The coronavirus pandemic has presented us with many challenges, even in some aspects of life that used to be very easy to deal with. If you’re a commercial worker or tradesman offering services like plumbing, HVAC maintenance, electrical repair, and the like, you might notice that you’re not getting hired for jobs as much as you were before the pandemic, regardless of the fact that you’re already offering an essential service.
It’s just that people are becoming more and more cautious about their finances and interpersonal relationships in the pandemic era. Some families are hesitant to let total strangers in their homes, even for repair works, while others are simply DIY-ing everything to cut down on spending. But none of this means you can’t do anything to improve your chances of getting more business in the middle of a pandemic.
Find here some tips to keep in mind to getting hired as a tradesman in the coronavirus era:
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Take health precautions seriously
More than anything, potential clients just want the assurance that you won’t be bringing in the virus when you come in to fix whatever it is that needs fixing in their homes. This means you have to invest in personal protective equipment like gloves, goggles, and standard surgical face masks. If you could spring for regular testing, it would also help clients feel at ease about entrusting you with access to their homes and/or facilities.
Keeping yourself safe while working commercial jobs also benefits you as well, since you certainly don’t want to be wasting precious time stuck in quarantine trying to feel better when you can be out working jobs and earning a better living.
Be competitive with your pricing
As mentioned earlier, people want to be safe and smart about their money. One thing you can do to entice more clients to hire your services is to be more competitive with your pricing. Do market research and find out how much your closest competitors are charging per hour and per project, and make sure you set your prices at a competitive level. The goal is to offer the best prices for your services while still protecting your profit margins.
Invest in comprehensive insurance coverage
Another thing that could ease both you and your clients’ minds is a great insurance policy covering your trade/professional practice. A general contractor’s insurance will protect you and your associates from getting sued to the ground when things don’t turn out very well. At the same time, you can protect yourself from having to shoulder the costs of any unwanted accidents that may happen while you’re working a job onsite. Reassuring your clients that these financial obligations won’t be falling on their shoulders should also put you in a better position to win more contracts.
Keep yourself updated with the latest trends in your trade
The lifeblood of any contractor’s practice is their expertise in a certain trade. You have to be able to offer something that clients can’t DIY. This is why it’s important to keep yourself up-to-date with the latest trends in your trade or profession. For instance, if there is a new air distribution system in town, the best heating contractor would be the one who first finds out how to maintain or repair it.
There are offline and online courses that can teach you all these latest skills. Moreover, if your profession requires you to take continuing education credits such as those required for licensed electricians, you have to take everything you can from it. Treat it as a way to elevate your profession and not just something you have to comply with at the bare minimum level of commitment just because it’s required. You owe it to your business and its clients to be an expert at what you do, so make the most out of any continuing education you can get.
Final Thoughts
These are tough times for everyone, including essential workers like yourself. But as long as you make your practice indispensable, there will always be clients who will need and want to hire your services. Just be the best at what you do, and success will surely follow.