AFT&C news🗞️ - Page 9 of 18 - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

Photo Contest Winners

Post author:Rudy
Post published:June 10, 2020
Post category:Pool News

Congratulations! Congratulations to the Winners of the Talking Pools? Ugly Pools photo contest. Over three dozen entries. Top 5 fan votes (which became Top 6 due to a tie for…

Photo Contest Finalists

Post author:Rudy
Post published:June 1, 2020
Post category:Pool News

UGLY POOLS PHOTO CONTEST After two months of Fan Voting, our top five finalists have become a top-six with a tie for fan votes on the fifth slot. The Finalist's…

Dealing with Chronic Pain

Post author:Rudy
Post published:June 1, 2020
Post category:Pool News Swimming Pool Safety

Chronic Pain is a Mutha F**ker! This isn't a story about me, although I'm kind of in it. This is a story about my cane. We'll have to talk about…

Pool Test Kit Comparison

Post author:Contributor
Post published:May 24, 2020
Post category:Water Chemistry

Ok, so I was trained testing water with reagents. Especially on a Taylor water test station. I am admittedly a little biased. I have done thousands, I mean THOUSANDS. Over…

Get Rid of Mustard Algae

Post author:Rudy
Post published:May 16, 2020
Post category:Algae Subscription Content

? Pass the Mustard I did a bunch of stuff with Black Algae, I know most of you are already familiar with those studies. If you are not, check it …

5 Industry Experts on Merchandising a Pool Store

Post author:Contributor
Post published:May 9, 2020
Post category:Retail

? Don't Roll the Merchan-dice when Merchandising a Pool Store ? Merchandising a Pool Store, Photo Credit Brian Connors of River City Pool & Spa mer·chan·dis·ing /ˈmərCHənˌdīziNG/ noun the activity…

Apocalypse Good for Pool Business ?

Post author:Contributor
Post published:May 3, 2020
Post category:COVID-19 Pool News

Is an Apocalypse Good for Business? The world has, for all intent and purpose, been grounded. We are limited to work (if we are lucky) and then sent to our…

Recession Proof Pool Pro

Post author:Rudy
Post published:April 26, 2020
Post category:COVID-19 Pool News Pool Service

Tips on Recession Proofing Your Pool Business I have some real concerns about where we are heading with the shelter in place or stay at home orders. I'm not talking…

Aquatics Director Positions at Risk⁉

Post author:Contributor
Post published:April 19, 2020
Post category:Pool Management Pool News University Aquatics

When Pools Stay Closed A lot of us make our money servicing and running Aquatic Centers, Community Pools, and High School and College pools. Are we at risk of losing…

Your Vote Counts ✔

Post author:Rudy
Post published:April 13, 2020
Post category:Pool News

Take A Break From COVID-19 and Do Something Fun! Voting Starts Today & There is Still Time to Enter ? We put together this Photo Contest to offer a momentary…

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.

Send us Fan Mail

On this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Lee Salisbury, Shane from Auckland, and Nick from Brisbane dive headfirst into one of the biggest challenges facing pool professionals everywhere: time management.

From subscription fatigue to overloaded schedules, the crew discusses how pool service companies can streamline operations, eliminate wasted effort, and create smarter workflows without adding more stress—or more monthly software fees.

Nick shares how he has transformed Buffer Zone into a centralized operational hub for his business, using it for everything from technician scheduling and supplier management to equipment manuals, staff notes, training resources, and client communication. The conversation explores how keeping everything inside one ecosystem reduces missed jobs, forgotten tasks, duplicated subscriptions, and operational chaos.

The episode also explores creative “workarounds” within software systems—showing listeners how to use scheduling tools for personal appointments, admin blocks, vehicle servicing reminders, supplier pickups, and inventory management. Shane discusses his previous use of the Timely calendar system and how similar functionality can be recreated directly inside Buffer Zone to simplify operations and reduce reliance on external apps.

Lee takes the conversation further into productivity systems, sharing how tools like Google Workspace, Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Google Forms, Google Drive, and automation integrations can dramatically improve efficiency for pool service companies. The discussion highlights real-world examples of live technician reporting, automated spreadsheets, winter repair prospecting, quote generation, inventory forecasting, and field-to-office communication systems that save hours every week.

The team also discusses password management, shared staff access, cloud-based documentation, technician accountability, and how centralizing information can protect businesses when employees leave or systems fail.

Most importantly, this episode focuses on the philosophy of continuous improvement—making small operational changes that create massive long-term gains. Whether you’re a solo operator or managing multiple technicians, the crew emphasizes that investing time into better systems today can save enormous amounts of time, stress, and money tomorrow.

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media:

Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com