How Covid-19 Is Changing the Plumbing Industry
- By: Amer ZaghloulehUncategorizedComment: 0
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world as we know it in the past year, and affected our lives in many ways, from our social activities to our income, health, and preoccupations. A lot of industries have taken a hit because of the economy slowing down since several protective measures have been taken.
The plumbing industry has also been affected by this global pandemic.
Customers Are More Reluctant to Use Face-to-Face Services
The first effect that the plumbing industry has felt due to the pandemic is the reluctance of the customers to call someone to their house. While precautions are definitely needed when facing such a fast-spreading virus, plumbing should be viewed for what it is: an essential service.
Plumbers who adapted best to the new situations included drastic safety measures when on call, using protective gear and maintaining the recommended distance from others, and disinfecting their workplace.
Virtual and Remote Services Are Increasing
While the plumbing itself cannot be done remotely, certain parts of the service can be solved virtually, like diagnosis through video calls, online billing, and scheduling. This has been an effect for many industries, and we believe it’s a good change brought by these unfortunate circumstances.
Services Like Maintenance Might Be Put off for Longer
Unfortunately, many people have been affected financially by the pandemic, and this translated into a lower request for preventive plumbing services or maintenance. Customers tend to call a contractor only if they have an actual problem like a pipe bursting or a flood.
There Are Some Growth Opportunities
Because people spend more time at home, they have started investing in their houses. Bathroom renovations and remodeling, replacing old systems, and adding more comfort to their house by installing modern fixtures have been great opportunities for the plumbing industry.
Indirect Hits from Slower Administrative Services
Because many other businesses and organizations have put off or slowed down their activities, the plumbing industry has suffered as well. For example, it takes more time now to get a building permit or financing for a project, which puts many plumbers off work, forcing their employers to reduce staff or to slow down the business.
Purchasing Supplies Is Done Online Much More Than Before
Most plumbers prefer interacting with their customers and assessing their jobs face-to-face rather than using technology to do it remotely. Similarly, they would rather go to a physical store to get the supplies they need for their work. But, with many branches closing due to the pandemic, plumbers have had to do their purchases online.
Conclusion
The fact that the plumbing industry, like many others, has been affected negatively by the pandemic is certain. With fewer customers willing to pay preventive services or to call someone on site, a lot of projects were lost.
At the same time, when people spend more time at home, they want to add comfort to their living space, so there was an increase in renovations and home improvements. Also, since plumbing is an essential service, workers in this industry are not lacking work.
Preventive measures slow down business and do cost money, but those businesses who invested time and effort into training their staff and supplying what they need to stay safe were less affected by the pandemic.
We at Anytime Plumbing have been affected similarly by the COVID-19 waves, and it has been a tough crisis for many sectors of the industry. But we always put our adaptive power at work and get ready to serve our customers in the best way possible.
