Hey All, not a pool owner, but:

[E9A]

I have been working for a swimming pool manufacturer for a year now, starting off in the factory making the panels, and then in custom inground sales as of February. Came across this forum while trying to learn as much as possible about swimming pool maintenence and installation in as little time as possible! Just wanted to say thank you to all who have contributed to the huge amount of information on this site in general, as it has and will continue to be a valuable resource for me.

In such a short time I've grown to really enjoy the work I do, the installations I have a chance to visit, and the many great people I've met, from manufacturers to distributors, installers, and homeowners. The resounding sense I get is that this is an industry full of dedicated, hard-working people who truly love what they do, and I am excited to be a part of it. Cheers, and keep up the good work all.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, E9A

 

[harleysilo]

Welcome!

Please tell us some interesting stories regarding what you've been taught by your company, vs. what you are reading about here. From a sales perspective, what are you recommending for chlorination to clients? Do you go into maintenance with customers, or is that someone else's deal? Is that part of the sales pitch, how much/little do you want to do, are you going to hire it out etc.?

 

[E9A]

Thanks for all the kind welcomes! Coming into the company with very little to no previous knowledge of swimming pools has been a bit of a mixed blessing for me, as there's a seemingly endless amount of knowledge i still need to learn, but at least I'm not bringing in any misguided ideas! As we are the manufacturer and do not sell direct to consumers, I've been focusing more on understanding correct installation techniques (we do not install, but need to have the knowledge to advise dealers / PBs) rather than chemicals / chlorination / maintenence, but that is on the very long list of information i have to master (luckily i have an extremely knowledgable mentor who has been in the industry for years)

While this may make me sound like a complete newb (which i am!), just learning about the various components and procedures involved in an install (from pool kit production to plumbing, backfill, liner, bonding, etc.) and the potential issues that can vary from region to region (soil type, groundwater conditions, etc.) has been an experience for me!

Forget about learning one new thing every day, I've been learning about five or six new things each day, and I love it. And once again, while my mentor knows more about the industry than I think I ever will, this site has been a huge help to me as well, filled with well-meaning, intelligent people who are eager to share their experiences and knowledge. I'll be sure to keep up on posts, keep learning from you folks, and maybe someday I'll have the opportunity to pass along some information that I've gained!