Episode 159: DOE Law and VS Pump Sales Tactics with Jeff Farlow, James Roberts, and Kevin Harms of Pentair
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Episode Summary
Today, we sit down with Pentair’s Aftermarket Program Manager James Roberts, Program Manager of Energy Initiatives Jeff Farlow, and Associate Product Manager for Pool Pumps Kevin Harms.
Vital to the pool industry is the Department of Energy, which among other things promotes the raising of energy efficiency standards in every sector throughout the country. Pools are identified as the second-largest energy users in homes out of what Jeff calls the “big three”: air conditioning, pool pumps, and hot water heating.
Listen in as Jeff, James, and Kevin discuss the DOE’s new Dedicated Purpose Pool Pump (DPPP) regulations which go into effect on July 19, 2021, and what pool companies need to know as these regulations are rolled out, including sales tactics for communicating to homeowners the need and benefits of switching over to variable speed pumps.
Topics Discussed
00:47 - An introduction to Jeff Farlow, James Roberts, and Kevin Harms
05:06 - Why the Department of Energy is vital to the pool industry as a whole
09:13 - About the DOE’s new Dedicated Purpose Pool Pump (DPPP) regulations
12:01 - How pool professionals can explain these regulations to homeowners
22:10 - Variable speed sales tactics and tools
31:55 - What to suggest to homeowners who aren’t willing to upgrade
39:53 - Converting backyard opportunities into cash
50:47 - Setting up variable speed pumps for maximum success
54:58 - Converting data to sales
58:26 - Training offered by Pentair on the DPPP regulations
Key Quotes From Episode
Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve the climate impact that we, as humans, are having. ~Jeff
The pool professional is the number one influencer on the consumer as to whether they purchase pool equipment. ~James
A variable speed pool pump can do everything that a single speed pool pump can do at least as good as, if not better. So, you’re not sacrificing anything, you’re getting everything you need to do with your pool, and you’re just minimizing the waste. Regardless of where you sit on that spectrum, it’s all about using what you need without waste. To me, that’s what energy efficiency is best defined as. ~Jeff
If you take a variable speed pump and run it fast enough for a couple of hours close to full speed, then run it at a minimum for the rest of the day, it keeps the water moving all day and keeps the filtration going. ~Kevin
