The pool maintenance and cleaning services market is seeing strong demand and is projected to reach $10.33 billion by 2029, but much of the market remains fragmented among independent operators that may have limited capacity to take on additional customers. Pool Scouts, the 70-plus-unit national pool service franchise, has built its franchise model around filling that gap, giving owners the systems and support to scale alongside demand while delivering a consistent level of service.

“There are some local independents that do a very professional job, but they often reach capacity with one vehicle and can’t take on additional customers,” said Dave Warn, vice president of franchise development. “That can lead to waiting lists. With Pool Scouts, we can add vehicles as demand grows, allowing us to serve more customers.”

Finding Opportunity in Seasonal Markets

While year-round warm-weather markets may seem like the most obvious locations for a pool service business, Pool Scouts has also found opportunities in seasonal markets. The brand started in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where pool openings and closings create two important periods of demand around the core swimming season.

“We have franchise owners doing a full year of revenue in a warm-weather market versus seven months in a seasonal market,” Warn said. “Our shift and focus on those markets and the services we can provide, like pool openings and pool closings, has definitely led to systemwide growth.”

Ron Burrows Jr., a Pool Scouts franchisee in the southern part of New Jersey, sees that seasonal cycle firsthand. His territory sits just outside Philadelphia in a well-established area with many residential pools.

“We’re seasonal, so we have an opening and a closing season that are pretty well defined,” Burrows said. “We know exactly when things are going to start kicking off and when they’re going to start winding down. There are a lot of pools here, so we know there’s demand. We’re just starting to slowly take more of our share of it.”

Seasonality does not necessarily mean the business comes to a stop during colder months, either. Warn said there can be enough work to keep a lead technician busy year-round, including servicing heated indoor pools and spas and performing repairs.

“We’re going to add staff as the demand grows,” Warn said. “We’re ahead of the curve once it starts to warm up. We already have staff in place to be able to handle that demand.”

Using Technology to Improve Efficiency

Scaling a service business requires more than simply adding technicians and vehicles. Pool Scouts also uses technology to help franchise owners manage their operations and understand what is driving their results.

Routing software, for example, helps owners optimize technicians’ schedules and reduce unnecessary driving time. On the back end, a software called Tableau provides analytics that allow franchisees to better understand how their marketing dollars are converting. Pool Scouts is also incorporating artificial intelligence into different parts of the customer experience.

“We’re embracing everything we can with AI,” Warn said. “Whether it’s through our chatbot or AI-powered intake calls that can gather information, understand what a customer is looking for and schedule that initial assessment. It’s about embracing change on the technology front. We also have great routing efficiency software that allows us to optimize.”

That willingness to adopt new tools is part of a larger focus on helping franchisees operate efficiently as the business evolves. Franchisees are putting those tools to work in day-to-day operations, particularly for managing customer communication and tracking a growing book of business.

“Our CRM helps make sure our customers are being handled appropriately,” Burrows said. “We implemented AI this year, and that’s helping quite a bit with answering calls when we can’t get to them and handling after-hours emails and phone calls. Everything is on the same page, we know where everything is at, and we have experts we can reach out to if we have any issues.”

Building a Business Around Recurring Customers

In year-round markets, Warn said 86% of Pool Scouts’ revenue is recurring, compared with 62% in cold-weather markets. That revenue can come from ongoing pool maintenance and customers who return for seasonal openings and closings. Even pool owners who handle some routine maintenance themselves may rely on a professional when it comes time to open or close their pools.

“It takes some effort and a two-man crew to handle a pool opening or closing in a cold-weather market,” Warn said. “It’s not a matter of if you need service; you have to get your pool serviced before the season. If you wait too long to open it after the weather warms up, you can end up with an algae bloom.”

Keeping those customers coming back requires delivering consistent service. Warn pointed to the brand’s “Perfect Pools, Scout’s Honor” commitment as more than a marketing message. Technicians are expected to follow a consistent service process during each visit, including vacuuming the bottom of the pool rather than simply handling basic chemical and equipment tasks. That consistency helps franchise owners build customer relationships that can extend from one service appointment or swimming season to the next.

“Having a good relationship with our customers is really important,” Burrows said. “We like to reach out and say, ‘Hey, how are you? The crew was at your pool today. Did they miss anything?’ We take before-and-after photos, and if we see something worth talking about, we call them. They like the communication.”

Burrows said assigning the same employees and trucks to many of the same pools has also helped technicians develop relationships with customers. That familiarity has paid off in repeat business and referrals as customers get to know the people servicing their pools.

Supporting Franchisees Beyond Initial Training

Pool Scouts’ operational support is also designed to continue after franchise owners enter the field. Warn said the brand is focused on three areas as it looks for ways to help existing owners continue growing: franchisee profitability, new technology and advanced training.

Franchisees have access to a technician coach they can contact when they encounter problems with repairs. Pool Scouts’ primary vendors also provide 24-hour support hotlines, extending the resources available to owners beyond normal business hours.

Burrows and his business partners entered Pool Scouts without professional pool industry experience, making the support behind the franchise especially important as they learned both the technical and business sides of the operation.

“The support from the franchise has been huge,” Burrows said. “They help us understand our P&Ls, make the right business decisions and figure out what we need to do at the right time.”

Staying Ahead of a Changing Industry

Pool Scouts is a relatively simple business to learn, making it accessible to owners from a range of backgrounds. “The one constant in business and life is change, and we need to stay ahead of it,” Warn said. “We will continue to look at any type of technology, any type of product and embrace AI to stay ahead of that change.”

With a model built around recurring customers, scalable staffing, technology and continued support, Pool Scouts is positioning its franchise owners to capture demand without sacrificing the service standards that keep customers coming back.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/poolscouts.        

The startup costs for a Pool Scouts franchise range from $96,662 - $133,787. To learn more about franchising with Pool Scouts, visit https://poolscoutsfranchise.com/.