As a pool service technician, managing multiple jobs and people can be challenging, especially when it comes to keeping track of job site details. That’s why I started taking photos on-site and encouraged my crews to do the same. However, organizing thousands of photos on my phone became a time-consuming task. Whenever I needed to show a customer a picture, I found myself scrolling through countless photos, both work-related and personal.
It was frustrating and unprofessional to waste time searching for the right photo or having to rely on my team to send me pictures, which often led to delays or misunderstandings.
Then, I discovered CompanyCam, a powerful pool service software solution that stores all of my maintenance photos in one place. Initially, I didn’t use it right away, but during a customer’s maintenance visit, they asked to see a before-and-after photo of their pool. That’s when I realized the app’s potential. I quickly accessed the photo I needed from the app’s cloud, created the after photo, and shared it with the customer, all in a matter of minutes.
Since then, CompanyCam has become an essential tool in my business, making my work more efficient and stress-free. As the Owner/Operator of DEALing With Pools, LLC and someone with many years of experience in service and construction industry, I highly recommend CompanyCam for streamlining your workflow and improving customer communication.
Now, let me share with you the top 5 photos I take when I arrive at a potential new client’s home!
1. The Home to be Serviced From the Road
I use this as the feature photo on each account. Not only does the app provide the address and location, but my guys will also have a photo of what it looks like from the road. This makes my guys more confident, plus we won’t go into the wrong home where we haven’t been given permission.
2. The Swimming Pool
I initially walk around the perimeter of the pool looking for anything out of place or any imperfections. Once I have done this I then snap a photo of the pool as a whole. This way I have a clear view of the before condition of the pool. Then we use that original photo to take our after photo.
This really helps the customer see the difference that our service has provided. They see minor changes daily so it doesn’t seem as drastic until you drop the Before and After photo on them. CompanyCam makes this super simple in their app, providing many templates and the ability to slap your company logo on them to use for marketing!
3. The Pool Equipment (i.e. Pump, Filter, Heater, etc.)
Since I have CompanyCam, I can take as many photos as necessary without having to worry about storage or organizing – it does all that for you. I take many angles of the equipment pad. I also take pictures of the equipment model and serial numbers. If something’s not right, I take a picture and can then mark up or leave comments for the customer and my team.
If the customer calls with an issue about their filter, all we have to do is look in CompanyCam and we have everything we need. We can bring all the possible parts that we may need to resolve the issue which saves tons of time and takes the guess work out of the process!
4. Anything Broken or Out of Place in the Pool or the Perimeter
Now back to the pool and the perimeter. I photograph different angles of the pool where there may be stains, broken stairs, and broken or discolored skimmer baskets. Then any landscaping or lighting that may be out of place or broken, concrete that is cracked, missing tiles, the list goes on.
This protects you from liability and helps justify if something needs replacing that could be a potential safety hazard.
5. Chemicals That the Customer has Used or is Currently Using
I may take some heat for this one, but there are so many “Pool Chemicals” sold that are completely unnecessary! Taking a photo of these chemicals helps me explain to the customer some of the potential damage these chemicals could cause if misused.
This is also valuable for when someone on my team visits the pool they know what they are walking into as far as the condition of the water chemistry. I also take a photo of my test performed and the results that way everything is captured.
Don’t take my word for it, download and try the CompanyCam app for yourself. It is honestly the best tool I have in my arsenal. This app will literally change your pool business for the better!
