Tag: <span>Roofing Technology</span>

Tag: Roofing Technology

Using social media to market your roofing business

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth.
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 Linked In. Linked In 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 Linked In 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.

Photo by Freestock.org on Unsplash.

How technology is changing what it means to be successful in the roofing industry

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By Nate Stein, AccuLynx.

The roofing industry is changing right before our eyes; advancements in new technologies, building trends towards sustainable materials, more safety regulations, and the way we communicate with our leads and customers have all evolved from a simple paper to pencil business model. As these new models continue to invade and improve the roofing and contracting industries, business owners now have a greater stake when it comes early adoption and practical application of new tools and technology as they come on the market.

Using Technology to Help Manage Your Business Workflows

As a roofing business owner, you are constantly tracking new leads through your sales teams on a daily basis, and that volume is directly related to new business you manage every year. While the potential to complete more jobs is exciting, keeping track of all your projects can be a headache – not only for managers, but for office staff as well. Scavenging through your rolodex, cell phone or filing cabinet is a time-wasting activity that doesn’t actively help you be more organized. Investing in business management software specifically built for contractors like a CRM (customer relationship management) or ERP (enterprise resource planning) can streamline your customer acquisition and retainment process, while also allowing you to manage all of your finances and document management for your roofing business.

With a cloud-based data system, you eliminate the possibility of ever losing a customer’s information, while gaining unlimited access to the files and documentation your field staff need on a daily basis. Various departments in your business no longer need to refer to different databases, with out of date or conflicting information. All information is stored in one, centralized location, ensuring everyone has the same, accurate data.

ERPs give you the ability to manage the “business” side to your business, with integrations to procure supplies from your local branches, enter data and manage commissions, supplements and financial tracking with QuickBooks, and create estimates, contracts, and other necessary paperwork for jobs with the click of a button.

Business management has come a long way from Excel and carbon copies – roofers that take advantage of software have seen impressive returns on their ROI.

“It’s valuable to look not only at how quickly the company will gain back the initial investment in terms of cost-savings, but also at the number of man-hours the estimating team will save. When software reduces the number of hours spent estimating a project, it frees up time to bid and win more projects—which can multiply revenue many times over. [source] “

Take Flight with Drones & Aerial Roofing Measurements

Gravity no longer limits your abilities as a roofer. With aerial measurements and drone image capturing, you as a roofer have the option to expand your estimating and ordering capabilities through improvements in the way you approach any roof. Companies such as EagleView and SkyMeasure simplify the measuring of roofs. Instead of having your field staff climb on top of roofs all day and manually measure slopes and areas, you can place an order for an aerial roof measurement, automatically populate estimates and produce more accurate paperwork to homeowners and material suppliers.

Drones are also continuing to alter the roofing landscape. Equipped with 4K cameras, personal and professional roofing drones can fly over homes and capture detailed pictures of problem spots, which your sales team can then show to your leads in order to better visualize and explain issues and communicate with homeowners. Better yet, these drones can also be used to snap pictures of potential hazardous spots on roofs, so your crews can be well informed and prepare before they set a single foot on a roof again.

Direct Connections and Integrations with Material Suppliers

How have you been ordering your shingles, nails, and gutter coil up until now? Well, just like most every other roofer out there, you probably picked up the phone, made a call to the sales rep at your local branch, chatted for a few minutes, and then went on to ordering supplies for your roofing project. The all-too-classic happens, when you ordered black shingles, but you received brown ones, and those 1” nails you ordered ended up arriving as 1 ¼” nails.

While mistakes happen, it is annoying and unnecessary in today’s technologically advanced roofing world. Now, you can place orders with your local vendors online. New software tools allow you to browse different products that your supplier offers with real-time prices. From GAF Timberline Shingles to endless house wraps and sealants, you can order anything you need for all your roofing jobs. Real time pricing ensures you get up to date prices, so you can build accurate estimates. With supplier-direct ordering, you won’t receive those brown shingles and 1 ¼” nails you never ordered, and you can show your prospect an accurate estimate of what the project will cost.

The roofing industry is changing – processes that were once tedious, annoying, and time-consuming have been streamlined and automated by software and technology that help your business operate more efficiently across all of your teams. Embracing the dynamic changes happening today may seem overwhelming and impossible to keep up but provide limitless potential as you continue to scale and grow your business.

Note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.

Technology for the Future: How Having a CRM Gives You a Comprehensive View of Your Roofing Business

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As the owner of a contracting business, it’s imperative to have a pulse on not only how your company is performing at any given moment, but historically as well.

Everything from leads, current job statuses, contracts, and finances gives you a comprehensive idea of how your company is performing – and comparing that to year over year or month over month historical data provides a snapshot of growth or stagnation.

Finding the right software for your business may seem daunting – there are a lot of options on the market, and none are guaranteed to be the silver bullet you need. When doing research, business owners should consider what they need or want to see when they think of the overall performance of their roofing company, and how a CRM might provide that overview.

Finances at a Glance:

CRM’s that include integrations to your accounting software, such as QuickBooks, can provide an immediate idea of your company’s financial performance. Comparing individual sales figures, having access to overhead, material orders, outstanding contracts, and commissions means that all of your data is compiled into an easy to digest dashboard, specific to owners who want to know where their money is – down to the penny.

Archived Data in Hand:

A business that has been around for a few years is going to have records – previous jobs, insurance forms, material orders… and all of that paperwork needs to be filed and stored so that it can be accessed by employees for reference in the future. Dealing with years of archived paperwork can be a logistical nightmare – for example – a project manager is at a job and the customer mentions work done during a previous storm. The PM would need to call the office, ask an office staff member to locate the previous files and reference the work, then relay that information back to them. All of this can take hours if your staff is busy or can’t locate the files.

Having your files stored digitally in a CRM means your staff doesn’t have to go on a paperwork expedition – your field staff can simply call up the customer’s file, right in front of them, and reference previous work – paperwork, photos, contracts, materials – it’s all there.

This immediate archive retrieval also goes a long way when it comes to personalization. A salesman can reference all of this even before creating the estimate. They can also reference notes that previous teams made – such as if the customer mentioned needing new siding, or potential gutter work “next time”.

None of this would be possible with physical paper documents back in the office.

Easier Employee Onboarding:

During times of high production, roofing companies may hire seasonal, specific trade or additional labor to supplement their increase in business. Having an easy to use, simple software program with pre-built templates ensures that these new employees are creating paperwork that adheres to your company’s protocol, as well as creating records that can be archived for future use.

Software that is intuitive means that there will be fewer mistakes, and new employees can learn quickly and hit the ground running.

Keeping Up with Technology Trends & Tools:

Technology is always changing, as the needs and tools for roofers and exterior contractors become more sophisticated. Software that provides integrations can make your job a lot easier.

Instead of maintaining several applications or accounts for all the different features you need, software that offers integrations within a single application means less toggling back and forth – ordering roofing measurements that immediately populate estimates, photos taken, annotated, shared and stored directly in the job files – these are features that save you time and money in the long run.

Inevitably, technology requires updating. CRM’s that are hosted and maintained by developers, and not your office staff, mean fewer outages, constant updates, and dedicated customer support – meaning one less thing for you to worry about.

CRM’s for Roofing Companies:

CRM’s, business management software – whatever you want to consider – is not a new technology – but the value they provide, in addition to new features being added all the time can help provide the overview roofing business owners need who are looking to make the jump from paper and Excel to an all-inclusive digital space.

Note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.

Top Roofing Technology Trends for 2018

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By: Brad Foster, AccuLynx.

As companies continue to expand within their local markets, the demand for roofing technology to support advances in business management, sustainability, and material trends has increased alongside that growth.

Companies that take advantage of new, cutting-edge roofing technology will be at an advantage as they continue to increase efficiency on the job site, as well as within their organizations through better business management processes.

Drone Technology for Roofers

Drones have taken the world by storm and have become a popular toy for all ages. Their role as a tool for roofing businesses, however, is just starting to emerge. Drones with 4K cameras allow sales teams to take detailed pictures of problem spots and identify safety hazards without having an inspector climb onto the roof, immediately reducing risk before a job begins. These images can be shown to customers to help them visually understand where repairs are needed, as well as to your crew before a job begins to make work more efficient. As drones become more advanced, their potential to be a useful tool increases, and it may be time to evaluate their usefulness to your own company.

 Roofing Safety Innovations

Safety is always a top concern for onsite crews, and steps can and should always be taken to reduce risk on a job. While protocols and careful management can reduce the potential for mistakes, accidents do happen.

Roofing technology trends that have a direct impact on the safety of your field teams can dramatically reduce common risk factors:

  • Companies like Redpoint Positioning are integrating GPS into safety equipment so that they can mark hazards by proximity and warn crew members when they may be approaching a dangerous area.
  • Other companies are putting sensors into safety vests that can detect body temperature and heart rate to tell workers when they’re starting to overheat.
  • Research is also being done to put airbags into the neck of safety vests that expand when a sensor detects a sudden vertical drop. Using computers and sensors built into equipment has the potential to significantly reduce the risk on a jobsite.

Applying Environmental Efficiency to Roofing Materials

The demand by homeowners for environmental efficiency is becoming increasingly important and its effects on the roofing industry are apparent, especially for material manufacturers. Many shingle manufacturers are creating new eco-friendly products that may appeal to homeowners financially as well as the added home benefit of reducing their carbon footprint. Reflective granules allow for shingles to reflect more of the sun’s heat, lowering air conditioning costs in the summer.

Solar panels can be inserted into roofs, but usually do not offer enough weather protection to be used as a significant building material. Building applied photovoltaics are solar panels built for roofing. They are tough enough to withstand severe weather, are tileable for easy application, and come in different types and colors for both commercial and residential uses. Work still needs to be done before photovoltaic systems will be able to completely replace conventional roofing systems, but as time goes on their potential as a green and financially viable alternative to regular shingles only rises.

Offering homeowners eco-friendly options during roof replacement or repair can help businesses increase market potential compared to other companies who do not offer specialty services.

Marketing Tools for Roofers

Companies are constantly bringing in new leads and completing different jobs, often making it a headache to keep track of the necessary information for each customer. Software for roofing companies with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities streamline this process. Newer programs are capable of tracking traditional information such as address and contact information, but also allow for searchable tags like geographical location, job timeline, or communication history.

Integration with programs such as Smart Documents and supplier pricing tools allows you to bring your office with you when meeting a customer. All of your necessary paperwork is always with you, and estimates can be constructed and altered for customers in just minutes. The ability to store customer information in a customized database greatly increases organization and ensures the customer is well taken care of.

Managing a roofing company is difficult; you have to keep track of leads and salesmen, scheduling crews, ordering materials, collecting payment, and countless other important details. Using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to combine all of these systems into a single dashboard will make this process substantially more efficient. Advanced ERP’s will allow you to track a job from lead to completion while offering tools to aid every step along the way. From cloud-based documentation to online ordering tools to Quickbooks integration, ERP’s offer limitless utility to streamline the entire job process.

New roofing technologies are constantly being invented and are changing the industry all the time. Keep an eye out for new innovative products, tools, and software that can be used to help your company grow.

Note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.

How To Get Workers To Embrace Construction Technology – Part 2

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From project management software to cloud technology, innovation is allowing contractors to do more each day.

The emergence of new technology figures prominently in all industries, construction is no different. The construction industry is booming with more work than contractors can handle and not as many resources as needed. This puts a greater onus on efficiency and accuracy. That’s where new technology has been critical.

However, new technology is only as effective as the people charged with the task of using it. Buy-in can be a challenge at times. People have achieved success performing their tasks in certain ways through the years. New technology is daunting and can feel like they are starting over. No one wants to feel that way. That’s why it’s critical to put as much emphasis on getting employees to embrace new technology as it is to implement the technology itself.

Cotney Construction Law’s Jacksonville construction attorneys touched on this by providing a few tips for getting workers to embrace new technology in the first part of this series. Here are more tips for transforming your organization.

Take a poll

The technology will be used by your employees. It’s important to understand their needs. Take a poll to find out what aspects of their job would be enhanced by technology solutions. Let those answers guide your tech investments. This will clear the path to buy-in because your employees will be getting what they want.

Show employees how new technology will affect their jobs

For employees to embrace new technology, it has to be real for them. They have to see it not as a new way to do things or one more thing to learn, but as a way to make their jobs easier. When introducing and training employees on new technology, use examples of how their jobs will be enhanced. Demonstrate benefits. This will greatly enhance buy-in for new tech.

Focus on a few functions

Most of today’s new technology, especially software solutions, have a myriad of functions. However, to someone being introduced to new software, this can be overwhelming. Focus on a few critical functions. Get workers up to speed on those and, when they are ready, introduce more capabilities.

This blog first appeared on Cotney Construction Law’s website 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.

How To Get Workers To Embrace Construction Technology – Part 1

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The construction industry has been slow to catch up with technology but that is starting to change as solutions become even easier to use and implement.

Technology is ever-present in our society and in business. We not only accept the benefits of technology, we expect it. One area of business that has been slow to catch-up with technology is the construction industry. However, even that’s changing with the emergence of project management software and tools and innovations such as drones and augmented reality that are making construction work safer and more efficient.

However, technology in construction has one major barrier. Many of its workers have an aversion to change. Some of it is generational. Some of it is because workers have achieved success through other means. However, to move forward as an industry, we must realize the potential that lies in new technology.

Cotney Construction Law’s Jacksonville lawyers have worked with numerous contractors and construction industry leaders and have seen the benefits of new technology. They also understand the importance of buy-in. That’s why they have put together this two-part guide with tips for getting your team to embrace new technology.

Find champions among employees

There are individuals that people look up to among your workers. Empower them by allowing them to test out new technology first. They will set an example for others that will make buy-in much easier. This will also give you a chance to roll out technology among a smaller group. If there are any issues, they can be resolved with minimal impact.

Training and support

It’s essential that you have a training plan prior to purchasing and implementing new software. This plan should have hands-on and online components. People learn in different ways so you have to accommodate for that. Time must be given for the training as well. This means software must be implemented at a time when your staff isn’t being pulled in a number of directions. In addition to the training, continuous support must be given to ensure that your staff has the ability to ask questions and gain a greater understanding of the software.

This blog first appeared on Cotney Construction Law’s website 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.

Drone Photogrammetry Test: Are Automated 3D Roof Measurements Accurate Enough?

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By Dan Ciprari, CEO and Co-founder, Pointivo Inc.

Roofing is one of the earliest construction segments to begin adopting the use of UAS technology for gathering measurements.

The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) has grown tremendously in just a few years. Consulting firm PwC noted in its 2016 PwC Global Report that the global market for business services using this technology is valued at more than $127 billion. The report notes that the largest single application is infrastructure, valued at $45.2 billion. As the use of UAS continues to advance, construction companies stand to benefit the most, as these solutions offer improved safety, lower costs, and better workflow integration to convert data into actionable insights.

Roofing is among the earliest construction segments to utilize UAS technology. When roof measurement reports based on aerial imagery first appeared approximately 10 years ago, the precision and reliability of aerial-based measurements were still unclear. The debate about accuracy continues, even while UAS-generated measurements have shown they can be much faster and eliminate the potential for injury during manual measurement.

Haag Engineering, a forensic and engineering consulting firm, recently completed an independent accuracy study to validate the precision of UAV-based roofing measurement workflows. These processes use intelligence algorithms to automatically extract roof geometry and measurements from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. The results were then compared to manual measurements.

How Haag Engineering conducted the test

Experienced field surveyors independently measured 13 roofs using traditional survey methods, while independent pilots flew autonomous Kespry UAVs over these roofs to capture images and generate 3D models.

The Kespry UAV was part of a proprietary UAS platform, which included autonomous UAV flight and the capture of high-resolution imagery, as well as 3D processing in the cloud. Once the 3D data was generated, it was then transferred to a 3D intelligence platform where computer vision and machine learning algorithms detected the roof structure, classified edge types, and extracted accurate geometry and measurements for the entire roof, and then generated a detailed CAD model.

These automated measurements–which included lengths for each roof edge, area and pitch for each roof plane– were then compared with the manually collected measurements. Automated measurements were rounded to the nearest millimeter and manual measurements rounded to the nearly ¼ inch, even though measurement to the nearest inch is a typical industry practice.

The roofs

Roof pitches ranged from flat to 12:12 and individual roof areas spanned approximately 10 to 62 squares.  The test included 17 buildings, totaling approximately 535 squares (one roofing square equals 100 square feet). Four of the roofs were too unsafe to measure and were verified through conventional reporting. All sloped roofs were asphalt composition shingles, the most popular type of sloped roofing in the U.S. Flat roofs were modified bitumen. All properties were located in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex.

Average variations fall well within industry benchmarks

When comparing roof area (See Figure 1), the Haag Engineering study found that for the 13 roofs that were measured, variations between the manual and automatic measurements ranged from +1.2 percent to -2.7 percent per individual roof. The average difference of 0.6 percent was within the industry goals of +/- 2 percent.  When comparing differences in absolute values, the average variation was 1.1 percent, still comfortably within the +/- 2 percent range.

Automated measurements were highly accurate on edge lengths when compared to manual measurements, and were thus shown as providing highly accurate area results.

It should be noted that these tests used GPS data gathered from sensors on the drone itself to provide scaling data. In the future, accuracy can be improved further by utilizing more precise scaling methods like ground control points (GCP’s) or RTK GPS when the need is required.

Detailed Results

The greatest roof area difference was 95 square feet (2.7 percent of the roof area) while the smallest was just 3 square feet (0.2 percent).  The roof with the greatest difference—#6—was covered by overhanging tree branches along its front edge.

Roof #9 contained a flat roof section that measured approximately 17 squares and was partially overhung by the adjacent sloped roof. However, the automated computed area for this flat roof section was still within 1 percent of the manually-calculated area.

Conclusions

Haag Engineering’s final report summed up the results well: “The automated solution proved reliable for the 13 roofs sampled, as the total area computed 99.4% accurate on average.” These results have proved the UAS can be a viable option to capture accurate roof measurements from the safety of the ground.

Furthermore, UAS enabled much faster measurement than manual means, and much safer. In fact, the original intent of the study was to measure 17 roofs, but 4 of the 17 were too slick and/or steep to reliably measure manually, without better weather and/or a rope and harness. These roofs were easily measurable by UAS.

As UAS technology continues to advance and 3D intelligence platforms become a mainstream solution, construction firms will find an increasing number of uses. Improved accuracy, enhanced safety, lower costs and improved analytics of UAS-generated data will make these solutions increasingly attractive in a wider range of applications.

 

Note: This article first appeared on the SPAR 3D website and can be viewed here.

Technology on the Roof

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth

For many when thinking of roofing, they may not think of high tech.  But in today’s age, technology is everywhere including the roof.  For excellent maintenance and service of the roof, technology has become one of the most important tools for roofing contractors.  From smartphones to tablets, the men and women who are maintaining the integrity of roofing systems across the country rely on strong communication and information.

For facility managers, maintenance portals play a significant role in allowing them to see exactly what is happening on their roofs.  Understanding that very few managers will have the opportunity to walk all their roofs, a customer portal provides a view of the roof that inspires confidence through ongoing communications, documentation and visual review.  In fact, contractors can upload unlimited photos to the portals providing real-time documentation with every service or repair call.

Customer portals are used for more than just review.  Facility managers can report a service request through the portal and track the status of the work.  Email alerts help to keep all parties aware of updates or repair requirements.  As noted earlier, the future is the speed of delivery using mobile solutions.  Contractors should utilize mobile devices on the roof to not only communicate service but to provide succinct inspection services.

By utilizing custom inspection checklists, roof service teams can quickly communicate roof issues or concerns along with the progress of the repairs.  Custom inspection reports include photos from the roof that correlate with early imagery or even satellite imagery to create a visual timeline for the facility manager.  All of this is shared through the online NRP portal providing an easy way to distribute information to management, purchasing agents or building supervisors.

Technology is no longer an option on the roof it is mandatory.  Companies are developing systems focused on customer communication.  In order to provide the best systems, service providers must have cutting-edge technology that functions effectively from the roof.  Mobile solutions are allowing contractors to be in contact faster and easier for rapid response and ongoing communications through the customer portals.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) Announces Mission

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Roofing Industry Thought Leaders Talk Technology.

A group of roofing industry thought leaders gathered at the BuiltWorlds corporate offices in Chicago, IL to discuss the future of technology in the roofing industry.  Visualized by Dale Tyler of National Roofing Partners and Heidi Ellsworth of RoofersCoffeeShop and HJE Consulting, the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) is a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry.

“Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), is a consortium of thought leaders exploring emerging technology solutions for the roofing industry, striving to inform contractors by bringing together progressive and disruptive solutions that help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry,” was the mission statement agreed upon by participants.

Matt Abeles of BuiltWorlds (www.builtworlds.com) hosted the group at their corporate offices in Chicago.  BuiltWorlds has taken technology leadership within the general contracting and architectural communities.  They believe in innovation through collaboration, to push the built industry forward.  Abeles shared, “The built world is powered by our oldest industry — one that is slow to move and slow to change. With every connection, we make and every event we hold, we’ve seen the value of starting conversations and bringing people together, firsthand like we did today with the roofing industry.”

Future meetings will be held at innovative locations that will help enlighten the group on progressive technologies that can make a difference in the roofing industry.  “It is about education and initiative to understand and then disseminate new technologies into the roofing industry,” stated Heidi J. Ellsworth.  “One of the ways to attract the new generation and a diversified labor force is to incorporate the use of technology including robotics, software, cloud solutions and cutting-edge technologies that we are not even aware of yet.”

“The next generation of millennials will demand the use of technology,” agreed Dale Tyler.  “If we want to compete for talent as an industry, we will need to create an appealing workplace.  With our dwindling workforce, we need to be on the front end of new technologies that will automate the rooftop.  Labor is just one of the urgent business problems that can be addressed with technology.”

Industry thought-leaders who participated in the first meeting included Manny DeSousa of the Flynn Group of Companies, Alison LaValley of National Roofing Contractors Association, Dale Tyler of National Roofing Partners, Heidi Ellsworth of RoofersCoffeeShop.com / HJE Consulting, Laura Threlkeld of National Roofing Partners, Paul Belair of 10X CEO Coaching, LLC, Paul Feezel of FractionalCIOGroup.com, Steve Little of KPOST Roofing and Waterproofing, Tom Whitaker of Harness, Trent Cotney of Trent Cotney, P.A. Construction Law Group, Karen Inman of Antis Roofing, Geoffrey Stone of Metal Forming, David Prokop of Metal Forming, Nick Serelis of FCS, Rick Damato of Rick Damato Consulting, William Wilkins of Pointivo, Robert  Thompson of Metal-ERA, Josh Kelly of OMG Roofing Products, Rob Foote of Roofing Risk Advisors and Josey Parks of Cognitive Contractor.  Additional companies and individuals are expected to attend subsequent meetings.

 

 

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.