Selling New Technology to Your Customers

From re-engineered showerheads that save water to tankless water heaters and optical-eye kitchen faucets, the latest advancements in technology and new products are driving the plumbing industry today. Staying abreast of plumbing technology and new products can be made easier through savvy networking and the Internet.

“There’s always advancements, whether in installation technology or new products. Green is another hot-button out there and plumbers need to be aware of water-saving and other environmentally friendly products,” says Dan Callies, president/owner of residential contractor Oak Creek Plumbing in suburban Milwaukee, Wis.

“There’s nothing worse than going to a customer’s home and having them tell you what they’ve seen about a new product while you know nothing about it,” says Patty Frank, vice president of Milton Frank Plumbing in Spring, Texas.

Serving residential and commercial clients, Milton Frank Plumbing operates its own showroom. Owners Patty and Milton Frank say frequent visits from manufacturer’s reps that introduce new products and share information is crucial to keeping a pulse on the market. “Try to establish good rapport with these reps. Even for those contractors without showrooms, reps still visit and you can call them anytime to get more information on products,” Frank says.

“Groups like QSC’s Q-list user group allow plumbers to communicate with each other on anything out there,” Callies says, noting members can participate in Internet discussions across the country and share their knowledge, including experiences with products.

Callies is also a member of Service Roundtable, a business-resource organization for plumbers. The group offers a toolkit to members, which includes marketing materials and online user groups where members can compare information on technical matters and get questions answered by other professionals around the country.

Both Frank and Callies recommend trade shows and expos to keep up with new technology while networking. For example, the Franks attend twice-annual meetings by the QSC where manufacturers, as associate members, also attend. They also attend the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s annual show. There’s even an international trade fair for the kitchen and bath, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning industry: ISH North America.

Getting technical
Spec sheets, product videos and other materials offered by manufacturers easily allow plumbing contractors to keep up on new products. Frank recommends visiting manufacturer websites for a plethora of product information. Online product training is also becoming prevalent. For example, some manufacturers offer training DVDs for their products with online testing for technicians. “There’s great buy-in from the technicians on these programs,” she says. Milton Frank Plumbing also conducts weekly meetings attended by its cadre of technicians to review new products.