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| Lizz
Pulliam takes a realistic approach to marketing her family's pool business,
even though it has been around more than eight decades.
"We need to keep our name out there," she says. "People don't walk around with our name on the top of our brain ever day. I want to remind them. I've got to be there." Pulliam Pools, founded in 1916, is the largest independent family-owned pool company in Fort Worth. But in a market that has seen housing starts skyrocket, the pool market is intensely competitive, she says. Many of her efforts have paid off, with the recent announcements of several accolades presented in the pool and spa industry. The company was chosen by the pool and spa professionals as one of the 50 best in the United States in the third annual Industry's Choice Awards, sponsored By Pool & Spa News. It was also honored by the magazine as a 1998 Distinguished Builder in Region 5, which includes Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Texas. It was also selected as one of the top 100 businesses in the industry by Aqua, a business magazine foe spa and pool professionals. This is the 10th year Pulliam Pools was named Aqua top 100. Pulliam, vice president, was even selected in a nationwide search by Swimming Pool/Spa Age magazine as one of the two Rising Stars 1998. Rising Stars are selected on the basis of their drive, motivation and commitment of the swimming pool industry. But all those awards don't matter unless the customers are happy, says Pulliam and her husband, Barry, Pulliam Pools president. His grandfather founded the business, originally as a cement contracting firm. The couple have developed several programs that incorporate marketing and customer communications. They've also continued some marketing efforts begun by Barry Pulliam's father, Doren, who developed the business into a pool company. Barry Pulliam says he learned from his father to make every effort to keep the line of communication open with the customers. "His big thing was to do what is right for the customers," Barry Pulliam says. "That doesn't sound particularly innovative, but it was a real sticking point with him." Years ago, Doren Pulliam began publishing a newsletter Pool Talk that was sent to customers. Lizz Pulliam has continued that but has enhanced it appearance. It is now sent three or four times a year, she says. Doren Pulliam "was really innovative," she says. "I've got old newsletters, that were one-color newsletters in the 50s. He was really ahead of his time." In addition, the Pulliams have 10 other mailings a year to customers, such as postcards to remind them, for example, to prepare the pool for winter, of freeze warnings, about keeping chemical balance and of saftey. The Pulliams have been operating the company for 14 years. Doren Pulliam was involved in the retail division until he died last year. |
Since
taking over, the Pulliams say they have learned just how notorious the
pool industry has become when it comes to customer horror stories of unfinished
pools.
Keeping the customer apprised during the entire construction process is key to avoiding unnecessary complications, the couple says. "One of the things we discovered, we focused on quality in the construction and the after market." Barry Pulliam says. "But we still noticed in the swimming pool industry that there are so many opportunities for communication to break down." As a result, Lizz Pulliam developed a systematic communications program for customers that keeps them informed at every step. If customers don't know what's going on, they will have unrealistic expectations, she says. The flow of information begins immediately with the salesperson at the time of contract, she says. "We go ahead and say, This is how long. We tell them the difficult stuff," Lizz Pulliam says. To the Pulliams, the extra effort is paying off. "Our business has doubled in the last three years," Barry Pulliam says. The company moved to its present location on Altamesa Boulevard in Southwest Fort Worth in 1991, never believing that they would fill the entire office area, the Pulliams say. Now they are expanding for the third time to accommodate a staff that has swelled to 44. It will double more that 6000 square feet of office space. In 1998, Pulliam pools built and remodeled about 450 pools. Barry Pulliam says that although he welcomed the growth, it wasn't planned. "We've been very reluctant to grow because our main focus has been on quality," Barry Pulliam says. "I've always been fearful of growing to fast and letting things fall through the cracks, because it's a lot of balls to juggle at once. But that's where the company's marketing has worked. Pulliam Pools has offered a referral program since the early 90s, by which customers earn prizes for referrals that turn into sales. The more referrals the bigger the prize. The top prize, awarded for 10 referrals, is a trip for two to Las Vegas, Lizz Pulliam says. About 65 percent of their business is by direct referral, and the rest is from other means, including a Web site that is increasingly attracting customers. "The growth has pretty much been forced on us through referrals," Barry Pulliam says. Pulliam Pools is always surveying its customers. Barry Pulliam says the company spent $5,000 on beach towels last year to send to customers who returned the survey. "We believe that it's worth that," Barry Pulliam says. "That information is very , very valuable. To get that feedback, you have to stay on the edge." Pulliam Pools also ventures into areas that some pool companies tend to shy away from because of the potential for lost sales, Lizz Pulliam says. The company is involved in a drowning-prevention program with Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Tarrant County Safe kids and the Tarrant County Water safety Advisory Council. Former Cowboys player Jay Novacek is its celebrity pitchman. "It's always going to be a challenge no matter how hard you try," Lizz Pulliam says. "What sets us apart is that we do try. I want people to feel like they're part of a family business. |
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Pulliam Quality | Experience Counts | Request Info | Be Wise... | Photos Reasons to use Pulliam | Why an Aquatech Builder | What our customers say |
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Phone: 817-346-4778
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E-mail: info@pulliam.com |
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Fax: 817-346-6353
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