The Coronavirus pandemic has shut down operations at businesses across a variety of industries, but pool cleaning franchise Pool Scouts is still going strong. The brand continues to thrive thanks to its status as an essential business, as well as consistent day-to-day contact between the leadership team, franchisees and parent company Buzz Franchise Brands. 

President Michael Wagner would know. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, Wagner has been on the phone non-stop, talking to franchisees and guiding them through this unprecedented situation. He’s also spoken with the brand’s partners, including a lending partner, to learn more about franchisee resources such as small business loans. 

“The Pool Scouts leadership team has had a conference call every morning since this outbreak first happened to talk through how we can best support our franchisees,” Wagner said. “We’re also looking at the other two franchise concepts under the Buzz Franchise Brands umbrella, Home Clean Heroes and British Swim School, to discover how we can work with franchisees across all three systems during these challenging times.” 

The team is staying up to date with the latest knowledge and news in order to serve as the best resource possible for franchisees. Using advice from sources such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, they put together a surface sanitizing program for franchisees to help instill best cleaning practices during pool service visits in the age of social distancing. 

“We’re being proactive with our employees, making sure technicians have the personal protective equipment they need and that managers are encouraging them to stay home if they feel sick,” Wagner said. 

In terms of supporting prospective franchisees, Pool Scouts is demonstrating adaptability by offering virtual decision days and providing flexibility around franchisee training and opening dates. 

For established franchisees, Pool Scouts is encouraging owners to take the long view with their customers, continue being responsive and answer all phone and email queries. Wagner also noted that with so many children at home due to school shutdowns, it's more important than ever to help families get (and keep) their pools ready for use. Plus, swimming itself can be tremendously beneficial for customers to maintain their physical and mental health, especially as they find themselves outside of their normal routines. 

“We’ve crafted a number of systemwide messages to send to customers,” Wagner said. “Fortunately, Pool Scouts is deemed an essential service, so despite the fact that a lot of the markets we service are facing shutdowns, we’re still out there cleaning and opening pools. Since so many people across the country are at home with their kids, it’s nice for them to be able to spend quality time in their pool.” 

And social distancing is not getting in the way of business. 

“Part of our messaging is letting customers know that they don’t even have to come outside to greet us when we service their pool,” Wagner said. “There is no need to interact with technicians face-to-face.”

Even before the Coronavirus outbreak, Pool Scouts was known as a competitive business opportunity for a variety of reasons. For one, the business is home-based, which means a lower investment and increased flexibility for franchisees. Pool Scouts also benefits from the support infrastructure of its parent company in areas such as employee training and marketing strategies. 

“Essential home services will always be needed across the country,” Wagner said. “As part of Buzz Franchise Brands, Pool Scouts has the infrastructure in place to survive the crisis and come out the other side in a strong position.” 

The Coronavirus has provided many challenges for all businesses, but the Pool Scouts leadership team is eager to continue prioritizing franchisee relationships by helping them weather the storm. 

“I am confident that we are ahead of this situation as a company and as a brand,” Wagner said. “If we do right by our franchisees during this challenging time, that’s going to pay dividends in the long run when it comes to franchisee validation. We realize this is a challenging situation, but we’re in it for the long haul and we want our franchisees to know we’ve got their back.”

By prioritizing franchisee success, staying up to date on the latest news and maintaining constant communication, Pool Scouts is proving its staying space in the franchising world.  

To learn more about franchising with Pool Scouts, visit https://poolscoutsfranchise.com/.