Episode 158: State of the Pool Industry with Scott Frost of Fluidra
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Episode Summary
Today, we sit down with Scott Frost, who has served as Senior Vice President of Sales for North America at Fluidra for almost three decades.
Fluidra was founded in 1969 and has since grown into a well-respected multinational group in the pool and wellness industry, operating in more than 45 countries through its subsidiaries with a team of over 6000 employees. Fluidra is the name behind a number of prestigious brands such as Jandy®, AstralPool®, Polaris®, Cepex®, Zodiac®, CTX Professional®, Certikin and Gre®.
Scott says that, after over 28 years, nothing compares to this particular crisis. He speaks on how the pool industry has been impacted by the pandemic since the beginning of 2020 and what opportunities emerged in the new normal among the radical changes that the industry has undergone as a whole.
However, Scott also notes that there are more positives than negatives in the long run and that one of the most important ways for companies to thrive is for them to have open, honest communication with their customers as everybody continues to navigate these uncertain times.
Topics Discussed
01:05 - An introduction to Scott Frost
05:32 - Why the last year-and-a-half was both “an exciting and challenging time”
11:05 - Tackling the challenge of an uncertain future and rethinking just-in-time systems
16:03 - How the pandemic has influenced Fluidra’s decision-making process
18:33 - Why no other crisis in Scott’s 28-year career compares to this one
19:45 - The pandemic’s positive effects on the industry
25:44 - The pandemic’s negative effects on the industry
28:15 - Texas freeze effects
33:25 - Suez Canal, trucking, and freight effects
35:47 - What manufacturers are doing to alleviate supply chain issues
40:11 - How to help customers navigate these tricky times
48:34 - How dealers can adjust consumer expectations to avoid issues down the road
52:06 - How Scott sees the industry recovering from this crisis compared to past ones
Sponsors
Key Quotes from Episode
“Just-in-time” only works if you have historical basis to understand what the future will bring, and there is now such a lack of understanding of what the future holds.
A positive from the pandemic is that I’m now spending a lot more time talking about the convenience and the fun of owning a pool. It’s put us on the radar.
We’re in the backyard entertainment business.
The easy thing is to react to what the consumer wants. “I need my pump fixed,” or “I need my pool cleaned.” That’s reacting. Being proactive and looking at your business with a proactive approach is a good practice.
