Nothing can replace skill when it comes to offering plumbing service. Being a skilled trade, you must be trained and gain all the experience you can in order to be a successful plumber. However, if you want to make sure your plumbing business is successful, you need to have skills, training and strategies that go beyond your plumbing expertise.
Networking
In order to get clients for your plumbing services, you need to meet stakeholders that can link you to them. For instance, you can talk to various builders, construction engineers and even architects that can put in a good word for you to their clients who may need plumbing services. Since any business is competitive, make sure to talk to as many of these people as you can in order to expand your options.
Marketing
You must increase the visibility of your company to potential clients by all means. Social media is an excellent marketing platform and you can even hire a social media manager to handle that aspect of your business.
Another way is through customer referrals. You could, for instance, offer a discount on a service to a customer who refers another to your company. Word of mouth referrals are usually the most effective and most trusted way through which clients hire companies, and you can take advantage of that to build your company's profile.
Pricing
Setting the right price is an essential skill to have as a plumber. If you set it too high or too low, you may put off potential clients who may think you are too expensive or that you will not do a good job, respectively.
Since clients can check out the standard market price for certain plumbing services online, make sure that your prices fall within that range. You can also offer to give them a complete cost breakdown, which will help them understand the cost. Plus, they will appreciate your transparency.
Customer service
Your plumbing services may be excellent but if your customer service is not, then you may have a problem getting return clients as well as new ones. Everything from your website and social media platforms to your pamphlets and quotations should be designed to be user-friendly and appealing to the customer with regard to language and appearance.
Further, make sure your office and site teams are trained on how to deal with clients in a professional manner. For instance, your site team should be trained to patiently and clearly answer the client's questions, and treat the client's premises with respect, leaving it better than they found it.
So, by all means, ensure that your plumbing skills are excellent and that you are up-to-date with the latest technology and innovations that are in the market. But don't forget to add to these essential business skills that will ensure that you are truly a successful plumber.
