For years, the service sector has enjoyed unique advantages over other sectors of the recreational water business, and those advantages remain in 2018.
Unlike retail, which faces aggressive competition from outside the industry, and the builder segment, which is subject to the vagaries of new-pool demand, service is buoyed by a large installed base and consumers' ever-greater need to delegate work. Each year, more and more people are attracted to the idea of letting someone else worry about the threat of algae and that vague brown blob of something floating in the skimmer.
Growth inevitably draws the attention of those who would like to share in it, and the service sector has become more competitive, evidence of which can be found throughout the SOI survey. Whether it's the increased resources spent on training and education, fights over scarce employees or simple comments about the unrelenting pressure to keep up, industry veterans have noticed the quickening pace.
Still, many of the things people love about service work are as salient and poignant as ever.
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Techs relish the satisfaction of direct immediate impact on a problem — a dirty pool becomes clean, a dead pump comes to life, a cracked union is made whole. These moments are a source of pride and joy and expressed in comments like, "My best day last year? I found a difficult pool leak. I was the fourth company they'd called." Or, "I rescued a dog from a pool that could have drowned."
Moments like these are entirely unique to the pool service business, and it's clear many people working in it understand that and are thankful for them.
Overall, a sense of optimism shines through this year's SOI survey. The future looks bright, and service expects continued expansion as more people acquire enough money to pay for pool and spa care. There are obstacles to overcome, but business is good. Revenues seem to be limited by energy and resources, not opportunity. That's a good place to be.
