Top Franchise System
Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa is the nation’s largest swimming pool retail, service, and repair franchise system. Most other pool-industry franchises have limited service offerings, focusing on pool cleaning or repairs; other competitors are corporately owned retail locations that sell supplies. Pinch A Penny franchisees are owner-operators who benefit from the brand’s proven turnkey business model and strong corporate support programs, as well as exclusive access to Pinch A Penny’s proprietary chemical products and expert training at the company’s Pool School in Clearwater, Florida. Before joining Pinch A Penny, many franchisees were successful in different careers having nothing to do with pools, but at some point, they decided to invest in themselves and own their own businesses. Because many of Pinch A Penny’s franchisees were previous customers who already knew and trusted the brand, they chose to join the company.Multiple Streams of Revenue
Unlike their competitors, Pinch A Penny franchises have the advantage of multiple streams of revenue: retail, pool cleaning, and an array of backyard services. As a leading swimming pool franchise for more than 45 years, Pinch A Penny provides franchisees with in-depth training so that they become niche specialists and offer their customers invaluable expertise and guidance every time they call or walk into a store. Customers rely on their neighborhood Pinch A Penny to point them toward what they need to create the safest, most sanitary water environment for family fun. Pinch A Penny stores sell supplies and offer free water testing using the brand’s seven-point computerized water test to help customers ensure that they have the proper water chemistry in their pools. Pinch A Penny also handles routine cleaning and maintenance for pool owners who prefer to be more hands-off in caring for their pools. Franchisees and certified technicians on staff at Pinch A Penny locations are well-trained so that the pools they maintain stay safe and clean for year-round enjoyment. Finally, Pinch A Penny provides a variety of backyard services such as pressure washing, pool renovations, leak detection, and more to keep the area surrounding the pool or spa in great shape.Family Business
A lot of companies say their teams are “like family,” but Pinch A Penny has always been a family business. Founder Fred Thomas grew the company by inviting other families to invest and open their own locations. Today, Thomas’s son, John, serves as chief executive officer of Pinch A Penny. John Thomas makes a point of visiting every franchisee at least once per year to see how things are going, and they all have his personal cell phone number so they can call if they ever need something. Many Pinch A Penny locations are owned and operated by families who desired to build a legacy for their children. The business model lends itself to family life, with regular hours and no travel, and stores create jobs for all ages, including the teenaged children of many franchise owners and customers. Many of Pinch A Penny’s higher-performing locations are owned and operated by families. Franchisees cite the brand’s family atmosphere as one of the things they love about Pinch A Penny. That may help explain the company’s perennially high ratings for franchisee satisfaction in Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises ranking. Pinch A Penny has been in the Top 10% of the rankings since the survey began, and in 2020, Pinch A Penny was the category leader among retail franchises. Pinch A Penny stands out among a crowd of competitors, and the brand is poised to differentiate itself further as it continues to expand throughout the Southeast and in fast-growing states like Texas, where both residential development and pool construction are on the rise.
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