technology

We know that plumbing is a competitive industry. But we also know that there are plenty of ways to stand out from the competition. 

COVID-19 has created a more competitive environment for plumbers, with industry revenue down 5.3 per cent across 2020/21, resulting in $15.9 billion lost to the industry. In addition, the plumbing industry is set to take a further hit following the conclusion of the lucrative Federal Government’s HomeBuilder scheme. 

Despite these challenges, there were 90,800 Plumbers in 2020, which is expected to rise to 96,500 by 2025 – creating an even more competitive environment. That means it is vital to do everything possible to promote your business to stay ahead of the competition. Here are some ways you can rise to the top.

Adopt The Latest Plumbing Technology

There are many benefits of adopting the latest plumbing technology. One is that it will help your business save money on water and energy bills. Another advantage is that it will make your life easier with less time spent on maintenance and repairs. You’ll also be able to provide better customer service, which in turn means more revenue for your company.

Investigate technologies like smart shower, toilet and irrigation systems that can be controlled with a mobile device, energy-efficient water heating devices and get the right tools for water leak detection in Melbourne. Technology is updating all the time, so it’s important that you stay up-to-date.

The modern household has a thirst for energy and water-efficient technologies that are better for the environment. Over 12 per cent of all houses globally are already smart homes, and it has become a 99.41 billion USD global industry. With more consumers changing their purchasing behaviors to be more sustainable, our plumbing business must move with the times.

Create a Website That is Designed to Attract Customers

Do you need a new website for your plumbing company? Traditionally those in the trades industry have not prioritized their digital presence, but today it is essential with most consumers using the internet to discover plumbers in their local area.

Older generations may still rely on word of mouth and numbers listed in directories; younger generations are heading directly to Google to find trades services. Considering that three-quarters of the Australian public will require plumbing services in the next 12 months, it is a market too big to ignore.

Websites are the backbone of any business. They’re how people find you, learn about what you do, and decide if they want to work with you. That’s why it’s essential to have a professional-looking site that will increase your visibility and credibility to help get more leads. 

Build Your List of Positive Online Reviews

While the modern consumer looks for plumbers online, referrals still play an enormous role in the industry – they have just moved online. 

Reviews are the best way to show potential customers that your company is worth their time and money. They help establish credibility and trust in your local community and separate you from cowboy operators without licenses that could potentially rip consumers off.

It would be best to encourage all of your customers to leave Google reviews on your business to help promote your brand. The more positive reviews you get, the better you will be perceived in your local community and the more jobs. 

What happens when people leave bad reviews? The worst thing you can do is ignore it. Instead, respond to all negative reviews and ask how to remedy the problem and improve their experience. This is a surefire way to flip around negative sentiment into positivity.

When you consider that over 90 per cent of consumers regularly or occasionally read reviews and 84 per cent trust them as much as a personal recommendation, it is a method of promoting your business that you can’t ignore.

The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) 2022 Innovation Awards call for entries is now open. The annual competition, held in conjunction with the Show, honors the most innovative and original products, systems and technologies in HVACR. Exhibitors are encouraged to submit new or upgraded products to compete.  Entries will be accepted through August 3, 2021. The 2022 AHR Expo will be hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV January 31 through February 2, 2022. To request more information about the Innovation Awards, or to receive forms for entry, please email Kim Pires at kpires@iecshows.com.

“First and foremost, we are thrilled to gather again in Las Vegas for the 2022 AHR Expo. Despite not coming together in 2021, we celebrated ten outstanding category winners and the Product of the Year, Infinitum Electric’s IEq,” said Mark Stevens, Manager of AHR Expo. “This competition celebrates the HVACR industry’s most innovative solutions through leadership in design, construction and execution. Each year we look forward to seeing the advancements in HVACR through the snapshot that the Innovation Awards provides. It is an excellent indicator of the exciting Show ahead.”

In 2003 the AHR Expo debuted the Innovation Awards as a means to highlight those in the HVACR industry creating innovative solutions for new and existing challenges and new avenues for growth. They aim to honor the most inventive, useful and original products, systems and technologies pushing boundaries and disrupting the market today.

Entries are evaluated by a panel of third-party ASHRAE members with over 20 years of professional engineering experience. The review process includes points tallied based on application, innovation, value and market impact. Winners are selected from ten industry categories, including: building automation; cooling; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; sustainable solutions (formerly green building); tools and instruments; and ventilation. Winners and finalists demonstrating superior innovative design, creativity, application and performance will be recognized at the 2022 Show, on the AHR Expo website and social media channels, as well as in industry media coverage leading up to the Show.

An overall Product of the Year will be selected from the pool of category winners and will be announced at the Show. This prestigious honor is awarded based on exceptional leadership in HVACR innovation.

Eligibility and general information about the 2022 Innovation Awards

• The competition is open to exhibitors with a confirmed space contract, as well as a deposit payment on file for the 2022 AHR Expo.
• Eligible products include those that will be exhibited at the 2022 AHR Expo in Las Vegas and must be available for sale by January 2022.
• Exhibitors are permitted to submit one product per category.
• Product entries are limited to one product category.
• Products that have previously won an AHR Expo Innovation Award are not eligible, however, those products that have previously been named a category finalist may be re-entered.
• Completed entry forms, along with a non-refundable $100 entry fee, must be submitted by Tuesday, August, 3, 2021.
• One winner from each category will be selected. An overall Product of the Year award is selected from all category winners and announced at the 2022 Show.

Entry fees for the 2022 Innovation Awards (approximately $20,000) will be donated to a charitable organization serving the local Las Vegas area community. The donation is generally used to provide HVACR repairs or upgrades. Each year, the AHR Expo works to select a charitable organization within the area where the Show is held.

“This past year has been a catalyst for new ways of thinking and adapting,” continued Stevens. “Our industry has risen to the challenge and provided critical solutions to help us move forward. HVACR is an area of exciting innovation on the global stage and we can’t wait to see what awaits us on the Show floor in Las Vegas.”

Registration for the 2022 AHR Expo is expected to open in July of 2021. Visit the AHR Expo website for updates and to sign up for the Show newsletter.

ABOUT THE AHR EXPO

The AHR Expo is the world’s premier HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe each year. The Show provides a unique forum where manufacturers of all sizes and specialties, whether a major industry brand or innovative start-up, can come together to share ideas and showcase the future of HVACR technology under one roof. Since 1930, the AHR Expo has remained the industry’s best place for OEMs, engineers, contractors, facility operators, architects, educators and other industry professionals to explore the latest trends and applications and to cultivate mutually beneficial business relationships. The next Show, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, will be held Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, 2022 in Las Vegas, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

For more information, visit ahrexpo.com and follow @ahrexpo on Twitter and Instagram.

There’s a long-held assumption that the more technology you introduce to your business model, the less human interaction you get. Unfortunately, this rationale causes many businesses to put so much emphasis on their digital capabilities that customer service standards go to the wayside.

When you’re in the business of plumbing, delivering your essential services will always require interaction with your customers at some stage of the process. Therefore, providing poor customer service and hoping your advanced technology makes up for it might as well be a death sentence for your business.

In reality, technology should not be seen as a replacement for excellent customer service, but rather as a necessary tool for enhancing the overall customer experience.

For Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighborly company, we’ve found in recent years that not only does implementing various advanced plumbing technologies such as the use of video inspection equipment or video conferencing and consultations improve the work we do in the homes of our customers but incorporating technology into the customer relations aspect of our business has led to happier, more loyal customers across our global network. Here’s why…

Customers want convenience, and so do providers

Today’s consumers make their purchase decisions based primarily on convenience and instant gratification. Which restaurant is available and can deliver quickest through my favorite food delivery app? Which clothing store has a user-friendly website and offers free two-day shipping? The same mindset comes into play when looking for a home service provider: Which plumber is easiest to contact and can get the job done most efficiently?

Always try to think from the customer’s perspective. If someone is in need of a plumber, chances are they are stressed enough as it is. The least you can do for them is simplify the request and scheduling process with online and mobile options. Ideally, this simplifies things for you as the contractor as well. There is no need to invest all of your time, talent and resources in creating an intricate website for online scheduling, when the best approach is to make it simple and attractive with consumer-friendly usability. The more user-friendly your system is, the more customers you’ll attract. And with more customers, there’s a greater need for an intuitive system to help you keep track of those leads.

Technology can play a particularly important part in helping to improve the efficiency of phone systems. If you are a larger plumbing company that receives frequent phone calls, you may want to consider using technology to organize calls so that fewer calls are missed. This could include using call center workforce management software to allocate calls along with virtual phone menus.

Customers expect professionalism

If a homeowner is paying a professional to complete a home service project for them, they want to feel confident that their money is going toward someone who knows what they’re doing. In the past, a plumber’s success was based on how well they could “paint a verbal picture” of the issue and its solution for a customer. Nowadays, a plumber who arrives with a mobile device or tablet ready to visually explain their recommended approach instantly increases his/her credibility as a trusted advisor as opposed to a salesman. Figuring out how to appropriately use technology to convey expertise is a skill that requires more advanced and ongoing training of your technicians, but it’s worthwhile to ensure your team can respond to service requests with the utmost professionalism.

Electronic communication also streamlines transactions between providers and customers. Invoices can be delivered directly via email so they don’t get lost in the mail. Messages can be sent and received in real time so there’s no frustration over playing phone tag. Customers can better prepare a technician for their visit by sending photos and videos of the issue at hand, which makes for a more prepared technician upon arrival. All of this conveys the image you want of an experienced and professional provider.

Customers want to feel safe

Being an essential service provider during a pandemic is both an opportunity and a challenge. While issues that require a plumber cannot be ignored, it is also a health risk both to the homeowner and to the technician alike for us to deliver those services directly to an individual’s home. Being invited into people’s homes in order to do our jobs is a privilege, especially in today’s environment, making it absolutely necessary to work safety measures such as wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining social distance, and more into our standard service call procedures.

With technology, we can take our precautionary measures a step further to create an experience as close to contactless as possible. Electronic capabilities for transactions such as providing estimates, sending invoices, and receiving payments are a must. For the service call itself, being digitally connected with our customers allows us to send arrival alerts, to pre-screen customers, and to possibly even provide expertise and direction entirely virtually for select home maintenance jobs that homeowners could accomplish themselves. By introducing these creative approaches to doing what is usually a very hands-on job, we show our customers that we realize giving them the best and most comfortable experience goes far beyond the job itself.

The time to evolve is now

Of course, the idea of implementing all of this advanced technology to your plumbing business may be a daunting concept for some contractors. You might even question if it’s worthwhile if the old-school business model you’ve always had is still working as far as you can tell. But with the growing prevalence of technology across all industries, chances are refusing to adapt will leave you behind your competitors who are rising to the occasion.

If you’re not comfortable making the changes yourself, consider hiring a consultant or perhaps even converting your business to a franchise model like Mr. Rooter to get the digital support you need. But one way or another, it’s time for your plumbing business to step into the future.

Glenn Gallas is the Vice President of Operations for Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighborly company. Glenn’s career in franchising began as a franchise owner in 2000 of a Mr. Rooter Plumbing franchise. Glenn became a multi-franchise owner when he purchased a Mr. Electric franchise and then a Holiday Lighting franchise. Glenn is a veteran and has served in the US Army in both the active and reserve capacity and sees franchising as the best fit opportunity for veterans transitioning from the military to civilian life.