Tag: <span>Productivity</span>

Tag: Productivity

RT3 Members XAP 360 and Owens Corning Introduce Touchless Roofing Inspection Platform to U.S. Contractors

Posted on

XAP 360 powered by Kespry’s drone-based aerial intelligence technology provides roofing professionals with granular accuracy and efficiency, enhancing homeowner transparency and satisfaction

XAP 360, a leader in touchless property assessment solutions is collaborating with fellow RT3 member, Owens Corning, a global leader in insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composite materials. The collaboration offers Owens Corning Roofing Contractor (OCCN)  members advanced inspections and reporting tool, OC ProScan. The new business service is designed to deliver transparent and accurate roof inspection experience for homeowners, helping claim payouts occur rapidly while also educating and protecting the contractor’s customer base.

XAP 360 and Owens Corning are working together to provide roofing contractors with a drone-based roofing inspections platform that offers a fully autonomous, touchless technology providing objective third party professional reporting.

“Owens Corning is proud to team up with innovative business services like XAP 360 whose innovative platform will enable Owens Corning Roofing Contractor Network members to differentiate themselves in this virtual selling environment and take their business to the next level,” said Jon Gardner, Contractor Training Leader, Owens Corning.

“With XAP 360 powered by Kespry, roofing professionals and property owners can finally sit at the same table physically or virtually, and communicate honestly and openly,” said Phil Pratt, partner, XAP 360. “We can now bridge the existing uncertainty gap with transparency as XAP 360 is guided by sophisticated technological innovations in aerial intelligence from Kespry. We’ve pushed the roofing industry out of the shadows and into the information age, giving our contractors tools to allow them to seamlessly work in today’s  new business environment.”

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning is a global building and industrial materials leader. The company’s three integrated businesses are dedicated to the manufacture and advancement of a broad range of insulation, roofing and fiberglass composite materials. Leveraging the talents of 19,000 employees in 33 countries, Owens Corning provides innovative products and sustainable solutions that address energy efficiency, product safety, renewable energy, durable infrastructure, and labor productivity. These solutions provide a material difference to the company’s customers and make the world a better place. Based in Toledo, Ohio, USA, the company posted 2019 sales of $7.2 billion. Founded in 1938, it has been a Fortune 500® company for 66 consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.owenscorning.com.

About XAP

XAP 360 is headquartered out of southwest Ohio and brings cutting edge technology to the roofing industry.  XAP 360 was founded by industry professionals dedicated to furthering the trade and building sustainable business solutions by pairing the most advanced aerial inspection software with sound sales and marketing strategies.  XAP 360 is also helping roofing professionals all across North America operate faster, safer and more profitable.

To learn more, visit: www.xap360.com/ocp or email sales@xap360.com

How to Virtualize Your Business During A Shutdown

Posted on

By Anna Anderson and Kandi Hamble

The world has been shifting beneath our feet in these past few weeks. As more and more people must transition to working from home, many business owners are wondering how to keep their business running. Kids out of school, bills, cash flow, and even worry about how our lives will change are all worthy distractions to combat – with love and clean hands.

Here are some things you can do to work from home, keep your employees and customers safe, and help you weather these current events.

1. Set Up Your Workspace

Having one area where you will always work while at home can help set expectations for everyone at home, including you. You will most likely face one of two scenarios:

  • You are able to dedicate a room in your home where it is nice and quiet
  • You will be surrounded by your family because they, too, have been sent home

Set up in a room where you can close the door if the kids get too rambunctious. Having a quiet place where you can work is ideal, but not many people have that option! If you need to share space with your family, consider creating a corner in your living room or at your kitchen table. Limit visual distractions as much as you can (I set my desk up to face a wall).

Another important part of moving operations from the office to your home is forwarding calls. WikiHow has a tutorial covering how to forward calls from a landline, android, and iPhone. If you have a phone service for your office, talk to them about forwarding calls -and voicemails- so you and your team can remain available to callers.

Your team will also need a proper setup to work from home. It should include anything they need to complete their job. For instance, your accounting and customer service teams would need a computer. Are your technicians performing roof repairs? Helping delivery essential supplies? Think about what they would need and help supply it.

No matter where you set up, organize and treat the space as if it were your office. Dress up and be professional to help keep your mindset focused on work. Take breaks from your home office throughout the day, just as you would at the office. Leave the area once your day ends. Work is done and it’s time to play!

2. Digital Connection

Face to face interaction has great value. Just because we must practice social distancing right now does not mean face-to-face interaction should go by the wayside. When you need to talk to employees or customers, use video conferencing instead of calling them.

Video conferencing apps such as Zoom and Skype can be easily used for remote meetings. Each has free and paid accounts which are easy to set up. They can also be used when you need to see a potential job site.

Consider setting up a weekly group check-in or short daily ‘coffee breaks’ where you and your team catch up on day-to-day life over video. Make some of these breaks be about life instead of business to help your team stay united.

Set up instant messaging to help replace talking in the office. We use the Google suite, so Google Hangouts is how our team gets a quick answer to something. We also have a chat thread dedicated to funny memes and non-business conversations. Although running a business requires dedicated, serious people, we still need levity in our days. Other options include Slack or groupme…even MarcoPolo could help grow a shared culture.

Using an app such as Asana or Hygger can help you and your team track daily goals as well as keep the whole team on the same pages for projects. Here are some more options you can look into for your business.

3. Have a Working Website

While this is low on our list, a working website is just as important as your team being set up to work from home. Right now, people are on the internet much more than usual. Keep your home page up to date with hours and how you are responding during our current events. Have a easy to find contact form. Your CRM should be connected to your forms, also.

4. Limit Distractions

Working from home can present many distractions – especially now. Kids, laundry, dishes, pets, that TV show you wanted to catch up on…If you wouldn’t do these things at the office, you shouldn’t do them while working from home. Set clear boundaries for your work time and home life.

  • If you live in tight quarters, everyone will have to adjust to this season. Ask your family to keep their voices down as they do their stuff (you may need to, also).
  • Being able to shut a door to the rest of the home can help. If you’re the social type or have younger kids, keep the door open so you can still hear the family buzz without being overly distracted. When you absolutely need to be left alone, put a “do not disturb” sign on the door.
  • If you are able to work while listening to music or a podcast, put on some headphones and listen. Those can help block out other distractions so you can focus on the tasks at hand.
  • If you have pets, they can really help you stay sane; however, they can be distracting as they also adjust to you being home. Help them know what to expect during this time by being consistent with what you allow. They’ll catch on that when you’re in your workspace they need to leave you alone. To get out some jitters, take your dog on a walk during break times. Our cats seem pretty chill, so give them attention as they want it, as long as they don’t take you away from work.

5. Be Intentional About Time

Time is your most valuable asset. Having a proper setup and good time management will help as you and your team work from home.

Add structure to you and your team’s workday:

  • Have set ‘office hours’ so your customers and team knows when you are available
  • Keep track of what you need to finish each day – either through a checklist or an app
  • Split your day into sections, such as emails first thing in the morning
  • Make a plan of what can be done and what will wait until the Stay At Home orders have lifted
  • Set alarms for regular break times
  • Block off time throughout the day to spend time with your family
  • If you have meetings, set up independent activities for kids beforehand

Having set boundaries for your workday versus when you can run errands, do homework, walk your dog, or play with your kids is critical to working remotely. Setting your mind on work can make all the difference!

6. Be Smart About Snacking

Food. It is one more thing to stay aware of when working from home. If you planned your meals and snacks when you worked in the office, continue to do so. If you haven’t, now is a great time to start. Keep healthier snacks like nuts and fruit on hand. I notice how much easier it is to ‘boredom snack’ when working from home. This leads to fluctuating blood sugar which leads to distraction and…weight gain. Keep (or set) good habits and follow them.

7. Have Grace

Our generation has not lived through a global pandemic – while this is new to us, it isn’t new to history. This is the perfect time to practice grace and empathy for yourself, your family, your team, and your community.

  • Have grace for yourself. Expect for things to be slow going at first and to have kids show up in meetings for a while. While productivity can be a good thing, this is a time of adjustment to a new way to live.
  • Have grace for your family. This is new for them, also. Each person will have their own adjustments and fears. This time can help you grow closer to each other.
  • Have grace for your employees. Transitions will take time and things won’t always run smoothly. Don’t expect perfection right out of the gate! Work through any issues as they present themselves.

To help during this crazy time of physical distancing and closures, we still have so much to be grateful for! Let go of expectations of ‘normal’ and find something new each day to be thankful about. Find a way to get outside each day, move your body, and cultivate beauty during this dark time. We will get through this together, from six feet away and through our computer screens.

3 Tips for Helping Your Teams Work from Home Successfully

Posted on

By Karen L. Edwards.

As a seasoned work-from-home professional, I wanted to share some tips to help teams stay productive during this uncertain time.

After joining a roofing tech startup back in 2010, I made the transition from going into an office every day to working in my home office (when I wasn’t on the road). It can be isolating and make you feel sometimes like you are on an island. After 10 years of being a remote worker, I’ve learned some tips and tricks that can make it a rewarding and productive experience.

1 – A Defined Workspace

Decide on your workspace. If you already have a home office, that’s great! Now is the time to clean it up and put it to use. Make sure you have a comfortable chair, as you will find yourself not walking around like you used to for chatting with co-workers. Determine a dedicated workspace where you can limit the noise and interruptions that may occur from other household members. I also recommend using a Bluetooth headset for talking on the phone as it frees your hands for note taking during a call.

2 – A Daily Structure

It’s important to stick to routine. If you normally start your day at 8 am, keep doing that while working from home.  I recommend not working in your pajamas, but rather get ready for your day just as you would if you were going into the office. Be sure to take a lunch break. That’s a good time to stretch your legs and take a walk; get the circulation flowing since you aren’t walking as much as you would in an office setting.

3 – Hold Video Meetings

Don’t just hold conference calls to meet with the rest of the team working remotely. Video meetings are great for morale and eliminate the ‘working on an island’ feeling. There are a number of free video conferencing services and some companies are expanding the free versions of their services in light of the shift to a virtual workforce. It also helps to ensure that you don’t multi-task during a meeting because everyone can see what you are doing!

Making it work

It’s important for you as an employer to trust that your employees are committed and dedicated to getting the job done – no matter where they are working. It’s equally important for you as an employer to be understanding. There may be dogs barking, or cats appearing on a video call when they jump on the desk or table (just happened to me the other day!).

Also realize that schools are closed; there might be children in the background. Depending on their age, children can have a hard time understanding that just because mom or dad is home, doesn’t mean they aren’t working. Expect there to be interruptions from time to time.

Together we will get through this!

Get the latest industry news delivered to your inbox when you sign up for the SmartBrief e-newsletter. 

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop

 

RECORDING – RT3 Special Webinar #2: This week’s buzz and tactics for running your virtual roofing business

Posted on

The Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) hosted their second webinar in its special series geared toward helping contractors successfully navigate running their businesses during the Coronavirus pandemic.


Topics include:

Commercial Roofing Technology Expert: Michelle Boykin, Rackley Roofing

  • How Rackley Roofing made their commercial roofing company 100% virtual and an update on how the first full week went

Residential Roofing Expert: Ken Kelly, Kelly Roofing

  • Technology that allows us to work from home and handling employee pay while at home
  • Securing materials for emergencies and for when things open up again
  • Leadership tactics and keeping employees focused and calm
  • Budgeting and cash preparation
  • Where I’m getting my information to make good decisions from

Commercial Roofing Expert: Steve Little, KPost Roofing & Waterproofing

  • Business and financial perspective
  • Update on the government programs and what he’s hearing from manufacturers and the industry

Marketing Expert: Anna Anderson, Art Unlimited

  • Google changes and opportunities with new NextDoor tools, renegotiating contracts for cost savings
  • Digital compliance, remote tools and virtual portholes

Sales Expert: Ryan Groth, Sales Transformation Group

  • How the market is responding overall to their efforts, in lockdown markets and non-locked down markets.
  • Best practices for sales leaders transitioning to virtual management
  • The technology and methods being used for prospecting and conducting sales appointments

If you missed the first webinar in the series, you can watch the recording here.

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

Posted on

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 Member John Kenney of Sutter Roofing presented at ENGAGE ’19

Posted on

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 Member Kelly Roofing Featured for Use of Microsoft PowerApps

Posted on

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.

RT3 member Korellis Roofing has dedicated training center to help apprentices learn

Posted on

The training center supports the continued development and supplementation of the company’s apprenticeship program.

By Karen Edwards, RCS Editor.

After Korellis Roofing sent us some photos of their crews learning in the company’s new training center, we wanted to know more about this great idea. We had a great phone conversation with Dan Stella, Korellis’ workforce development manager, who was hired to run the training center and ensure that the company has the highest skilled workers available.

Stella explained that Korellis Roofing is a union shop and their apprentices don’t often have as much opportunity to learn and install roof details while in the field. By creating the training center and his position as workforce development manager, the apprentices get the chance to learn and practice installing detail work that is often done in the field by the more experienced journeymen.

The facility was created after the company moved its offices into another building on the property. Their first training was held on May 24, and they have held regular trainings since opening the center. Stella says they take advantage of inclement weather when they can’t work out in the field by having the apprentices come into the training center to learn and practice their skills.

The first session held was CERTA training. Stella had taken the NRCA’s Train the Trainer course so he was authorized to teach and certify some crew members not certified in the torch-down work required for a job installation. By performing the CERTA training in the center, Korellis was able to assign more certified torch applicators on the project and complete it ahead of schedule.

Before the company started a Spanish clay tile job, they were able to prepare for it by roofing the steep slope deck in the training center and bringing in Keith Huebner, a local 11 apprenticeship trainer, to assist. Not only was it a good learning experience for the apprentices, it was a nice refresher for the more experienced team as well.

Stella said that the team really appreciates the training opportunities. “I’ll talk to the foreman to see who needs help in what areas and plan related trainings,” said Stella. “In some cases, the workers will reach out to me to ask for help in specific areas that they want to learn more about.”

The plan behind establishing the training facility is to help the roofing jobs be more efficient and smooth. “Practice makes perfect and the training center allows for the roofers to be in a comfortable learning environment,” explained Stella. “By learning inside, they aren’t subject to the pressures of trying to learn in the field while still keeping the job on schedule.”

Get more industry news and articles when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-newsletter. 

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop

Construction company to use robotics to build renewable energy projects

Posted on

By Karen L. Edwards

Built Robotics, a company specializing in making robotic construction equipment, announced that it has partnered with construction firm Mortenson to use their earthmoving robotics on renewable projects like wind farms and solar. These types of projects then to be in remote areas that are far from traditional workforce centers, making labor an even bigger challenge than it already is.

According to Built Robotics, their “robotic equipment is able to shoulder some of the load by assisting with basic, repetitive tasks, freeing up human operators to focus on the more specific, complex and critical activities.”

Eric Sellman, Vice President and General Manager of the Civil Group at Mortenson, said in the announcement, “I see Built Robotics as the next generation of construction technology. Consistent with Mortenson’s history of ingenuity and innovation in construction, we are partnering with Built Robotics as they develop and deploy technology that enables autonomous heavy equipment operation. Mortenson and Built Robotics will work together with this technology on select renewable energy projects within our Wind and Solar groups. Our goal is to embrace the change that is happening in our industry to create value for our customers and opportunities for Mortenson and our team members.”

Sellman told Engineering News Record (ENR) that it’s a long-term agreement for the next few years to continue to expand the company’s deployment of autonomous equipment on renewable energy jobs. The company did its first project with Built Robotics in August of 2018, testing the equipment on wind farms in Kansas. Sellman said that the repetitive nature of some of the foundation work on these projects make them a good fit for autonomous equipment. ENR reported that the “machines us GPS tracking to remain within geo-fenced areas, and LIDAR provides collision avoidance and obstacle detection.”

Mortenson employees are excited to be implementing the technology. Molly Morgan, an equipment operator commented, “I’m excited about the potential for Built’s technology. Our top priority is safety — if the robot can work on steep slopes, or near unstable ground, or in challenging or risky situations, then we one-hundred percent should use it. And I’m excited to learn the new skills I’ll need to work with the technology.”

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