Your Contract Ruined Christmas - Holiday Woes: Part l

Picture this: It's 5 AM on Christmas morning, your kids are waiting for Santa, and you're contractually obligated to service a commercial pool because you didn't plan ahead. Sound like a nightmare? Unfortunately, it's a reality many pool professionals face during the holidays. This episode of the Talking Pools Podcast dives deep into the contract complications that can turn your Christmas into chaos – and more importantly, how to prevent them.

The Holiday Service Dilemma: When Contracts Meet Christmas

For pool service professionals, the holiday season presents unique challenges that many don't anticipate until it's too late. The issue isn't just about wanting time off – it's about the legal and professional obligations that come with poorly planned contracts.

If it's the day that it falls on that we're supposed to be there, we're pretty much expected to be there. And, you know, if you're sending out contracts to these clients, these commercial clients, and you don't want to go there on these holidays, because for some people, these holidays are sacred and it's not even something that you really think about.

— Steve Sherwood, Talking Pools Podcast

The reality is stark: commercial clients operate 365 days a year, and if your contract doesn't specify holiday exceptions, you're legally bound to provide service regardless of the date. Hotels don't close for Christmas, and homeowner associations still need their pools maintained even on December 25th.

Proactive Planning: The Key to Holiday Harmony

The solution isn't to avoid holiday work entirely – it's to plan strategically and communicate effectively with clients. Successful pool professionals start their holiday planning months in advance, not the week before Christmas.

That's not something that we talk about the week of Christmas. That's something that we talk about like before Thanksgiving or in October. We'll start talking about the holidays and where everyone's going to be.

— Steve Sherwood, Talking Pools Podcast

This forward-thinking approach allows for several key strategies:

• Contract modifications that clearly outline holiday service expectations
• Staff rotation schedules that ensure coverage while allowing personal time
• Client communication that sets realistic expectations
• Emergency contact protocols for holiday situations

For pool professionals with families, especially those with young children, the timing becomes even more critical. The magic of Christmas morning shouldn't be sacrificed due to poor contract planning.

Flexible Scheduling: Balancing Professional and Personal Commitments

When holiday service is unavoidable, flexibility becomes your best friend. Many clients are willing to accommodate schedule adjustments if you communicate professionally and in advance.

As long as you communicate with them and you say, hey, you know, we were planning instead of coming at like five in the morning on Christmas morning, we were planning maybe on coming like, you know, 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. or something like that after my kids wake up and we have breakfast and I can pop out for an hour or two.

— Steve Sherwood, Talking Pools Podcast

This approach works because it demonstrates professionalism while acknowledging personal needs. Most commercial clients have staff on-site during holidays anyway – engineers, maintenance personnel, or property managers who can assist or coordinate with your modified schedule.

For homeowner associations, there's often a superintendent or manager living on-property who can handle basic maintenance tasks if properly instructed. This creates opportunities for delegation without abandoning your service responsibilities.

Insurance Considerations for Pool Inspections

The episode also delves into the growing field of pool inspections, particularly in light of recent natural disasters in California. This specialized service requires different insurance considerations than standard pool maintenance.

If you're inspecting pools, you're basically and you're not actually working or doing anything to service the pool. You're basically just warrantying it works a certain way or that damages are going to cost a certain amount to repair things. So that's more of a professional E&O policy that's going to cover that.

— Pat Grignon, California Pool Association

Pool inspections involve professional liability that standard general liability insurance doesn't cover. While general liability might cover physical damage you cause during an inspection, it won't protect you if your professional assessment proves incorrect and costs the client money.

The distinction is crucial:

• General Liability: Covers physical damage (knocking over a statue, equipment damage)
• Professional Liability/E&O: Covers errors in professional judgment or recommendations

This becomes particularly important when working with insurance companies after natural disasters, where accurate damage assessments can involve hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Contract Language That Protects Your Holidays

Prevention is always better than reaction. Smart pool professionals build holiday considerations directly into their contracts from the start. This means clearly defining:

• Which holidays are excluded from regular service
• Modified service schedules during holiday periods
• Emergency contact procedures for holiday issues
• Client responsibilities when regular service isn't available
• Pricing adjustments for holiday service requests

The key is specificity. Don't assume clients understand that Christmas is important to you – spell it out in the contract. Most reasonable clients will appreciate the clarity and professional approach to boundary-setting.

Building Relationships That Allow Flexibility

Ultimately, the best protection against holiday contract issues is strong client relationships built on mutual respect and clear communication. When clients see you as a valuable partner rather than just a service provider, they're more willing to accommodate reasonable requests.

With our clients, I mean, they are really good to us. You know what I mean? So we want to be there on all the days and I don't go out and do pools all that often anymore.

— Steve Sherwood, Talking Pools Podcast

This relationship-first approach creates win-win situations where clients receive excellent service year-round, and service providers can enjoy holidays with their families without legal complications.

Industry Growth and Professional Development

The pool industry continues to show resilience and growth, even in challenging economic conditions. Recent PHTA quarterly surveys indicate positive trends, while companies like Skimmer are experiencing rapid growth in the pool software and service platform space.

This growth creates opportunities for specialization, like the pool inspection services discussed in the episode. As the industry evolves, professionals who adapt their services and business practices – including proper holiday planning – position themselves for long-term success.

Professional development through PHTA scholarships and continuing education helps pool professionals stay current with industry trends, safety requirements, and business best practices. This knowledge becomes crucial when drafting contracts that protect both business interests and personal time.

The pool industry's resilience during economic uncertainty demonstrates the value of essential services, but also highlights the importance of professional business practices that sustain long-term success while maintaining work-life balance.

Don't let poorly planned contracts ruin your Christmas – or any other holiday that matters to you. The pool industry offers tremendous opportunities for both professional and personal satisfaction, but only when business practices support both goals. Start planning your holiday strategies now, before the next Christmas morning arrives with unwelcome surprises.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction - Holiday Greetings from Baja
• 05:30 Contract Planning for Holidays
• 12:15 Flexible Scheduling Strategies
• 18:45 Industry News Roundup
• 25:20 Insurance Interlude - Pool Inspections
• 35:10 Professional vs General Liability Coverage