E-279 Pool Nation Podcast – Pool Service Pricing Explained: How to Build Real Profit and Margins Th

📅 December 15, 2025 ⏱️ 57:44 🎤 Edgar De Jesus, John JJ Flawless, Zach Nicholas

Chapters

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0:00

Welcome & Podcast Overview

Edgar De Jesus and Zach Nicholas welcome listeners to part four of their winter business series, focusing on profit margins and pricing in the pool industry.
0:04

Aquastar Golden Ticket Event

Edgar and Zach share their positive experiences at the Aquastar Golden Ticket event, highlighting the company's impressive manufacturing capabilities and the strong culture among attendees.
0:11

Hidden Leaks & True Costs

The hosts briefly recap previous discussions on hidden business leaks and emphasize the importance of knowing the true cost per pool to build profit margins effectively.
0:13

Understanding Profit Margins

This segment explains the crucial difference between dollar profit and margin percentage, detailing how a healthy margin protects a business from unexpected costs and supports growth.
0:22

Building Your Service Rate

The hosts break down how to mathematically build service rates based on true cost per pool and desired profit margins, illustrating with examples of 25%, 30%, 40%, and 50% margins.
0:33

Good, Better, Best Pricing

Edgar and Zach discuss the 'good, better, best' pricing strategy as a way to offer customers choices, protect margins, and navigate a challenging economic environment.
0:42

Preparing for Price Increases

The importance of reviewing routes, identifying problem pools, and understanding true costs before implementing any price increases is highlighted to ensure confident and informed adjustments.
0:47

Embracing Continuous Review

The hosts emphasize that understanding and adjusting pricing is an ongoing process, urging business owners to continuously flex their 'financial muscle' and adapt to market changes.
0:54

Future Episode & Final Thoughts

Edgar and Zach share final thoughts on the importance of knowing numbers and announce a future episode dedicated to effectively communicating price increases to customers.

Speakers

Edgar De Jesus

Host

John JJ Flawless

Host

Zach Nicholas

Host

Key Takeaways

✦

Identify and address hidden leaks in your business, such as drive time, chemical creep, and non-billable labor, to accurately determine your true cost per pool.

✦

Calculate your true cost per pool to inform your pricing strategy; if you need help, utilize resources like the Matrix program mentioned in the podcast.

✦

Understand the difference between dollar profit and margin percentage, aiming for a minimum 20-25% margin to ensure business stability and a healthier 30-40% for sustainable growth.

✦

Implement a 'good, better, best' pricing strategy for both services and repairs to offer customers choices and protect your profit margins, recognizing that most customers will opt for the 'better' middle tier.

✦

Before raising prices, review your service routes for efficiency, identify unprofitable 'problem pools' due to high costs or call-backs, and ensure your proposed new rates reflect these adjustments.

✦

Don't shy away from price increases; basing them on calculated costs and desired margins removes emotion and allows you to communicate value and maintain high service standards confidently.

✦

Continuously review and adjust your pricing. The market and operational costs are fluid, so regularly assessing your numbers will ensure long-term profitability and business health.

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