Technology can be good, or bad. It can be helpful, or make your life miserable. No matter how you feel about technology, it’s a part of our lives and you need to learn to use it.
Let’s take a look back at 2020, in terms of technology. COVID-19 forced many of us to learn Zoom and other online meeting tools, we had to learn to problem-solve computer and internet issues at home rather than running to the nearest IT person in the office, and some companies had to implement tech to help with customer payments.
Some of the technologies are cheap — or even free — and others might cost you more, but it might be time to take a look at some tech out there and see what it could do for your plumbing company.
TRAINING AND SUPERVISION TOOL
Lindsay Goodson, owner of Keith McDonald Plumbing in Georgia, has found a unique way to incorporate technology into her business. She has incorporated a camera system that allows her or another senior plumber to supervise junior technicians via livestreaming video.
It allows her to have more techs out in the field and still have them be surprised. It also allows the plumbers to get help figuring out a problem when they need to quickly rather than waiting for someone else to show up to the job.
“I can talk to technicians and they can talk to me,” Lindsay Goodson says in the profile on her company featured in this issue. “Everything they can see, I can see, too. It’s really quite cool.”
I’ve often heard plumbing company owners say that it’s a struggle finding new people or training the new team members because it pulls the more experienced ones away. This could be your way of getting around that obstacle. And it doesn’t need to be expensive software. Open up Zoom — or any other meeting software — on your smartphone and you have a great tool right there at your disposal.
LEARNING WHAT WORKS
In the Smart Business feature this month writer Kate Zabriskie takes a look at communicating with techs on the road through virtual meetings as well.
The story gives you tips on how you can make the communication better when using technology and how to streamline it so you are maximizing your time and your team’s time when doing online meetings — even from the cab of plumbing vans and trucks.
All of this technology is going to take some time getting used to and learning, but the beauty of it is that you can adjust it to fit what you need. If you need a better camera, go out and buy it. If you need better internet, find a way to get a hotspot on your work vehicles. It’s really in your hands in the long run.
HAVE YOU TECHED OUT?
Have you done anything to make your company better by using technology? I’d like to hear how you’ve implemented different tech to improve your plumbing company. Email me at editor@plumbermag.com or call me at 715-350-8436.
Enjoy this issue — whether it be in print or through technology!
