Pool shop mocks my little pool and the TFP method

[rangerwildtrak]

I spoke with an Englishman rep for the largest online pool store in SE Asia yesterday. I figured this would be my best bet at finding a proper test kit here in Thailand. Not only did he mock my little toy swimming pool but insisted with his 40 years experience with pools, throughout the world, that all i need is a simple ph&cl test kit, a floating tablet dispenser and chlorine tablets.
I tried explaining what I had read about alkalinity, cyanauric acid levels, needing a fas/dpd test kit to check my chlorine levels when shocking and also wanting a kit that can test for CC to know if i should shock. He explained, in a most condescending tone, that I was taking things way too far for my play pool. And that I was very foolish for pouring bleach in my pool as it "has all kinds of things you don't want in your water".
Is he right?

 

[red seewun]

the primary interest of most sales people is getting you to buy what they get paid to sell, which is what happens every time HRH goes to the pool store here with a list of what we need, and she comes back with what they said she wants instead.

i'm a n00b here, hence the lack of sig, but i've been tending our old cranky pool for 6 or 7 years with no problems, except when i come up lame, and the advice here meets or exceeds what i find w*rks for me. i'm pleased with the depth of knowledge here (pun intended) and am looking forward to learning more.

i'd give you a suggestion of what to tell the salesman, but i'm guessing even English vulgarities would be a breech of the rules. %-)

JMHO/YMMV.

 

[conniegal]

If you've read on this web site, pool store theories and TFP theories do not go together. Time after time, pool stores attempt to sell their wares to pool owners to "clear and/or maintain" their pools. My pool was a mess and I spent a small fortune on my pool not much bigger than yours in an effort to clear it and it only got worse until I found and started using TFP methods. Once I did, my pool cleared and stayed clear. That's how they make their living, selling all those products that we don't need. TFP methods work and its shown time after time after time on the many threads on this site. Its up to you to choose which route you want to follow though. I would have stopped listening when he started mocking my "toy" pool.

 

[BobbyR]

You ask if he is right. The answer is definitely NO, he is not right.

It's funny, actually. He says that chlorine has "all kinds of things you don't want in your water". Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is he is trying to sell you all kinds of things you don't want in your water.

Pool water maintenance is so ridiculously simple using the TFPC method that it's simply amazing to me that pool stores continue to survive with their current business model which involves selling lots of expensive and unnecessary chemicals which don't even work.

The secret to a perfectly clear and odorless pool is baking soda, CYA and liquid chlorine. That's it.

Believe it or not.

Oh, you might occasionally need some muriatic acid to get the pH balanced...

 

[rangerwildtrak]

Thanks gents. I'll use the stabilized chlorine tablets till my CYA level goes up a bit and switch back to bleach.

 

[EVChargeGuy]

Interesting sales approach of belittling the size of your pool. Why? To put you on the defensive?
Sales 101, today's 4000gal pool owner could be tomorrows 30,000gal pool owner, why alienate anyone, unless he's at the Limits of his own knowledge.
It sounds like he's taking the Great Oz sales program and that he's is the know all & be all, that you should just buy whatever he's selling and not question him, because he really doesn't know anything about pool chemistry?

 

[woodyp]

40 years of experience--------all BAD I think.

 

[duraleigh]

40 years of ignorance will be hard to overcome.

 

[Isaac-1]

Ah the pool store method, you don't need that fancy test kit that cost $100+ (well $68 in the US for the TF-100) that allows you to see what is really going on, here have this cheap kit that we sell for $9.99 instead and blindly buy $400 worth of chemicals, magic potions, etc. we tell you to each time you come into our store because we know best. While we are at it we will tell you all sorts of lies about bleach, and other commodity chemicals, so we can sell you the same things in packages marked pool this and pool that for 4 times the price. Oh and when it all comes tumbling down because we are more concerned about selling you stuff than you having a balanced pool, we tell you it is because of "chlorine lock" or maybe that you have some super algae that can only be killed by draining the pool and replacing your regular pool sand with this new and improved environmentally friendly sand instead. Then of course once you drain your pool, when you refill it we can sell you the special pool start up kit which includes all these great special chemicals like pool start up rapid dissolve Chlorine, never mind the label underneath that looks the same as that chlorine over there for half the price, that is everyday chlorine shock........

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Don't listen to the moron. His approach to sales only proves what little knowledge he actually has.

I think the downside to TFPC is this - people outside the USA have a much harder time practicing it. For one thing, the Taylor test kits and reagents are either not available abroad or they are ridiculously overpriced (that's right Canada, I'm giving you the stink-eye...). Secondly, some of the chemicals we take for granted aren't even available for consumer purchase, eg, you can't buy borax in Europe as it is considered a regulated pesticide. So to our friends overseas, unfortunately you have to make the best of the situation you're stuck with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BuckeyeChris]

Maybe where he takes care of pools, people drain and/or cover every year. Wouldn't surprise me if "just tabs" has been working for his clients.

 

[rangerwildtrak]

Interesting sales approach of belittling the size of your pool. Why? To put you on the defensive?
Sales 101, today's 4000gal pool owner could be tomorrows 30,000gal pool owner, why alienate anyone, unless he's at the Limits of his own knowledge.
It sounds like he's taking the Great Oz sales program and that he's is the know all & be all, that you should just buy whatever he's selling and not question him, because he really doesn't know anything about pool chemistry?

That's what i thought. First off he had a chance to welcome a new customer for a lifetime of sales and at least try to redirect my attention to a different test kit. Instead he says, "Taylor who?...Taylor what?......Just because some kit is available in America do not assume it is used elsewhere in the world".

 

[rangerwildtrak]

Maybe where he takes care of pools, people drain and/or cover every year. Wouldn't surprise me if "just tabs" has been working for his clients.

Haha. He actually stated all one has to do with a little play pool is drain and refill once a month. We were actually planning on going chemical free and draining once a week. After the second day I slipped when I stepped off the ladder onto the pools slimy bottom and the third day the water stunk. That is when my self education started.

 

[rangerwildtrak]

'In reply to joyfulnoise post'

Spot on! I still haven't located a proper test kit here within Thailand but have read of taylor k-2006 kit asking over $500 US!
Borax is unavailable and pool chlorine from some shops appears cheaper than supermarket household bleach. But I'll get it all figured out in time.

 

[BobbyR]

$500 for a Taylor test kit. Wow. And I thought we had problems in Canada with Taylor's pricing..

 

[EVChargeGuy]

'In reply to joyfulnoise post'

Spot on! I still haven't located a proper test kit here within Thailand but have read of taylor k-2006 kit asking over $500 US!
............

Holly@#$% Batman!
Sound like a market for some ex-drug smugglers to get into?