Out-Recover the Recovery

The nation is gradually opening up. Some may argue that we are opening too fast. Others say it is too slow. Regardless, we are opening. Let the recovery begin!

Some say the recovery will be V shaped, where the economy rebounds sharply. Some say it’s a U, with a long period of pain before the recovery starts. Others think it will be a W, where we rebound and crash before rebounding again. Maybe the most pessimistic think it will be like the Nike Swoosh, with a very long slow recovery. 

More than likely, different states will recover at different rates. This is the first readily apparent exercise in federalism in our lifetime, where the federal government does not apply one-size-fits-all measure and allows the states to act as their governments see fit. Fortunately, plumbing is an essential industry and was never locked down. Plumbers are also poised to recover, though some will recover better than others. Here are four things you must do to out-recover the coming recovery.

1. Get Your Attitude Right

Do not focus on the things you cannot control. Worry about the things you can influence. Worry about your company more than the government or news. 

Decide you will grow. That’s right. Make a decision and be determined about it. While it is true that a gazillion people lost their jobs, how many of them are homeowners in your service area? 

April was the most brutal month for unemployment. An incredible 15.9 million people were added to the unemployment rolls, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over 60% are the 7.7 million leisure and hospitality employees (bars, restaurants, hotels, theme parks, etc.) and 2.1 million retail workers who lost their jobs. How many of these are homeowners? Not many.

The vast majority of homeowners are still employed. Many worked from home through the lockdowns. Problems in their plumbing are less tolerable when they are at home.

Yes, they are likely nervous about the future. However, they have likely been spending less money. They aren’t traveling. They won’t go anywhere on vacation. They haven’t been going out to eat. In short, there are a lot of employed homeowners with money.

Your attitude needs to be centered on the fact there are homeowners with money and they are going to help you grow your business. If your competitors give into fear and close up, that just means less competition for you.

2. Find the Opportunities

Ironically, the Chinese word for crisis involves two characters. One is danger and the other is opportunity. There will be opportunities in this crisis. Consider the restaurants that are reopening. What will the grease traps on a reopened restaurant be like?

Sanitation will sell itself if homeowners are aware of the products that are available. You have a variety of sanitary products to talk about with homeowners. This includes water purification, of course. You should also sell add-on bidet toilet seats. You can offer toilets and sinks with special glazes that inhibit the growth of bacteria and are easier to clean.  Offer touchless faucets and bump faucets for better hygiene. Line up an ozone faucet that is better for cleaning fruits and vegetables. 

Even though it is not part of the current pandemic, do not overlook products to prevent legionella. One strategy is to raise the temperature of storage water heaters to prevent legionella and bring the water temperature back down with mixing valves to prevent scalding. Another is to install tankless water heaters.

3. Manage Like You Have a Team of Volunteers

Some of your employees might still be scared. You cannot force them to work and go on calls. You must manage them like they were a team of volunteers. 

How do you manage volunteers? Thank them for showing up. Then, thank them for helping. Sure, they are getting a paycheck, but they need more. They need appreciation. 

Repeatedly sell and reinforce the mission, the importance of what you do. That is, you protect the health of the nation. You ensure toilets flush and that showers are hot. You do essential work, which is why yours in an essential industry.

Celebrate the wins. Find innovative ways to celebrate team and individual victories. 

Manage your team like this and you might be surprised at the response. Their performance will improve. The satisfaction will ratchet up. Your employee retention will get better.

4. Communicate a Lot 

Communication is always necessary. In today’s environment, it is even more necessary. You have three groups you must communicate with. First, is your team. Make sure everyone knows exactly what to do, who to talk with, and how to handle the situations that arise. Never assume anything. Keep everyone informed. Keep them over-informed.

Next, you must communicate with your customers. Communicate in mass, but also individually. Pick up the phone and call one customer a day, just to check in and see how they are doing.

Bump your advertising. Let people know you are open for business. Let your customers and prospects know the products you offer that can make their homes safer and healthier. Make sure your customers know how you are maintaining their safety and monitoring your team’s health and safety.

In a downturn, it gets harder to find a customer. That is the very reason you need to increase your efforts by increasing your advertising and marketing. You get a bonus when your competitors stop their marketing and all but disappear from public view. You get another bonus when ad rates drop because fewer companies are advertising. 

Finally, you need to communicate with your suppliers and make sure they are communicating with you. Let them know what you are seeing at the street level. Ask them what they are seeing overall. Ask to be informed about any potential supply chain issues. Ask where the products are manufactured. The farther away, the riskier the supply chain.

There is opportunity in this crisis. There is opportunity to hire great people who were working for frightened people who laid them off. There is opportunity to build your brand, grow your sales, and increase your market share. There is opportunity to prosper and out-recover the recovery! 

Get the help you need to out recover the recovery at the Service Roundtable. Membership is just $50 a month with no long-term commitment. Benefit from unlimited downloads of sales, marketing, and management tools, interaction with fellow plumbers across the country, and become part of the industry’s largest contractor buying group. Join more than 5,000 contractors at www.ServiceRoundtable.com or call 877/262-3341.