Who Knew CX Could Make A Huge Difference In DIY Toilet Repair?

Fluidmaster is headquartered in San Juan Capistrano, California

Image courtesy of Fluidmaster

When I spoke to the folks at Fluidmaster, the manufacturer of toilet repair parts, I informed them that I had recently rebuilt some of my own toilets at home using their products. I had barely got the words out of my mouth before Dave McFarland, your vice president of global marketing, asked me, “What do you think of our instructions for use?”

As it turns out, this user guide has been an important part of the business over the past few years: improving the customer experience. Based on my personal experience, they hit the nail on the head. And it turns out I’m not alone in my appreciation of the clear and straightforward installation instructions. “I never thought we would have our instruction manual in an Instagram post,” added Corinne AndersonSchoepe, Director, Global Brand.

Fluidmaster, headquartered in San Juan Capistrano, California, is the world’s leading toilet repair brand. They have a market share of more than 80% in the USA, sell their products in over 90 countries, employ around 1,500 people worldwide and produce around 100 million toilet repair products annually. They are still privately owned by the family of their founder Adolf Schoepe, whose invention of a new filling valve style prompted him to found Fluidmaster in 1957. Corinne AndersonSchoepe represents the third generation of the family who run the company. Her father, Robert AndersonSchoepe, is the chairman and CEO. “We tried to keep the family feeling as we grew,” said Corinne AndersonSchoepe. “We have a very good group of people around the world who love Fluidmaster as much as we do. And we care about giving back to the communities we live in. “

“Family values ​​are reflected in the business,” added McFarland.

Repairing toilets wasn’t even Mr. Schoepe’s first home hardware invention. He pioneered the tubular door lock in 1946 and started a company whose name reflected the ease with which the locks were installed: Kwikset. He sold this company and then switched to plumbing.

“He found a better way to fill a toilet tank,” said McFarland. “It uses the power of the water to work for the valve, not against it. He was able to get rid of the ball float. “Over the years the company has added more and more products – in the toilet, around the toilet and for other sanitary purposes. They started out as a combination of a DIY store selling products in hardware stores and a plumbing supplier. It wasn’t long before they became OEM suppliers too, with partnerships with Kohler, American Standard, and the like. They also expanded production internationally to Great Britain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Turkey, China and Mexico.

Like all DIY-centric businesses today, Fluidmaster is facing a changing customer base as high school classes disappear and fewer people work in the craft. “Our major focus now and in the future is understanding the customer’s journey,” said McFarland. “A lot is being done to improve the customer experience. We have consulted consumers and observed how they use our products. There was a lot of stopping and starting and we found that many of them were not reading the instructions. When we developed and released the new brochure, we cut the installation time in half. We have become more consumer-centric and have incorporated this feedback into our products and that has been a huge win. “

Corinne AndersonSchoepe

Corinne AndersonSchoepe

Image courtesy of Fluidmaster

Another focus is sustainability. “We’re really working on getting the water usage right,” said AndersonSchoepe. “Everyone wants to use as little water as possible, but using too little water in our applications can cause problems with your pipes. We are working on optimizing water consumption. “

Growing the business is also a priority. “We are busy building our international expansion, mainly in Europe,” said AndersonSchoepe. “We are stable here in the USA. India is also a big focus. Our fundamentals and the way our products work are the same from country to country. How we get on the market is different. In England, for example, consumers have a far greater choice of products. And while the fill valve is the same there, the flush side is a lot more complicated. And in Europe everything is in the wall. “

“We are working on investments to achieve the leading market position and to build our brand in other markets,” added McFarland. “We are trying to ensure the relevance of Fluidmaster for the next 60 years.”

One way to do this is to look at more advanced products and other business opportunities. “Internationally will continue to be an opportunity for us, and we’re also looking at direct-to-consumer business,” said AndersonSchoepe. “We’re looking for other ways to manage and control water, and looking for leaks – smart products could help.”

“Smart products can help ensure that you don’t flush properly the first time,” added McFarland. “Water-efficient toilets may use less water per flush, but then people have to flush them over and over again. This is another place where we look for smart solutions. “

“It’s about being responsible for it,” said AndersonSchoepe. “We want to help the environment and at the same time help people.”

They realize, of course, that their business is not necessarily a popular topic. “The interesting thing about the products we sell is that customers don’t want to think about them until they have to,” said McFarland. “That adds to the complexity of our marketing – how to help a consumer who doesn’t even want to think about it successfully fix their toilet.”

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