About two months ago, we asked service professionals across the country to fill out a survey about their businesses in 2012. We asked you about the services you offer, what equipment is doing well and how you'd change the industry.
Part I featured our introduction and just a few of our findings. Below you’ll find the rest of our retail report. Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey. If you have any thoughts on the survey or ideas for next year’s edition, please email [email protected].
Most impressive products
We asked our group what products really surprised them with their performance in terms of sales last year. And a few of the results surprised us.
Not so much . . .
These products did not fulfill a service pro’s hopes last year:
Heaters and pumps.
“Both way down for the year. Lost several sales to the Internet, a more and more common event.”
Plug in robotic vacuums
“The design factor just isn’t there where they can be a set-it-and-forget-it thing. They require too much of the consumer’s time.”
Salt Generators.
“Too many failures.”
ADA lifts.
“Too much non-pool-contractor competition.”
SWCG.
“We hate them! Way oversold and they don’t work well in our hard water.”
Robotic vacuums.
“People have figured out they are expensive, don’t last and that most manufacturers don’t live up to the warranty.”
Gas heaters.
“The Internet is killing us.”
If I Ruled The World
"Everyone would be licensed. Or unlicensed. Either way."
"I would put us and the Internet retailers on a level playing field."
"States would to be able to collect sales tax from Internet retailers."
"Swimming pool pump motors would last longer."
What is your biggest concern for the coming year?
Comments:
“Weather and internet sales.”
“Finding trustworthy, reliable help.”
“ObamaCare and the extra cost it will put on people, which means they have to cut back on services like mine.”
“People paying on time.”
“The state of the state that I live in! (California)”
“First, increasing employee expenses related to wages, benefits and taxes. Second, competition from Internet sites that offer low-ball pricing and free shipping.”
“The economy and the quality of products that are available. Some manufacturers of pool and spa equipment are importing poor quality products. If these products fail, the manufacturer is willing to replace the product but not the time involved to replace the product.”
If I Ruled The World
"I would put honesty above profit."
"I would pay my employees more money."
"I would create one organization that all industry people could belong to and get reasonable health and liability insurance with online update courses on all products."
"Manufacturers would charge the same price to internet sellers as us real business companies."
"I would take all the money poorly spent on VGB compliance and use it for free swimming lessons. This would save tens of thousands of more lives than VGB ever will while promoting pool use and the pool industry."
Great Expectations For 2013
Bouyed by improving economic reports and perhaps just a hunch, our service group expects higher revenues in 2013 by an overwhelming margin.
Comments:
“I’m excited about the upcoming summer.”
“This year we expect to grow by at least 10 percent.”
Do you expect revenues in the coming year to ...
