Only Doing Half the Job

By Thad Plumley

My wife and I went to a garden center recently for what we thought was a routine transaction. We had
a dead tree that needed removed and we mentioned the type that we wanted to replace it with.

Suddenly, things were not so routine. We were told the garden center has a crew that plants new trees, but they don’t remove dead ones.

We were given a list of four companies that remove trees and told us to pick one, work with that firm, and when the dead tree was gone, call the garden center back so we could then schedule the planting of a new tree.

What? Two companies, two appointments, two business transactions? For one spot in the yard.

I reviewed the four companies. I found that two not only remove dead trees but plant new ones as well. I also saw that one business had far better reviews online than the other.

Any guesses what I decided to do or who I decided to work with? And how many appointments do you think took place?

Yep, exactly one. As it should have been.

I think annual maintenance agreements are such an underused tool for water well contractors.

You may wonder why I am carrying on about a dead tree in Water Well Journal. The whole thing actually reminded me of the groundwater industry. So many water well contractors install water wells and then move on to another job on another day, never to interact with that first customer again.

The well installation is just half the job in my book. And most importantly, that’s just part of the revenue to be earned for your company. What about maintaining the water well system? What about an annual water test? What about signing that customer to an annual maintenance agreement so you visit them once a year for years to come?

Having a water well maintenance program not only makes economic sense, it’s much easier than having to find brand-new customers for water well installations year after year. Honestly, sticking to that old business model is not far removed from being a garden center that installs trees but doesn’t remove dead ones.

I think annual maintenance agreements are such an underused tool for water well contractors. They not only lock in customers for years, but the annual visits can be done in the off months to keep your crews going and your cash flowing.

Offer an annual water test or do a video inspection for a yearly fee and give discounts on any needed parts for repairs, provide a top-of-the-list spot on emergency calls, and other things that are unique for your business.

It will keep you in touch with that customer, which is crucial if anything significant would happen to the well system. The last thing you want is a customer doing an online search when they have a water emergency.

Trust me, customers love a one-stop shop.

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Thad Plumley is the editor of WWJ and the director of publications for the National Ground Water Association. He can be reached at tplumley@ngwa.org, or (800) 551-7379, ext. 1594.