Tireless Work Ethic & Attention to Detail Leads to Big Results for This Baker Brothers Plumber
Dustin Deweese’s consistent approach, upbeat attitude, and exceptional communication skills have helped him become the top producer for this Dallas–based business—and he’s having a record 2018 with $640,000 sold & installed and a month to go.
by Bob Houchin
Talk to Dustin Deweese for any duration of time, and you instantly begin to like him. He strikes you as a happy-go-lucky person—possessing an uplifting, effusive energy that comes naturally. Yet Dustin’s vibrant personality doesn’t overwhelm his manners—he’s the type who can’t help but say, “yes, sir, or no ma’am.” Over the course of our almost 45-minute conversation, I soon found his engaging, approachable disposition may allow him to connect with customers, but it’s his attention to detail and tireless work ethic that makes this Master Plumber immensely successful.
Dustin works for Baker Brothers Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. In a company filled with superstar technicians and salespeople, President Jimmie Dale immediately pinpointed Dustin as someone Success Group International members should hear from. Really, Dustin’s results likely made him an obvious choice.
Dustin started with Baker Brothers in July 2015. In roughly six months, he sold and installed $300,000 worth of work. Dustin has been Baker Brothers’ top-performing plumber ever since. As of mid-November, when we talked, Dustin shared he was having his best year, selling $640,000 with an average ticket of $1,863.
I asked Dustin what makes him different, how he’s been able to sustain such tremendous success. He quickly deflected praise. “I don’t think I do anything special. I do what everybody else is taught to do. I use the tools they give me,” he said. “I show up every day, and I do my job. Every time the doors are open, and there’s training, I show up. If I have to do something, I’m into it.”
“In this industry, there’s satisfaction at the end of the day knowing you helped somebody. I never want to leave somebody without water to their home—that’s a necessity. So, if that means I have to stay late to finish a job and help someone, I don’t mind. I never mind putting in extra. That’s just me. But I really don’t think there’s anything special I do—everyone has the capabilities of doing what I do.”
Dustin’s Beginnings in the Plumbing Trade
Dustin has been around the plumbing profession for much of his adult life. As an 18-year-old, he worked on underground utilities. His next job was in the office of his wife’s cousin’s plumbing company. “They did multi-family apartment complexes. I was their office guy. I learned how to run Excel spreadsheets and work QuickBooks,” Dustin said. “But it was nothing hands-on.”
“I ended up going to school at a Bible college with my wife. My brother-in-law was a plumber. We were all going to school together. The company he worked with previously was willing to let us go to school from eight until noon. Then, we’d work for them from noon until eight at night, and we would work every Saturday,” Dustin continued. “That’s how I started my apprenticeship.”
“I was also valeting cars on Saturday and Sunday to make ends meet. You’re not going to get rich as an apprentice, but I really wanted to be a plumber. If that’s what I had to do, so be it.”
Dustin would bounce around to a few different plumbing companies, as he explained it. Eventually, he found a home at a residential-service company in Wylie, Texas. “I was journeyman at that point. But I was still rather green. I didn’t have any communication skills. That’s what I lacked initially,” Dustin admitted. “The company made me face a stiff reality: If I didn’t begin communicating better with customers, I was going to get fired. I had a choice to make.”
“It makes sense to me now. Communication is a huge part of what we do every day. Back then, I was a 23-year-old, fresh-faced kid. People didn’t see me as an expert. I had to learn how to communicate with people, so they understood what I was talking about. Once I figured that out, I started doing well.”
Dustin Finds a Home at Baker Brothers
Dustin was not the first Deweese to find work at Baker Brothers. His wife, Emelia, started as a dispatcher roughly six months before Dustin. “I started making friends with some of the guys she worked with. And, for the most part, plumbing is a pretty tightknit community. Everybody talks,” Dustin said.
“I had a couple of the guys call me, and they really talked Baker Brothers up. They said it was a great company. It has a family feel. That was great to hear, because I didn’t want to feel like a small fish in a big pond. The guys said, no way. This is a family-oriented play. You can feel the culture, and they pay well. They said that I would do really well.”
Despite the profusely positive recommendations, Dustin hemmed-and-hawed about contacting Baker Brothers for an interview. Dustin still carried fresh memories of how the 2008 recession devasted the industry. He feared he would just be a number at a business the size of Baker Brothers, making him easily disposable if rough times hit once more.
“I finally decided to make the call. I got over my fears. I talked with them and shared my values. I explained my views on the plumbing industry and how I worked. I think my interview was a couple of hours at least, even though they knew me and what I did. Thankfully, my wife must have really sweet-talked me up,” Dustin said and laughed. “I’m sure a lot of guys say the same thing, but I told them I would come in and be the best plumber they had.”
Dustin got the job, and he’s lived up to his word.
“I Run My Truck Like It’s My Business”
There is something unique about Dustin. Below the amiable exterior lies a fierce competitor at heart. I asked him if he watched his numbers, and his answer was direct and distinctive. “Oh, absolutely. I like to win. With our iPads, I always know how I’m doing, and I always want to know my numbers,” he said. “Before we had iPads, I would call the office and ask them to send me a report of my weekly and monthly numbers. I always want to know what my average ticket is, Family Plan sales, my labor rate, my materials percentage, all of that.”
I pushed him on if he truly monitored his materials percentage. “Oh, absolutely,” Dustin replied forcefully, but respectfully. “When I go to the supply house, and they’re selling me something that I know I can get cheaper somewhere else, I complain about it. I’ll call our rep and mention it to him. It could be a $20 difference on a double-check [valve], and I’ll say, ‘I can go to that other place and get it cheaper. Do you want me to do that? Or do you want to make it right?’”
“I know $20 can seem insignificant to some people, but it matters to me. I run my truck like it’s my business. And I want to run a successful business,” Dustin said with conviction. “If I owned a business, that’s what I would do. So, why wouldn’t I do it for Baker Brothers?”
How has Dustin managed to be Baker Brothers’ most productive plumber for three and a half years? Let’s take a look at how he approaches each call in this issue’s “Learning from the Best.”
What kind of calls does dispatch typically send you?
I primarily do water leaks underneath the slab. That’s my specialty. When I came to Baker Brothers, they asked me, “What do you do?” I didn’t understand the question. I said, “Whatever comes next.” They said that I had a choice. We have guys who do water heaters, we have guys that do drains, we have guys that like gas jobs, and we have guys who like working on faucets and toilets. I said, “I’m completely capable of doing all of it—I’ll do it all.” I saw their point after a while. You can only keep so much equipment and material on your truck. It was a lot more convenient for me to focus on water leaks—and that’s where they felt I fit. But I will do anything.
How do you prepare for each job?
When the office sends the next call’s information to us, it says if they’re a current customer or new customer. They’ll share what kind of call it is, but I don’t think too deeply into it—that can get you into trouble.
How do you approach the home once you arrive?
We try to keep our vehicle visible from the front door, so you have that huge Baker Brothers billboard behind us. I try to put six feet between me and the door to give people a comfort zone. I usually knock—I don’t ring the doorbell unless there’s a note to do so. Once they come to the door, I’m in the process of putting on my shoe covers, so they can see I want to protect their home. At that point, I’ll introduce myself and my apprentice. Then, I’ll allude to the issue: “The office has sent me some information. It sounds like you have some water showing up where it doesn’t belong. Oh, my goodness!” Then, we’ll have a little conversation about it. That’s when I get into my questions.
How important is it to ask detailed questions of the homeowner?
Ultimately, once you get there, it’s all about asking good questions. Good questions yield good answers. It shows that you’re a professional, and you know what you’re looking for. And you know what needs to take place. Asking the right questions is probably the most important part of the call.
How do you get your customers to relax and trust you?
You show up prepared. Your truck is prepared. You show up with your uniform looking nice. I really feel like I have an advantage over other service companies—the guys who show up in unmarked trucks and wear T-shirts and jeans. At Baker Brothers, our marketing really helps us. [Owner] Jimmie [Dale] is on television constantly telling people our core values: trust, quality, and care. Homeowners have been seeing these commercials every day for years, so they feel like they already know us.
Another advantage I have is our customers get a text message before we arrive. It has a picture of me and a brief profile. It says I’m a Master Plumber and have been doing this for X amount of years. It has some family information. When you combine our marketing with the profile, a lot of times I get to the door, and people will say, “Oh, you’re Dustin! Come on in! I read your profile.” Now, I’m not a stranger. They feel like they know me, and they know us, Baker Brothers.
How do you transition from the initial problem to doing a complete safety inspection?
I primarily go on water-leak calls. So, I gain access to the entire water system in a person’s home. As I go into each room, I look at fixtures, faucets, toilets, and P-traps. I look under sinks. I look at water heaters. I turn valves on and off. That’s all part of what I call my diagnostic. Then, I bring anything I notice to their attention. For example, this morning I went to a home where the floors were buckling. I was almost positive it was coming from the refrigerator, and I told them that. But I also told them, while I was there, I wanted to be sure. The only way to do so was to do a comprehensive plumbing inspection.
In the end, as I suspected, there wasn’t a plumbing leak causing the floor damage. But while doing my inspection, I found a faucet that was in poor condition. There was a minor leak under the sink. The garbage disposal was old, and the shutoff valve under the sink was in poor condition. We ended up doing $2,500 worth of repairs on an inspection, even though their initial problem was a refrigerator.
Do you ask people to walk with you during the entire inspection?
I tell people I’m going to start with a diagnostic. So, would you mind showing me around to all the bathrooms, the laundry room, the water heater? I’d like to see all the exposed plumbing. And I always make sure to say: “If you can think of anything else that’s wrong, while we’re here, we’ll address those, too.” By asking them to show me where everything is, I do get them to walk around. Now, most people will eventually want to do something else. When that happens, if I find a problem that needs attention, I’ll go back to them and say, “We found this.” I’ll encourage them to look, or I’ll show them a picture on my smartphone.
How do you present a list of unexpected repairs without overwhelming a person?
I explain to them that I’m just bringing it to their attention. I’ve always viewed it as being helpful. People like to know what’s happening in their home. If they don’t want to address a problem immediately, that’s okay. But I now know that I’ve pointed out that problem to the homeowner—I’ve planted a seed in their mind. They know they have that problem now. When they call me out again—and they ask for me specifically because they loved my service—I’m going to bring up that problem again: “We talked about this water-leak issue you had. It’s still here. At some point, we should discuss putting new piping in your home.”
With your numbers, some readers might think you hard-sell, but I get the vibe that’s not you.
I never push people. I know there are companies who do the car-salesman thing: You go to the lot to look at a used Toyota Tacoma, but the guy says, “You know what, for just a little bit more, I can get you into this new Tundra.” I never try to do that because I don’t like that, as a consumer.
I talk to people just like they’re normal—or like I’m talking to my grandpa: “Hey, pop, let’s stop fixing this beat-up faucet, and let’s put in a new one.” I talk to people like that. That happens all the time, where I say to someone, “How many times have you had this faucet fixed?” They’ll tell me a bunch of times. I’ll be straightforward with them: “Let’s quit putting a band-aid on it, and let’s take care of it right way. And we’ll put a good warranty on the new one.” I talk to people like I’d want to be talked to. People know when you’re being real with them, and they appreciate that.
On that call you had this morning, where you sold the new fixture and disposal, did you give options on those repairs?
Absolutely. We always give options. If you’ve done a good job of establishing yourself as an expert during your inspection, people will ask for your opinion. For example, on this particular call, I told the gentleman, regarding the disposal, that I liked the three-quarter horsepower. I told him it’s a great product, and for the price, he can’t beat it. Then, I went on to discuss the warranty options. With the faucets, I explained to him that I preferred the taller ones with the pullout sprayer. The guy ended up saying, “Great. You know what? Do all of that.”
If I’m not mistaken, at Baker Brothers, you do a lot of bundling if a person agrees to do a set of repairs, versus just one. Am I correct?
We do. Having a flat-rate pricing system, you make more money by doing more tasks. Coming in and doing one repair is not as profitable as if I did four. Let’s say a customer is going to have us do a whole list of stuff—we’re doing a kitchen-sink remodel. We’re putting in a new sink, a new faucet, new piping, and so on. We have a task for each of those things. I’ll say to the person, “You know what, because you’re having all this done, I’m going to throw in the valves and wire connectors, that’s a couple of hundred dollars’ worth of value. No charge.” I’ll do that if I think that’s what’s needed to close a job, but it’s at our discretion.
What kind of warranties does Baker Brothers offer?
It’s usually a one-year warranty on repairs. If we’re doing a replacement, like with fixtures and faucets, it can be up to five years. On water heaters, we have a 12-year warranty on tank, parts, and labor. There’s a bunch of different ones. We offer the best.
When do you start talking to customers about your club membership?
I always mention it. There are options on the iPad. It says “savings.” So, normally, people will bring it up to me: What are the savings? I explain it’s our Family Plan. It offers this, this, and this feature. It includes a plumbing, electrical, and two HVAC visits a year for your tune-ups. I go through the entire list. I explain how it benefits them—and then, I explain it gets them a discount today. And it’s only $120 a year. For that great list of stuff, and that price, it’s hard to turn down.
Do you ever push the club membership?
I really take the time to give the benefits, but I never push it hard. I get all the time: “I’d like to talk with my husband.” People will say that when I’m presenting repairs, too. I’ll say, “Of course, I understand. Can we text him, or can we call him? That way, I can explain.” If they say, “No, he’s in a meeting.” That’s fine. It’s no big deal. But I always mention the club at least once.
Do you find that you run into many objections, especially when it comes to price?
You get the people that will hop online and see what the parts cost. They want to know why this same water heater at Home Depot is only $400. We sell our 12-year-warrantied water heater for $1,650. But for a 12-year warranty on tank, parts, and labor, that’s a great value. We basically own that water heater and will take care of it for 12 years. And people know Baker Brothers isn’t going anywhere. We’ve been around forever. Plus, the quality of the product you’re getting from Home Depot is much different than what you get from us. By going through all that, it reassures people that this is a wise investment.
To be honest, I don’t get price complaints a lot because when I give them the price, I’ve already explained in detail the features and benefits on the front end. I’ve given them a timeline for how long it’s going to take, and what I expect once I begin the project. I’m very, very detailed. I don’t just say to people, “You need a new water heater, and it’s going to be $1,650.” I’m building so much value that usually people don’t think about the cost.
Why do you think homeowners ultimately buy from you?
I really think it’s because I’m thorough. Also, it’s because I can effectively communicate what I’m going to do and how I’m going to do it. I know how to build value in my products and the job that I’m doing. I try my best to think outside of the box when it comes to repair options—I know a lot of other guys who always offer the same thing for forever. I’m open to trying new things, because maybe it’s the least invasive option. I think about the customer’s property and their home being the biggest investment they have ever made in their lives. I try to treat it like I would treat my house. I think that’s the right thing to do.
What advice would you have for plumbers and even contractors new to the service business?
I have people tell me all the time, “I have something else for you to look at, do you have the time?” I’m sure it irritates my dispatchers, but I will tell people: “I’m here. I will stay as long as it takes.”
I also don’t treat anybody differently. I don’t care what part of town I’m in. You’re always getting the same price. I’m going to be friendly, and I’m going to look for a way to go above and beyond for that customer. For example, I might have a couple whose lavatory sink was stopped up. They mention it to me after they’ve spent thousands of dollars with me on a water leak. I happily cleared that in two minutes at no charge. That was stopped up for years, and they were so happy that I cared. When it comes down to it, I think people notice that I genuinely care because of the time I take with them, because of how I treat them, and because I do love what I do.