A Pool Girl’s Last Day (for now)

Jessie the office girl, here. I’m known by many other names: most commonly Becky, Stephie, Jenny, and Jackie…because I answer the phone countless times per day, and have come to find out that “Jessie” is not the easiest name to enunciate clearly by the time I get to the end of my usual greeting: “Ask the Pool Guy, Legendary Escapes, this is Jessie.” Many a well-meaning customer has replied with “Hi, Becky!” And I just don’t have the heart to correct them. If any of you are reading this post: thanks for trying! As it turns out, I love when people use my name–even if it’s not really my name. Almost every day this summer, part of last summer, and most of the summer before that, I’ve been the voice on the other end when you call the pool company. Today, though, is my last day (for now…Sandi and Al say that, once chlorine gets in your blood, it never really goes away). So today, I’m reflecting on my time at Ask the Pool Guy and Legendary Escapes, and sharing some thoughts with you.

When I first started at the pool company, I didn’t know anything about pools. I still remember the first time I was able to offer a suggestion to a customer who called, without having to take a message and call back later with the answer–she was having trouble getting suction when she was vacuuming, and I asked her if she’d backwashed her filter recently. Now, it’s safe to say I know more about pools than I’ll ever need to. I could tell you what’s probably causing your cloudy water and what you’ll want to do to clear it up. I could tell you all about a zinc anode and why it’s so important in a salt water system–both of which I had never heard of three years ago. I could tell you about the different pool construction options, and the pros and cons of each based on the climate where you live. I could tell you the best products for stain removal, water clarity, sanitation, metal removal, and just about anything else you need. But, for a girl who’s moving to a city where the backyards are almost nonexistent and the temperature stays pretty consistently moderate year round, my cornucopia of knowledge probably won’t be put to great use.

So, what will I miss about working at Ask the Pool Guy? Answering the phone so often that I can barely get anything else accomplished? Explaining what Ferri-Tabs are and how to use them at least once a week? Customers calling to tell me their (fill in the blank) is broken and they’re having a party in two days? Rearranging the office every week or two? A never-ending supply of barn lanterns to spray paint? In a weird way, probably all of the above (and also none of the above). But, on the real,  I’ll miss working for this outstanding company. I’ll miss the fun and supportive atmosphere, and the flexibility of working for a small business. I’ll miss having a boss who thanks me every day. I have truly enjoyed being part of such a wonderful company. It’s been fun to be a part of the brand growth and evolution we’ve experienced over the past few years. Ask the Pool Guy and Legendary Escapes are truly extraordinary companies, and it’s been a joy to be a part of the team.