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
Push suppliers to own issues
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Lee’s back on home turf (and grand-dad duty) and Shane’s in the chair from New Zealand for a lively episode that starts with a wild Guy Fawkes blackout story and lands on a pressing industry issue: two major distributors have exited the NZ market, leaving pros scrambling for parts, warranties, and sensible logistics.
In this episode
- Cold open: A powder-monkey grandad, one huge bang, and parts of Melbourne go dark 😳
- NZ shake-up: Two big distributors stop supplying nationwide—what that means for warranties, spare parts, and service timelines.
- Reality check on freight: When a book of stickers costs $20 to ship, what will a pump or salt cell run?
- What to tell customers: Bulk email blast or handle it case-by-case? Lee explains why targeted, honest comms win.
- Owning the problem: Why suppliers should proactively notify recalls/faults (shout-out to Fluidra for doing it right).
- When brands fold: Lessons from the Poolrite era—who actually carries the warranty, and how pros protected clients (and their own reputations).
- Smart playbook:
- Vet suppliers for staying power, not just long warranties.
- Consider buying groups to consolidate freight.
- Explore becoming a local warranty station to turn pain into pipeline.
Key takeaways
- Don’t panic-email your whole book—inform affected clients individually with options and realistic timelines.
- Push suppliers to own known issues and send parts proactively; it saves everyone’s face.
- Strength in numbers: coordinate orders and freight with nearby companies.
- A long warranty is meaningless if the brand won’t be around to honor it.
Got a topic, tip, or rant?
Email: talkingpools@gmail.com
— Rudy will route it to the right crew.
Happy Monday, and stay safe out there!
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Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com
