Drones, data and determination

By Jesse Sanchez.

How technology and strategy are reshaping roofing service.

Service and maintenance are becoming critical drivers of success in the roofing industry, as highlighted in this episode of Roofing Road Trips®. Hosted by Heidi J. Ellsworth, this conversation with industry leaders Greg Hayne, Chad Westbrook and Kerrick Willis explored the evolution of service strategies, the integration of technology and the leadership required to drive these changes.

Greg Hayne of Hayne Coaching Group kicked off the discussion by sharing the growing importance of service departments. “I think that what I noticed probably three or four years ago, standing at my booth at the IRE, is that there was a definite uptick in interest by commercial contractors in building a better service department,” he noted. Greg has spent over 15 years helping contractors enhance their service operations through training and peer groups. His approach stresses that service isn’t just about fixing roofs — it’s about creating lasting customer relationships. “Service is what you'd give to a customer. And frankly, it has nothing to do with roofing,” Greg explained.

Chad Westbrook of Service Alignment added depth to the conversation, reflecting on how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for service divisions. “When COVID came into play, I was sitting as a leader within a commercial roofing company and all of our capital went away and it didn’t change the fact that we still had employees, we still had an operational business to run and service was really the backbone of that,” Chad shared.  

The conversation also touched on the transformative role of technology in roofing service, with Kerrick Willis of GeoSpatial Integrations spotlighting the power of drones. “We basically integrate drones in commercial roofing companies to show you that it’s no more than a tool in your tool belt,” Kerrick stated, expressing their ability to improve safety, efficiency and data collection. For contractors hesitant about adopting new technologies, Kerrick provided reassurance: “If you can use a cell phone at all, if you can use a smartphone pretty well, you can use a computer, you can use and do all these things we’re doing.”

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how integrating advanced service strategies and technology can transform your roofing business!

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