The Plumber Shortage Is a Myth (Here's the Real Problem)

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Everyone keeps saying there's a plumber shortage. There isn't. What's actually short is companies plumbers want to work for, and most owners have no idea why their best guys walk.

This breaks down the real reasons plumbers leave: two hours a day wasted in traffic, zero control over their own schedule, showing up to a call unprepared and feeling stupid in front of the customer, and no clear path forward once they've topped out. You'll hear the exact question that builds loyalty on someone's hardest day, why treating techs like adults backfires less than owners think, and why profit, not perks, is what actually keeps a crew from walking out the door.

Topics discussed:

(00:00) - Why the plumber shortage is a myth
(00:41) - Cutting drive time to keep techs from burning out
(01:23) - Giving plumbers control over their own schedule
(02:34) - The one question that builds loyalty on a hard day
(03:01) - Why feeling unprepared kills a plumber's confidence
(03:32) - Proving to your team you're actually on their side
(04:07) - Why plumbers leave when there's no path forward
(04:47) - Why profit is what makes all of it possible


This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Everybody says there's a plumbing shortage. I don't buy it. I think there's a shortage of plumbing companies that plumbers actually want to work for. Well, by that, think about it. If your best plumber got an offer today, would they stay or would they go? Over 25 years of building my own plumbing company, I discovered something that changed everything for me. The truth is your pregnant customer isn't your homeowner, it's your plumber. Because when plumbers stay, everything gets easier. Recruiting gets easier, actually. Customers get happier, profit goes up, culture gets better, and eventually your new hires are for growth instead of replacement. So how do you become their shop of choice? It starts with one simple question. Why do plumbers leave? Let's talk about it. One thing plumbers hate is sitting in traffic. Think about it. Nobody gets into plumbing because they dream of spending two or more hours a day staring at brake lights or going three miles an hour. So instead of trying to market to an entire city, or in my area, three counties, like most big companies do, I marketed almost entirely within about a five mile radius of my shop. Our average drive time between calls dropped to about 20 minutes. And that meant happier plumbers, more available hours, less fuel, less windshield time, which resulted in happier customers, more money. Sometimes the answer isn't finding better plumbers. Sometimes it's simply wasting less of their time. Another thing plumbers hate is feeling like they have no control over their personal time or lives. Family matters. Doctor appointments matter, kids matter, plays matter, baseball games matter, life matters. And they've got a life besides working for you. So I told my plumbers something that surprised them. If you're hitting your goals, take the time you need. Instead, they appreciated being treated like professionals, like adults. And professionals usually act like adults. Another thing plumbers hate is getting that one last call when they're already exhausted. They're dirty. They're tired. They're already mentally checked out and home. They've probably made a phone call saying I'm gonna be home on time, finally, tonight. So every day around two o'clock, I'd ask one simple question. I'm setting up the afternoon. Do you want another call? Or is the call you're on your last one for today? That sounds crazy, right? But here's what happened. Giving them a little extra control over their day built tremendous loyalty. And remember, if someone consistently chose to go home early, their paycheck reminded them why that wasn't such a good long-term strategy, right? So most plumbers wanted another call, but if they needed time off, they could get it. You know, they just wanted to feel respected enough to be asked. Another thing plumbers hate is walking to a house and feeling stupid, right? Not being prepared. Nothing destroys confidence faster than standing in front of a customer thinking, I have no idea what I'm doing. That's why we became a training company. The more competent our plumbers became, the more confident they became. Confident plumbers serve customers better. Confident plumbers sell better. Confident plumbers enjoy coming to work. And confident plumbers stay. Another thing plumbers hate is feeling like their company doesn't want them to succeed. It's like an us versus them thing. So I did something that surprised most of the guys. I helped my plumbers earn their bonus. Like I let them know how close they were. I wasn't looking for reasons they couldn't make bonus or sending them home so they didn't have a chance. I was looking for ways they could because I wanted every technician to know I'm on your side. I want you to succeed at my company. When your people believe you're rooting for them, everything changes. Trust goes up, morale goes up, retention goes up, and so does profit. Now, another thing plumbers hate is feeling like there's no future. It's feeling like they've topped out. In fact, that's one of the reasons many companies are started, is the company they were at, there was nowhere to go, no opportunity, no next step, no future. So I made sure our company kept growing. And I posted our organizational chart where everyone could see it. And their name was on it, even their first day. They knew exactly where they were, and they knew exactly where they could go next in our company. People don't usually leave companies because they're growing. They leave companies where they can't. Now, here's the part most people miss. There's all these bright ideas out there, right? Like some of these. But everything we've talked about, short drive times, great training, bonuses, career paths, time off, all sounds great, right? But all of that becomes incredibly difficult, if not impossible, if your company isn't profitable. That's why I've always said something I believe with all my heart, I say it all the time. On the other side of profit is fun. I'm not talking roller coasters and lollipops. I'm talking about building a company where people actually want to work, where they enjoy working there. Profit gives you choices. Profit lets you invest in your people. Profit creates opportunity. Profit builds a culture. Profit keeps plumbers. And when plumbers stay, your new hires become growth hires instead of replacement hires. And that changes everything. So I didn't learn all these lessons by myself. And chances are you won't either. I spent over 25 years building a residential plumbing company, a big, beautiful one, eventually growing it into an eight-figure business before selling it. I made the mistakes. I learned the lessons. Now it's your turn. If you'd like to find out where your business stands and what you should focus on next, head over to TradeTraction.com and take my free business assessment. It'll show you where you are today, what to work on next, and if you'd like some help, you can even book a call with me. And if you're determined to make this year, you finally stop working for free, build the company plumbers love working for and create the business you once dreamed of. Remember all those ideals and dreams you had? When I finally get my business, I'm gonna do it this way, right? Subscribe. Every week I share the lessons I learned building and eventually selling an eight-figure plumbing company. So maybe you don't have to learn them all the hard way. I'm Dennis Apprennis. Now it's your turn. I'll see you in the next episode.