Beyond the Backyard | DeVader's Pools & Spas
By Jen Leclair
Photos by Brian Peters
A few years ago, a customer walked into DeVader’s Pools & Spas searching for a swim spa for his wife, who was facing terminal cancer. Manufacturers were urging dealers to keep display models on the showroom floor amid a nationwide inventory shortage. DeVader’s sold him one anyway.
“She always wanted one,” said Waylon Smith, owner of DeVader’s Pools & Spas. “And she might not have had a year to wait.”
For Waylon, moments like that are why he still does this work. His company has spent more than 40 years helping customers in Northeast Kansas build outdoor spaces designed around connection and relaxation, whether that means a hot tub or an all-weather pool.
“What keeps us relevant is we still offer a service the internet can’t provide,” Waylon said. “Maintenance, cleaning, expertise — you still need somebody who can come out and help.”
Customers sometimes come back years later, after moving homes, to buy another spa. Waylon says it’s a reminder of why he stays focused on building customer relationships.
GOING WITH THE FLOW
The pool and spa industry has seen a change over the last decade in how customers shop and expect service. Waylon says if he had to identify the biggest change, it would be convenience.
The pandemic had a dramatic impact on consumer behavior, influencing how people buy, communicate and expect service to be delivered. Customers increasingly prefer texting over phone calls, online ordering over in-store visits and doorstep delivery over loading products into their vehicles.
During the pandemic, DeVader’s saw more customers purchasing remotely and relying on digital interactions. While large purchases like hot tubs still benefit from conversation and guidance, Waylon recognized that ownership support needed to become easier and more accessible.
Waylon is also looking at delivering chemicals directly to customers, paired with on-site water testing: collecting a sample, analyzing it and providing specific recommendations without the need for the customer to make a trip to the store.
The goal is less about convenience alone and more about maintaining personal service in an increasingly digital world.
“It’s hard to compete with doorstep delivery,” Waylon said. “So we have to think differently about what value we bring.”
SMART WATER, SMARTER SYSTEMS
These days, Waylon says the business’ best sellers tend to be products that make maintenance easier for customers. That includes robotic pool and spa cleaners in both cordless and handheld varieties, along with upgraded filtration products such as glass filter media for pools and silver-ion filters for hot tubs.
While swim spas and all-weather pools continue to appeal to customers looking for year-round usability, much of today’s innovation in the pool and spa industry centers on automation and smart technology.
Waylon says hot tubs have undergone some of the biggest changes. Modern systems allow owners to monitor water chemistry from their phones, automate chemical adjustments and simplify maintenance routines that once intimidated first-time buyers. Disposable filtration systems further reduce hands-on upkeep, while connected platforms can monitor pH, sanitizer levels and water balance with minimal user intervention.
“You can fill it up, and if you’re willing to use the technology, it can practically take care of itself,” Waylon said.
Waylon said the appeal is the ability to check on things remotely. The same systems connect back to DeVader’s office, letting staff monitor for technical issues and diagnose problems before a customer even notices something’s wrong.
“It’s peace of mind while you’re on vacation, knowing everything’s operating correctly right from your phone,” Waylon said.
Waylon believes the industry still has room to grow. He hopes future innovations continue reducing physical barriers to ownership, particularly for aging customers, including more user-friendly automated cover systems and improved accessibility features.
KEEPING THE TEAM AFLOAT
One of the most meaningful developments at DeVader’s has been the consistency of its team. Waylon says he has worked to create a workplace culture where employees want to stay and grow with the company.
As the business has grown, DeVader’s has added space for inventory, coordination and team operations. The extra room has also created more opportunities for employees to connect. At the end of each day, team members return to the office to talk through what happened, plan the next day’s schedule and flag any truck or tool issues. There are usually snacks and drinks on hand, along with a game area where employees can unwind before heading home.
“I’ve found that our end-of-day meetings help us discover any issues that may be going on in the field, since I can’t be out there with each crew,” Waylon said. “At that point, we can get them taken care of.”
Waylon says the company’s hiring process hasn’t changed much over the years. He looks for people who fit well with the existing team, and often hires through referrals by bringing on people his current employees already know.
“We need to all enjoy working together on a daily basis,” he said.
Waylon says he leads differently now than when he first took over the business. He used to stay involved in every detail, but now he trusts his team enough to let go of that.
Waylon also invests in his employees’ lives outside of work, watching younger team members buy homes, get married, start families and plan for their futures. He says that helping employees think about retirement planning and long-term financial readiness has become one of the most rewarding parts of ownership.
Through it all, Waylon comes back to a couple of phrases he reminds himself and his team of often.
“Through hard work, everything always works out,” he said. “It may seem impossible at the time, but if you keep working hard, it always works itself out. Nothing great comes easy. Would we really be proud at the end of the day if everything was easy?”
