Seven Critical Points for a Successful Service & Maintenance Program

Finding maintenance program success with the right products by Jesse Martinson, JemStar Construction

Jesse Martinson of JemStar Construction knew there was a better way to protect roofs and building owners’ assets.  “It comes down to the products you use and knowing that they will perform,” states Martinson. “There is nothing worse than having a product fail and the manufacturer not standing behind the warranty.”

With that in mind, Martinson co-founded SureCoat Systems and utilized it within his own, very successful, service and maintenance program at JemStar Construction.  He wanted to be sure that he had a product that would work for his company and most importantly for his customers.  He was committed to providing a proof of concept through his own construction company first and it worked.  The results now show in the sustainability and longevity of SureCoat roof systems that have been installed across the United States.

RoofersCoffeeShop.com is excited to share Jesse’s advice on starting or growing a service program in commercial roofing.

Here are Jesse’s top seven critical points to apply to your emerging or current service program:

1. Use products that the manufacturer stands behind Use products and manufacturers that you trust.  We turned JemStar into a full building envelope service and maintenance program using SureCoat because we knew it worked.  The more we did the faster the referrals came in because the products and waterproofing performed.  I don’t have to do any marketing due to the word of mouth from building owners who would tell others that it worked for them so they knew it would work for others.

2. Document all inspections with photos. This is very important not only for communicating with the owner but for your company records and liability.  Photos should be archived with the building files so that every year there is photo documentation of the condition and repairs that occurred for that roof. Owners and facility managers want to have a proactive plan for their facility management budgets including re-roofs.  Be the contractor who can answer questions and provide solutions utilizing a strong roof inspection and reporting process.

3. Give your customer the information they need and help them understand it. By providing accurate information with every yearly inspection, facility management respect that you are taking care of the roof and not just selling them something.  Be sure to take the time to make sure the facility manager understands the ongoing needs of the roof and how to extend its life.  Many times repairs are all that is needed but when they do need a roof, you will be their first call.

4. Be proactive with yearly maintenance. By having yearly maintenance, you get the proactive preventative solution that means less emergency leaks or repairs for your customers.  When everyone else has leaky roofs, our customers don’t and that creates trust and respect for a long-term relationship.

5. Be aware of events that may require yearly maintenance earlier. Due to El Nino, we started service and yearly work six weeks early this year.  We were able to check roofs and perform repairs before we saw a drop of rain.  Our customers were happy and did not have to react when the rains hit.  They had the confidence and information that they needed ahead of time.

6. Professionalism is key. Be sure your reports and performance is proactive, providing information that facility management can use to make strong, intelligent decisions.  Timely inspections and professional reports will be shared with upper management whereas less than professional reports or photos make it harder for facility management to get approvals or be able to even work with you.

7. Create a systematic approach. Work with your team to create a systematic approach with consistent processes for your customers’ service program.  Many of the processes we have in place make a huge difference for the customer experience and overall roofing quality.  Products and warranties are an important part of these procedures and play a part in determining the forms and criteria we use to make every roof repair or replacement successful.

For more information on how to put together your own program using SureCoat Systems products click here.