When you’re trying to break into a business, any business, then you have to understand the principles of not just how to make a profit, but how to stand out within your specific industry. If you’ve started running your own plumbing business, then you likely already know how lucrative and reliable the field can be, but how do you make sure that you, above the rest, are the one that your local customers turn to? Here, we’re going to look at some of the factors that
Work on a business plan
The truth about running a business is that, in terms of how the whole thing operates internally, it can practically run itself, allowing you to focus your time on providing great services and getting the word out there. However, this is only true if you have a business plan to work to. A business plan can cover all of the daily operations of the business, as well as the long-term aims that you are building towards, and it ensures you don’t neglect the necessary structure of the business that supports the work you do directly with your clients.
Find your niche
The vast majority of plumbing work that needs to be done is of a personal, residential nature. As such, most plumbing companies ensure that they are at least able to handle the day-to-day needs of the average family household. That said, you can decide to find a niche beyond that, to make sure that you’re able to target customers with more particular needs. This can include taking on larger commercial plumbing jobs, while others opt for more advanced techniques like drain clearing using camera work, installing water heaters, or providing sewer repair. Which niche you opt for is going to depend largely on what skills you have and which you’re willing to acquire, of course.
Ensure you have a marketing presence
“Build it and they will come” doesn’t always work. Especially in the world of plumbing where you likely already have your fair share of local competitors that might be easier for your customers to come and find. As such, you should make sure that you have a thorough marketing strategy put together as quickly as possible. This can include, for instance, building your own website, laying out the services that you offer, as well as giving customers the methods they need to get in touch. Investing in further digital marketing, like social media marketing, search engine optimization, and pay-per-click advertisements can all increase your chances of reaching more people in need of your services, and working with the right digital marketing agency can ensure that you’re doing it as effectively as possible.
Choose your team carefully
A lot of plumbing businesses start off as a one-person operation, but as you start to make more consistent and reliable money, you may find that a second pair of hands can be very helpful. You might want to start delegating some of your jobs if you have too many to take on, yourself, and building up an apprentice can help you ensure that you always have someone there to lend an assist. Building a thorough recruitment and training process can help you ensure that you get the right candidates, provide the training that they need, and put in place the infrastructure that makes your team much easier to manage.
Partner with good, reliable suppliers
They say that a bad workman blames his tools, but if you’re using lower-quality plumbing supplies for repairs and replacements, then the fruits of your labor aren’t likely to last as long. Aside from getting good quality parts, you need to make sure that they’re at your disposal when you need them, too. If you need carbon steel flanges, then you want to make sure that your supplier is able to get them to you quickly and on demand. Unreliable suppliers and late deliveries can mean that you have to keep your clients waiting for longer, which gives them more chance to become dissatisfied and look for someone else to help, instead.
Ensure a dedication to high standards and customer success
Building the right team, and fostering relationships with the right suppliers, are both just pieces of the strategy most important for your ongoing success: creating the right business culture. You need to foster a business where there is a real focus on ensuring that customers are thoroughly satisfied. From making a good impression by showing up in a clean, well-maintained uniform and proper grooming, to taking the time to explain issues to customers in terms a layperson would be able to understand, right down to getting in touch with them after a job is complete to make sure that everything is working fine. If you make a serious dedication to the satisfaction and happiness of the customer, they are going to respond by being a lot more likely to call you up when they next need help with their plumbing.
