How to Win the Loyalty of Today’s Contractors in a Click

When it comes to ordering plumbing parts, Eddie Heil doesn’t mince words. As the owner of Heil Plumbing, he oversees the constant churn of keeping the right parts in the right bins, on the right trucks, heading to the right jobs.

So when Eddie says something works — or doesn’t — plumbing manufacturers and distributors should listen. Because what he wants isn’t complicated.

He just wants it to be fast and easy.

The Daily Grind: Bins, Spreadsheets, and Salesmen with Good Memories

At Heil Plumbing, the ordering process is part organized system, part organized chaos. Labeled bins, handwritten notes, and Excel spreadsheets form the backbone of the operation. But at the center of it all is one person: the service manager.

“He knows what we need,” says Eddie. “But it’s still a lot of paper, emailing vendors, scanning QR codes off spreadsheets, and bouncing between suppliers to check prices.”

Like many teams, they rely on familiarity and trust — the kind built up with the same two or three reps who know their business inside and out. But there’s risk in that too.

“If our service manager doesn’t talk to the same salesperson,” Eddie says, “we risk getting the wrong thing. A different rep might not remember the pricing we agreed to — or worse, send the wrong part altogether.”

And in the trades, that kind of mistake doesn’t just delay the job — it eats into your margin.

When Suppliers Get It Right, Contractors Notice

Here’s the irony: Contractors like Eddie aren’t looking for more options. They’re buying the same SKUs day in and day out. The problem isn’t product selection — it’s how fast they can reorder what they already know they need.

And that’s why one supplier in particular stands out.

“I absolutely love their website and the favorites list. If you know the person who built that, I’d like to give them a hug and a kiss.”

Eddie Heil
Owner of Heil Plumbing

Here’s what made it a game-changer:

• His team scans a QR code on a part bin
  
• That instantly opens a customer portal
  
• They select the quantity
  
• Hit “Order”
  
• And move on
  

No long calls. No emails. No memory games. Just speed, accuracy, and confidence. For Eddie, that’s the future. And it’s not about flashy tech — it’s about making the everyday friction disappear.

Manufacturers & Distributors: Your Buyer Has Changed

Eddie represents a growing shift in contractor expectations. Today’s trade pros may still rely on spreadsheets, but they want tools that move faster than paper and phone calls.

If your competitors are offering that kind of digital experience — and you’re not — you’re not just behind. You’re losing the customer before you even know they were shopping.

Build Loyalty by Making Their Lives Easier

Here’s the big takeaway for plumbing and HVAC distributors: Contractors will stick with you — if you make their lives easier. That means:

• Letting them reorder what they already buy, fast.
  
• Showing the custom pricing they’ve negotiated.
  
• Giving their teams a tool they’ll actually use.
  
• Reducing the dependency on any one rep’s memory.
  

These aren’t bells and whistles. They’re the basics of modern B2B commerce. And they’re entirely achievable.

You Don’t Have to Start From Scratch to Deliver a Better Experience

The good news? You don’t need to reinvent your entire business overnight. Tools like customer portals, reorder automation, barcode scanning, and pricing logic can be layered into your existing systems — when you work with a partner who understands your world.

At McFadyen Digital, we help manufacturers and distributors build exactly this kind of experience — tailored to how contractors like Eddie actually work.

If your buyers are still stuck emailing spreadsheets and making price-check calls, maybe it’s time for a better way.

Let’s talk about how we can help.