Category: <span>2018</span>

Category: 2018

Choosing the right drone solution – a drone buyer’s guide

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Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are quickly shaping up as the built industry’s can’t-live without, next generation of tools. But not every contractor needs a full in-house team of pilots. And not every sub wants to own their own drone. With so many UAV solutions out there — what questions should firms be asking themselves when evaluating the software, hardware, and professional services out there?

BuiltWorld’s talked to 8 of the leading companies in the drone services industry to find out. Here are a few of their tips.

Remember: All pieces must fit together.

When evaluating drone solutions, you’ll quickly find that each company offers something different. Some provide training. Others, consulting and the drones themselves. And others still, software and machine learning.

But don’t forget: “The drone, flight planning software, data processing software, data management and analytics tools, and pilot operations have to all fit together,” says Dick Zhang, Identified Technologies CEO. “If any link in that chain is broken, your data is wrong.”

The Kespry team also pointed out the same issue: “If you decide to piece together your own system of drone, be aware that there can be significant technical challenges in getting parts of the system to talk to each other. If you have multiple providers, understand who you call to solve the different technical issues you may run into.”

Determine the Value

Making a business case will ensure you’ve made the right investment. Dan Cipriari, CEO at Pointivo, asks clients to consider the ways they can monetize the data they capture with the drone: “Can they use photos to conduct inspections? Generate a 3D model to pull into software? Extract measurements for claims or estimations? Once they understand how they want to use the drone, they can make the decision on who to partner with and how to integrate drones into their business processes.”

BetterView CEO David Lyman suggests trying services before making any capital decisions: “Explore thevarious options for capturing, analyzing, and utilizing data that is compatible with your business and budget. Consider working with a service provider to test the options, even if you think the best long-term solution is an internally owned and operated model.”

Download the complete Drone Buyer’s Guide.

3 Steps To Rolling Out New Processes For Your Roofing Business

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As your roofing business grows and changes, it’s inevitable that the way your teams handle your processes and workflows will have to change with it.

The processes that served you well in the early days often break down as you add team members and increase your workload. Proactive owners or managers should take steps to rethink and revamp those processes and set the company up for success periodically to keep that growth going without sacrificing quality.

The problem that any business must face is that there is a big difference between a good idea on paper and a good one in practice. So, here are 3 steps you can take to work through this process and come out on top and ready for the future!

Step 1: Determining the Problems and Potential Solutions for Your Current Processes

The first thing to do is to clearly define the issues your business has with current processes. Sitting down with all of your teams and discuss the areas you are looking to improve upon is the best way to get the conversation started. It’s important that all of the different departments of your company represented as they may all have feedback to provide, or may be part of the potential solution. Keep this professional, specific, and non-personal.

For example, your Production Manager has had issues with the information they receive from the sales team and makes this statement:

“The sales guys are lazy bums who never tell me anything! Why can’t they all be like Steve? He’s way better than Bob!”

The problem with this statement is that it doesn’t clearly define a problem, other than your Production Manager is frustrated. What is the result of the perceived laziness in the sales team? It’s also based on opinions, which might differ amongst your team. Lastly, it doesn’t present a solution to the problem.

A better statement that addresses the same problem might be:

“I have a hard time knowing which components I need to order based on the information the sales guys give me on their contracts.  As a result, I waste a lot of time chasing that information down.  It would be better if we could have all that information in one place, on every job.”

Talk amongst your team, see if anyone else has similar issues to the problem you are facing, and then work out a potential solution. Get buy-in from all departments, and then come up with a strategy to put that solution in place.

Step 2: Implementing the Solutions

Now it’s time to implement the solution. The key here is to implement it fully, and then test the results over a few weeks or months.

You will probably hear team members complaining that the new solution takes longer, or is harder. Don’t let that discourage you, or allow you to slip back to the old way. That’s natural! Building new habits and processes takes time, and deliberate thought/action. Habits, whatever they are, are shortcuts that our brains build to streamline our lives and spend the minimum amount of effort doing them.

As a result, ANYTHING that is outside of that habit, such as filling out a new form, using a new piece of software, or processing paperwork in a new way, will take longer than the old way, whether it’s better, or not. That’s just the way our brains work!  Let your team work out new habits with the new system they came up with.

It’ll be tempting to fall into the trap of “the old way was so much easier.” Of course it was. That was the way that didn’t require you to think about every step. Given enough time, the new way will become habit, as well.

One thing to watch out for is people doing extra work by using some combination of the new AND the old way resulting in more work, and more time. This is usually a sign of either a person who isn’t fully invested in the new process, or where the new process wasn’t fully thought out. As a result, it doesn’t serve them in some way. That may be an indicator that the new process needs some rethinking.

Which leads us to…

Step 3: Re-Think, Re-Fine, Re-Implement

Most people stop at Step 2. They come up with an idea and roll it out without ever putting thought into refining their original idea. There’s a big difference between an idea in a conference room and an idea in practice. Even if your entire team jumps on board with the new process, it’s very possible that the plan has some kinks to work out. It’s important to get the same team back together after a month or so and evaluate how well the plan solved the original problem.

Keep the same professional, specific, non-personal tone to the meeting, refine your solution, and re-implement it to your team. Repeat this process until you have dialed it in and worked out the kinks.

The Key to Success:

Remember, the key to any good strategy is to be flexible and make sure that everyone on your team is on the same page. Your business is always growing and changing.  Don’t be afraid to change the way you do things and set yourself up for success!

Note: This article, authored by Matt Morrison, first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.

Roofing and Social Media Success

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth

So, what is the big deal about social media anyway?

As roofing professionals, many contractors look at Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ as something from another planet.  But contractors are finding that going forward social media will be one of the most important tools in their marketing program.

Upfront, don’t try to conquer all social media at once.  There are some trends that are helping contractors decide where to start.  It really depends on your type of business.  For residential contractors, Facebook continues to grow in popularity.  It is a great referral tool, letting your customers speak for you.

There are some great partners already on social media that can help jump-start your efforts.  One organization for residential contractors that has taken a unique and altruistic approach to social media is No Roof Left Behind (NRLB).  This organization was started by Jay and Dena Elie of Ridgecon Construction with the vision that by working to provide help to those in need they would be able to help their business too.

“It is really about everyone winning,” stated Jay Elie, president of No Roof Left Behind.  “We wanted to understand social media but we also wanted to help our community.  Living in Detroit there is a lot of need.  We were able to combine the two and have seen extreme success.”

Now, NRLB has been sharing their success with contractors across the country teaching them how to leverage the promotional value while also helping their local communities.  And for the residential roofing contractors, that is the true power of social media, creating buzz and interest in your own community.  Facebook continues to drive that success.

For commercial contractors, many have found better opportunities on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn is a professional, networking website that allows contractors to connect with other businesses, facility managers, and property owners.  It is a great way to offer educational articles from manufacturers, technology providers and distribution.  Showcasing successful and difficult projects along with awards will only verify and build a strong reputation.

The site is also an amazing research tool.  Take the time to look through LinkedIn locally and see who can become a contact.  Read the articles that are being posted.  Join the same groups that your potential customers are a part of.  It is just the type of business intelligence that can make a huge difference for that next commercial bid.

As noted, don’t leap into too many social avenues at first.  In all honesty, depending on your business there are several that you may never be involved in.  But, one medium that is becoming critical for not only social media success but for website search engine optimization is Google+.   Google+ is a social networking site owned and operated by Google, Inc.  Google is giving Google+ content a higher ranking than the websites that have similar content.  Google+ is indexed immediately for search.  So whatever avenue you choose –  Facebook or LinkedIn –  take a few extra minutes and post your content in Google+ also.  It will also help to register your business with Google+ Local in addition to other online directories.

“Google Plus is imperative,” says Vickie Sharples, owner of Roofers Coffee Shop, an online community for roofing professionals. “It is amazing for Search Engine Optimization.  Basically, when you post in Google Plus you are hitting the top of Google searches.  Creating strong content is the key.”

“You need to do a couple key things every day,” continued Sharples.  “A great practice is to get your sales team to take pictures with happy customers, with approval of course, and post it.  It makes it personal.  If the homeowner is willing to let you post to their Facebook you have instant referrals.”

Sharples, who has seen great success with www.rooferscoffeeshop.com and supporting the site through social media, has gathered some key items that can make a large difference when it comes to social media success.

  • You need interesting content and the best content a contractor can find is in the everyday things their company already does. First, think about the questions people ask when they phone in or write a post on that question.  Just as you answered a question to your caller you are answering a question for your social friends.
  • Among the most interesting things are photos and the king of all content is video.  You don’t have to be Steven Spielberg and please don’t make it long, but almost anyone can shoot a video with today’s technology.  Send your employees to work with a camera.
  • Use a photo or video to show how you put paper under your truck to prevent oil leaking on a client’s driveway.  Show how you care about your client’s safety by putting cones behind your trucks. Show a unique item from a roof that your team worked on and what is causing leaks.  This is your chance to talk about your company values through photos.
  • Remember that people don’t want to hear from “You” on how great your business is, they want to hear from past customers. They want to hear from others that your company offers high quality that it stands behind.  Post testimonials and encourage happy customers to give the company a nice review and then share it.

 

These are all good content ideas that you generate every day without realizing it.  Interactive content to spur active responses is key but it is also important to let current and past customers know you are on social media.  As they “Like” your company, word spreads that, in turn, not only makes the telephone ring but increases your social media presence.

Social media is all about sharing what you already are doing well.  Traditional marketing can be very expensive.  Social media offers the opportunity to send a message out to the public in a new way that is currently highly regarded.  Social media marketing brings them to you and all it costs is a little time.

RT3 Members Spend the Day on Capitol Hill

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By Shashi Bellamkonda, Surefire Local.

 

It is a good day when you can meet a group of technology thought leaders and exchange notes.  The occasion was the meetup of Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a consortium of thought leaders exploring emerging technology solutions for the roofing industry at the U.S. Capitol on March 6, 2018.

 

Showing the power of networking, Heidi Ellsworth of RoofersCoffeeShop.com  and co-founder of RT3, reached out to Sasha Bernhard, Legislative Aide to Senator Cantwell and created a program of talks from inspiring leaders. Thank you both very much. Of course, it wouldn’t have happened without the persistence of the amazing Laura Bartolozzi who made sure everyone got to this meetup in one piece and David Huval, both from National Roofing Partners (BTW, thank you to NRP for sponsoring the startup costs of RT3 and for the lunch and coffee, and RoofersCoffeeShop.com for sponsoring the reception.)

 

High level takeaways:

 

Sasha Bernhard – Legislative Aide to Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

At a previous visit to the House and Senate a few years ago, I was amazed at the smartness, intelligence and enthusiasm of the staff of the House of Representatives and Senators. I am confident that this is a very good reason why America is such a great country. The people we elect for the most part surround themselves with excellent people. I was very impressed by Sasha’s talk where she laid out all the ways that a group like RT3 can influence the conversation both to the public, contractors, media and the legislature. Everyone can make their voice heard if they take the initiative to reach out.

 

Congressman John Delaney – D-MD, 6th District

Congressman Delaney
Congressman Delaney (D-MD)

Rep. Delaney launched the AI cause and acknowledged that there will always be disruption  “In my view, there is tremendous potential for AI to be a positive transformational force, but also understandable concern about the impact that disruption could have on existing jobs.”

 

This is a good position, almost every speaker acknowledged that the nature of jobs will change and it is important to think about how to “upskill” the workforce to make them suitable for the new jobs that will be created and some jobs will disappear.

 

Reid Ribble – Executive Director, National Roofing Contractors Association

Reid is the new executive director of the National Roofing Contractors Association and this week about 400 roofing professionals flew into Washington, D.C. to make their voices heard. Reid mentioned a few areas where roofing professionals can make changes. The perception of the roofing industry in the Congress and Senate is driven by the opinions in the media, homeowner complaints about a few bad players. In order to change the perception all around, all professionals have to join together. Showing up in strength definitely helps. Technology advancement in the roofing industry should be highlighted and professionals should think of more innovation. Reid mentioned a thought of how roofing contractors control the roofs where so much of rainwater touches. IF there was a way to collect and use this water this would help with such a rare resource in the world “water” ( Water according to Reid is costlier than oil)

 

Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee – Fellow, Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution

Heidi Ellsworth, Sasha Bernhard, & Nicol Turner-Lee
Left to Right: Heidi Ellsworth, Sasha Bernhard, & Nicol Turner-Lee

Dr. Turner-Lee started her talk with a stark truth that half the population on this earth is still not online. While there is a rapid change in digital platforms, predictive analytics, automation, and machine learning, small and medium businesses are finding it hard to keep up. Over 66% of the new jobs in the US are created by small and medium enterprises. The rise of automation and AI will dismantle jobs and render some positions obsolete. 

 

Specific to the roofing Industry:

Major goals are productivity and the application of innovation

  • Construction robotics
    • “Masonry robots” – speed up brick pattern courses
    • Wearable robotics, including exoskeletons for mobility to robotic arms for strength
    • Drones for equipment delivery and to check on inventory
  • Big data analytics
    • Jobsite efficiencies & optimized equipment
    • Weatherization
  • 3-D Printing
    • Showing up in cranes for improved layering of concrete
    • Mapping & design
  • Remote management and design
    • Pre-fabrication through digitization

 

Overall these speakers inspired the group to take back thoughts and work into their businesses and the community.

5 Construction Technology Trends to Watch in 2018

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By Karen L. Edwards.

Technology is advancing at a fast pace and each year brings new solutions to the construction table.

Leaders in the industry will be those who embrace the use of technology and pay attention to these emerging technologies.

  1. Virtual and augmented reality

Virtual reality technology allows individuals to “see” what a built environment will look like which is especially useful for proposed new construction projects. Allowing someone to visualize and experience the project can go a long way in building confidence for all involved in the project.

Augmented reality is similar to virtual reality except that the it involves walking through a real 3D environment while viewing additional real-time information about the environment. For example, if a building owner wanted to create a rooftop garden area with various features, augmented reality would bring the roof to life – before the project starts. It will allow that owner to stand on the roof and see what the existing roof would look like with the addition of the garden roof features.

  1. Online Jobsite

New technologies are eliminating the delays in communication that can occur between the job site, the office, the installers and the rest of the project team. Job site connectivity is becoming easier to achieve with the use of connected smartphones and tablets that can send and receive information in real time to everyone involved in a project, including the building owner.

  1. Wearable Technology

There is a new company that offers wearable tags that allow contractors to improve and advance the safety of their workers on the job site. A clip can be attached to workers’ belts that tell you when someone slips, trips, or falls and alerts you to what zone of the job site they are in. They also offer an equipment tag that links to the belt clip to tell you who is operating the equipment and delivers statistics on how the equipment is being used.

  1. Drones

The drone industry is exploding and there are so many uses for drone technology in construction. They can be used to map project sites, report project progress and changes, update clients and inspect damage following severe weather. Companies are popping up every day that offer drone services which means you don’t have to master flying one.

  1. Robotics

Robotics haven’t shown up on the rooftop – yet. But they will. They are already being used to lay bricks – at a pace six times faster than a human. This video of the SAM100 bricklaying robot shows how the technology works faster and eliminates the lifting and bending that can create problems and potential injuries for workers.

Companies in the construction and roofing industries need to get on board the technology train or risk being left far, far behind the rest of the market.

Note: This article first appeared on RoofersCoffeeShop.com’s blog and can be viewed here.

Four Key Tech Trends Revolutionizing Architectural Design and Construction

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By Peter Diamantis

From self-healing materials to 4D printing to artificial intelligent-driven design to robots, the construction and building industry is being drastically changed by technology.

If you could design any structure, free of all constraints, what would you envision? Put aside today’s architectural limits. What home would you dream up? Exponential technologies are converging and revolutionizing the way we design, build and inhabit everything. The global construction industry is projected to surpass $10 trillion in 2020, and the total U.S. housing stock alone grew to $31.8 trillion last year.

Both industries are ripe for massive disruption.

In this blog, I’ll be covering four key tech trends that are revolutionizing what is possible in architectural design and construction:

  1. Autonomous robot builders
  2. 3D and 4D printing
  3. New materials from unexpected sources
  4. Designs that adapt as you build

Let’s dive in.

New Materials Enter Construction

For thousands of years, we’ve been constrained by the construction materials of nature. We built bricks from naturally abundant clay and shale, used tree limbs as our rooftops and beams, and mastered incredible structures in ancient Rome with the use of cement. But construction materials are about to get a HUGE upgrade.

Here are the top three materials disrupting the future of construction:

  1. Upcycled Materials: Imagine if you could turn the world’s greatest waste products into their most essential building blocks.

Thanks to UCLA researchers at CO2NCRETE, we can already do this with carbon emissions.Today, concrete produces about 5% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But what if concrete could instead conserve greenhouse emissions? CO2NCRETE engineers capture carbon from smokestacks and combine it with lime to create a new type of cement. The lab’s 3D printers then shape the upcycled concrete to build entirely new structures. Once conquered at scale, upcycled concrete will turn a former polluter into a future conserver.

Want to print houses from dirt? No problem. The Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) can now turn any soil into a building material with three times the tensile strength of industrial clay. A massive breakthrough for developing regions, IAAC’s new 3D printed native soil can build houses on-site for as little as $1,000.

  1. Nanomaterials: Nano- and micro-materials are ushering in a new era of smart, super-strong and self-charging buildings.

While carbon nanotubes dramatically increase the strength-to-weight ratio of skyscrapers, revolutionizing their structural flexibility, nanomaterials don’t stop here. Several research teams are pioneering silicon nanoparticles to capture everyday light flowing through our windows. Little solar cells at the edges of windows then harvest this energy for ready use. (Thermochromic smart windows change color when exposed to sunlight.)

Researchers at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab have developed similar smart windows. Turning into solar panels when bathed in sunlight, these thermochromic windows will power our buildings, changing color as they do.

  1. Self-Healing Infrastructure: The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates a $542.6 billion backlog needed for U.S. infrastructure repairsalone. And as I’ve often said, the world’s most expensive problems are the world’s most profitable opportunities.

Enter self-healing concrete. Engineers at Delft University have developed bio-concrete that can repair its own cracks. As head researcher Henk Jonkers explains, “What makes these limestone-producing bacteria so special is that they are able to survive in concrete for more than 200 years and come into play when the concrete is damaged. […] If cracks appear as a result of pressure on the concrete, the concrete will heal these cracks itself.”

But bio-concrete is only the beginning of self-healing technologies. As futurist architecture firms start printing plastic and carbon-fiber houses like the stunner seen below (using Branch Technologies’ 3D printing technology), engineers are tackling self-healing plastic.

WATG Designs 3D-Printed Freeform House with Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic

Plastic not only holds promise in real estate on Earth, it will also serve as a handy material in space. NASA engineers have pioneered a self-healing plastic that may prove vital in space missions, preventing habitat and ship ruptures in record speed.

The implications of self-healing materials are staggering, offering us resilient structures both on earth and in space.

Enhanced Design & Architecture

While incredible new materials transform what we build, AI and VR are revolutionizing how we design.

  1. AI-Driven Design: In the past, if you wanted to build a high-rise, you needed a static, precise blueprint. Moving parts were not an option.

Now, real-time, AI-aided Building Information Model (BIM) will enable blueprints to learn and adapt to changing ground conditions, weather, equipment and even new design ideas.

In the future, AI will help design our blueprints, optimizing construction methods, breakthrough materials, and design features. It may even recommend IoT components for our high-rises depending on their purpose and landscape.

  1. Virtual Reality Shaping Real Estate: In one of my previous blogs, I discussed how VR will reshape our real estate shopping experience. Forget real estate agents and physical house hunting. Why not visit a house in a different city from the comfort of your living room at 3 a.m. and see how it looks with blue walls and your own home furniture?

VR is about to transform the real estate design process too. Imagine the possibilities: you design your company’s dream office using a Building Information Model and allow your managers to walk around the (virtually) finished product before it’s ever built.

Build with Robots and 3D Printing

Designs and machinery won’t build us finished products on their own… or will they? Welcome to the new frontier of autonomous robot builders and skyscraper printers.

  1. Autonomous Robotics and Robot Swarm Construction: While robots have already started permeating the construction industry, what if they could construct buildings entirely autonomously?

Many are already tackling this challenge, using everything from flying robots to termite-like swarm constructors.

RoboticsX aims to send autonomous robot builders to Mars that can adapt to shifting ground conditions. CEO Peter Boras spoke of plans to scale up 3,000 collaborating robots in the hopes of building structures almost entirely unaided. The company’s X-1 Smart Industrial Robot can already collaborate with its colleagues, adapt tasks in real time, share its capabilities with other machines and perform predictive maintenance.

A team at Switzerland’s NCCR Digital Fabrication has also built a fabricator robot. Pre-programmed with design model data, the robot can build any steel-reinforced framework autonomously on-site.

Inspired by autonomously collaborative termites, Harvard robotics researchers developed swarm construction robots that can collaboratively build a programmed design, block-by-block, without centralized control.

Imagine the implications. Eliminating human safety concerns and unlocking any environment, autonomous builder robots could collaboratively build massive structures in space, or deep underwater habitats.

  1. 3D and 4D Printing: In one of the developments I’m most excited about, we will soon be printing tomorrow’s structures. 3D and 4D printing are redefining the way our buildings look, feel and even move.

You may have heard of the Chinese company WinSun Design Engineering Co., which printed 10 houses from recycled materials in 24 hours at a cost of about $4,800 each.

Or Dutch studio DUS Architects, who used sustainable bioplastic to 3D print a full-sized canal house in Amsterdam.

But architectural printing is only getting started.

While companies like INNOprint can print an emergency shelter in only half an hour, others are finding ways to print unprecedented designs, like this never-ending looped house, buildable with one massive robotic 3D printer.

Janjaap Ruijssenaars 3D prints prototype of house with no beginning or end

And now for the real kicker: Remember those magical moving staircases in the Harry Potter films? Turns out these may no longer be exclusive to the wizarding world.

4D printing will one day make such structures a reality. Born out of MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab, 4D printing involves 3D printed objects that can reshape and even self-assemble over time.

These structures involve 3D printing rigid and expandable materials alongside one another. When the expandable materials encounter certain conditions, like water or heat, they reshape and reposition other rigid parts of the structure.

As a result, 4D printed structures have moving joints that can reshape the entire component, whether into different shapes or stairwell directions.

Final Thoughts

With the convergence of autonomous builder robots, 3D and 4D printing, AI-guided design and unprecedented smart materials, we are about to witness the mass disruption of construction and real estate.

What new architectural frontiers will you unlock? How will your company design and print the future? What homes and space colonies will we inhabit?

Join Me

  1. A360 Executive Mastermind: This is the sort of conversation I explore at my Executive Mastermind group called Abundance 360. The program is highly selective, for 360 abundance and exponentially minded CEOs (running $10M to $10B companies). If you’d like to be considered, apply here.

Share this with your friends, especially if they are interested in any of the areas outlined above.

  1. Abundance-Digital Online Community: I’ve also created a Digital/Online community of bold, abundance-minded entrepreneurs called Abundance-Digital.

Abundance-Digital is my ‘on-ramp’ for exponential entrepreneurs – those who want to get involved and play at a higher level. Click here to learn more.

Note: This article was first received via email from Peter Diamantis.

New Website Could Change the Game for Roofing Contractors

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This new website lets contractors read and leave reviews on customers.

With a few simple clicks of the keyboard, negative reviews on the internet can potentially destroy a business. Because of the simplicity and impersonal nature of web review sites like Yelp and Angie’s List, an unfair negative review could potentially cost a roofing contractor potential revenue, opportunities to work on future projects, and may lead to their need for a roofing lawyer to dispute these allegations.

New Website Looks to Warn Contractors

Although there is little a roofing contractor can do to prevent a person from writing damaging things about them or their business on the web, there is a new and interesting way for industry professionals to fight back. Hopefully, if a roofing contractor utilizes the right resources, they can avoid working with bad clients in the industry.

Building a Database for Bad Clients

If you are a roofing contractor, you do not want to work for a client that refuses payment at the completion of a project. You also do not want to work for somebody disrespectful or difficult to manage over the course of the project as well. With www.contractorscustomers.com, roofing contractors or construction industry professionals can access a paid website that allows them to review the customers they worked for and document any positive or negative issues with the client on the website. For example, if a plumber and electrician both complain about how a certain client refuses to pay in full at the completion of the project, a roofing contractor may feel inclined to pass on that potential project offer. However, if all the reviews are positive for that client, the contractor can move ahead with a little peace of mind.

Remember You Can Be Accused of Defamation

Although it’s nice to have a medium that gives you honest reviews of potential clients, it’s important for professionals to remember that they are liable for any posts that contain invalid or confidential information. It’s best to post anything on the web with great caution as it could potentially lead to a defamation claim. With that being said, if a contractor performs work to the expectation of the owner or their client, they should be compensated and their reputation should be protected as well.

Note: This article first appeared on Cotney Construction Law’s blog and can be viewed here.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.

4 Tips to Increase Engagement on Facebook

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Getting engagement on Facebook can be a challenge for contractors.

Oftentimes when it comes to home projects, people aren’t proactive. They’re reactive, meaning that they think about protecting their gutters, repairing their roofs, replacing their siding or windows only after a disaster has occurred. It’s not always top of mind.  People tend to use Facebook more for checking in with their family and friends, and less so searching for a local home pro.

Having said that, it doesn’t mean getting engagement and building a following of loyal evangelists on social media is impossible. There are a few tricks available to home services contractors that are effective.

1) Share educational content. Sharing 1/3 company-related content and 2/3 engaging content strikes a good balance. At Surefire Local, we encourage all of our clients to always share educational content. You want viewers to come away with learning something no matter what you share. If your business publishes great blog content and on a consistent basis, you can create custom images with key takeaways, tips, quotes, etc. from that content which you can post along with a link to the individual blog post.

2) Share photos and videos. Whenever possible, learn towards sharing photos or videos over text updates. We’ve seen video perform the best of the four types of posts you can share (link, text, photo, video). For home services contractors, a great source of video content that is easy to produce (using only a smartphone) is completed projects. Showcasing your previous work is the best way to convince someone who’s on the fence about your company to trust you. Similarly, you can turn multiple photos from the same project or a few projects of the same job into a slideshow movie and add a fun jingle.

3) Look at Facebook Insights. I highly recommend looking at Facebook Insights on your business page’s settings. Here you’ll find the exact times when your audience is most active. Each audience is unique. While you may hear 3 PM Eastern on Wednesdays is the best time to share content on Facebook if your audience is most active at 8 PM Eastern, why not schedule your posts to publish then and increase your chances of having your content viewed organically in the newsfeed?

4) Utilize Facebook Advertising with specific targeting. My final tip would be to utilize Facebook Ads. You can see great results on a relatively small budget too. We have many clients spending $300 a month on promoting their content with great success. You’re able to target people specifically within your service radius by zip code and people with specific characteristics such as being interested in home improvement, own a home, home value, income, etc.) The more targeted you can be with your audience and ad copy, the better results you’ll see.

If you would like to see more engagement and take your social media presence one step further, I recommend downloading this eBook: Making Social Media Work for Your Local Business (it’s free!)

This article first appeared on Surefire Local’s blog and the full post can be viewed here.

Feazel Reinvents Roof Estimation Process for Customers by Leveraging VR Technology

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New technology tool takes the hassle and inconvenience out of roof estimates.

Feazel Inc., Columbus’ leading exterior home improvement contractor, is giving customers control over their next roofing project with the release of Robyn, a virtual guide for roof replacement quotes.

Currently, obtaining an estimate for a full-roof replacement requires an in-person appointment with a sales-person, likely during normal working hours. This inconvenience creates frustration and can make the process difficult for the customer. Feazel is set to transform that process for the industry with Robyn, which provides customers a virtual quote for their roof replacement and eliminates the need to meet with a salesperson.

“We know that replacing a roof isn’t something people do for fun. Most of the time, it’s an investment they’re not looking forward to,” says Leo Ruberto, president of Feazel. “The process is bogged down with timelines and negotiations, and we’re looking to eliminate that for customers. Robyn will allow a customer to get an estimate at their convenience, on their time, and at a more comfortable price.”

With Robyn, customers request a quote online, prompting a drone operator to go out to the property and take high-resolution images of the roof. During that time, the operator will leave behind virtual reality goggles designed to be used with any smartphone. By using the images and industry-leading applications, Robyn is able to estimate the materials and costs necessary to replace the roof. The customer will then receive an email with their project quote, as well as a virtual reality tour and educated guide of the Feazel roof replacement process.

Customers will also have the ability to use a custom roof visualizer, which allows them to view a three-dimensional model of their home and scroll through different shingle styles and colors for their roof replacement.

“The best part about the process is that this reduces the overall project cost for the customer, something we’re very excited to bring to the table,” Ruberto said. “While Robyn is a different element in the beginning phases, Feazel will still offer our same signature quality to the project, including our Lifetime Warranty, Price Match Guarantee, and 12-months same as cash financing.”

Should Feazel customers not be interested in the new technology and Robyn, Feazel will continue to provide the option of setting up an appointment with a salesperson for an in-home inspection and live discussion.

Robyn will be unveiled to customers for the first time at the Columbus Spring Home and Garden Show, February 17 through February 25 at the Ohio Expo Center.

About Feazel

Feazel has been providing quality exterior home improvement services since 1988. With a commitment to deliver the best customer service and a stress-free buying experience, Feazel offers roofing, windows masonry, siding, ventilation, gutters and more. Headquartered in Columbus, Feazel also has locations in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Raleigh, NC. The company also plans to expand into the Dayton, Ohio, and Indianapolis markets in 2018. Learn more at feazelinc.com.

SOURCE Feazel Inc.