4 ways to ease the impacts of inflation

By Anne Redd, AccuLynx. 

Roofing software can help you get ahead of inflation by improving customer support and offering alternative financing and payment options. 

Inflation is here and as material costs continue to rise, you might be wondering what you can do as a roofing contractor to stay profitable. While there will always be a demand for residential roofing services, pricing may still surprise some homeowners. Contractors can explain to their customers where these costs come from, offer payment options, and provide financing resources that can help them afford roofing projects. 

Roofing software like AccuLynx provides resources that can streamline the payment process where contractors can offer multiple payment options and financing. Here are some best practices to help protect your project pipeline from the impact of higher prices. 

1: Set realistic expectations from the start 

During the initial meeting with a prospective customer, it is best to be transparent about the cost of their roofing project, especially now that roofing prices are higher than they used to be. Talk to your customers about why the pricing is what it is, pitch how your services stand out compared to competitors in the industry and explain the benefits of going forward with the job instead of waiting to see if prices go down. By emphasizing your expertise and addressing the price head-on with the customer, you can help them understand why the cost is worth it. 

2: Deliver exceptional customer service 

Transparency from the start of the job about costs is essential. Show your customers how you will take care of them throughout the sales process and duration of the job. Customers want to know you will provide a high level of service, and by addressing how you will do that at the start of the sales process, you will give your customers the confidence they need to know they are being taken care of. 

Through AccuLynx’s Customer Portal, customers can easily communicate with you and know what is happening throughout the job. This feature allows homeowners to see the status of their jobs, access all essential documents, view photos, and more in real time. They can quickly communicate with you if they have any questions or concerns. By providing customer service like this and showing your potential customers you will take care of them from start to finish, they will see the value of choosing your company regardless of price. 

3: Offer multiple payment options 

Most customers prefer to pay with credit and debit because of their convenience. By offering credit as a payment option, you are giving your customers a way to pay off a job over a month or longer, depending on their interest rate and current funds. This gives customers more flexibility, especially with the high cost of roofing projects, and helps you mitigate inflation risk in roofing. 

If you are a roofing contractor who only accepts cash or check, transitioning to accepting credit, debit, and e-check payments is easy with AccuLynx. With AccuPay, AccuLynk’s digital payment processing tool, contractors can process electronic payments online, over the phone, and in person. This gives your customers the options they want and ensures that you will be paid on time. Payments are securely processed through WorldPay, the world’s largest payment processor, and automatically syncs to your QuickBooks or Sage account, making accounting easier for your office staff. 

4: Provide financing options right from the job estimate 

Providing financing options for your customers is an easy way to help them afford costly projects. With financing, your customers can pay off their projects over time in monthly installments instead of all at once. This makes high prices seem more manageable for your customers and ensures that you will always be paid on time. 

AccuLynx provides the tools to quickly offer financing through the software platform, instead of having your customers apply for loans at a bank or another financial institution. Through AccuFi, you can provide your customers with a link where they can apply for financing right from their job estimate. The application process takes just minutes, at no cost to you or them, and will not impact your customer’s credit score. If approved, your customer will have a choice between multiple competitive loans which will help ease the burden of the high costs of roofing projects and help move the project forward more efficiently. 

How to effectively maneuver increased inflation rates in roofing with AccuLynx 

Being transparent about your business’s costs and providing multiple payment and financing options for your customers will help close more deals and keep your business running smoothly and profitably. Schedule a demo to see how AccuLynx can help your business combat the effects of inflation. 

Learn more about AccuLynx in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit AccuLynx.com. 

Original article source: AccuLynx