Business South May 2021

Plumbing • Gasfitting • Drainlaying • Roofing • Waterblasting • Heating For fast, efficient, reasonable, 24-7 service – Think iPlumb Plumbing & Gas, innovative leaders in Plumbing and Gas solutions tailored to suit your budget. 0210 224 5546 | sales@iplumb.net.nz | iplumb .net .nz iPlumb – no compromises on quality Dunedin plumber Matt Maley is growing his business iPlumb Plumbing and Gas the new-fashioned way, using social media to promote his brand and his projects, and digital tools to increase iPlumb’s growth every year. Matt started iPlumb six years ago after completing his apprenticeship within his dad’s business Impact Roo ing and Plumbing. With small-town Dunedin’s business microclimate operating a bit di erently to the rest of the country, Matt’s existing network of friends and acquaintances helped his business to grow initially, as did his social media presence. He estimates 70% of his initial projects came to him via Facebook. After about six months, a combination of hard work, competitive prices, and great customer service saw iPlumb grow to the extent Matt needed a hand. He hired an apprentice, and has added one more sta member each year since. The team of six have a combined experience of more than 50 years. The business has been built around core values of teamwork, transparency, accountability, and passion. Matt’s vision remains to provide cost-e ective plumbing, gas itting, and drainage to the Dunedin community and not compromise on quality. Matt has been o the tools for a couple of years. “I’m more bene icial to the business being in the o ice,” he says. “We do all of our marketing in-house and it’s something we’re pretty proud of. We’ve got the biggest social media following in the country as far as plumbers go, with nearly 3000 followers on Facebook.” In December, Matt collaborated with Microsoft to promote Microsoft products which Matt says are the most integral part of his business. “I use them for everything from planning my day, to reading my emails, to making spreadsheets on Excel, to writing documents on Word.” Matt was then approached by the Government-backed Digital Boost Skills Training and Support programme to act as guest speaker at seminars throughout the South Island. Matt has so far spoken at Invercargill, Gore, Oamaru, Cromwell, Wanaka, and Dunedin. He says digital marketing is a vital tool for service businesses in today’s climate. “It’s incredibly powerful and a lot of it is free,” he says. “So many people are scrolling through Facebook on their lunchbreaks, and we’ve got our branding popping up in front of all of those people.” Matt’s digital marketing strategy has driven his plumbing, gas itting, and drainage company to the high end of the residential market. Initially becoming a subcontractor for award-winning Dunedin building irm JJ Oskam Builders, which Matt says builds multi-million dollar homes and is pretty exclusive with its subcontractors, other builders soon saw what iPlumb was capable of. iPlumb now completes plumbing, gas itting, and drainage for multiple residential building irms within Otago. Matt says iPlumb Plumbing and Gas has found a sweet spot in Dunedin, and could do with employing a couple more plumbers. He sees another branch in his future, either via a franchise model or setting up in Central Otago, where iPlumb regularly travels for projects.