut the customer off.

Give choices

There are many options, similar products and may be other solutions instead of buying a new piece of equipment. By offering different option, customers will feel more comfortable with their purchasing decision and will rely on you to help them navigate the specifics of their selection.

Provide references from recent customers

Nothing helps customers learn about your company as much as the experience another customer has recently had. A reference will demonstrate you are reliable, respected and when customers like your service enough to share it with others, successful.

Small business will need to negotiate the lower pricing landscape and in order to survive will need to find ways to offer up rather than down.  How can you give more to your prospective customer without giving in to loss of revenue by selling at lower prices? Be proud of your business, give more and offer UP!