Where would Aussie families be without their trusty hot water system? They’d be bloody cold, of course, particularly on those chilly winter mornings!
Hot water systems are not generally a hot topic for discussion at parties, on first dates or even at any dinner table for that matter, unless someone has run out of hot water mid shower. Then everyone takes an interest.
In fact, you can bet your bottom dollar, if you were the one to install the ‘said’ hot water system, you will be the one being cursed at this point. Not because it was a sh!t system, but because it was the wrong system for the customer.
This is why it’s so important that we, as plumbers, have a proper chat with our customers when the time comes to install a new or replacement system. It means we can avoid being cursed by them when the system we install isn’t good enough.
You see, every customer likes something warm to wake up to in the morning (frankly, every plumber does too!). So, as their trusty plumber, it’s our job to make sure they get the best and most practical hot water system for their everyday life.
To do this we need to ask questions. The customer may just want a plain old swap over, and it could be the best option for them. That’s okay if it is – but, if you don’t have a chat and ask some questions, you and your customer will never know if there’s a better option out there.
Questions you should ask include: when was the last system installed, how many people live in the house, and are any of those people teenagers? The last bit is particularly important because, let’s be honest, we all know how long a teenager takes to shower.
Also ask: do they have a double shower, or are they interested in cost cutting or a more environmentally friendly system? These are all really easy questions to ask. They also make it really easy for you to recommend the right system for them.
Once you have this info, you can decide on whether an electric storage, gas storage or continuous flow water heater would be their best bet, or maybe even a solar hot water system or a hot water heat pump. Then you can put forward your recommendation, plain and simple, and leave the decision to them.
Not sure which hot water system to recommend? Check out our Hot Water Selector App. It makes it easy to find the right system for the job.
The good news is, by taking an extra five minutes to talk to your customer and giving them the good oil on hot water systems, you have built a trusted relationship. This could mean, next time something backs up around their house, you will be the first plumber they think to call. Or, when they catch up with mates at a weekend BBQ and they hear someone moaning about their own plumbing problems, they’ll give their mate your number.
So, clearly, it pays to have that chat. It’s likely you’ll not only get repeat business but referrals to friends and your business will grow. You’re also likely to land yourself that little bit of extra cash to splash; it’s a win-win really.
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