Technology Sweeping the Roofing Industry

A group of professional roofing contractors recently gathered to discuss some of the most innovative advancements in the industry. Their discussions took place at the Best of Success Conference and covered topics such as new tools for productivity, communication, efficiency and customer service. Here are a few of the highlights from that conference:

Real-time communication by voice, email or text using a smartphone is a fantastic tool for project managers and foremen to stay in touch with their crews and keep projects on track. In addition, these mobile devices are becoming critical tools to help streamline sales and product ordering. These days customers expect immediate responses from the companies they do business with, so mobile devices are essential to help roofers stay in touch, build proposals, create aerial measurement reports, calculate roof pitch and so much more. Finally, the owner of Marshall Exteriors in Newark, N.Y. even created training videos that his crews can access via their smartphones anywhere and at any time.

Tablets are excellent tools for roofers to create custom contracts that customers can view, provide feedback on and sign on the spot. Changes to work orders and product requests can be made on the spot without an extra trip back to the job site or office. Tablets also help companies get rid of bulky paper and storage space, since documents and data can be saved to the Cloud.

Of course, the tools are only as good as the programs and apps that are installed on them. One company has created its own presentation app that helps convey the company’s brand and message. It also stores all their materials to allow the sales staff to create digital pitches. The program integrates video testimonials, installation videos, a photo gallery, all the products and color options that clients can see on the spot.

Project management tools (like Acculynx) are also helping roofers to manage customer information, production schedules, warranty details, services and scheduling. A Google Calendar and Google Maps can by synched with Acculynx for employee schedules, making appointments, finding job sites and more.

Other professional roofers find programs like the Keynote presentation software, Notability, iMovie and most especially EagleView’s Pictometry Imagery to be extremely useful. Pictometry is a pioneering aerial-imaging program that is a huge time and money saver when quoting jobs.

The panel of experts at the conference urged roofers not to get too attached to their current programs and apps. Now that the bulk of society is adept at technology, they expect more sophisticated applications in the future.

While not everyone was onboard with this, several companies are developing their presence on social media. They believe it is useful brand awareness (although not necessarily for lead generation), getting the company out there with positive interactions with potential clients. The more the companies interact with potential customer, the more they will remain top of mind when a need arises.

The quality of the interactions matter more than anything else. Posting details of projects, the challenges and achievements is important. Readers get a first-hand sense of the company’s professionalism and commitment to customers from real life stories and especially how they overcome challenges.

The panels suggested that if roofers are using multiple social media platforms, that they have a separate strategy for each social media venue. Think about each platform and why members are there and tailor your posts to provide them with valuable information. For example, information on LinkedIn should be very businesslike. Facebook is just the opposite.

One way or another, the professional roofers all agreed that businesses that wanted to be successful and stay that way had better get comfortable with the newest technology or go the way of the dinosaurs.

(information gathered from Roofing Contractor Magazine)