Push suppliers to own issues

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Lee’s back on home turf (and grand-dad duty) and Shane’s in the chair from New Zealand for a lively episode that starts with a wild Guy Fawkes blackout story and lands on a pressing industry issue: two major distributors have exited the NZ market, leaving pros scrambling for parts, warranties, and sensible logistics.

In this episode

• Cold open: A powder-monkey grandad, one huge bang, and parts of Melbourne go dark 😳
• NZ shake-up: Two big distributors stop supplying nationwide—what that means for warranties, spare parts, and service timelines.
• Reality check on freight: When a book of stickers costs $20 to ship, what will a pump or salt cell run?
• What to tell customers: Bulk email blast or handle it case-by-case? Lee explains why targeted, honest comms win.
• Owning the problem: Why suppliers should proactively notify recalls/faults (shout-out to Fluidra for doing it right).
• When brands fold: Lessons from the Poolrite era—who actually carries the warranty, and how pros protected clients (and their own reputations).
• Smart playbook:
  • Vet suppliers for staying power, not just long warranties.
  • Consider buying groups to consolidate freight.
  • Explore becoming a local warranty station to turn pain into pipeline.

Key takeaways

• Don’t panic-email your whole book—inform affected clients individually with options and realistic timelines.
• Push suppliers to own known issues and send parts proactively; it saves everyone’s face.
• Strength in numbers: coordinate orders and freight with nearby companies.
• A long warranty is meaningless if the brand won’t be around to honor it.

Got a topic, tip, or rant?
Email: [email protected]
— Rudy will route it to the right crew.

Happy Monday, and stay safe out there!

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