Pool Scouts Celebrated Major Milestones, Thriving Franchisees and Continued Growth at Annual Brand Convention

Pool Scouts had much to celebrate at its fourth annual franchise convention in January. The convention took place Jan. 15 through 18 in Cancun and was a time to celebrate the major brand milestones and franchisee accomplishments of 2019 and look ahead to continued growth in 2020.

Activities included structured group sessions in which franchisees discussed everything from finances to operations to marketing. Everyone also enjoyed the presence of keynote speaker Peter Van Stralen, founder of the franchise The Grounds Guys.

“Van Stralen had a really cool message around care that was specific to customers and styled it C.A.R.E., or Create A Remarkable Experience,” President Michael Wagner said. “That message translated really well to our franchisees.”

Pool Scouts also changed up this year’s conference by inviting some lead technicians to participate in brand educational seminars.

Franchisee Recognition

“That was very positively received by both the technicians and the franchisees they work with,” Wagner said. “Plus, it sent a signal to our system that Pool Scouts is a maturing brand, one that continuously strives to bridge any education and communication gaps.”

Pool Scouts also recognized top-performing franchisees for their outstanding accomplishments in 2019, and for good reason. The brand serviced over 6,000 customers in 2019 thanks, in part, to the strong franchisee class that opened their businesses in 2018.

“Many franchisees turned a corner in 2019 since their businesses were established by that point,” Wagner said. “We also have a great pipeline of franchisees who will open Pool Scouts territories in 2020. That’s going to really give our brand momentum and push us forward.”

One top-performing franchisee in 2019 was Tiffiny Consoli, whose territory is in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. She won the brand’s High Dive Award for a revenue year-over-year increase of 158%. She also took home the Best Buzz Award for being the franchisee with the highest Net Promoter Score.

Consoli and fellow franchisee Ray Marinaccio, whose territory is in Hilton Head, South Carolina, each won the Pool Net Award for servicing record numbers of new customers in 2019. Marinaccio and fellow franchisees Mike and Michelle Blake, whose franchise covers the Dallas area, each took home the Highpoint Award, which rewards the franchisee with the highest mystery shopping program score.

Future Growth Plans

Pool Scouts anticipates continued growth and expansion in 2020.

“People are willing to spend money on pool services,” Wagner said. “We’re seeing and meeting a big demand.”

Pool Scouts also anticipates continued growth thanks to existing franchisees who are expanding their reach and purchasing more territories. The brand also conquered new ground in major markets in 2019. For one, Pool Scouts entered Houston, specifically the Woodlands area. The brand also entered Northern Virginia and signed on a new franchisee who will open a franchise territory in Biloxi, Mississippi. The brand also partnered with the USA Swimming Foundation to expand its philanthropic reach.

“In 2019 we had some stellar franchisees who performed exceptionally well and really blew out the projections and numbers we had for them,” Wagner said. “That was something very exciting to see. A lot of franchisees sprinted out of the gate and gained customers and revenue beyond what we modeled out.”

In terms of 2020 goals, Pool Scouts projects it will have a total of at least 35 franchisees and at least 38 new territories. New target markets for development include Atlanta, Charlotte, Phoenix and San Antonio, as well as Columbia, South Carolina and Greensboro, North Carolina. The brand also wants to expand throughout Dallas and Houston.

With growing brand-name recognition, thriving franchisees who are opening more territories and a pipeline of new franchisees, Pool Scouts is set to continue conquering the pool services market in 2020.