Simply put, the main goal of your business is to turn a profit; it’s a non- negotiable. But in the pool service industry, you’re dealing with customers on a personal level, coming into their backyards to service a pool they pay their hard-earned money to take care of.
And at the end of the day — it’s about the people you serve that have the ability to keep your business running. So when it comes to maintenance contracts and thinking about your bottom line, you’ll want to remember the humanity within the job. The real people that rely on your work.
TRUST, FAMILIARITY, LOYALTY
“Our customers really trust us,” says Melanie Brzozowski, service manager at All Seasons Pools & Spas in Orland Park, Ill. “When they need equipment replaced or are looking to do a pool renovation, they’re not shopping around. They know us, and they know how we work.”
All Seasons’ services are in demand. Even after a recent change in their customer contract which now requires a full year exclusive commitment for all pool services, the company has a waiting list of future clients. This all comes back to trust, Brzozowski says.
Collins Pool Management, a pool service company in Georgia that specializes in commercial pools, is also no stranger to the value of a maintenance agreement built on trust. Fostering customer loyalty through the standard of service completed, the communication between both parties — even something as simple as the friendliness of the service tech — goes a long way.
“We make sure we have a good foundation of trust,” Amber Gardner, director of client services at Collins, agrees. “Some of our customers we’ve had for over 15 years. It’s a relationship, and it starts at the very beginning.”
But how does it work?
BUILD TRUST, SECURE CONTRACTS
The best time to pitch a contract to a customer will differ for each business, but it helps to consider when you have the most amount of face-to-face time with a customer. In Brzozowski’s case, she says her team has the most luck just after a new pool gets built.
“We do six free service visits after a pool is built,” she explains. “During that time, we have someone that goes out and does an orientation for the customer, which is essentially a three-hour walkthrough of how to take care of the pool. A large majority of the time, those customers will turn around and say, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to do this. Can you?’”
In a complex world in which consumers are deeply attracted to convenience, most new pool owners won’t realize how big an undertaking servicing a pool can be. This is the perfect opportunity to secure a contract — you’re doing them a favor, not just making a profit.
“We offer a free consultation,” Gardner says, “and that onsite meeting is the easiest time to sell your services, but you have to have a customer-first mindset. You have to approach these consults in the headspace of, ‘Even if you choose not to go with us, here’s what you should know about your pool.’ It shouldn’t feel like you’re selling something, it should be all about them and their pool.”
A STRUCTURE FOR SUCCESS
Of course, just building a good foundation for a working relationship isn’t going to be the only thing that converts a one-time customer into a high-value contract. You have to pick your selling points, and many times, having something tangible for homeowners to refer to is the best way to go. This comes down to how you’re structuring your maintenance contracts.
“For our customers, since they’re in the commercial pool space, the way we structure our payment plans holds a lot of weight,” says Gardner. The contracts at Collins Pool Management span 12 months and get split into 12 equal payments, delivering consistency that customers can trust, eliminating as many “surprise” costs as possible.
Commercial and residential clients have different perspectives, but you can easily play to your strengths, says Brzozowski, by structuring your contracts in a way that works for the customer. “We try to keep the same service tech going to the same customer,” she explains, “and then, their work can speak for itself.”
Something as simple as giving your customers the peace of mind to expect the same face at each service stop can do wonders for the subsequent trust built for years to come. Customers who trust the people they hire are more likely to gladly pay for their maintenance contract.
RATE CHANGES
It’s worth noting conversations about rate changes, especially in an economy that’s constantly shifting. As a consumer, it can sometimes feel like businesses are just trying to upsell for no reason.
But behind the scenes, we know that increasing prices comes from a need to keep businesses afloat. So how do you approach this conversation in a way that keeps both parties as satisfied as possible? Transparency is key, both Brzozowski and Gardner say.
“We send out our contracts at the beginning of each year, and we include a pretty detailed cover letter that explains any and all price changes,” Brzozowski explains. “If any customers have questions about it, they can reach out to us and ask questions.”
Gardner concurs. “Sometimes, I’ll send out articles from the PHTA or from other sources in the industry that can point to the reasons for increasing rates, as they can many times be industry-wide rate changes.”
An open line of communication can be the tipping point to show a customer that you value their opinion and questions, not that you’re just raising prices for the sake of it.
PROFIT WITH A HUMAN TOUCH
It’s no secret that maintenance contracts are a proven way to increase revenue and build a strong customer base, but it’s important to remember the people behind those contracts — the customers who rely on your business to keep their pools healthy and running smoothly.
By building trust, fostering transparency and using strategies that apply to your business, you’re on your way to keeping your pool service business not just surviving, but thriving.
This article first appeared in the October 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
