OPINION COLUMN
trade talk PeakyPlumber with the
IN HIS LATEST ADVICE COLUMN, LEE BROWN BREAKS DOWN KEY LESSONS LEARNT THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER FROM WHAT JOBS TO TAKE TO MAINTAINING DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE…
Over 30 years in business, I’ve learned many lessons, but the most important piece of advice I can give will come at the end. Looking back, I can break those lessons down into different stages of the journey. In the early years of business, my advice is simple: go to every quotation opportunity, whether you already have the tools for the job or not. If you need additional equipment, build 25-50% of the tool’s cost into the quote. Your profit margins may be smaller at first, but over time you will build up the tools and resources needed to complete the jobs you win successfully. It’s an investment in your future capability. By around years seven or eight, you will have learned which jobs you should have walked away from. One of the biggest lessons I learned during that period - and one I still follow today - is knowing when to say no. We all encounter difficult clients or projects that simply are not the right fit. In the beginning, most of us chase every opportunity because we are focused on the money. However, your
time is one of your most valuable assets. Sometimes the best decision you can make is politely saying, ‘Thank you, but this isn’t for me’. Above all, the single most important lesson I can share is this: always keep evidence. With modern technology, this has become much easier than it was years ago. Keep signed terms and conditions, take photographs, save emails and back up important communications to a personal account. Over the years, I have relied on proper documentation countless times. On two occasions, I even went to court with customers and won both cases because I had the signatures, the photographs and the written evidence to support my position. Another rule we follow without exception is taking a 50% deposit on all jobs over £200. Your business should not be financing someone else’s project. Ask yourself this: if a customer cannot pay the deposit, will they really be able to pay for the completed work? Yes, I probably lose a couple of jobs each year
because clients refuse to pay a deposit, but I am comfortable with that. If necessary, I am even happy for customers to contact my suppliers directly and pay my trade account themselves. After three decades in business,
experience has taught me that success is not only about making money - it is about protecting your time, your reputation and your business. A heating engineer by day, Lee Brown is also @thepeakyplumber with a combined audience of 21.7k followers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. @thepeakyplumber www.instagram.com/thepeakyplumber Want to know more?
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PLUMBING & HEATING MAGAZINE | 93
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