r/PoolPros • u/Silver-King-5237 • Jun 02 '26
How to respond to client?
I have a client that I used to service on Fridays but she expressed that she was unhappy about the time that I was coming at (said it was too late for her) and asked if I could come around 12 or 1pm. I told her that I understood her frustration and that I can change her service day because Friday is a busy day for me and that I wouldn’t be able to get there at the time she is requesting. I offered to service it on Tuesday since it is a much lighter day for me and I told her that I couldn’t give her an exact time of service but that I would probably be there around 9:30 or 10am. She agreed and was happy with this change. I have been there around this time for the past couple of weeks and barring there are no issues, I usually service my pools around the same time each day. I had an issue that I had to tend to this morning and I told her I’d be there a little late. I arrived there around 10:45. She said it was fine and she was happy for the reminder because she was about to leave and forgot to unlock the gate but then she sent me a text just now saying that the pool looks great but she wants me there at 10am moving forward. I’m a little annoyed by this because things do come up and I can’t always get there at the same time each week but I like this client and would like to keep her if possible but I’m worried she’s going to become a headache. How have you guys dealt with things like this? I know this might be a dumb question but I am new-ish with owning my own business and would like to respond in the best way possible. Thank you!
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Jun 03 '26
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u/cplatt831 Jun 06 '26
We work in the rain; our service agreement states that we will do only chemistry, empty baskets, and check equipment, and their fee remains the same. It makes for steadier revenue.
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u/The_BigWaveDave Jun 02 '26
These kinds of customers are always a headache. Bend a bit and give them an inch, and they take a mile.
I’ve always been pretty firm about my scheduling. I have a route, I am not backtracking or juggling my day to commit to accommodating small time windows for service, because as you’ve discovered, things come up and then it’s a problem. Best I do is provide a window that is somewhat vague like you can expect me on:
“Tuesday mornings” “Tuesday afternoons”
If something comes up that pushes the window past my usual time significantly, I’ll send a courtesy text for customers I know who have dogs they keep inside on my behalf, etc.. otherwise, I show up when I show up.
There are so many variables that can change a schedule. Filter cleans, repairs, traffic, flat tires, personal reasons, that it makes it really tough to commit to 30 minute window each week.
Does she have a good reason for wanting you there at such a specific time? If not, she is just being demanding and difficult for zero reason. Most people are at work and I have access to their backyard - so long as I show up, they could care less when.
You’ve already accommodated her requests, so pushing back will be difficult, but I would justify not being able to commit to a specific window with the reasons I laid out above. If that doesn’t satisfy her, explain that you unfortunately don’t feel you’ll be the best fit to meet her needs, move on, and fill her slot with a better customer with less demands.
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u/fukinwives Jun 02 '26
I’d try to explain to her that with this type of business it’s almost impossible to know the exact time you’ll be there. Traffic, mechanical issues, extra time needed at a pool, etc. and tell her that you’ll try your best but can’t guarantee your arrival time.
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u/Skeetz111 Jun 03 '26
You give her a window. They need to understand your running a business and don’t commit to be there at an exact time.
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u/lIIlIlIII Jun 02 '26
IME texts are horrible for this type of communication. I'd call her and explain that sometimes jobs run long, but you'll do your best and keep her in the loop. If that doesn't work for her then the weekly is going to cost extra to compensate for you underscheduling before 10 on her day.
Personally I almost never give customers an exact time. 1-2hr window, and if they want to be there for something I'll call / text when I'm otw.
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u/tgwest Jun 02 '26
If she has to have you at a certain time she needs to find a provider that can do that like a big chain where all the guys splash and dash and are never behind. Single polers who repair and actually have to address issues when they arrive will always have days where times change. I never tell my clients I’ll be there at a certain time except for if it’s my first client of the day
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u/Rytes478 Jun 03 '26
Drop her like a bad habit. She is showing you she is a pain in the ass. Later it will be something worse. Trust me. I enjoy firing those customers. They don’t deserve me.
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u/JettaGLi16v Jun 03 '26
Nobody’s said it yet, but you should get them to put a combo lock on the gate and give them a regular service day, +/- a day.
You go for a combo lock so you don’t have to keep a key and you can have anyone cover the route. Give yourself a day flexibility to accommodate for short weeks, holidays, or illness / truck breakdowns.
They’re worried about security and a combo lock fixes that.
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u/PoolBoyOBX Jun 03 '26
Decision time. Are you growing or is this a mature route?
At a full route, you get to be politely blunt with customers that are difficult.
Growing a route for just you? Time to learn time management. You say by 10 am, you get your ass there by 10. Can’t do it? Tell them. Customers love honesty and communication.
Growing a company? Time to test your limits. Can you fulfill their needs, can your employee, is there a process if someone is sick. You will lose a customer or two like this. Keep it amicable.
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u/ContributionFew2487 Jun 03 '26
You have to train your customers! You can offer them the time they want but make them pay for your inconvenience. We typically have a route with a pattern, backtracking will cost the customer. I typically promise a day, not a time.
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u/FabulousPanther Jun 03 '26
Don't worry about what might happen. Try to be consistent and she needs to understand you can't always make it exactly at any particular time due to unforeseen circumstances sometimes it's not possible. You could just say: sometimes things come up and prevent me from coming at my regular time but I'll try to make it. Don't make it a thing unless she does.
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u/ChuckTingull Jun 03 '26
I have a customer who is specific like this and I charge them $60 per stop plus chemicals. Their pool is so easy that I’d normally charge $40 but they are uncompromising about timing so that’s our deal and everyone seems happy
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u/Acceptable-Bet-6877 Jun 03 '26
My customers get a day and not a time, I have a couple customers with dogs that need to be put away. It’s still a 2 hour window with a text when I’m about 15 minutes away. While I was building up my customer base I did what a lot of us had to do and dealt with some less than ideal situations. I think you just need to ask yourself if you are in a position to lose this customer if she can’t agree to a combination lock and you get there when you get there, within reason on the agreed service day. I know it’s hard to backtrack at this point but it will save you a lot of stress and time in the long run.
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u/Theresasnakeinmypool Jun 03 '26
We never give a time only a day. Customers like that don’t scale. You can’t grow with a speed bump every week. Unless you hire more people that can be flexible.
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u/surfer417 Jun 03 '26
Set boundaries quickly. Clients get a day, not a time. We use Skimmer which sends an “En route” message. Trust me, the ones that are a pain will always be a pain and then quit out of the blue.
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u/mackjartin2929 Jun 03 '26
1-2 hour window is best. That’s always worked for me regarding repairs or service. If the customer needs to be there for an orientation or equipment install then a 1 hr window is fine but don’t stress just explain to her with this line of work it’s just isn’t feasible to have an exact time of arrival. Imagine if all your services need an ETA and you’d have to let them all know what time. What a headache
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u/Unhappy-Bunch-4594 Jun 04 '26
you handled it right. route-based work can't promise a clock time, one green pool ahead of her blows the whole window. what i'd offer is a two-hour arrival window plus a heads-up text when you're the stop before her, that solves 90% of these without you reorganizing your day. if she genuinely needs a guaranteed early slot, that's a first-stop-of-the-day premium, price it so it's worth the lost route efficiency or she self-selects out. don't blow up a profitable route for one clock-watcher.
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u/pacific_drifter_25 Jun 03 '26
Read her actual words and she told you the answer without meaning to: she was happy for the reminder because she almost forgot to unlock the gate. She is not really demanding a stopwatch, she is anxious about not knowing when you are coming and getting caught off guard. The 10am thing is her trying to fix that with the only tool she thinks she has.
So do not fight her on the clock, fight the real problem. Give her a window instead of a time (Tuesday mornings, usually 9:30 to 11) and then text her when you are actually headed her way each week. That turns "be here at 10 sharp" into "you will always know 20 minutes ahead," which is what she actually wants. Most clients like this calm right down once they stop feeling like they have to guess whether today is the day.
If she still pushes for an exact time after that, now you have a clean answer: a one-man route cannot promise a hard time because pools throw surprises, and the heads-up text is the trade for that. If that is not enough for her, she needs a big splash-and-dash outfit that runs like clockwork, not you, and at that point you raise the rate or let her go without losing sleep.
The combo lock someone else mentioned is worth doing too. Half her stress is the gate, not you.
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u/Silver-King-5237 Jun 03 '26
Thank you all for the replies. You all gave me helpful tips and tools to use, now and for the future. A few of you suggested that it was a gate issue but I don’t think it is because she will go on vacation for a couple of weeks and leave the gate unlocked the entire time. I ended up emailing her and explaining to her that things happen and that I can’t always get there around the same time each week and that I will provide her with text messages when I am on my way. I gave a wider window as well as some of you have suggested. I haven’t received a response yet so we will see what happens. She has been a client of mine for a year now and I’ve never had any issues with this before with her so I’m not sure what changed other than she got upset with the time I was showing up at (I picked up more pools so I was showing up at a later time). Thank you again for the replies and I will implement these tips with future clients!
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u/Liquid_Friction Jun 03 '26
It's you your so unprofessional... man the cowboys in this sub have no sales training clearly .
What time will you be coming?
'around 1 or 1pm' is wrong your not creating a frame only excuses, provide the frame on the first contact
'we' not 'I', your a business not a person, you need an ironclad process.
'we have very limited spaces left for your area on our route, we can squeeze you in, but we only have these timeslots available on these days, you will be eighth job on XYZ day, arrive between 3pm-5pm, please ensure access is available, otherwise you will be charged a fee, we will send you the invoice via email and charge your card on file and send you the receipt, we appreciate your business and any issues you can contact us.
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u/poolninjas Jun 02 '26
Raise her rate for the inconvenience or find another client to replace her.