About this episode
Ready to land commercial pool accounts without racing to the bottom on price? We break down exactly how to win bids with HOAs, apartments, and hotels while protecting your margins, your time, and your sanity. From first contact to long-term retention, this is a step-by-step guide to building a profitable commercial line that doesn’t drain your residential route. We start with how decision-making works behind the scenes: HOAs need multiple bids, boards are volunteer-led, and property managers value reliable partners who make their jobs easier. You’ll learn why a concise, one-page proposal beats a 20-page packet, how to use SEO and targeted ads to get found for “commercial pool service” in your city, and what to say when you call management companies to be added to their bid lists. We also cover when to cold walk properties, how to read a neglected pool as your opening, and how to present outcomes—uptime, compliance, and clear communication—instead of just tasks. Pricing is where most pros stumble. We explain the headache factor that should be baked into every commercial rate to cover inspections, chemistry logs, access issues, bather load spikes, late payments, and extra visits during heat waves. You’ll hear why HOAs are often more stable and faster to approve repairs than apartments, and how to set a hard price floor that keeps you out of unprofitable contracts. We dive into insurance and certifications too: typical two million liability requirements, when CPO is enough, when county certification is mandatory, and smart stopgaps if an inspector demands credentials on short notice.• adding a headache factor to every commercial bid• why HOAs pay more reliably than apartments• how to get in via SEO, Google Ads, and cold calls• using one-page bids for faster board decisions• navigating two million liability limits and certificates• county certification vs CPO and surprise inspections• setting a price floor and when to walk away• balancing visit frequency, capacity, and route design• strategies for blind bidding and presenting valueSend us Fan MailSupport the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6ySupport the showThanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you:Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.comWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPLPodcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching GroupJoin an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs)$59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoachingLimits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ]$50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-roadAcid Wash Coverage - Full Limits