Why should I, as a plumbing contractor, provide the plumbing fixtures? It's more convenient to let the homeowner go to the box store buy want they want, right? The last decade has seen a large swing from fixtures being provided by the plumber, to direct to customer. The rise of the box store, online shopping, and pressure from the tract builder for lowest pricing have all contributed to the pressure of providing the cheapest priced product possible.
Almost unlimited and overwhelming choices have led to information overload and an indecisive homeowner which can generate a lot of wasted time for the plumber as they try to navigate different pricing choices and options. I understand the desire of the plumber to just want to give in and tell the homeowner to go buy what they want, where they want. There are times that I have wanted to just say forget it!
What we need to remember though, is that we are plumbers. We are tradesmen that protect the health of the country. We should be taking pride in what we are installing and we should be looking out for the well-being of our customer, even if they don't realize it. When we provide the fixtures, we are in a better position to direct a customer away from a bad product and guide them to products that will last, saving them money in the long run. It alleviates extra trips for products that the homeowner forgot or didn't realize they needed. Sure, we can charge them for that, but no one wins in that situation.
"If I don't provide the fixtures, the responsibility is on the homeowner when something goes wrong." I don't believe that is the mindset that we should have as plumbers. In fact, I feel very strongly against that mindset. When the plumber provides the fixture, they are providing a service. It allows the customer to make their selection and not have to think about it again. Whether they realize it or not, this is very valuable as they do not have to worry about delivery and storing of the item and paying for extra charges if something goes wrong. This is a service that the plumber is providing and charging for.
We need to get back to the old chain of supply using new processes. Manufacturers and wholesalers alike need to see the value of making the plumber an important link in this chain again. Building a good relationship with a wholesaler with a showroom will go a long way to making the plumber's life simpler. It needs to be a two-way partnership. The plumber needs to commit to buying from the wholesaler and not from retail. The wholesaler in turn needs to be committed to providing to the plumber and not direct to the builders and homeowners.
To do this, plumbers need to take it upon themselves to find a way to be more efficient in the selection process. We need new tools and processes to make the process as painless and timely as possible. At Grabill Plumbing & Heating, we plumb 200-300 custom homes a year and provide the plumbing fixtures for 95% of them. All of the selections come through me personally and the Trade Fusion software allows me to price, confirm, and order in a short time. Pricing requests for changes only take a few minutes to provide detailed pricing and pictures that leave no question as to what is being selected. I generally have the order placed in the rough stage to avoid any pricing increases or potential shortages, and we all forget about it until time for install.
Supplying the fixtures really can be simple and profitable. Doing so will allow jobs to run smoother while providing a great service for the homeowner and the builder.
Comments
Post a Comment