Plumbers like you are busy hurrying from inspections to repair jobs and all the other to-do’s that dominate your schedule. There’s a never-ending list of things that need to be done, and you need a way to quickly connect with clients while you’re on the go — whether it be an appointment reminder, a question about a part, or an emergency situation.
Texting is a great way to reach clients faster, and for clients to contact you when they need to.
This article will detail five ways you can integrate texting into your existing business communications to increase customer engagement and boost revenue.
1. Capture leads via SMS Chat.
Unexpected disruptions can happen at any time, which is why it’s important for your business to be available around the clock. Potential customers will come to your website to look for a list of your services, but they’d often rather just ask you a direct question if they can.
Enable your website visitors to reach out to you by adding SMS Chat to your website. SMS Chat is a chat widget that allows people to initiate conversations with you on your site, and continue them via text.
-Customers will want to reach out with concerns, like:
-Can someone take a look at my pipes? I’ve got a leak.
-Do you have this part for my brand toilet?
-How much do you charge for a sink installation?
-I’ve got a severe clog in my tub.
SMS Chat works especially well for visitors seeking your services after business hours. They can reach out to you at any time, and know that their message will be seen and responded to in the morning. You can respond to them through text at any time, to help them before your competitors get a chance.
Prospects are more likely to go with the business that responds to them first, and auto-responses from SMS Chat helps you respond instantly — even when you’re not available.
2. Use texting to schedule and reschedule visits.
Once your prospects know you can do the job, they’ll want to schedule an appointment with you. And for existing customers, texting makes it easier for them to schedule and reschedule appointments.
All they’ll have to do is to text your business number directly, or reach out to you via SMS Chat to request an appointment. From there, you can send them a calendar where they can pick a time and date that works best for them. Or, just text back and forth to find a time that works for everyone.
Send texts to confirm an appointment, a reminder on the day before the appointment, and when you’re on your way the day of. That way, you’ll keep customers in the loop and give them the opportunity to reschedule if something comes up on their end.
Texting helps you keep more appointments and reduce no-shows.
3. Increase product and service sales with texting.
SMS promotions re-engage previous customers, and help bring in new ones. You’ll increase interest and awareness, especially during seasonal slumps. Send texts with offers like:
-Take advantage of our $89 diagnostic special.
-Save $50 on any service! Offer valid until 12/1.
-Ready for a new water heater? Take 20% off installation.
And while plumbers are on-site, they can offer additional services. Oftentimes, they’ll start diagnosing a problem and then notice that something else might need to be looked at or updated. That can be easily documented with a photo, and sent via text.
-Some popular services and products that you could offer:
-Shower head/faucet replacement
-Bathtub, toilet and sink installations
-Water heater upgrade
-Pipe repair
-Part replacement
-Sump pump replacement
-Leak detection
-Sewer cleaning and repair
Most customers won’t know when things need to be fixed until it’s too late, so use texting to communicate those concerns ASAP. Your customers will thank you for spotting a potential problem, and you’ll earn more revenue in turn.
4. Get paid with text payments.
Text payments help you get paid quicker, with less invoicing hassle. Text a payment request to your customer before or after a service, and they can text a confirmation code to pay, or follow a link to pay. In order to get started with text payments, you’ll need to connect your payment processor to your business account first.
They won’t have to worry about having to pay in person, over the phone, or on your website.
Providing a free quote goes hand in hand with text payments, too. Once you can provide a customer with a quote, they can choose to pay on the spot, and for any additional costs once the job is done.
5. Gain positive online reviews.
Getting more online reviews helps your business show up higher in web search results for local plumbers, and helps you earn more customers in the process.
After you’ve completed a service, text your clients and ask them to leave a review. Send them a direct link to your review page such as Facebook or Google Reviews, and thank them for doing business with you.
You can even offer an exclusive discount on their next service in exchange for a review. That way, you’ll encourage repeat customers and gain a loyal following.
START TEXTING
When pipes burst and drains are clogged, customers need you ASAP — and that’s why texting works so well for plumbers. Texting is customer-preferred because it can be done anywhere, at any time without having to stop their day.
Are you ready to start texting? Find a business texting software that’s right for your plumbing business.
----
Jessica Ayre is a content marketing specialist at Text Request, a business texting solution. If you’d like to start texting with customers from your plumbing business, Text Request can give you all the tools and resources you need to create a successful text messaging strategy.
