Category: <span>Technology</span>

Category: Technology

Streamlining estimating and leveraging technology on the roof

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By Karen L. Edwards

After seeing a new technology at the International Roofing Expo, this company adapted it to fit their needs, improving estimating and eliminating errors.

Have you ever heard of a Technology Innovation Specialist at a roofing company? Meet Lisa Garcia. She is that specialist at Tremco Roofing and Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc. (WTI). Lisa recently completed the rollout of a unique technology application that has streamlined the company’s estimating, reporting and ordering processes and she did it nationwide in just two years’ time.

It began in 2017, when company Vice President Mardee Billingsley was attending the International Roofing Expo (IRE) where she met the team from RoofSnap. RoofSnap offers a mobile app designed to let contractors use aerial imagery of steep slope roofs and outline the roof area to obtain accurate measurements. While geared toward the residential contractor, Mardee recognized that there was an opportunity to use this on commercial roofs. After she returned from the IRE, she needed to find someone who could bring her vision to life. That person was Lisa.

Lisa wasn’t a stranger to technology or Tremco. She had been at the company for 12 years and spent time teaching contractors about technology. Developing an app for commercial estimating and determining the number of materials needed for a job was a natural next step. Lisa was able to meet with the RoofSnap team in person several times since their office was a few hours’ drive from hers.

“This was an app originally developed for shingle roofing, so we had to create our own system for commercial roofing,” explained Lisa. “They did a lot of development for us to make it work.”

Figuring out the coverage rates for the products and developing the formulas that the app would use also was Lisa’s responsibility. “I am not a big fan of math, but it was good to be able to accomplish this because I not only learned a lot, I proved to myself that even though I might not like math, I was still capable of doing it,” said Lisa. “I had to teach myself how to use Photoshop so I could get all the product photos into the app.”

In about four months, the app was ready for use. They selected 10 supervisors from each of their regions around the country for a pilot program. While feedback was good, it wasn’t long before they realized that the supervisors weren’t the best pilot group since they weren’t always the ones preparing estimates. A second pilot was conducted with those who do the most estimating and the results were great.

By using the app, estimators are able to use the aerial imagery of the building to obtain measurements, drop pins to indicate potential problem areas, select the products and automatically determine the amount of product needed for that building. “This app has really standardized all of our reports,” Lisa said. “Everything is consistent, branded, professional and the finished product is a very nice report.”

The company has rolled the use of the app out over the last year and Lisa said she just finished the last training in July. Feedback has been positive overall. “It’s really helped our estimators be more accurate and more efficient,” Lisa concluded. “It’s been convenient for those estimators who no longer have to put up with traffic in urban areas or who don’t have to make a 200-mile drive to see a building in our more remote areas.”

As the roofing industry advances, consider working for a company that is leading the way in terms of implementing technology not only in their product development but on the roof and in their processes as well.

Stay up to date on the latest roofing industry trends when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief e-newsletter. 

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop. 

3 ways to eliminate mistakes that cost you

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By RT3 member Jobba Trade Technolgies.

Elmer’s glue to seal your TPO? I don’t think so… so why use the wrong tools to manage your business?

Surprisingly, many contractors still rely on time-consuming manual procedures and antiquated systems that are inefficient and fraught with potential for human error. Misspellings, wrong addresses, wrong amounts – not only can these errors frustrate your customers, they can end up costing you big time.

1. Guarantee You’re on the Right Roof

It’s happened to everyone – when you have a big customer with hundreds of properties or a smaller customer with a large shopping center, it’s easy for your crew to mix up addresses or roof sections. Having the aerial image, roof section drawing, and correct address together in one place is the only way to ensure they’ll get it right.

2. Ensure Your Invoices are Always Correct

Do you have one program for quoting and a separate program for invoicing? If so, that could mean two (or more) people are manually entering data in two places, leaving huge opportunity for error. Fortunately, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate the potential for error by incorporating an integration or automated synchronization between the two programs.

3. Remember to Follow-Up

You’ve spent hours quoting a job and probably hours acquiring a new lead. All of that goes to waste without a follow-up procedure in place! If you don’t use roofing software, consider using a spreadsheet to track follow-ups or even an online calendar with automated reminders.

For roofers using technology in their businesses, the ability to drastically reduce the opportunity for human error is just one of the many benefits they enjoy for better managing their businesses.

Stay up to date on the latest roofing industry trends when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief e-newsletter. 

Source: Jobba Trade Technologies

Be the roofer your customers are looking for online

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By Michelle Mittleman.

When a homeowner needs a roofing contractor, the first place they look is online. They hunt through all the search results, investigating each company’s credentials, reviews posted by previous customers, and the services provided by different companies. Make sure you are the most reliable and qualified company they find in their search by following these tips below.

Reviews and Recommendations

One of the biggest things homeowners look for when searching online for a roofing contractor is reviews and recommendations from previous customers. These reviews might be on your own website or on a site like Yelp,  or Angi. Regardless of where they are posted, they can mean the difference between gaining or losing a potential customer. Homeowners scan reviews to see how many stars people give you, what things you did well, and what things upset your customers. Bad reviews will turn customers away in a heartbeat, while good ones can boost you above the competition.

In order to use these reviews and recommendations to your advantage, encourage customers to leave reviews after you complete a job and be sure to respond to the comments. If you know you did a job very well, make sure you ask your customer to leave a recommendation. Angry customers will readily post a review, but sometimes a content customer will not think twice about it. Kindly reminding them that their feedback would be appreciated can do wonders.

Responding to comments can help show new customers you are involved with your clients and that your company actively works to improve your service. Commenting on a bad review to clarify any issues the client experienced and show how you resolved the issue shows homeowners you truly care about what your clients think and that you are willing to go the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction.

Credentials

Another component homeowners are looking for online is your credentials. Homeowners want the most qualified companies working on their house and credentials are proof you know what you are doing. Make sure these credentials are posted clearly on your website, so that homeowners are sure to see them while they are researching. Credentials homeowners might be looking for are state and federal licensing, as well as professional trade organizations you belong to. If you have employees with specific certifications be sure to include those as well, because homeowners may be looking for contractors who specialize in a particular brand or product. Making your credentials easy to find is sure to set you apart from the competition, as homeowners can immediately tell you are a qualified company.

Warranties

Make sure the warranties you offer appear somewhere on your website. For example, if you provide a year-based warranty on particular roof type and materials, tell that on your website. Roofing repairs can be very expensive and customers want to know their investment is insured in the event that something goes wrong. Make it easy for the customer to see their money is well spent and safe.

Services

One of the easiest ways to set yourself above other roofing contractors online is to make sure all of the services you provide are listed on your website. Homeowners know that you do roofing installations and repairs, but do you install skylights? Is your company specifically trained in a certain product line they are interested in? Can you install siding and gutters? Homeowners are not roofing experts, so they do not know all of the jobs that fall under the roofing contractor umbrella. Make it obvious to them what kind of jobs you do by clearly posting it on your website. Your site will be a relief compared to others they look at because they can find exactly what they are looking for. They will know that you are the answer to their roofing problem without having to do additional research, placing you first on their list of contractors to call.

The internet is a powerful research tool and homeowners will certainly be using it to look up roofing contractor companies. Make sure you are the company that customers are looking for online by encouraging previous customers to leave reviews and then responding to them, including your credentials and warranties on your website, and clearly listing the services you provide. All of these components will make your company more appealing to customers than the competition and reassure them that you are the perfect choice for their roofing needs.

Get the latest roofing industry news and information delivered to your inbox when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief.

Source: AccuLynx

Florida contractor invests heavily in technology and departmentalization to boost customer service and production

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As two major roofing contractors were shut down this year by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Central Florida roofing contractor, Calloway Roofing LLC believes there are just too many instances where a good contractor can fail because they lack the business systems and organizational infrastructure necessary to properly manage their day-to-day operations.

Drew Calloway, 40, came across Brandon Gaille’s statistics on roofing industry complaints where the Better Business Bureau cites more than 50% of all complaints were filed for unsatisfactory workmanship and another 25% for the inability of the homeowner to reach the contractor. These stats are troubling as Drew believes that the roofing industry needs to embrace technology and adopt automation systems that can help bridge and improve the communications gap with customers.

This year, Drew took that philosophy and put it into a written commitment and signed a 5-year marketing and back-end business systems contract with Knowledge Transfer LLC that enables the company to focus on installations and communications with their customers within the company’s newly established Inspections, Servicing, Estimating, Production, and Billing departments. Through this departmentalization, the company can prioritize each segment of the process and go a step further and include all roof-related line items that the homeowners may be entitled to—that may otherwise be left out. And as Building Code required roof items now become a part of the scope of work, Calloway Roofing leads the industry by including, as a standard practice, the optional roof materials warranty registration, which can transform a basic roof installation warranty into a 600-month registered lifetime warranty.

Chad McPherson, designated Sales Representative with ABC Supply, says, “Calloway Roofing is doing things we hope to see others follow. It’s certainly a ‘best step’ in the right direction.”

Through the embrace of departmentalization and the powerful company Knowledge Base that followed, Calloway Roofing now mills through the rigorous demands of roof construction while keeping their customers updated and systemically in the loop. A philosophy, adoption rule and direction that all roofing contractors should pursue.

As a resident and family man in Minneola, Florida, Drew says, “When a homeowner gives me their signature, I feel compelled to give them a contract that includes a written guarantee that their roof will be a registered roof installation and that they’ll hear from us regularly and throughout the process.”

About Calloway Roofing
Calloway Roofing LLC is an Orlando, Florida based roofing and building contractor that believes every roof should be a registered roof installation and not optional. Homeowners receive no-obligation storm and roof inspections, followed by full information about the entire process in addition to a free copy of the inspection photographs.

Be sure to sign up for the Smart Brief e-newsletter to get the latest roofing tech news in your inbox.

 

RT3 Members Present on Data and AI at METALCON

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By Karen L. Edwards.

METALCON 2019 took place in Steel City – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and RT3 members were well represented at the show, exhibiting and speaking.  On the first day of the show, RT3 hosted a discussion on the importance of artificial intelligence and utilizing data for contractors.

Bill Wilkins of Pointivo spoke about AI and explained that there are a number of companies that offer AI-assisted approaches to roof evaluations.  His company has been working with another RT3 member to develop a system that will do just that. Bill explained asking a person to try to look at an image and identify drains, equipment, ponding water, areas of membrane splits, etc. can be a very time-consuming process.  Ai is a great opportunity to help augment a younger , more inexperienced work force in identifying rooftop conditions and problem areas.

AI can tell you what it thinks is on the roof and provide a confidence level in its identification. How you help is by looking at what it found and either confirming it or correcting it. Each time you provide confirmation or correction, it will learn from the information and keep getting better at what it does. Bill explained that they feel pretty confident that the tool they are introducing next year will be able to reduce the amount of time spent on evaluations by 80 percent through the use of drones and AI.

Key things for AI to be successful is quality data, quantity of data. Bill shared the example of teaching AI to recognize on AC unit on a roof. Because an AC unit is so large, it might only need to ‘see’ 100 images to be able to accurately identify the AC unit every time. Trying to identify hail damage will be harder, because it’s much smaller in size.  The more data, imagery and confirmations it receives, the smarter and faster it becomes.

Josey Parks of Cognitive Contractor shared how AI and data can be a powerful lead and  sales tool for roofing businesses. Josey explained that if you take the records for 1,000 customers and run them through an AI program it will learn from the data. It will recognize patterns of the first 70 percent (or 700 records). Then it will take the next 300 records and predict their behavior based on what it learned from the first 700 and provide them a score.  Contractors should understand the data that they have in their business and how they can structure it to understand what drives your business and your customers.

Josey explained how when he started in metal roofing, he would keep track on a paper of what neighborhoods he had knocked doors in, then he advanced to using a bike trail app to track the locations where he and his sales team had been. They have advanced today to sending emails and plotting on a map (like Google Earth) the locations of the people who opened the email. This allows the canvassers to have an optimized route to work from.

Taking it one step further with the advancement in technology, Josey explained that he is able to use AI to score and predict his leads to the point that it knows which salesperson is the best one to assign that lead to, based on past performance of the sales person.  It’s important to optimize your business and not waste time and resources assigning the wrong leads to the wrong salesperson.

If you missed their talk at METALCON, you can watch it on our Facebook page under Videos.  Be sure to sign up for the Smart Brief e-newsletter to get the latest roofing tech news in your inbox.

 

RT3 Member John Kenney of Sutter Roofing presented at ENGAGE ’19

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Sutter Roofing shared how technology is key driver of their success.

100 construction professionals recently gathered at the third annual ENGAGE global customer conference in Seattle, Washington to share best practices for driving greater operational effectiveness, competitive differentiation and employee safety through the use of technology, specifically the Smartsheet platform.

“Smartsheet is a popular choice in industries where technology adoption can make a tangible difference, and construction is a great example,” said Mike Arntz, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of Worldwide Field Operations at Smartsheet. “ENGAGE is the perfect opportunity to gather customers for a conversation on the future of the industry and the role technology will play in shaping it.”

The pressures facing construction companies continue to deepen. As business booms, so does the number, complexity, and duration of projects. Many are turning to technology to remain efficient, innovative and competitive.

One example is Florida-based Sutter Roofing, one of the oldest and largest roofing and sheet metal contractors in the United States. Sutter Roofing Chief Operating Officer and RT3 Member John Kenney headlined the event with a discussion of how Smartsheet is enabling the entire organization to run smoothly while driving customer satisfaction and retention.

“We take pride in being on the forefront of technology in an industry that hasn’t traditionally put a priority on that kind of approach,” said Kenney. “Smartsheet has transformed how our teams execute projects. The response we now get from customers, in a very competitive environment, tells us how central it has become to our continued success.”

Sutter Roofing originally implemented Smartsheet to schedule projects more efficiently. They quickly expanded its use across all business functions, from marketing to fleet management. They also developed a risk management system based on historical data of completed and estimated projects that estimates the chances of success on projects under consideration.

Kenney said the company plans to connect Smartsheet with other critical business applications in the months ahead to increase transparency and speed to insight.

If you weren’t at the event and want to learn more about Sutter Roofing’s success using technology, you can watch John’s webinar here. 

RT3 Members Explore the Innovative World of 3M

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

Words aren’t going to do this event justice. There were so many incredible things we learned about 3M while touring their World of Innovation Center and hearing presentations from Maureen Kavanagh, Laboratory Manager and Josh Orman, Strategy and Marketing Manager, both from the Industrial and Mineral Products Division.

From a roofing industry perspective, most of the RT3 members knew that 3M makes the granules that are used in asphalt roofing products. We were also aware that 3M had created some pretty cool granule technologies including algae-resistant and smog-reducing granules (recognized by Time Magazine in 2018 as a Best Invention). What we didn’t realize was how 3M innovations are everywhere. There is a saying that wherever you are, there is probably a 3M product within 10 feet of you.

The World of Innovation was where RT3 members learned about the many innovations and provided a hands-on experience to see many of the technologies and experience how the products worked. We learned a little bit about William L. McKnight, 3M president from 1929 – 1949 and Chairman of the Board from 1949-1966. He was known for the saying “hire good people and leave them alone.” McKnight created a culture of inclusiveness, diversity and innovation.

To this day, 3M employees are encouraged to spend 15 percent of their working hours developing new ideas and solutions. Our host, Maureen, explained in her overview of the company that 3M sees itself as a company that develops solutions to its customers problems. That got the attention of RT3 Members as they headed into breakout sessions to discuss some of the roofing industry issues that 3M might be able to help us solve. There were some creative ideas that came from the session that if possible, could really impact our industry.

The ideas included:

  • Robotic tearoffs
  • 3D manufacturing
  • Tarps that are like Post-it® notes

    Creating safer safety harnesses that predict energy absorption
  • Fastening applications using their adhesives
  • Safety strips for steep-slope roofs
  • Scaffolding in truck to eliminate ladders
  • Sensors in the roof system to eliminate need for core samples
  • Carfax for roof history to see past damage
  • Emergency temporary spray for repairs
  • Insulation that bleeds through membrane if there is a leak for easy identification
  • Pressure seals between layers of insulation to detect leaks
  • Storm kits
  • Full head gear systems for silica safety, fan-force air out and create cool air inside
  • Clothing that prevents heat exhaustion
  • Smog reduction into more materials than granules, i.e. tile
  • Carbon capture technology
  • Printed single ply to resemble shingles, shakes, etc. to increase SRI
  • Retractable lifelines that elevate above the roof
  • Leak detectors under the roof to alert before significant damage occurs
  • Solar integrated roofing systems
  • Ergonomic tape for tools
  • Non-stick, gripping material for work boot soles and roofing materials
  • Granules in spray format to extend roof life and reduce smog for existing roofs
  • Water recapture systems with sanitization
  • Film for over skylights that can support body weight
  • Safety gear that alerts employers if it is removed

After RT3 members shared their ideas for the 15-percent time, the group discussed ideas for future meetup locations and other initiatives, such as the development of a technology-focused podcast. The day concluded with a visit to the 3M Roofing Innovation Center with a tour of how color blends are created and how samples are run to visualize what the new blend would look like on a roof.

It is our hope that by learning about innovations in other industries, it might be possible to adapt those solutions for use in the roofing industry. By meeting with innovators and problem solvers like 3M, we provide insight into the challenges being faced in the roofing industry with the goal of developing new technology solutions that can change the industry and improve health, safety and material performance.

Stay up to date on the latest roofing technology news and happenings when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-newsletter.

RT3 Member Kelly Roofing Featured for Use of Microsoft PowerApps

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

Microsoft recently shared in a blog post how RT3 member and recent recipient of Roofing Contractor’s Residential Roofing Contractor of the Year Kelly Roofing found success with a task-focused field application that keeps everyone update in real-time using PowerApps on Microsoft’s Power Platform Solution.

Kelly Roofing partnered with PowerObjects, an HCL Technologies company, to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM in 2012, Field Service in 2015 and Dynamics 365 in 2016. Dynamics 365 allowed them to manage all of their customer and work order information for each roof repair and installation project. They had success managing the complex details and information needed for communications, dispatching, driving directions and status updates.

Their challenge came in needing a solution that would allow crew members in the field to provide status updates while on a job site. Not every job site has great cell service meaning they would need a solution that would allow updates and photos to be stored on the smartphone or tablet with the ability to sync later, when service was available.

Their existing process before Power Platform was inefficient and causing their teams to spend their days on the rooftops and their evenings on the computer, trying to find, organize and upload the day’s photos. Ken Kelly, president of Kelly Roofing, wanted to find a solution that would ensure the “team is spending time bringing value to our customers, while improving the time we spend with our own family.”

Kelly evaluated software programs designed for capturing job photos but found them to be costly and would result in creating additional data silos, something they wanted to avoid. He turned to partner PowerObjects to help create a PowerApps mobile app that would simplify the process of job photos and status updates while in the field.

PowerApps was deployed to all 120+ crew members who have been using it since spring 2019 with much success. Crews take photos, before, during and after a job. They are stored offline and upload to SharePoint Online when the device has a connection. Photos are automatically named and include the status and location of the job.

In addition to photo organization, the PowerApps has allowed them to do even more:

Scheduling: Crew leaders no longer have to come to the office in the morning to pick up job tickets. The information is provided directly though the app and includes client information, job information, directions and details. They have realized a 25.8 percent reduction in trip time.

Reporting: Customers receive a Daily Job Site Report that let’s them know the status of the job and any notes from the crew. Before the app, crew leaders would need to find a WiFi connection and log into a laptop to provide status reports and customer communications. Kelly Roofing has seen a 36% drop in customer call backs since job information is available to everyone in real time.

Documentation: All documents related to a job are available to everyone from the contract to the purchase order and the entire job history is available.

Since implementing the Power Platform solution, Kelly Roofing has realized a 91% decrease in processing time because of the photo reconciliation time savings. Employees are pleased with the app as well. Frank Viera, project supervisor at Kelly Roofing, said, “I used to spend extra time in my home from 5 – 10 pm looking for pictures. I even had my son help me. Now I don’t have to do that!”

Read the complete case study and see screenshots of the application on the Microsoft blog.

Stay up-to-date with the latest roofing industry technology news when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-newsletter.

Roofing Technology Think Tank Announces Innovator of the Year

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Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, awarded the Innovator of the Year award to Curtis Sutton of Carthage, Tennessee-based Rackley Roofing. The award was presented at the 2019 Best of Success Conference in Miami.

“We had many great nominations and it was very hard to narrow the field down to just one,” stated Anna Anderson, Award Task Team Leader and RT3 Board Member. “We selected Rackley Roofing because they embrace technology and have demonstrated that they are early adopters when it comes to implementing new innovations.”

In an interview after the presentation, Reid Ribble commented on the importance of innovation in roofing, saying, “Given the workforce demands and the changing technology, the companies that are innovating are going to be winning. Innovation really matters if we are going to reach out to that new, young 18-, 19- or 20-year old worker who still sees roofing as something hot and dirty and not something technologically advanced.”

Curtis Sutton, President of Rackley Roofing commented on winning the award, “It’s an honor because innovation is one of our six core values. Innovation is driven in our company. Innovation to us also means being open to change. We lead everything with technology in the decisions we make in our company.”

Sutton brings a respect for the traditional craftsmanship of a professional roofer and passion for the latest technological innovations. Under his leadership, Rackley has introduced industry-leading technologies like Rackley RoofCheck and Rackley RoofView. They have implemented the use of virtual reality safety headsets that allow everyone to experience being on a roof and learn best safety practices. The company is beginning the use of in-ear translators that can translate speech into any language and dialect.

As a founding sponsor of National Women in Roofing and a member of RT3, the company is committed to always innovating and learning about new technologies and solutions that will help advance the roofing industry overall.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry. RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses. With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

Photo: (L-R) Jill Bloom, Publisher, Roofing Contractor; Michelle Boykin, COO, Rackley Roofing; Curtis Sutton, President, Rackley Roofing, Anna Anderson, CEO, Art Unlimited; Charles Antis, CEO, Antis Roofing.