The Heidi and Vickie Show - Hell Week-Keeping Info Updated by RoofersCoffeeShop - PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of The Heidi and Vickie Show. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast here. 

Vickie: Hello, Heidi.

Heidi: Hi, Vicky. How are you today?

Vickie: Well, I'm very good and blessed, and I am lucky and fortunate, but what a week.

Heidi: What a week! Oh my God.

Vickie: And that's why this episode, you don't know it, but I named this episode Hell Week. So, Heidi, what have we learned this week, from your perspective?

Heidi: The importance of staying in touch with all of our friends out there, and all of our partners, and the industry as a whole.

Vickie: Yeah.

Heidi: That's what I've learned.

Vickie: It's been busy.

Heidi: Yeah.

Vickie: You know, we had a webinar Thursday. We did our first Coffee Conversations Webinar so, we didn't have slide deck, we weren't trying to train anybody, we were just trying to provide information. We did it with John Kenney and Trent Cotney and I'm sure by now the entire roofing industry knows who they are. But with Cotney Construction or Cotney Construction Law and Cotney Consulting Group, did I do that right?

Heidi: That's it. Exactly. They're everywhere. They have truly been leaders in this COVID-19.

Vickie: You know that doctor that's on every single press conference in Washington, DC? That nice man that everybody likes? That's Trent Cotney, to me. I mean, if anybody knows anything going on, it's really him. And I think by... We did the question/answer format and we had a bunch of questions for him. I learned so much and I think that after this whole thing is over with, there isn't anything that he said, and John said, that would not apply to our businesses. I really feel like, at the end of this, we're going to realize where our weaknesses, the holes in our boat, were and we're all going to come out of this pretty strong. It's just the fear of the unknown causes anxiousness. We don't know what's going to happen next. We don't know how to handle it. And so, was there anything in particular that they talked about that you thought was interesting?

Heidi: I think the part that I, and it's not in any one thing that Trent talked about, but it's how he is such an advocate for the roofing contractor. And so, everything he talks about in there, he's able to really bring back down to a business point for the roofing contractors and being their advocate like telling them, You got to watch your contracts. You've got to make sure you're... The risk on the roof." I mean, he was like so blunt about certain things like, 'You need to be doing this before this date." And you can tell how passionate he and John are about helping to protect our contractors, which is where you and I are. We feel exactly the same way about that.

Vickie: Well, the one thing that John said that struck me, which we really got to think about it, now's our time to be leaders. So, the business owner needs to go out there. When he said that his one tip was to go out there and show up on the job site and be supportive, I really thought that was so important. We don't think of some of the little things that we need to do to make our employees feel secure. So, I have a neighbor that's a roofing contractor and he was walking his daughter by my house and I said, "Hey, are you okay? What's going on?" And he said the one thing is, is that his employees keep coming up to him and saying, "What should I do?" It's the insecurity of our employees that we need to pay attention to, to let them know what's going on. You know, "We've got this much business on the books and we still have the right to work." I thought Trent Cotney offering that little letter that you carry in your truck, I mean, who knew? But a letter, it's not a legal document, but here, give this to somebody that pulls you over and questions the fact that you're out. And I do agree with the fact that our guys should be still working because they're far away from everybody and we need to protect our homes.

Heidi: Well, and I think also, the contractors out there realize that it's family first and it's their employees first so, they aren't going to do anything that's going to jeopardize them. But at the same time, everyone, all the employees, all the owners, are committed to protecting their customers' buildings. I was talking to somebody this week, hail storms don't stop just because of COVID-19, rain doesn't stop, snow, leaks, those kinds of things. We still got to keep everybody safe from the elements.

Vickie: Right, right. I know this terrible to say right now, but I really think there's going to be some silver linings here. You know? It's like a little shakeup, a little cleanup, you know what I mean? I really feel optimistic about it and that we really are doing good. We only listen to the media. So, we don't really know what's going on. I'm of the more suspicious thing. I'm doing exactly what I'm told to do but I'm hopeful that it's not going to be quite as bad. So, if we don't test people, our numbers are so high. So, I'm hoping that... I see a six-month thing but you know, I know nothing.

Heidi: Well, but I think, Vicki, I think you're 100% right in that we have to celebrate the heroes, I mean, you and I see it every day within roofing, but I mean there are heroes everywhere. I saw this great thing on the news last night about all of these kids with Kindness 101 and they're giving thank you notes to the UPS drivers and the mailmen and women. They're doing such great things. You and I see it every day in the roofing industry and we have all these articles coming in about contractors. Antis Roofing down in LA, Orange County, they are delivering food in their trucks and they're collecting food and delivering it for the food banks. We had a company out of Virginia that was gathering and donating masks. Built-up roofing. I love this one. I saw they had old masks, that they had used for build-up roofing, for mopping and with the kettles and everything, that they hadn't used in a long time, but they had full masks, full protection, the hats, the whole nine yards. They're donating them because they don't do that kind of stuff anymore, but they were still in the warehouse, and they're donating them out to first responders who might need them. This is the kind of stuff that the roofing contractors are doing, that we need to... I think you're right. That's the silver lining of everyone coming together and the awesome spirit of humanity. And unfortunately, we see too much about the hoarding and the stores and not enough about what all the great things people are doing.

Vickie: Yeah. And we really try and post that stuff. I put something on the Week in Review top, the intro image and a little thing, kind of more contest-y every single week. Then, I switched it to put, "Here's where to get information." I had made the decision, starting Monday, I'm putting things that would make you smile. That's what we need. We've spent the last... Is it almost three weeks now? Putting places on our website. Getting content up so people can find anything they need on the website. So, we have a coronavirus information page and that will hopefully go away sometime. But right now, every time... Trent has amazing resources. We put a link to that. NRCA has a link to it. So, all the resources we're trying to post it and then get that information out in real-time. I want to talk about, not to skip around, but that's how I usually talk.

Heidi: And that's how we do this.

Vickie: Yeah. You know that. I skip. But another thing that we're doing is that we're pushing information out, so you have the information. But one thing that I think we don't know is, what you guys need. So anybody listening, what do you need us to do? So, we're putting a survey out. We're partnering with a company. It's going to go out Monday or Tuesday. We're putting a survey out for you to tell us what you need. And it's a little quick question/answer. I was surprised at how quickly I could do it because it's just yes or no. Do you need this or is this affecting you? So we can reach out, find more resources, write articles, do some research, for what you need and we can address it. Because what we're hearing, here and there, we're reporting to you what's happening, like this is the shutdown. This is the right to work state. This is how we should put our masks on. But we're not asking people what they need. So, that's why we're doing that. And then, of course, we have the forum which is foreign to some people because of social media, but we're going to get that built up good as a wonderful resource like it used to be.

Heidi: And you know Vicki, I would love it to have on the ownership, the leaders, the management and the roofing companies out there. I already know they are talking to their crews, but to share what the crews are thinking. Our front line men and women who are up on the roof, still protecting the country and all the buildings, and families, and businesses. What do they need, too? We know we have a lot of amazing craftsmen and women, who have their phones on the roof. Who are sending pictures in? Who is talking to us? We need to hear from absolutely everybody. I think sometimes people think, "Oh it's just the owner of the business or whatever," but we want to hear from everybody because we had one of the contractors this week say, "You know, our crews are scared. They're scared about catching this. They're scared about what's going to happen. Are they going to keep their jobs?" And so, information helps take the fear away.

Vickie: Yeah. It does. What a week. I just keep thinking about it. Thank God it's Saturday. But, I mean, we love what we're doing, of course. And we feel that this is what we need to do. I have to compliment all the people that our listeners are not going to meet. All the people that we have working for us getting all this stuff formatted and posted and we have an excellent crew and everybody feels the same way as us. But you out there listening, feels the same way we do. Your challenges are different, but...

Heidi: I think one of the things that we've really seen this week too is so many of our customers, our partners, manufacturers and distributors, and all starting to work at home remotely. It's been kind of fun. I'm on the phone with them. I'm hearing kids, I'm hearing dogs barking, all the things. I always have my dog bark in the back, partly. But it's kind of put everybody in a different place. And so, to find that friendship I think is in to say, "Yeah, we've been doing this for years. Rivers Coffee Shop is virtual." We have people all over the country working from home. It's actually kind of-

Vickie: If you ever tell anyone- Oh, sorry, I keep talking over you because we have a delay. Sorry about that.

Heidi: Go for it.

Vickie: Well, it's so funny, Karen Sharples has a cuckoo clock. And so, you won't be hearing anything, you know she's not gone because you hear that cuckoo clock in the background. So yeah, working from home. And you know, this has been said before, I would like all our... What we're talking to be so refreshing, but this is going to change us permanently. I mean, are we really going to quit washing our hands when this is over? Are we really going to quit being careful with masks? Or like the guys on the job, they probably should be... Well, they're already doing it, to keep the dust and everything out of their face. So, that's really not new, but there's going to be some changes from this that have made us really jump up technology-wise. But really, I just keep thinking about how our business is going to be better. It is exposing our weaknesses.

Heidi: I think so too. I think so too. I also think we're going to have a new way. Visiting with one of our really great folks on our site, TremCo, this week we just did a podcast. I just did a podcast with Marty yesterday and I just love her. The executive team at TremCo is still going into the office because they want to be there in solidarity with all of their manufacturing plants and the people who are working there. They have complete social distancing. Marty told me that when she leaves her office, she has to have masks and gloves on, the offices and all the doorknobs are wiped down consistently, but it really shows how that company has come together. But it's also showing now, all these people who are working from home and doing a great job, or the ones who are working at home and can't wait to get back to the office because they're going a little crazy. So, you're right. I think it's going to totally change everything.

Vickie: To look at it from a female point of view, just think of the makeup sales that are lost right now. They're probably working from home. The pajamas sales are going up. So, but that's just us. It's all about the guys in the field. The guys are guys out there working, every day.

Heidi: Yeah, we love them. And one of the things I keep hearing too is, how are we making it? How are communications improving from the field to the office where people can work anywhere? So, I think a really good example is Rackley Roofing out of Nashville. They had all those hurricanes and they talked about this during our coffee conversations this week. So, they can't stop roofing. I mean people are living with no roofs and I said hurricanes. I meant tornados. But yet, Rackley had done all of the work that they can basically, they are 100% remote. I mean, the crews can communicate with anybody. Everything's in the cloud. They have all the communication things they need. Virtual meetings, virtual everything. So, I think that's going to change for...
I think contractors are going to be looking at how to prepare their companies for these kinds of incidences and they're going to take it a lot more seriously after this. So they can work anywhere and take care of any roof at any time.

Vickie: Yeah, and the other thing besides that it is, we do have some companies that are not working. They've had their jobs canceled or they've made the option to stay at home. Now's a good time for online training. So, now we've all got a little extra time. Even if it's once we get home, we're not going out to dinner and stuff. So, we've set up an online training page so they can find it. Once again, we don't offer the training, we are providing the links to where it all is. So, that's another thing we did this week when we're talking about online because I've always wanted to provide snippets of tips so you can just see it in five minutes, of something you're interested in. Because there's always such a good way to do something. It just could be as simple as turning something a little bit before you cut it. I can't think of anything right now, but maybe the correct tips in using when we're spraying, better tips or better cleaning for pumps. Western Colloid's submitted some quick little photos on how to rebuild and clean your... Videos, excuse me. Rebuilding cleaner spray pumps. And so, things like that, now that's another opportunity that could be utilized and more positive things if we have to stay home.

Heidi: And we have the training page on Roofer's Coffee Shop, where they can go find all the links to all this awesome training, including NRCA, IIBEC, which used to be RCI. But we also have, I mean you could be lost for a whole day on our video page. We have, under Read Listen Watch, there are many great videos in there. And I am saying that, as you all know, I'm not a video person, but I do know there's a lot of good stuff in there because you've watched them all.

Vickie: Yeah. Yes, I have. But you know, mostly they're quick or if they could be more in-depth instructional, or you can actually take a class online. So, I mean, there are great ways to come out of this, ahead. We're all going to be ahead when we come out of this. Maybe not with sales backed up and maybe not with lots of money in the bank. But we will come out of this better companies. I know it.

Heidi: I agree too. And I think the roofing industry as always is going to be resilient because it's a need. It's a basic need for shelter. So, we just all got to stick together and continue to help each other. Help all the customers out there.

Vickie: Yeah.

Heidi: And I think, the podcast too, Vick, the Roofing Road Trips with Heidi along with obviously our show, that we're on right now, but those Roofing Road Trips, talking, I've learned so much talking to so many people out there. I mean, I have three coming up this week. I can't believe it. All on technology and on how to better prepare your businesses. And so, I think that's another area where there's just a lot of really smart people out there, that we're lucky enough to talk to. And so, listening to a bunch of those podcasts, you can learn a lot.

Vickie: Well, Heidi, you're so nice and you're so interested in people so, the podcast Roofing Road Trips are a little bit of a celebration to the person too. I mean, you really care about them personally and we learn about the interesting people, not just what they're trying to tell us about. You are kind of celebrating the person a little and you're super nice and you really mean it.

Heidi: Yeah, I do really mean it.

Vickie: [crosstalk 00:20:19] She really does mean it. That's not an act. If she says, "Man, you're so interesting." That's real.

Heidi: It is real. But it's roofing, we love roofing. There's so many interesting people and most two of them are our friends. You know what I always say, if you're not my friend now you will be later. So, you might as well think about it now because it's just roofing. We're all friends. I love celebrating this industry and the people in it.

Vickie: Well, I was thinking about Trent. I was walking through the house the other day and because we just got done with Trent, the Coffee Conversations. So, I was thinking about him and I go, "Was I clear about why he loves the roofing industry so much?" And he really is that, this is it. It's his industry. And then I thought to myself, well that's me and Heidi too. How did we fall in love with roofing industry? How do we spend 80 years? So, mine's over 40 years. I don't know how long but you just fall in love with the people. It's just kind of weird. I don't care about any other industry. Do you hear that, painters? No, I'm just kidding. I just alienated all the painters. No, I'm just kidding. I love painters. But my point is, we know this and we know the people and we're just weirdos about roofing. You're like, "I look at roofing pictures and I love them." I am the ultimate roofing nerd. And then, I take pictures when I go on vacation of roofs. I totally do that. And I have no pictures of my family or friends. Excuse me. Can you get out of the way [crosstalk 00:22:06] I need to get that roof. Yeah, yeah. That would be it. And so...

Heidi: Well, I think, people say that all the time. They're like, "Oh, it's just like that in all the trades. It's like that with everyone." And I'm like, "I don't know. I don't think so because I've worked, through the years, in different marketing or I've worked with HVAC, Edwards with siding. I've worked with different trades out there and I've really never experienced the comradery. You know what's really funny? The only other group that I ever felt really a comradery with, like roofing, was when I was working for Pictometry and we went to tax assessors and tax collectors association meetings. Which, I thought was really funny.

Vickie: Because nobody else likes them.

Heidi: They have to like each other.

Vickie: They have to stick together.

Heidi: That's not true in roofing. That's not the same thing. But yeah, so I think roofing is special.

Vickie: The only other thing I think I want to share, that right now with our little podcast, not to say it's little, this important podcast, is I got beat up pretty bad on Facebook this week. So, we posted pictures and we do the best we can and guys go out there and just go, "Look at that. They're nailing it too high, blah blah." I showed a picture and all the guy said was, "I'm almost to the top." There wasn't anything outwardly bad about this. Some things I can't post because it just looks like it's not installed correctly and they're proud of it. But, I don't do that. This was pretty cut and dry and he was just celebrating, he's almost done. That's all it was. Oh my gosh, I got a "Roofer's Coffeeshop, you're better than this." I mean, really guys? So, I think it's important, very important, that we watch our attitudes because I think our grumpiness, from all of this, is coming out as a little grumpiness because it's stress. No matter if it's internal, subliminal, whatever it is, we need to watch our attitudes right now because you and I, it's just been tough.  You're excited one moment because you've got an advertiser that understands how important is what we're doing and is appreciative. And then, you get a troll on Facebook telling us that we're idiots. I mean, let me tell you, I am always getting chewed up because I share a post. I'm going to tell a funny story. I thought this was funny. So, I share this post and I see this roof with all these two by four squares and these people are walking around this roof and I posted it and there were tons of these two by four squares all over.

I thought they were putting in a rooftop garden, so I posted it and said, "Oh blah, blah, blah, whatever it was." And it turned out to be, I just didn't notice, it was hard to tell, it was skylights that they were installing and all these people were walking out without any protection. The skylights were... Oh my Gosh, I got beat up so bad. I thought, "Oh, what a stupid..." I would never have done that. But, and the stupid guy who posted it, For me to look at it. And then, one more thing, one more funny story. Somebody posted a picture of a guy on a roof and for some reason, it was kind of a neat picture. I'm trying to remember what it was, more like roofing, I can't remember. He was on a steep slope rope and there was a guy out there nailing and I go, "I can't post this picture because he doesn't have any safety gear on." And then, it kept coming back to this picture and I finally looked down, went, "Oh, it's the clay model." So, I didn't want to post the picture because it wasn't even a real guy.

Heidi: It wasn't even a real-

Vickie: So, that's how we're really trying to... Go ahead.

Heidi: You know, we're not perfect. And when I'm talking to everybody out in the industry, and I think people know this who are listening to it, is that I'm the one who goes out, travels and talks to people and stuff and Vicky's really the one that makes everything happen. I mean, all the beautiful, cool pictures of, I always call it the heart and soul, is Vicky and that's what you see on the website and social media. But people ask me all the time and they'll say, "Well, what if people start talking bad about us? That our product, or whatever, company or whatever. And I said, "Well, then you just get the people who believe in you, to come onto the site or the social media and defend you." And that does happen. I mean, didn't this week, when that happened, you had some people come on and say, "Hey, that's not cool." Right?

Vickie: Right. They do. "Why are you guys being like this? Snarky," and so, there is some self policing. But since you said, as far as let's say manufacturer goes, sometimes how we respond to a negative of showing that we care, is a better selling tool than not have made the mistake or the bad thing to begin with. I don't know if I explained that right. I had my good friend, I equipped her. I remember years ago, equipped her, went on and we got a picture in and some guy goes out and goes, "I laugh at this, all you guys are just the joke that buys this or whatever." And they had 40 responses saying, "This is the best piece of equipment that we have ever had." So see, it is good, and then you learn so much more about Equipter or just actually out of a negative in situation. So sometimes bad things are bad, but when they're just being knuckleheads, we just got to get past it. And please, when somebody's being a knucklehead on social media, engaging is the worst thing you could do.

Heidi: Right. But I do like that the other contractors are like, "You know what?" They don't engage them in an argument, but they kind of say, "Hey, this isn't cool." And then, they go on to do the right things and that's a majority. We're kind of lucky. I mean, the trolls out there are just a pain in the you know what? But, we have a lot more heroes than trolls. Thank goodness.

Vickie: Oh, no. Well, I always said the roofing industry has a thousand amazing people and one bad one.

Heidi: Yeah.

Vickie: We just made [crosstalk 00:29:04]. It changes from week to week. Well, that's all. Everybody watch your attitudes. We love you and we're going to do our best, forever to try and keep in front of everything and provide you with the resources. Poke around the CoffeeShop, it's there for you. It's all for you.

Heidi: Go to the forum and tell us. Give us feedback. Tell us what you need, on this survey. I know we're going just a tad over 30 minutes, we're trying, Vicki and I were like, "We're trying to be good about this." But, I do want to say that there is tons of information going out there right now. You know, there're webinars, and there're Town Halls, and there're panels. And there's like 10 million coronavirus pages where you can get information and I think that's all-important. But I think what's more important, is the conversation. Which is why we did Coffee Conversations. We want to have a conversation with the frontline teams on the roof, with the contractors, with the distributors who were trying to get the product out, with the manufacturers who are trying to make sure that their plants are still running so that everything keeps working. It's not enough just to watch a webinar. We need our industry to be speaking up and you can do that in the forum. You can do that on social media. You can do that in our surveys or come to the Coffee Conversations and ask questions and share your stories.

Vickie: Well, also, I would like to add when this is over and you're listening to this, that all of those resources will still be there. The survey will just be... We want to know how to help you in a different area. The training will still be there. The resources with associations and it's going to change, if you're listening to this later. But just remember, we love you.

Heidi: Yeah. And that's part I love about being on the Rivers Coffee Shop with you, Vicki, is that we can give them a call just like this and we can say this is what we want to do for the industry and literally overnight we're making it happen. That is super cool to be able to. That's why I go to work every day. [crosstalk 00:31:35] That's why. I think Karen Sharples would say the same thing.

Vickie: Yeah. Okay. So, anyway, are we done?

Heidi: Thank you. We're done. Thank you so much, everybody, for listening to the Vicki and Heidi show. We're going to try to do this every week, so watch for it, listen, and let us know what you think. Thank you so much and have a great day.