Clarence Herry, General Manager, Pool Scouts of Southern MD & Annapolis
At Pool Scouts, we’re passionate about more than cleaning pools; we’re passionate about people. Our business is built on relationships and a commitment to 5-star service. Every interaction matters and for me, having real people on the front line is essential to running our operation.
That’s why who answers the phone matters so much. A customer’s first impression often happens before we set foot in their backyard. It happens when they pick up the phone and call us. To deliver on our 5-star promise, we needed every call to be answered by a real person who could listen, respond, and make that customer feel valued from the first “hello.”
And, in seasonal business like ours, timing is everything. A missed call in peak season is a missed opportunity, which means missed revenue.
The challenge: too many calls, too little time
Before AnswerConnect, we managed all communication internally. My team worked hard, but we were bottlenecked. Calls were flooding in, and while we tried to capture every lead, too many slipped through the cracks.
Even when we did answer, we weren’t consistently collecting the vital details (name, email, phone number, and address), and we did not have a simple way to get that information into our CRM. That meant follow-ups were slower, leads went cold, and we couldn’t maximize marketing opportunities.
My staff was stretched thin. Instead of focusing on delivering excellent customer service or thinking creatively about growth, they were buried in administrative work.
The solution: AnswerConnect as a growth partner
When I discovered AnswerConnect, what stood out immediately was the ability to create a customized script that made their team feel like an extension of ours. There’s no difference to our customers. They feel like they’re speaking directly to Pool Scouts. And that’s huge, because it preserves the personal experience we pride ourselves on.
The onboarding process with AnswerConnect was first-rate. They took the time to understand our business and the nuances of our customer journey. Plus, AnswerConnect came highly recommended by other business owners, and its strong reputation in the franchise industry sealed the deal.
The results: from $100k to $700k
The difference was night and day. With AnswerConnect:
- No more missed opportunities: Every lead gets captured, and every customer gets routed to the right person; sales for new leads, customer service for existing clients.
- Smart call routing & transfers: Urgent and revenue-generating opportunities are prioritized first. Plus, every call comes with clear notes and call recordings, so nothing gets lost in translation and follow-ups happen fast.
- CRM integration means instant follow-up: All caller details go directly into ServiceMinder and our CRM system, meaning we can start multi-channel marketing campaigns. From the first call, leads receive brochures and automated email journeys; something we simply couldn’t manage before.
- Smarter reporting: It has allowed us to consistently track leads, conversions, and repeat customers for the first time.
- Time savings: My team no longer spends hours on admin. Instead, they focus on high-value activities like improving customer service and brainstorming new marketing campaigns.
This has all been a huge factor in our seven-fold growth. In just three years, we’ve grown from $100,000 in high-season revenue to $700,000.
The human difference
AnswerConnect has elevated the experience for both our customers and staff. Customers get faster, more reliable responses, not from a voicemail, but from a real person who knows how to listen. That human touch sets the tone for the entire relationship and is at the heart of the 5-star experience they promise.
It’s been liberating for my team. They can finally focus on serving our clients and building relationships instead of worrying about missed calls or messy data entry.
My advice to other business owners
If you’re on the fence about using AnswerConnect, my advice is simple: try it.
For Pool Scouts of Southern MD and Annapolis, AnswerConnect has been more than just an answering service. It’s been a crucial ingredient in our growth, efficiency, and ability to deliver the personal, high-quality service our customers expect every time they call.
