If you are a service plumber, electrician, HVAC tech – you are not in the construction business. You are in the people business. It just so happens that this people business involves mechanical systems that require a good education, state and local licenses, the ability to work with your hands and be somewhat of a …
I speak with plumbers everyday and one of the questions I ask is, “Are you charging what you are worth?” First, many do not know their costs. They no idea if they are making money. They don’t know because they are “too busy working”… Well, that is another subject. Second, “If I raise my price, …
Almost every day, I come across a tired plumber like you who decides to hang up the wrenches and retire. “I will just sell my business and that will be my retirement” you say. Then the greatest disappointment in your lifetime happens – the “business” is not really worth anything. For the past several years, …
I am encountering more and more plumbing companies whose owners are scared. I am not sure if it is scared of success, or scared of change, or scared of asking for help. Why do people with the dream of going into business, think that they know it all and can’t ask questions? A doctor goes …
I am sure you have heard the term; build it and they will come. It’s based on the movie Field of Dreams. Build a baseball field in the middle of nowhere and people will show up to watch baseball. There is much more to the story than that, but using that thought, think of your …
What do you track on a daily basis? Probably the revenue brought in is first on the list. The money does pay the bills, but that is not all you should be tracking. Below are some items you should be tracking daily, weekly, and monthly. Close Rate: That is the relationship between the jobs that …
Years ago, a plumbing company would purchase the largest ad they could afford in the Yellow Pages and the phone would ring. As a matter of fact, many new plumbing companies would not open their doors until the Yellow Pages were starting to be delivered to the public. Unless your company was absolutely terrible, you …
This morning I got an inquiry through my website. The business owner was interested in Financials, Operations, and Staffing. Then there was the question, “What is your consultation rate per hour?” My response was “I really don’t have one,” and I don’t. So, I ask. “Do you have a few minutes today for us to …
If you are a plumber, there are several great reasons to do residential service work. First, there is always a need. Every city and town have a wide variety of housing, from brand new to possibly over 100 years old. The plumbing systems cannot last a lifetime, and generally the dwelling out lasts those systems. …
When is the last time you actually pulled up a seat, sat down, and talked with the people who work with you? What are their goals? Why are they working? And, why are they working for you? The answers, if everyone is truthful, may surprise you. Most everyone needs to make a living. There is …
