"I want to be a roofer when I grow up" is not an aspiration commonly heard from children.
While some kids are drawn to the trades, they typically want to be carpenters, electricians, or heavy machine operators. However, recent industry initiatives are pushing for a shift in that perception as the roofing industry undergoes professionalization. The introductions of formal training programs and technological innovations are signaling a change.
The days of assigning a new roofing hire to a foreman and a truck and calling it “training” are becoming a way of the past. With a tiny pool to select from, many companies are now hiring people with no experience and focusing on internal skill development. When training from scratch, companies are able to produce tradespeople skilled in their preferred work processes—without bad habits picked up in prior employment.
The key to a successful training program is technology. When technology is adopted effectively, it reduces the time supervisors, project managers, and crew leaders spend on administrative tasks and gives them more time to spend where they have a more significant impact: teaching, coaching, and quality control.
“We are seeing contractors embracing technology more in their businesses,” said Karen Edwards, Executive Director of the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3). “It's not a matter of choice. Today's customers are very tech-savvy and expect (the same from) the people they choose to do business with. We are used to getting information quickly and efficiently, and the contractor who can't meet those expectations will be left behind.”
Here are six ways successful roofing contractors are using technology to stay ahead of their competition:
1. Providing Proposals Quickly
The key to winning more contracts is to equip your sales team to quickly generate and present proposals. Today’s consumers want their proposal, with customizable options, in their inbox before the sales teams leave their property. Using software to create, present, and follow up on more opportunities satisfies the consumer experience and closes more deals.
2. Sharing Accurate Information
So much information is collected at a roofing project's estimate or bid phase that it is easy for something to fall through the cracks. Also, the information is constantly updating as clients change their minds, material is ordered, and schedules are delayed.
Roofing contractors need a single source of truth to store all project information. They need accurate information that is accessible (but not editable) to the right people at the right time. It needs to be available in the office, on the road, and at the job site. Cloud-based technology is the solution.
3. Keeping Employees Accountable
A lack of employee accountability leads to unclear responsibilities, confusion, delays, and potential duplication of work. Knowing the exact stage of each project and who is leading its progression is imperative to managing a high-volume roofing company. Implementing a customizable software platform with automation to align with your project lifecycle ensures clarity on who is responsible at each stage.
4. Improving Communication
Communication breakdowns often occur when companies rely on outdated methods that are not easily tracked or documented. A mobile app enables real-time communication and collaboration among team members, fostering a more connected and productive work environment.
5. Making Informed Decisions
When information is stored in an Excel spreadsheet or on paper, there is a lack of readily available data. This leads to uninformed business decisions. But when technology is used to collect information, analytics are readily available. Graphs and charts can be reviewed to identify trends and gain insights into areas requiring improvement. Businesses can achieve higher investment returns when decisions are based on factual data.
6. Streamlining Operations
Roofing contractors were slow to adopt technology and did so one application at a time. This led to field workers juggling multiple apps—maybe they had separate applications for clocking in, documenting a safety report, capturing a photo, or updating the project status. This overuse of applications results in frustration, lost time, and lack of productivity.
The same is true in the office. Creating the same project or user across multiple apps, combined with the ongoing exporting and importing of reports from one app to another, is cumbersome and inefficient. Roofing companies can streamline their operations, improve decision-making processes, and gain a competitive edge by investing in and adopting one end-to-end software solution that covers all their requirements.
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By embracing technology, companies can create time and space for training and position themselves for long-term success. In addition, technology and a defined training program also attract younger workers drawn to professions that offer opportunities for growth and advancement.
The recent rise in industry standards attracts attention from venture capitalists who recognize the roofing industry’s potential for growth and innovation. Adopting technology prepares companies for potential venture capital investment and even acquisition. This influx of investment capital fuels further development and expansion within the industry, raising standards even further.
Find out why ServiceTitan is becoming the preferred all-in-one software solution for the roofing industry.
