King's Corner: Profitable Maintenance Departments
In a tight economy in which building owners are hoping to stretch every dollar, roof maintenance might be more important than ever.
In a tight economy in which building owners are hoping to stretch every dollar, roof maintenance might be more important than ever. At the recent Roofing Contractor Best of Success conference, the message from those leading the panel on roof maintenance was simple: Service work can be among the most profitable in the industry - if it’s done right. Bruce Fryer, Chief Executive Officer of Fryer Roofing Co. in Fresno, Calif., and Dane Bradford, President of Bradford Roof Management in Billings, Mont., shared tips on running a successful maintenance department based on their own experiences.
They identified three basic keys to successful administration of a maintenance department:
1. Separation from other roofing activities. “Whenever possible, separate personnel, equipment, mid-level administration and material storage areas,” said Bradford.
2. Standardization of processes and procedures. “Standardization of forms is key,” said Bradford. “So is record-keeping. If you’re serious about this stuff, invest in a computerized record-keeping system.”
3. Communication within and outside of the company. “Hold regular meetings and train, train, train and train again,” said Fryer.
“Build relationships with customers. Become known as great problem solvers. This makes our service guys great salesmen. They identify problems on the site and it results in more work.”
“I don’t have a better sales force than my service crew,” concurred Bradford. “And in an era where sustainability is important, nothing is more sustainable than repairing a roof and extending its service life.”
Dane Bradford (left) and Bruce Fryer conducted a seminar on roof maintenance at the Best of Success Conference.
In a tight economy in which building owners are hoping to stretch every dollar, roof maintenance might be more important than ever. At the recent Roofing Contractor Best of Success conference, the message from those leading the panel on roof maintenance was simple: Service work can be among the most profitable in the industry - if it’s done right. Bruce Fryer, Chief Executive Officer of Fryer Roofing Co. in Fresno, Calif., and Dane Bradford, President of Bradford Roof Management in Billings, Mont., shared tips on running a successful maintenance department based on their own experiences.
They identified three basic keys to successful administration of a maintenance department:
1. Separation from other roofing activities. “Whenever possible, separate personnel, equipment, mid-level administration and material storage areas,” said Bradford.
2. Standardization of processes and procedures. “Standardization of forms is key,” said Bradford. “So is record-keeping. If you’re serious about this stuff, invest in a computerized record-keeping system.”
3. Communication within and outside of the company. “Hold regular meetings and train, train, train and train again,” said Fryer.
“Build relationships with customers. Become known as great problem solvers. This makes our service guys great salesmen. They identify problems on the site and it results in more work.”
“I don’t have a better sales force than my service crew,” concurred Bradford. “And in an era where sustainability is important, nothing is more sustainable than repairing a roof and extending its service life.”
