The economy is in recession and times are hard. The heating and plumbing industry is not immune and is feeling the pinch. But don’t despair, because there are practical steps you can take to get through these tough times, and technology is available to help.
 
Perfect your marketing 

The first thing many businesses do when facing a downturn is cut back on their marketing costs. This is a mistake. You need to keep attracting customers and anything which detracts from that can hurt.

You certainly should consider your marketing strategy and its focus. A strong digital strategy that includes Google Ads works especially well if you’ve invested in a good website, with your contact details clearly displayed. But before splashing out the cash, make sure you’ve got the basics right. 

If your phone goes unanswered, listing it on your website is pointless. If you don’t reply to voicemails or emails quickly enough, your potential customer might go elsewhere. If you take ages to quote for a job, they might give up waiting for you and ask somebody else for a quote instead. 

First impressions really do matter, and you need customers to trust that you can do a good job. If they’re put off after they contact you, all the money you spent on marketing has gone to waste.

Big companies spend a fortune on their vans, uniforms, and signage because it builds their brand. You need to build a brand too; through the experience you provide to your customers. 

Keep the cash coming in

Customers who are happy pay their bills, and more often than not, pay them on time. The best form of advertising, which is absolutely free, is word of mouth. A happy customer will recommend you to other people. So, how do you make your customers happy? 

Most customers will understand if there are delays, if you tell them as soon as you can, and explain the reasons for them. Similarly, if you need to make a change to a job be upfront about why. 

Keep customers in the loop at all times and use job management software to add notes and instructions to job cards. This means your team will always know what they’ve got to do on-site.

If you have staff or contractors you regularly use, train them in customer service. And get feedback from customers afterwards. It’s not just you who makes an impression, but everyone who works for you, too.
 
Manage deposits and late payment

When you quote for a job, make clear the deposit you’ll require and the payment schedule you want the potential customer to sign up to. Remember, it’s not just you affected by the recession. There’s a chance some customers might not be able to pay. If they can’t, and you’ve paid out for materials, you could find yourself out of pocket. A deposit and payment schedule insulates you from some of this risk.

Don’t start work until you’ve got the deposit and make it clear at the outset that if payments stop, the work won’t continue. 

Those with cash flow issues want to avoid paying deposits and signing up to payment schedules, so having such policies might help you avoid them altogether.

Find staff

With the labour market tight and wages high, you might think it’s a difficult time to be looking at taking on staff. A good option is to  consider less experienced people who are hungry to get on. Skills can be learned, but a positive, can-do attitude is priceless.

Why not bring in a retired tradesperson for a couple of hours a week to mentor them? Some of the best trainers I’ve seen were retirees who wanted a few hours work. Such people have a wealth of experience and this can free you up to do other things.
 
Reduce the pressure and raise the rewards

Running a business is tough, especially in these lean economic times, but if you alienate your staff, they’ll leave. Foster a rewarding workplace environment instead and they’ll stay, reducing stress for yourself also.

Reward your team with pay rises when they deserve it. Don’t let them feel undervalued. Reward early and reward fairly.

Make sure your team have the right tools for the job, such as job management software, and the means to communicate job information when needed. This will help them take pride in their work and meet the customer’s expectations. 

Measure your performance

Job management software like Fergus helps you to stay ahead of the game and stay in business. By having everything in one place, you can see what’s working and what’s not, and ensure you do much more of the former and much less of the latter.