Meet Matt O’Rourke, President of Z PLUMBERZ Plumbing Franchise
Matt O’Rourke explains why owning a plumbing franchise is a best-bet investment and much more in wide ranging interview
With aging infrastructure and a shortage of experienced plumbers, there’s never been a better time to pursue a career path with a plumbing franchise, and no one knows this better than Z PLUMBERZ brand president Matt O’Rourke.
In this wide-ranging interview, O’Rourke talks about why starting a Z PLUMBERZ franchise is a smart investment, especially at a time when the trade has proven itself as an essential service.
Not only that, Matt O’Rourke speaks about how Z PLUMBERZ is evolving the industry, removing negative stereotypes of plumbers and providing a platform for entrepreneurs to lead a successful and profitable business.
Why is educating the customer so important in plumbing?
A lot of homeowners don’t understand plumbing. They call a plumbing contractor to come out and fix the problem, and they have to hope that it gets done the way that it should get done. So, Z PLUMBERZ really focuses on training and making sure the team is educated, which helps in communicating with homeowners. That way, when we give recommendations for the problems, they’ll be better educated to make the decisions for their home.
People tend to hold a negative view of plumbers. How are you working to change that?
Homeowners are very nervous. They have a stranger coming in the door, and the outlook of plumbers is a negative one. So, simply looking professional and changing the mindset of our plumber goes a long way. And so, when we show up to the home, we can build that trust that the homeowner is hopefully going to expect from us.
Plumbing is often overlooked as a career path. Why is this a mistake?
For one, it’s a $110 billion industry and the trade itself is going to continue to grow as infrastructure ages. Plus, the work is going to continue to grow as the population continues to increase. Every single person needs a plumber. 99.6% of the dwellings in North America have plumbing. It is one of those industries that’s not going to go away, it’s not going to get converted into robotics or computerized. So as far as an entrepreneur goes, it’s one of the most sustainable businesses, if not the most sustainable.
What’s the advantage of starting a plumbing franchise over an independent business?
We are a plumbing franchise that is built by plumbers, so it makes it a lot easier for us to communicate. When a entrepreneur or a plumber joins the team and gets into our network, they’ll find it refreshing because of some of the same struggles that they’re having today, all of us have experienced.
How does Z PLUMBERZ help?
We want to help grow these companies to a point where they are very profitable. We have a 24 hour, seven days a week call center that helps provide that support. We have training manuals, we have structures, we have cloud-based systems – all simple, easy to implement, easy to train. It really will help your business grow into that next level that you’ve been trying to do on your own.
Why would you encourage younger people to enter a career as a plumber?
Young people should look at this as an opportunity. It’s not for everybody, just like college isn’t for everybody. But the plumbing trade itself is very opportunistic. Once you learn plumbing and have that foundation of the trade, there are so many different things you can do and not necessarily just be a plumber. It’s a huge industry, and having that experience of being a plumber will help me do many things: training, marketing, sales & advertising, and coaching.
Why are entrepreneurs choosing Z PLUMBERZ?
I think we’ve grown so fast in the first year because we deliver real life experiences. We tell the truth, we educate, and we show the system. And I feel that being a plumber and having a team of plumbers helps the potential franchisees or entrepreneurs that come in, they see that culture.
Ready to start a plumbing franchise?
For in-depth details about how to start a plumbing business with the Z PLUMBERZ franchise, download our Free Franchise Opportunity Report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages.