Pool Service business guide
What to ask new pool service customers on the phone
On a new pool service call, get the address first so you know if it fits your route, then ask about the pool itself: size, surface, sanitizer, spa, trees, and whether the water is clear or green today. Ask about gate access and dogs, why they're switching, and what day works. Give your price or a range once, then book a start-up visit.
The first phone call with a new pool customer decides two things: whether they hire you, and whether you should want them to. Five minutes of the right questions tells you if the pool fits your route, if the price will work, and if this is the customer who'll be with you for ten years or the one who switches companies every spring. Here's a script to run it cleanly, even from the truck.
The call, start to finish
CallerHi, we just moved in and the house has a pool. Do you do weekly service?
YouWe do. Congratulations on the house. What's the address, with the city? I want to make sure you're in our area.
Caller418 Heron Lane, over in Palm Crest.
YouPerfect, we're in Palm Crest every Thursday. Tell me about the pool. Roughly how big, and is there a spa attached?
CallerPretty big, with a deep end. There's a little spa on the side.
YouDo you know if it's chlorine or salt? If there's a gray box on the wall by the equipment with a cell in the plumbing, that's usually salt.
CallerI think it's salt.
YouGreat. How does the water look right now: clear, cloudy, or green?
CallerA little cloudy. It sat for a few weeks during the sale.
YouThat's common. Any big trees over it, or is it screened in?
CallerOpen yard, one big oak.
YouGot it. For a pool that size with a spa and an oak, weekly service usually starts around $165 a month with chemicals included. I'll confirm once I see it. Because it's been sitting, the first visit might need extra work. How do we get to the pool: gate code, lock, any dogs?
CallerSide gate, code 2280. We have a lab who's friendly.
YouI'll note that. Can I come by Thursday between 1 and 3 to look at it and get started?
Names, addresses and prices in the script are made up. Use your own rates and service days.
Why these questions, in this order
- Address first. It tells you instantly whether this pool lands on an existing day or becomes a detour. A beautiful account in the wrong place can cost you money every week, which is the whole route density problem in one question.
- Size, spa and sanitizer. These set the tier and the chemical cost. Salt pools need cell checks and different stabilizer targets.
- Water condition today. A cloudy or green pool means a first visit that's really a cleanup. Price it separately using your green pool tiers rather than eating it in the first month.
- Trees or screen. The single biggest driver of time on site.
- Gate, lock and dogs. Pools are nearly always behind a gate. Getting this on the first call saves a wasted trip.
Listen for red flags
Good signs
New homeowner who wants it handled. Previous tech retired or moved. Asks what's included, not just the price. Happy with a set service day.
Warning signs
Has fired several companies in a year. Wants a firm price without you seeing the pool. Only wants every other week in peak summer. Asks you to "just drop off chemicals".
One more to listen for: a caller who has just bought the house and mentions the pool "came with the equipment". Ask how old the pump and filter are. A pool that sat empty during a sale often has a surprise waiting at the pad, and knowing that before the first visit keeps the start-up price honest.
Warning signs don't mean say no. They mean price carefully and put your terms in writing.
Handling the price question
Give one number or a tight range, say what it includes, and stop talking. Don't apologize, and don't discount before they ask. If they push, explain what a stop on your route includes: brushing, baskets, testing, and a report. The math behind your number is in how to price weekly service.
Don't let the call go cold
The biggest mistake isn't a bad script. It's a callback at dinnertime to someone who hired another company at lunch. New pool owners often call down a list. If you can't answer on route, call back between stops, and keep the questions above on a card in the truck so the callback takes two minutes. The real cost of letting those calls slide is laid out in what a missed call costs, and more phone and pricing guides are on the Booked for pool service page.
Questions owners ask
Should I give a weekly price over the phone?
Many owners give a starting rate or a range on the phone and confirm the exact price after seeing the pool. That's honest and keeps shoppers from dropping off. Firm quotes sight unseen are risky, since trees, equipment and water condition change the work more than callers realize.
What if the caller doesn't know their pool size?
Most don't. Ask whether it's small, medium or large compared with a typical backyard pool, and whether there's a diving end. You can also look at satellite images of the address while you're on the phone. Confirm the real size at the first visit.
How do I handle someone who wants a one-time clean?
Decide your policy ahead of time. Some owners only take one-time visits for green recoveries or real estate listings, and price them well above a weekly stop. Others decline them during busy season. Either way, offer weekly service after the visit.
Should I ask why they left their last pool company?
Yes, gently. The answer tells you a lot. "He retired" or "he stopped showing up" is an opportunity. "The last three were all terrible" can mean a customer who will never be satisfied. Listen to the tone as much as the words.
How fast should I call back a missed new customer call?
As fast as you can. Someone looking for pool service often calls a few companies in a row and goes with the first one that answers or calls back. A return call the same hour stands a much better chance than one that evening.