Talking Pools Podcast
If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.
Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact.
Here’s the hook: it’s not theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day. And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities.
Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster. That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.
If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird.
Talking Pools Podcast
Restocking Fees, ORP Probes, and the High Cost of Doing Business
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Show Notes – Mondays Down Under | Talking Pools Podcast
Hosts:
🦘 Peter (Australia)
🌊 Lee (East Coast Australia)
🏔️ Shane (New Zealand)
Episode Summary:
G’day, pool pros! This week on Mondays Down Under, Peter, Lee, and Shane take you on another wild ride through the highs, the lows, and the absolute WTF moments of the pool industry. Peter’s therapy session from last week must have helped—because now we’re diving headfirst into restocking fees, annoying customers, and the ongoing battle with ORP probes.
Shane kicks things off with a supplier charging a brutal 15% restocking fee, leaving the team questioning how much is too much? Sure, suppliers have to restock, but where’s the fee for pool techs when suppliers send the wrong stuff? Ever had to return stock and wait weeks for a credit? Yeah, we feel you.
The team also tackles no-access service calls and why you should be charging for wasted time when customers lock gates, unleash their pet velociraptors, or leave their pools bone-dry. If you’re not charging a call-out fee for these headaches, you’re leaving money on the table.
Then, it’s onto the ORP rollercoaster. How do you adjust setpoints when the probe reading seems to have a mind of its own? What causes ORP to go rogue? Is your fancy automation system really helping maintain chlorine, or just adding to the chaos? And most importantly, why is AI still spitting out nonsense about ORP readings?
Plus:
🔥 A heated discussion on pool service software price hikes that have some pool pros in the U.S. ready to riot.
🧠 Why cleaning up your database is the secret weapon for boosting your business.
💡 The true cost of bad customers and when it’s time to fire them.
📢 A PSA on checking probe storage solutions before they dry out and die a slow, useless death.
And of course, we wrap things up the only way we know how—ranting about things that don’t make sense while dreaming about the pub.
Topics Covered:
✔️ The Great Restocking Fee Debate: Is 15% reasonable, or is this supplier having a laugh?
✔️ No-Access Fees: If they waste your time, they should pay for it. End of story.
✔️ ORP Probes & Setpoints: Why they’re unreliable, what affects them, and how to fix your readings.
✔️ Pool Service Software Drama: One U.S. software company just doubled their prices overnight. Not cool.
✔️ The Importance of Data Ownership: Why you should own your own customer records and not be held hostage by a supplier’s software.
✔️ Staffing Your Weaknesses: Do what you’re good at, outsource the rest, and never let bookkeeping ruin your life.
Listen & Subscribe:
🎙️ Available on all major podcast platforms.
🌐 Follow us on Talking Pools Facebook Group for more discussions, memes, and general pool pro therapy.
See ya next week, legends! 💦
Thank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media:
Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com
