Most tools sold to pool companies started life as route apps: get a truck to the next stop, tick it off, move on. That is worth a lot - but it is not the whole business. Before you commit to your next vendor, pressure-test it on four questions:
- Does it show profit per account? Not revenue - profit, after the real cost to serve.
- Is a visit actually proven? Chemistry, checklist, photo and a GPS stamp you can send the customer - not just a checkmark.
- Is the price built from cost? A quote that starts from what the account costs you, with a margin you choose.
- Can you leave? Your data should export cleanly, and an import should dry-run and undo.
If the answers are yes, you are buying a system your business runs on. If they are no, you are buying a nicer checkmark. Choose accordingly.