When Things Don’t Go Perfectly: A Customer Story

John Watts:
Today, we’re talking with Jim and Christie, customers who had a great overall experience—but not everything went perfectly during their pool project.

In fact, that’s exactly why we wanted them on the podcast.

It’s easy to showcase projects where everything goes according to plan. We’d rather talk about a project where challenges came up and discuss how they were handled.

Jim, Christie, tell us how you first found Aloha Pools.

Finding Aloha Pools

Jim:
It’s kind of a funny story.

Most of my life revolves around duck hunting. My brother and I were driving through northwest Tennessee on our way to hunt in Missouri when Google Maps routed us through Union City.

As we drove by, I noticed fiberglass pools standing up outside and thought, “What’s that?”

We had been talking about getting an inground pool for years. We’d always had above-ground pools, but we both grew up with parents who had inground pools and remembered how much fun they were.

So I called Christie and told her to check out the website.

At the time, we were leaning toward fiberglass.

But I also want to mention something that was important to us. We viewed a pool as a want, not a need. So we prayed about it.

We asked God, “If this isn’t something we should do, shut it down.”

Instead, things just kept falling into place.

Then we met Brad.

We felt an immediate connection. We talked about faith, family, and life. We walked away feeling like we were supposed to meet.

From that point on, we were all in.

We never got another quote. We never shopped around. We felt like our prayers had been answered. 

A Different Vision for the Pool

Christie:
When Brad first came out, we were still trying to figure out exactly what we wanted.

Jim originally wanted a fiberglass pool with a deep end.

I wanted a tanning ledge.

As we talked through the options, we realized this was a major investment and something we’d enjoy with our children and our nine grandchildren.

So we decided we wanted to build exactly what we wanted.

One thing that really helped was having Brad physically lay out the pool in our backyard.

Seeing the shape with stakes and string made it much easier to visualize the final project.

It helped us understand where the concrete would go, how much deck space we’d have, and how everything would fit around our yard and septic system.

Looking back, the layout is perfect for us. 

Preparing for Construction

Christie:
Before construction started, we had some work to do ourselves.

We had to remove our above-ground pool, take down a deck, move plants and bushes, and get everything ready.

We’re very hands-on people, so we did a lot of that work ourselves.

Jim:
Well, to be fair, I did sell the above-ground pool on Facebook.

So I helped a little. (laughs)

Christie:
A little. (laughs)

But having someone with decades of experience come out and explain what would work best for our property was incredibly valuable.

You can’t buy experience. It only comes from doing something for years. 

Installation Exceeded Expectations

Christie:
One thing that surprised me was how quickly everything moved.

We started discussions in January because we hoped to have the pool ready by April.

Not only did Aloha meet that timeline, they beat it.

We got to enjoy the pool for the entire season.

Jim:
Watching the construction process was incredible.

Our yard had a slope, so there was excavation work, grading, retaining walls, concrete, and a lot of moving parts.

Yet the crew worked so efficiently.

One day they’re digging.

The next day they’re forming walls.

Then concrete is going in.

I kept thinking, “There’s no way they’re moving this fast.”

But they did. 

When Something Went Wrong

John:
Now let’s talk about the part of the project that didn’t go according to plan.

Jim:
Everything had been installed and looked great.

Then I noticed a small hairline crack in the concrete.

I called my brother, who has construction experience, and he told me not to worry because concrete often develops small cracks.

A few days later, I noticed more.

Then more.

Eventually we counted around twenty hairline cracks.

That’s when my brother said, “Something isn’t right.”

So we called Brad and Choco.

To be honest, I expected some kind of argument.

You know how it goes sometimes when you bring up a problem.

Instead, the response was completely different.

They immediately said, “We’re going to take care of it.”

I couldn’t believe it.

The next thing I know, Chaco is on the phone making calls and telling us they’ll be back to tear it all out and start over.

Not patch it.

Not repair sections.

Tear it all out.

Every bit of it.

The next day they showed up with jackhammers and removed the entire deck.

I was speechless. 

Taking Ownership

Brad:
My recollection is that I found out through our construction meetings before anyone even called me directly.

Honestly, Chaco knew exactly what my answer would be.

The concrete wasn’t right, so we were going to replace it.

That’s just what needed to happen.

I think a lot of people focus solely on price when comparing pool companies.

But moments like this are where the difference shows up.

Sometimes paying a little more upfront saves a lot of frustration later because you’re working with a company that’s willing to stand behind its work. 

Why Service Matters

Jim:
Exactly.

At some point, price becomes less important than how people treat you.

Whether you’re buying a car, shopping at a store, or building a pool, people remember how they’re treated.

From our very first meeting, we felt like Aloha cared about us as people.

That never changed.

Even months later, when it was time to close the pool for winter, the service team showed up after dark with headlights shining across the backyard because they had promised they would be there.

That kind of thing sticks with you. 

Advice for Future Pool Owners

Brad:
If someone is considering a pool, what advice would you give them?

Christie:
Listen when experienced people tell you to add more deck space.

One thing Brad told us was that nobody ever says they wish they had less concrete around their pool.

He was right.

We’re very glad we followed that advice.

Jim:
Honestly, I wouldn’t change anything.

The concrete issue could have become a major problem, but the way it was handled actually reinforced our confidence in Aloha.

If I could give one piece of advice, it would be simple:

Treat people the right way.

You don’t have to sell pools.

If you treat people well, the pools will sell themselves. 

Closing Thoughts

Brad:
We can’t thank you enough for trusting us with your project and for sharing your story.

Jim:
And we can’t thank you enough for taking care of us.

The best part has been watching our children and grandchildren enjoy the pool together.

That’s what it’s really all about.

John:
That’s a perfect way to end it.

Thanks again for joining us, and thank you to everyone listening to another edition of the Aloha Pools & Spas Deep Dive Podcast.

As always—

Dive safely.