Plumbing is a great industry to be in. For one, every building needs plumbing, and that isn’t changing anytime soon. There will always be work for those who can do it.
However, because there is so much work, there are also a lot of plumbers, which means that competition can get fierce in certain areas. If you are finding that you are battling with others, then you need to do whatever you can do to stand out in a crowd. However, it’s not always obvious how you can do that. Here’s how your plumbing business can outshine competitors and leave them in the dust.
Customer Service Is Key
Customer satisfaction should be your top priority. You are wrong if you think your job is fixing issues and installing fixtures, not customer service. You need not just to do your job as a plumber but also treat your customers like they matter.
You might have a lot of clients, but each one should feel like they are your most important. If you don’t take care of your customers, they won’t take care of you.
Being busy is suitable for any business. However, if you think you can afford to lose customers or push them away because of your volume, you’ll regret it.
Instead, treat every customer call as a gift to interact and build a relationship. It might be that you can’t help, but that doesn’t mean you have to brush them off. Instead, you can provide them with options, refer them to another provider, and make it seem like you truly care about their issue.
When you are first starting out, you may also choose to handle emergency calls on your own outside of regular work hours. Those clients will appreciate it and remember when they or their friends need plumbing services in the future.
Do Good Work
This might be the most important thing you can do to beat the competition. If you offer top-tier workmanship with your plumbing services, your customers will call you again with their issues and refer you to their friends. There is a temptation for some plumbers to cut corners to get things done faster.
While that will get you on to the next job more quickly, it can blow up in your face. If your fixed fails down the road, your client will not be pleased. They will complain about you on social media, and they may even sue you if the damage and losses were extensive enough.
Haste makes waste, so take the time to do every job thoroughly. Doing it right the first time will save everyone else time and money, including you. Good work also means providing customers with everything they need to know about the situation. Explain what the problem was and how it may be prevented. Your customers will appreciate the effort.
Be Smart With Your Marketing
Marketing is a big expense, and for some small businesses, it can be hard to quantify to what extent it is helping. Of course, you can’t have a business without marketing, but you should do whatever you can to get the most bang for your buck. Instead of broad-based marketing, such as with TV and radio, try targeted social media advertising.
Search engine optimization is also a great way to bring customers to your website who are already looking for your services. You pay less for this type of advertising, and while you may get in front of fewer eyeballs, they are more likely to convert into work for you.
Another tip is to market to your existing customers. Retaining customers is cheaper than finding new ones. Not only that, but they are less concerned with your prices if they know that you provide good work.
Get Insured
Insurance aims to protect you from the financial fallout of negative situations. These can include lawsuits, property damage, car accidents, and even data breaches. However, being insured also makes you more attractive to potential customers. They want to be confident that they will be protected if anything happens. For example, a plumber could cause damage to a home.
If the plumber is insured, the client can get reimbursement with very little fuss. However, if the plumber is not insured, then the client may have to go through a legal process to get their money back. The cost of plumber insurance should always be in your budget, just like your utilities and rent. Never go without coverage, both because you need to protect your business and you need to satisfy your customers.
Zig When They Zag
Sometimes the best way to stay ahead of the competition is actually to avoid them altogether. Take stock of the plumbing services available in your area. Is there anything that is being underrepresented from the service providers? Perhaps there aren’t many places that can handle industrial installations or properly repair sewer lines. Wherever that gap exists, you can fill it.
That way, you will scoop up all of the customers that were either being missed or falling victim to long wait times. Plumbing is a service that needs to be provided quickly, or else the issues will only get worse. If you can cut down on someone’s potential wait and fix their problem well, then they will call you the next time.
Put Your Brand Out There
Every community has events, from summer fairs to fun runs. Get your brand out in front of people and interact with your community. Show you care and make connections with those who may need plumbing services in the future. Not everyone understands plumbing, so they will want a service provider that they can trust. By meeting people in person in public, you can build relationships and trust and get their business down the line. Like any other business, plumbing can be tough.
There are only so many potential clients and a lot of plumbers to provide them with service. Therefore, you need to do everything you can to stand out in a crowd and make your company the most attractive. By following these tips, you can blow away the competition and bring all the business you can handle.
You need to also know the best ways to make your business trip successful. After knowning the best trick, you will get more clients.