Dignity of the Septic Guy: Part Four

Dignity of the Septic Guy: Part Four
Homeowners often don’t pay attention to the maintenance of their system, so be sure to educate them on local performance code requirements.

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In part one of this series, we discussed how onsite installers earn dignity through the value they bring to clients. Part two addressed who invests in your services and why. Part three outlined making a good first impression as a competent professional and seeing your work through the eyes’ of the property owner. 

We conclude the series with a few words about MMM — system Management, proper Monitoring, and long-term Maintenance. 

Homeowners — especially those moving from a home connected to a sewer — often have the mindset that city sewer systems are more forgiving and reliable than onsite systems. They want to hear:

  • Don’t worry, you can flush and forget.
  • Don’t worry, you can use the commode like a trash can.
  • Don’t worry, the system will work forever, so you won’t ever have to think about maintenance. 

You will never gain respect as a professional by sugarcoating the facts, especially in the initial sales presentation. (Of course, there is a fine line between assuring them the system will work and scaring the heck out of them with its demanding requirements.) 

The sales presentation might seem like business as usual for you, even monotonous, but it’s very important to the customer, and they will remember what you said. If you falsely represent the system’s capabilities, the homeowner will find out sooner rather than later when the tank needs pumping or a riser needs replacement. And once that happens, you will quickly lose their respect and any potential clients from word-of-mouth referrals. 

For instance, if you install an effluent filter at the tank outlet, you need to explain additional — and necessary — maintenance requirements. If you don’t make it very clear to the homeowner that the effluent filter could become clogged and needs to be cleaned out, they will feel intentionally misled.

So, how does this all tie into management, monitoring and maintenance? Let’s break it down into easy-to-follow steps: 

Management: Tell homeowners — in layman’s terms — all the dos and don’ts associated with their system. 

Monitoring: If there is a water meter or other measuring device on the system, demonstrate how to measure hydraulic loading on the system to compare with estimated loading for which it was designed. Also, explain any alarms on the system and other signs of system failure before it happens. 

Maintenance: Explain that all septic systems need regular maintenance and the best way is to schedule maintenance well in advance. Give homeowners a folder with maintenance record forms that show past and future maintenance, and follow up with hard-copy notices or email reminders of scheduled maintenance. 

Homeowners often don’t pay attention to the maintenance of their system, so be sure to educate them on local performance code requirements. Ensure they have proper operating permits and they understand the importance of compliance monitoring to ensure the system is operating within its performance requirements as indicated by the permit. 

The more homeowners see you putting in the effort to educate them and help them meet any permit or performance requirements, the more they will respect you — and hopefully pass your name along to family and friends. 

About the Author
Frank Aguirre owns Septic Systems Express, a system design and inspection company located in San Antonio, Texas. Contact him at 210/275-7866 or via email at frank@septicsystemsexpress.com.

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