In this week’s episode, Andy discusses Maintenance and Service Contracts with Joe Keller of Triangle Building Company.
Joe owns a roofing company in eastern North Carolina, headquartered in Raleigh. Triangle Building Company initially started as a residential roofing contractor, and over time has migrated into more commercial focused. Being in North Carolina, a lot of their work revolves around handling storm damage inspections and insurance repairs.
WATCH EPISODE ON YOUTUBE
https://youtu.be/w2bRQwTxmdQ
SUBSCRIBE VIA YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST DIRECTORY
http://www.buzzsprout.com/75529
Why Maintenance Plans?
The Maintenance Plan Triangle Building Company offers is a new service strategy for them. Joe saw its potential benefit to meet the customer need and the profitable selling point for Triangle. He states, “With so many changes in 2020, this was the right year to add to our list of services.” As companies experience financial hardships, whether through wages and budget cuts or payroll and operational issues, Triangle wanted to offer a good and sustainable service for them.
When you’re sourcing potential customers in the commercial industry, you may find them to be less trusting if you just knock on their door. Will they be willing to give you hundreds of thousands of dollars for a roof replacement? Will you be able to gain their trust? So Joe and his team found a way to reach these building owners – by sparking the conversation with affordable maintenance plans.
Budgets are blown in 2020 for many businesses– yet roofs still have problems. Replacement may not fiscally be an option for some, yet with a maintenance program, you can still help building owners through this hurdle of financial hardship and gain their trust for the future as well.
But there are various factors that can cause business budgets to be cut back – political seasons, a recession, a pandemic, or any other traumatic event. Instead of looking at these downtimes as a struggle, they are the best opportunity to create a service that meets the needs of your customer, while increasing revenue for your business.
Control the Inevitable.
Joe encourages business owners to have a trusting relationship with their clients through maintenance plans. When clients allow routine access to their roof, the contractor can stay ahead of problems that could eventually become unexpected crises. It’s preventative maintenance at work! When clients allow you access to their facility on a regular basis, you can help them create a plan for the future. You will be able to provide them with the timeline for future repairs and eventual replacement, which in turns allows them to budget within those parameters.
Roofing culture is traditionally a replacement culture. A startling industry statistic is that up to 80% of roofs are replaced prematurely. This means that 80% of roofs do not last to their expected lifespan, and building owners are left in the dark about it. While most people don’t like repairs, and repairs are not always practical or financially wise, in commercial roofing the tides must turn. Replacement can be expensive – hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars. It does not all building owners needs. It’s important to read your client analyze if they’d be interested in preventative measures to keep their current roof standing the test of time.
How Maintenance Plans Help with Warranties and Insurance.
If you’re ever really bored, take a deep dive into the product warranties of your preferred manufacturer. You’ll be shocked by all the requirements needed to keep it valid. Most warranties will include some form of routine inspections for the roofs, while others go into much more detail. Contractors can tailor their maintenance programs to match the warranty of their preferred manufacturer to ensure their clients meet the requirements. If your customer has a claim down the road, they will be able to prove all necessary maintenance took place.
With insurance claims, you will have a regular, detailed report showing the condition of your roof. With homeowners, insurance is likely to pay the claim almost immediately. However, commercial roofing is a bit trickier. Having maintenance plans in your toolbelt can help your clients provide proof that their roof was in suitable condition before Mother Nature threw a curveball.
Adding Maintenance Boosts Value
A flow of income through a value-driven maintenance plan is good for the contractor as well as the customer. Having a line of service that is easy to pitch and less costly sells. Consider adding a maintenance program to your service offerings!
Contact Joe: joe@trianglebc.com and at www.trianglebc.com
SPONSOR APPRECIATION
Special thanks to our sponsor Top Roof Marketing, a full-service marketing group that specializes in the commercial roofing industry.
JOIN US LIVE TWICE A MONTH
To be part of the real-time discussion with our live audience, like us on Facebook and tune in every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 7pm ET: www.facebook.com/RocketRoofShow.