5 Things Plumbers Should Know Before Starting a Water Treatment Company

Plumbers looking to expand their services and increase profitability should consider offering water treatment. 

Water purification services offer potential for profit by opening your plumbing company to a new market of water-quality-conscious consumers. These customers are frustrated by the quality of their water and want solutions. Plumbers who understand which water treatment options are appropriate for their locality can grow their plumbing company by positioning themselves as experts in the field.

However, success in water treatment requires educating yourself on the topic and making the right decisions that set your business and your clients up for success. I have worked as a residential water treatment expert for over two decades and learned a few things about running a successful company in this industry. Here are the most important things plumbers should know about starting a water treatment company.

1.        Know the Water in Your Area

Offering quality water treatment services means you’ll need a more in-depth knowledge of the municipal water supply itself. “Know the water” sounds simple, but a nuanced, thorough understanding of your region’s water supply will enable you to answer any questions your customers might have. It also helps you assess the different vendors and understand why specific brands work better in certain instances. 

A detailed understanding of the municipal water supply, where and when the infrastructure affects the supply, and what difficulties other homeowners in the area face will prepare you to meet your customers’ needs. For example, Municipalities that depend upon surface water or reservoirs for their water supply may rely primarily on natural filtration methods. Other localities, however, might rely on groundwater, which has its own set of benefits but can be too easily depleted. Because water experts understand where the water is coming from and the typical issues from pipes transferring that water, they know how to adjust and filter it appropriately.

Without a thorough understanding of the water in your area, you won’t be prepared to recommend filtration units or explain why a particular system is best. You must study your local water supply because the proper filtration for one area is not necessarily correct for another.

2.        Understand Customer Expectations

Customers often begin a consultation by explaining what they want and why they think a particular solution is best. Great plumbers know how to listen to their clients' needs and requests and balance them with their professional opinions. Making clients feel heard and understood allows you to set expectations for your work properly because you have shown the client that you understand their problem and can now offer solutions. Know the problem and give them solutions that match within their budget.

Explain what you’ll do, when, and how it will solve their problem in clear terms before starting any work. Your background knowledge and ability to listen first and then communicate several options to solve their problem will become the foundation of your working relationship. When you follow through, you’ll fulfill the expectations you laid out clearly at the start of the process. The better you do this before the work begins, the more likely they will feel satisfied afterward and refer your services to their friends and family.

3.        Focus on your Strengths

Criticizing the work of other plumbers, even ones who have made serious mistakes, will damage your reputation. Once you’re in the customer’s home, it may be tempting to point out the errors of previous plumbers, but this is not advisable. Negativity always comes across as unprofessional. Being too positive is also not helpful. Too much enthusiasm seems artificial. Instead, explain precisely what you will do, how long it will take, and the positive effects your work will provide.

Explaining these points briefly and plainly before doing any job is the best way to clarify expectations and provide a mental scaffold or vision of the future for the homeowner to rely on. Honest professionalism is appreciated. This step saves time, mitigates the likelihood of unexpected costly changes to the work, and reduces stress for you and the homeowner.

4.        Find a Specialization

What you build around and what you attract determines what you’re made for. The pride that comes with perfecting your trade is something we all reach toward as early as our teenage years. While being a jack of all trades might seem impressive at first, it leads to being a master of none. Homeowners and business peers respect specialization. When you choose to specialize in one area, like a specific type of water treatment or magnetic filter system, you will build your reputation as someone homeowners can trust, someone who helps other plumbers and supports other professionals.

5.        Make Friends, Not Foes

It is unwise and self-defeating to see other professionals as your competition. Rather than seeing other plumbers as your enemy, you can value them for their work and build a strong network with them. Recommending clients to another professional because their specialization differs from yours will help establish your reputation in the community. Business peers can even become friends who will begin recommending clients to you when a job doesn’t fit their specialization. This type of reliable and trustworthy networking only comes after developing your reputation in a community. It is usually the hidden last step to success. A new business owner who understands the power of helping other professionals and seeing them as peers instead of competition can start building their network immediately and quickly see the results of that network.

Water treatment is a lucrative market. Offering water purification services increases professionalism and profit for plumbers. Finding success in water treatment means a plumber must increase their knowledge of the water supply, filtration systems, and appropriate water purification systems. It also means setting accurate expectations for their customers. Plumbers who can meet customer needs, stay positive, specialize, and finally network with well-respected professionals in the area will enhance their profits and create a lasting revenue stream as established leaders.