feature
The great debate PART ONE
T
his June at the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show on the Gold Coast, there will be two Great Debates – panel discussions on topics of importance to the industry, featuring leaders in the particular fields. SPLASH! will run previews of each of these debates. This issue we are looking at “A Hot Topic – Raising a Standard” looking at questions around residential swimming pool heating including how the new standards will impact the sector, and what are the best choices for the particular consumer applications. Panellists include Callum Ross, general manager Boss Solar; Tim Martin, general manager EvoHeat; Rob Sterland, product manager Pentair; Colin Mauger, director Supreme Heating; and Tom Boadle, general manager Sunbather. The mediator will be SPASA CIO Luke Daly. Here is a preview of the presentations of some of the panellists.
The SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show Be sure to get along to see the great debate in person and enjoy the lively discussion.
June 22-23, 2022 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre Broadbeach, Queensland REGISTER NOW AT
www.splashexpo.com.au 50
SPLASH!
April/May 2022
Callum Ross, Boss Solar
The new heating standards I am delighted with the increase to the minimum recommended coverage for thermal solar pool heating. I believe we need to be customer focused in everything we do. This type of change will drive customer outcomes in a positive direction, delighting more and more pool owners which in turn increases buyer advocacy. In also draws consistency between the standard, the theory and the practice, removing any ambiguity that may confuse potential buyers and lead to distrust. How should the right heater for the right job be considered? It’s essential when advising a client on heating solutions that we first aim to understand the customers’ expectations and desired pool usage. Are they recreational users? Is the pool intended to add to their fitness regime? Or is the pool perhaps for rehabilitation or hydrotherapy? These applications all have different heating requirements. Understanding the application is critical to ensuring the client has years of enjoyment from the pool and that the heating solution meets both the desired use and the expectation. Location and installation requirements should also be considered. Our industry needs to avoid steering pool owners into a decision that suits an agenda. We need to listen and give them a solution that best suits their individual requirements. How should data be presented to consumers about their heating needs and projected outcomes? As an industry, we need to present data in a standardised and consistent way that allows pool owner to compare apples with apples. This data also needs to be clear, simple, and free from jargon or asterisks. The information provided to customers should be comprehensive, including all options. Too often consumers find out about alternative options after the fact and are left disappointed. As the trusted advisors, we need to act as such. What should our industry know/do that they may not be right now to help us all improve? We need to consider the future sustainability of our industry. We need to be considering things beyond short term satisfactions and ease of installation. Listening to our clients’ needs rather than our own will ensure pool owners are satisfied not just in the initial excited phase when the pool is a new shiny toy, but in five years’, 10 years’ and 20 years’ time. We need new and existing pool owners to have an ongoing affinity with their pool, ensuring buyer advocacy and positive promotion of our industry.
Tim Martin, EvoHeat
The last 10 years has seen a massive upsurge in heating technologies and suppliers within the market. Having specified heating standards in place will help our industry and pool owners make better informed decisions about their heating needs. A pool is a significant investment, and without proper temperature control pool owners can only utilise it for less than 20 per cent of the year. Better education around