What should I look at in a pool store’s seasonal opening and closing bookings?
Look at the booking list for spring openings and fall closings, how many customers return each season and how jobs are scheduled across the crews. These bookings are predictable work, so they show how steady the service side is. Check also who does the visits and how weather delays are handled.
Ask for the booking records from past seasons and sort them by customer. Who has booked every year? Who dropped off, and why? Repeat customers suggest a service people trust, while heavy churn may point to a quality or pricing problem.
Look at how the work is scheduled. Spring and fall bring a rush, with many pools to open or close in a short window. Ask how many crews are needed, how routes are planned and what happens when the weather turns. A shop that overbooks will annoy customers; one that underbooks leaves money on the table.
Ask about chemicals, covers and supplies used on those visits. Stock bought ahead for the rush must be paid for, and leftovers are a cost. Check how the shop buys, and how dependent it is on one supplier. Finally, ask who does the visits. If crews are seasonal workers, find out how they are hired, trained and brought back each year. Compare booking dates with the weather and with how early customers called. Pools opened late or closed early can leave money uncollected. Ask whether the shop sends reminders, and whether customers can rebook easily, because a smooth system keeps them coming back.
Key takeaways
- Sort past bookings by customer to see who returns and who left.
- Ask how crews and routes handle the spring and fall rush.
- Check supply purchases made ahead of each rush.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to diversify your supply chain
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat is inventory
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