Plumb Dumb Sales Crumbs

Maybe my plumbing system is paying me back.

A previous editorial about "How Not to Sell Plumbing" got tons of response from every contractor type. Most of you "saw" your techs or knew of others just like that: a mild aversion to selling a customer, even one who virtually handed them a Visa card, with upselling hints as subtle as Paris Hilton's nightie.

Apparently, other parts of my plumbing system were getting jealous.
The toilet in my children's bathroom started making some sort of gurgling noise. Mostly at night, when I was the only one awake, just to be creepy. I'd be blissfully reading my Road & Track, when at 1 a.m. the sound of someone strangling a Bullfrog would emerge through the walls. Most unsettling.

The toilet in their bathroom was from the "Pre-Stupid-Era" when men were men and toilets were resource-wasting ceramic cyclones. You could flush a full grown Coconut Tree – nuts and all - down this thing without a whimper.

Yet yesterday morning, telltale leakage spelled the end. The whimpering was mine.
So, we called a DIFFERENT plumbing company this time, hoping for a dose of professionalism and long-term concern. (HINT 1).

The appointment was painless enough. The CSR's lack of enthusiasm had me imagine she was past president of the insomniac's club, but she got the facts right. (HINT 2.) Oversights: Didn't ask if we had an account. Nor if we were "Agreement" members. (Both 'yes' to our commercial property, but NOT at home. I'd have thought this important.)

Plumber arrives an hour after stated appointment window, sans apology or explanation. Didn't ruin my wife's day or anything, but during Christmas, schedules are tight. (HINT 3)

After a brief description followed by three grunt-filled responses, he skulks upstairs to survey the problem. Seems the whole company has a "Let's Have a Lethargy Contest!" attitude. (HINTS 4 and 5). Question: How enthused are you in the face of full-fledged sourness? Just a thought.

Finally, after pondering the situation, he utters a gravely misleading comment that he THINKS is doing us a favor. It isn't.

He says, "Yeah, this thing is worn out. We can replace it. I'd recommend a to replace it." So far so good. My wife is nodding in acceptance. Then he says it:

"You could go to Lowe's or something and get it cheaper. Then we can reschedule for next week and put it in."

My wife, queen of budgetary sense, thought this was a "nice" thing to do. I, however, staggered for words. Still am if you can believe it.

I speak with contractors every week who "wonder" what happens on jobs, what happens with the CSR, the upsell, the Agreement program, customers leaving… and they never know stuff like this goes on. They never know the risks being taken, the words being said, the sales being given away.

Undeniable Truth: The tech thought he was doing me a favor to save some money. That's how he buys. Ever had a waitress at a 5 Star restaurant say "You can get that steak cheaper if you cooked it yourself"? Please tell me the difference.

The point is to DELIVER on the request. My request, the company's mission, the solving of the problem.

The lead and the job was theirs. It was "in the bank". A referral source.

If I'd wanted the ultimate in money-savings, I'd have gone to "Big Box Enemy of Mankind" myself, and called "Larry the Halfwit" to install it. Four bolts and a wax seal. I get it.

If I'd wanted to go to mountains of trouble to save $50 or $100 or whatever, would I have called a legitimate service company?

Oh, and let's not forget… there are other plumbers who actually install toilets.

Since I was already going to Lowe's, I stopped to see the stunning array of toilets. After seeing 47 variations on waste evacuation - fully expecting to find one that'd turn the magazine page for you – I asked the very helpful Lowe's Lady for her opinion. She had one by golly.

She was clear, concise, informed. Talked me "out" of a more expensive one, and actually chose the EXACT same model as Mr. "Please Don't Make Me Sell You Something". Then she asked, "Are you putting this in yourself?" After turning around to see who she was talking to, I answered, "You can't bet your rear I'm not." Guess where this conversation is going.

Smiling she said, "I've got a list of plumbers here who'd be glad to get the work, all qualified, all reasonable."

And therein lies the trouble. Not only did I try to give my money and my business to them, they willingly referred me to the jaws of the competition. Lots of them. All to "do me a favor." I don't want a favor. I want a toilet. (HINTS 6-10. At least.)

The dramatic conclusion to My Toilet Saga will be coming to an ezine near you soon.

Questions for you:

1. How do you train YOUR techs to handle a situation like this where the equipment isn't "on the truck"? Are they actually doing it?
2. Have you ever asked your techs if THEY offer "Money saving options" to customers?
3. Do you have a "policy" on selling what you sell… and not what others sell?

Send any responses to this article to mailto:questions@hudsonink.com

Forward this editorial as much as you darn well feel like it.

The Timing and Training of Market Leadership

"Black Friday” sounds rather ominous to me. Though retail in-store sales were “only” up 5.1-7.2% over last year, depending on which horrifically negative expert you choose to fear, this was to be followed by a booming “Cyber Monday” for online retailers.

No matter the outcome, this’ll be followed by “Identity Theft Tuesday”. There’ll be the traditional day of rest to filter your personal data, and then it’ll be “Male Enhancement Offer Thursday.” There’s nothing like Spam for the Holidays.

True as this is, there’s much to be learned from the onslaught. “Congruence” with the season matters, as does incremental timing within the season. (You wonder why we put “Holidays” instead of “Christmas” on our Card offerings? It ain’t for being PC boys and girls – my stance there is well-known – it’s so ‘your’ card has a chance of staying relevant ‘til New Year’s.)

Likewise, we’ve all heard the lazily disregarded radio ads that tout “Summer’s almost here!” in September or “School’s just around the corner” in November. Sadly, we’ll continue to hear Christmas references until it becomes an utter embarrassment to all Wise Men.

The money spent on being perceived as “late, lazy, and/or irrelevant” undoes most any claim you’d have to being fast or efficient. Your example trumps your words, sort of like parenting, but with faster public humiliation. (Spears and Hilton families may beg to differ on this point.)

The antidote for the perception of being behind is of course, to lead. You may ask, “Lead what? Lead how? And what ever happened to your request for submissions on the not-so-sharp non-salesperson who missed 3 sales opportunities while he was replacing your water heater?” Talk about timing!

Leading is an even more fearful concept in a time of great hand-wringing, “holding back” and “Let’s just wait and see what happens.” I’ve long persisted that the last one is more correctly stated as “Waiting to see what the leaders in my market do first, so I can make sure it’s safe to do something.” The leaders lead. The followers follow.

Most would say they would unfearfully lead if they only “knew” what was coming. Let me remind you I’m not talking about going into battle. Or before a Grand Jury. I’m only talking about marketing leadership, or in the case of the current economy, a marketing presence while others retreat. An unrisky strategy if ever there was one.

So, “marketing leadership” becomes easier when a bunch of “me too’s” falls from existence. The marginal contractor, made moreso by his marketing invisibility, will likely fail in 2009. There’s not enough excess to support the invisible. The corollary of “visibility” holds true and can easily be deemed as leadership. Would you rather run a race against 25 competitors or 10? The timid’s response is “Depends on who’s competing!” And the answer will always be, “The leaders”. I presume you’d like to be included.

Yet this year, marketing visibility with efficiency will be our push at Hudson Ink. There will be no “street wise” example overlooked, no tightwad’s angle cast aside. Likewise, though I’ve been saying it for 5 years, your bloated YP budget has got to go. Now. Your resistance to lead before the need arises, cannot wait any longer. A healthy market is forgiving to slackers in the pack; a tight market grants no leniency. Same goes for us.

I’m in this thing with you. (I won’t bore you with our plans, but suffice to say they’re identical to the ones suggested for you.) I’ve joined another Coaching Group, helping create an entirely “different” Coaching Group (more about this in upcoming months) and am staunchly encouraging readers to join in their own. Why?

A mastermind group’s input is potentially the most efficient system on earth. Problems get sliced, diced, repackaged, solved by example, and focused upon with laser-like intensity. You don’t feel like your market’s only pioneer (the ‘arrows in back’ analogy coined by followers no doubt) when you hear a gaggle of “Go for its” from those who’ve been there, done that.

Yes, we offer Coaching Groups but I’m not trying to “sell” you ours (Platinum is sold out anyway) yet I urge you to get involved in one filled with a leadership mentality. You rise – or fall – to a bracketed level of performance and attitude.

NOTE: We are having a F*R*E*E ACCESS Teleseminar for ALL SMI READERS on December 10, 2008. I’m putting 6 of the highest paid Contractor Coaches on the phone for ONE HOUR. All are required to share a strategy or tool worth at least $10,000 to you. I cannot accept more than 500 attendees. You must register here.

Quick Report on a couple of Groups to Avoid and Embrace here.

Now, this finally brings me to the smorgasbord of “Group Think” support by listing the answers to a question posed two issues of SMI back.

The Missed Sales Opportunities

Sometimes I think I have all the answers, and just then God laughs at me and makes me trip over something. Like the other week, I asked for “three ‘missed’ sales opportunities" from the plumber who was at my house. From a DELUGE of reader emails, it appears he missed FIVE opportunities. Counted ‘em myself. Here you go…

1. The Sump Pump. This was so obvious Stevie Wonder and Estaban both wrote in with the right answer. Of course, I told the plumber that I wanted him to look at it before he left and let me know. He didn't. I still have the problem and will call another to solve it. Sorry.
2. The “Tankless” water heater. Ugh. He actually told ME about this option, to which my wife, also known as, “What’s a budget and why would you want one?” expressed interest. Never told me the price, availability, installation time, benefits… nothing. Me and my “budget” are secretly relieved.
3. The Maintenance Agreement. Talk about a softball. I’m standing there in 4” of mud on a Sunday, faced with Emergency OverTime Double Secret Upcharges with hints of gas fumes in the background… and not ONCE did the word “Agreement” emerge. (This company DOES offer them. I guess you have to beg them for it, along with certain quotes.)

Nearly all of the respondents got those right, for example:

“I would recommend our Maintenance Plan or complete home plumbing inspection – this reduces the chance of another one if these last minute, Sunday afternoon issues and maybe save water,” said Tim Bruce, General Air Conditioning, Inc.

“He missed the upsell on the water heater (tankless or high efficiency), cost to bring gas installation to code, and replacement/repair sump pump. Not to mention a service agreement on the new unit,” explained Garth Hepler, Roth Heating & Cooling.

Yet the real “thinkers” added the following….

Paul Guzman of O'Connell Plumbing, Inc. wisely suggested a Flood Detector/Alarm.

And Tom Hawkinson of Air-Tech Services saw another angle when he suggested, “Hey, Ronnie turned off the water heater for you so you wouldn’t die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Good move on Ronnie’s part (maybe the only one). But wait…how do you prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in the future? Well, sell the customer a carbon monoxide sensor, of course.”

So there you have it. Timing, success, and mastermind thinking all rolled into one. Makes you think there might be a connection among them. Hope you’ll join us on our F*R*E*E* Coaching Teleseminar on December 10. I may not ever invite these people back here again, so you’d better go register and see what the heck’s going on. You might learn something from us, and almost certainly, we’ll learn something from you.

Have fun,

Adams Hudson