Imagine this.
It’s mid-July and 90 degrees outside. You have the day off and live at one of The Connor Group’s luxury apartment communities. You have one thing on your mind: spending the day at your favorite amenity, the pool. The only problem is, it’s closed!
This situation has played out at our properties before, but there is one service trainer who came up with a plan to combat the problem. Partner Paul Leber proposed training everyone at a property, not just maintenance, on pool upkeep. Now, he’s executing that plan across Ohio.
“Paul brought sales and maintenance together to show us the daily process from start to finish. What to do with chemicals and why we use them,” said operations manager Kati Hutton. “Now, not only do I feel like I can help my techs with the pool, but if there is an issue, I can explain the problem better with more specifics. That’s something our techs very much appreciate.”
“The thought behind it is, when there are issues with the pool, we can hold the whole team accountable,” said Paul. “At the end of the day, it’s about the health and safety of our residents.”
Paul reinforced that daily pool maintenance isn’t just about keeping the pool looking nice; it protects residents from potential illnesses.
“Every year across the country, there are people who die from diseases they got from a swimming pool,” Paul said. “So, to me, pool upkeep is a prime example of our core values, doing the right thing and people count. It’s keeping our residents safe.”
Paul also mentioned the Circle of Success and how the new knowledge for our managers will help them set clear expectations for a clear pool with the rest of their team. At District at Linworth, Kati said the class drove home thinking long-term, not short-term and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
“We have to think long-term and stay relentless on pool upkeep every day,” Kati said. “If we think short-term like, ‘I don’t have time for this,’ then the pool will become a bigger problem down the road. When that happens, it ultimately takes away from our main jobs like sales, turns and work orders.”
Kati raved about the class and how recent hands-on training brought her entire team together. Having a dedicated trainer help you dive into a pool of new knowledge doesn’t hurt either.
“Paul is such a good teacher, and you can tell he is happy training people,” said Kati. “He is really passionate about this topic, and it makes you passionate about it, too.”
Paul’s pool school held a class at every Ohio property this summer. The plan is to expand to more markets next year. Paul’s goal is to eventually take the hands-on training to every Connor Group property.