Appointment Two - Aqua Pool & Spa

April 14, 2007

Blink test, we have a problem.

For every positive feeling we had with Premier - Aqua was the opposite.

Now before I get into the appointment, let me tell you about Aqua, Aqua is huge. The do hundreds of pools every year and have an enormous workforce. Most builders are contractors that subcontract out various portions of the pool. Aqua's deal is they do everything start to finish and every last person who steps in your backyard is an employee of Aqua. It is a compelling argument.

Also in their favor they have an absolutely gorgeous showroom. Out in Manteca they have an enormous lot with about a dozen or more real live full pools to see. You can see various concrete options, plaster options, this option, that option - everything. It is extremely well done and very very impressive. We went for about an hour before an Easter party and we were very impressed.
http://www.aquapoolandspa.com/aps_showroom.html

So the day the Aqua pool guys was coming we were pretty excited. we liked Premier a lot, but we also bought into the Aqua philosophy (http://www.aquapoolandspa.com/aps_faq.html#_14) and we were very impressed with the showroom.

then, the guy showed up.

again blink test - not very good.

So we have a quick conversation about our thoughts on the pool and we head outside. Now I am paraphrasing but this is pretty much how it went.

Us: "we were thinking of putting the pool over here and the spa over there"

Him : "well, I don't know, that is going to be hard"

Us: "we need some concrete over here and a patio cover"

Him: "yeah, that seems like a lot of work"

Us: "blah, blah, blah, this detail that detail"

Him: "I don't know it seems really hard, we going to have to dig a hole and have a tractor and a lot of workers, its going to cost a lot of money"

Us "uh yeah"

so about 10 minutes later he leaves and we just look at each other - was that guy serious. On almost every comment we made, his comment was how hard it was going to be and how expensive it was going to me. It was like we were really inconveniencing him.

needless to say - we put Aqua on the same pile as Swan from the year before.

and then my wife called and left him some VERY direct feedback on his sales tactics - I wish I had a tape recorder going because it was classic.