Countdown To Opening Day

A checklist of what needs done and when

By Miklos Valdez

It’s an exciting time in aquatics, as new and updated facility projects are in the works all over the country. In all instances, operations and operation planning tend to be dramatically different in new facilities. Larger facilities mean more complex systems and more emphasis on cost recovery than what many managers are accustomed to. It is not uncommon for staffing numbers to triple and overall facility budgets to more than double in new facilities.

The differences in budgets highlight the operating differences. With larger expense budgets, larger revenue requirements follow. These successful operations do not appear out of thin air though. There are hundreds of decisions that need to be made and thousands of man-hours of work that ensure a successful opening. Regardless of whether you are building a new indoor or outdoor facility, the process should begin early. How early, you ask? I’m glad you did.

12-18 Months Out: Hiring A General Manager
Whether the person is called the General Manager, Aquatics Manager, Aquatics Supervisor or something else entirely, it is important to hire—and hire early.

Twelve to 18 months prior to the opening or re-opening of a facility is recommended. This ensures ample time for a search and interviews, and gives the new manager adequate time to become familiar with the project.

When choosing this person, it’s important that he or she is a skilled leader and be able to not only complete tasks, but also adequately delegate to employees. Having an aquatic background and knowledge is preferred and helpful, but not always necessary. A general manager needs to be a leader, needs to be able to execute the vision of the aquatic center, and needs to be able to “coach” other staff members to fulfill the mission and vision, but does not necessarily need to be the one providing the training or aquatic expertise.

This manager is not:

• A lifeguard who has been working at the facility for over 10 years and “deserves” the job
• The head lifeguard who no longer gets in the water to train because that person has “paid the dues”
• The employee who is looking for that next step because he or she is the most “senior” in the division or department.

All too often these are the individuals who are put in management positions, and rarely are they the best fit.

12 Months Out: Business Planning
Now that the General Manager has gotten feet wet (and has learned a few aquatic puns), it’s time to get the ball rolling. This means developing business, marketing, and action plans to ensure everything is accomplished.

The business plan is the outline for how the facility will operate. It should include the mission and vision of the facility, the description of the business and services, and some market analysis. The business plan will also have a detailed description of the operations of the facility. Staff schedules, anticipated program numbers and fees, and membership or daily fees are proposed and approved as part of this plan. The business plan will also outline the marketing budget.

Speaking of marketing, put together a marketing plan. This plan will ensure that the facility is getting the most out of marketing dollars. Marketing appropriately will achieve the goals:

• Do you need to attract more internet traffic to programs?
• Do you need to create more fliers?
• Do you want to explore new avenues of marketing?

Whatever the goals, make sure they are outlined in the plan and that all marketing efforts are being tracked. The name of the game is being able to show the return on investment.

Once you have the business plans complete, create an action plan to outline time tables for each task. This is usually a living document that will change throughout the process.

9 Months Out: Implementation
During this phase the advertising plan will be implemented. Make sure to have social media accounts set up. If not fully prepared to do everything in-house, do not feel bad about looking for help. Social media and marketing consultants can be found everywhere. They can help set up accounts and start populating some early marketing.

Along the same lines, make sure to have a branding plan in place. A Brand Standards document is highly recommended. This document has examples of all of the fonts, colors, and logos that are permitted to be used and how they are permitted to be used.

In preparing information about the facility, make sure all of the fees are in place and approved. People will start asking how much memberships or programs cost, so make sure to have something concrete to tell them. Especially in the municipal world, this process can take some time. It’s important to start the process as early as possible to get the information out.

The goal is to sell memberships/classes and rentals as early as possible to open your doors to a full house and full schedule.

While advertising for the facility, begin seeking applicants for all those jobs that will need filling.

6 Months Out: Supplies and SOPs
At six months, the purchasing process begins. Start gathering quotes and purchasing the supplies needed to operate the facility, especially supplies that have a long lead time. Remember this: in the summer, the majority of the United States swims, which means everyone is gearing up for those months. Every pool in the United States. Don’t wait until the last minute and miss out on those neat, branded inner tubes or life jackets.

Begin to write the facility’s Standard Operating Procedures. This has all the hiring, training, emergency, and maintenance information needed at a facility. Having trouble with what should be included? Good places to start are local pool codes, the Model Aquatic Health Code, and lifeguard-training provider materials.

Speaking of hiring, six months out is a great time to set up hiring fairs or attend local ones. Gone are the days when one can sit back and let the applications come in; go into the community and look for staff members.

3 Months Out: Heavy Recruitment, Registrations, Training
Congratulations! It’s not time to rest yet, though. This is where the heavy recruitment, training, and registrations start.

In the last three months, make sure those front desk, lifeguard, swim instructor, other positions, and training dates are set.

Depending on how hiring has been structured, some staff members may have been trained already, while others may need their lifeguard or WSI training. This is also a good time to set pre-opening training for everyone. Some training items to consider:

• Customer-service training
• EAP training (all staff members and local emergency responders)
• Cash handling
• Opening and closing duties
• Food handling
• Maintenance training.

Hopefully, this is the time the marketing program has been working, and calls about registering for programs and rentals are coming in. Many facilities use this opportunity to offer a “Sneak Preview” or invite-only soft opening for those who already have registered for memberships. This will allow the staff to get comfortable with the members in a more controlled setting before opening the doors to everyone.

Opening Day
All of the hard work has paid off, and the aquatic center has successfully opened! Congrats! Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t the end. Many of the items like SOPs, business plans, and marketing plans should be reviewed and revised regularly.

Miklos Valdez is the Studio Director for Counsilman-Hunsaker. He has over 10 years of recreation and aquatic experience as a pool and waterpark operator of indoor and outdoor facilities, competition pools, and fitness facilities. His facility-management expertise provides a vast understanding of aquatic operations, including large-scale facility operations encompassing everything from pool chemical maintenance to swim meet management. He earned a degree from Baylor University and holds certifications as a Certified Pool Operator, Lifeguard Instructor Trainer, Aquatic Examiner, Water Safety Instructor, and CPR/First Aid Instructor Trainer. Reach him at miklosvaldez@chh2o.com.