Jobba Trade Technologies’ Chief Executive Officer, Scott Keith, was asked to answer questions for Roofing Contractor Magazine’s July issue, which was technology focused. Scott spoke with Art Aisner, Editor-in-Chief at Roofing Contractor, about what’s ahead as a tidal wave of technology floods the roofing industry.
The influx of technology entering the roofing industry offers various solutions to real-world problems for contractors with the hope for future growth and sustained success. To maximize it, roofers need to make the right decisions at the right time, which is easier said than done. RC asked several leaders in the roofing technology space about equipment currently on the market, how it’s helping roofing contractors, and what’s trending for the future. Here’s what Scott had to say.
Roofing Contractor (RC): Describe the current state of the roofing industry and how tech is helping.
Scott Keith (SK): Despite the consistent demand, the roofing industry still faces challenges, such as labor and material shortages. Another big challenge for the industry is the rising costs of building materials. Interestingly, so much technology has flooded the market in such a short amount of time, almost in response to the issues. As an industry, we need to take the time to understand what each piece of tech does for an individual company, whether it be roofing materials or the business management solutions that help run a company. We [find] that with every new piece of tech created to solve a problem, [a new] problem [arises]: technology not working or talking with one another. The disparate systems [become] actually less efficient — the exact opposite of what technology was supposed to be helping in the first place.
RC: With so many technology choices in the marketplace, how do roofers best assess their return on investment?
SK: I would suggest solving for the big picture, not just buying for one person or department. Often, we see companies with several software solutions that do not complement each other or work together. All these apps add to the complexity but don’t produce system-wide benefits, [which] is why the majority of solutions don’t reach their potential. When you work with a technology provider, asking and answering questions about your company is critical: What processes are currently working or not? What areas need improvement? What are our company goals?
RC: What areas of tech are growing within the roofing industry?
SK: In recent years, the marketplace has shifted toward tools that require fewer in-person touchpoints. This [shift] is clear in the widespread adoption … of digital roof measurement and proposals. These tools enable roofers to streamline sales and provide consumers with the fast, digitized experience they desire.
RC: Where can technology make the most significant impact in roofing?
SK: Technology can enhance business management and communication processes in roofing projects. The right technology that includes analytics will help you make timely, informed decisions, affecting your bottom line and ROI. We need to make sure the data is standardized and related to all applications a company is using to make sure the end-to-end results are delivering great benefits.
RC: Roofers will regret not doing ____________ now regarding technology.
SK: The two biggest regrets roofers will experience a few years from now are avoiding all technology and adopting too many applications. If roofers avoid all technology, they will work twice as hard to manage their business and meet property manager KPIs as peers of similar size, especially as subcontracting grows.
RC: What does the roofing tech landscape look like in 5 to 10 years? Will we recognize the industry?
SK: The roofing tech landscape will be unrecognizable. Some advances in the next five to 10 years could include sustainable and energy-efficient roofing, advancements in “smart” roofing systems, augmented and virtual reality, enhanced safety measures, and digitalization and collaboration. These advances that once seemed “new” or “different” will soon be more on trend and the norm within the roofing industry. We may not know exactly what to expect, but we are excited to see the roofing industry embrace technology and become more efficient than ever.
Thanks, Roofing Contractor and Art for allowing Jobba to voice our opinions on the changing technology landscape that is occurring in the roofing industry. For the full article: Click Here.
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