Next time you fancy a sandwich and need to buy a loaf of bread, think about the multitude of options available to you. The shop to buy the loaf from (supermarket, bakery, corner shop), the size of the loaf, the freshness, the ingredients or type of loaf, the shelf life, the brand, the abundance of choice we are blessed with is extensive. The abundance of choice is the same for loads of everyday items and services. We as a society are used to choice, options, variety, we like to buy based on our current budgets, lifestyle, requirements and perceived value. You may be wondering why this accountant is talking about lunch. I want to wake up the plumbing and heating industry when it comes to quoting for works. The majority of businesses will spend a few hours preparing a quote for a customer, filling it with information on all of the features of the job in hand then supply their potential customer with ONE price. That one price is the businesses price, not the customers price. Becau...

Let’s face it the P&H industry is a crowded sector. There are loads of firms all competing for business. This could lead some businesses to cut prices, slack on services and offer inferior boiler or part options just to win jobs and sadly complete on price. This could be an unfortunate race to the bottom, where business owners are squeezed on prices through cutting profit margins. Customers are left ‘unwooed’ by the experience and firms don’t fully engage with customers to form long-lasting relationships which complement repeat custom. Instead of promoting your business as a cheap, friendly local firm, let’s explore an alternative business model which can be built on a good reputation, backed up with clearly communicated warranties, guarantees and promises.   Warranties and guarantees are very important. You can use them to make you stand out from the crowd. Using them in your P&H business can help to establish you as a reputable, trustworthy choice for your customers...