Operating a plumbing business means knowing more than how to fix clogged drains and leaky pipes. Plumbing contractors must also be able to market their business, generate new leads, recruit fresh talent, and competitively price their services to see any business growth.
This is no easy task and will come with plenty of challenges. It requires the ability to analyze the market when pricing your services, calculating labor rates, tracking billable and non-billable hours, and selling maintenance agreements.
You must also keep in mind that the entire plumbing industry is on track to grow four percent in the next ten years. So, managing your business in the short-term is crucial, but planning for long-term growth is also necessary as more plumbing businesses enter the market.
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We’ve compiled some management tips that will help your business get on track for future growth and efficiency.
Keep Current on Plumbing Trends
How can you position your business for growth if you aren’t up to date on new plumbing trends? Today’s customers are tech-savvy; always looking for new ways to save time and money. This means you must always be seeking new operational efficiencies and solutions.
Leaky fixtures and dripping pipes waste gallons of water and needlessly cost customers money. Since everyone wants to save money and water, your customers expect you to present them with cost-effective, cutting-edge solutions. Keeping up with the latest in equipment and industry best practices can help!
Track KPIs to Boost Business Growth
Managing your business efficiently means understanding which KPIs to track to help inform your business decisions.
The most important plumbing industry KPIs to track include:
- Gross Profit Margin: A company’s financial health is measured by calculating the money left over after subtracting the cost of goods.
- Gross Profit: The profit that remains after deducting all expenses associated with making and selling products.
- Break-Even Point: The number of sales needed to cover all costs (variable and fixed).
- Sales Revenue: The amount of money coming in from the sale of your services.
- Customer Retention Rate: The percent of customers that maintain loyalty to your business over a given period.
Do you have a performance dashboard that gives you a clear overview of your earnings? If you integrate field management software into your business, you’ll be able to spot earning opportunities that you might have otherwise missed!
Leverage Online Reviews
Online reviews are essential in securing new leads and generating new business. According to Qualtrics, customers are willing to spend 31 percent more on a company with excellent reviews. Also, 93 percent of customers say that online reviews influence their buying decisions.
You should always make it a priority to receive positive reviews. But, don’t dismiss negative reviews, because these can present opportunities for you to redeem yourself! Use every review that you receive to help attract new customers, win over unsatisfied customers, and show why you’re better than competitors. People want to see that you appreciate your customers and are willing to address their needs and concerns.
Streamline Communication to Optimize Business Growth
With most of your workforce in the field, it’s critical to streamline communication. Customers want to book appointments without the cumbersome act of speaking to anyone on the phone. And these days, everyone wants the ability to track the arrival of technicians via GPS. Technician follow-ups can also be handled via text message after completing a job.
Clear, consistent, and timely communication helps keep everyone in the loop about what is going on. Also, it helps improve satisfaction by enhancing the overall customer experience.
Field management software can help streamline your communication with customers and field techs!
See a customer’s entire service history before your tech arrives. Know the specifics of what equipment your customer has on site. Find common pain points and identify solutions proactively. Document your customer’s issues with before-and-after photographs to show the progression of their problems and your fixes!
Train and Equip Customer Service Representatives (CSRs)
Your customer service representatives should be prepared to answer incoming questions and requests. Your clients expect a positive customer service experience the moment that you make contact. So, CSRs have the responsibility for setting the tone and delivering a great experience from beginning to end.
Train your CSRs on these essential skills:
- Emotional Intelligence: Your CSRs will be dealing with all kinds of issues. They must know how to handle each situation and provide solutions without losing their cool.
- Passion: Your CSRs should go above and beyond to provide an experience that delights customers.
- Resourcefulness: Your CSRs must be able to solve problems that arise with the resources available to them.
- Phone Etiquette: Your CSRs are in direct contact with customers. Sometimes, it can be difficult dealing with certain situations. It’s important for your CSRs to maintain proper phone etiquette by staying level-headed and polite, even in tough scenarios.
Conclusion
Good business management will help grow your company along with a booming plumbing industry. Remember these tips to help build a solid foundation for your company as it grows and thrives.
Want to learn how field management software can help your plumbing business adapt and grow? Click here to book a demo of FieldEdge!
