7 Ways Roofing Contractors Can Maximize Their Time and Grow Their Company

By Anne Redd, Acculynx. 

How you can use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to your company’s advantage. 

With only so much time in a day to devote to growing your company, you always want to get the most out of that time. No matter the size of your company, you want to utilize the right technology that will pay off in the long run. Consider investing in customer relationship management (CRM) systems to give your company the boost it needs. 

CRM systems designed for contractors help streamline your tasks and make you more efficient. By incorporating a roofing CRM for contractors into your workflow, you can save time on your day-to-day operations and find ways to grow your company. 

Here are 7 daily tasks that can help you save time right now: 

CRM task 1 - Create estimates using aerial measurements 

Taking measurements by hand can take up a lot of time. Aerial measurements are reported to be 95% accurate and take away the need for manual measuring and entering of information. Instead of having to send someone up on the roof, you can quickly request a report from one of the many aerial measurement companies and have it sent back to you as soon as it is complete. 

Some CRMs for contractors, AccuLynx included, provide integrations with aerial measurement companies like EagleView and SkyMeasure, where you can directly order and receive reports right into your job file. This eliminates any need to jump back and forth between multiple programs and can help you streamline creating estimates and ordering material. 

CRM task 2 - Order your materials directly from your supplier 

Material orders can be a headache, especially with the supply chain delays and material shortages that have continuously occurred since early 2021. You can waste a lot of time going through your distributor’s website, looking for your material or alternatives that could work and manually entering measurements and customer information. 

With AccuLynx, you can automatically upload measurements and easily order materials through either ABC Supply or SRS Distribution without having to leave your AccuLynx account. This eliminates the need to resubmit measurements and helps you create faster, more accurate estimates. A CRM for contractors like AccuLynx helps you dramatically cut down time spent on material ordering. 

CRM task 3 - Request digital signatures 

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it was how to conduct business from our homes by interacting virtually with crews and homeowners. Digital tools can help you continue to provide the convenience of virtual service to your customers in a variety of areas, including roofing documentation. 

There are probably many documents passing between you and your homeowners throughout the initial estimation process, some of which require legally binding signatures. By using the SmartDocs feature in AccuLynx, you can create a digital version of any document you have and share it with homeowners through an email or link to request their signature. A copy of the document will then be sent to the customer, and the original file will automatically be saved to their Job File in AccuLynx for easy reference if needed. 

CRM task 4 - Send automatic text message reminders 

Did you know that 83% of customers would like to receive appointment reminders via text? Text messages are an easy way to keep everyone in the loop, no matter where they are. Since everyone has a phone on them almost 24-7, sending a quick reminder can help ensure that a customer’s upcoming appointment is top of mind without the need to play phone tag. 

This doesn’t have to take more time out of your day, either. By automating this type of text message, you won’t have to create a new message every time. Instead, you can set up triggers in your CRM for contractors that will send a text message automatically once the trigger is met — for instance, when a new appointment is scheduled. 

CRM task 5 - Virtually check-in with your crews 

It can be hard to keep track of everything that is happening onsite, especially when you’re in the midst of busy season or have multiple crews working on different jobs. Driving from one job site to another can take a lot of time and doesn’t really allow you to get real-time visibility that you would get if you were on the site throughout the project. 

With the Crew App in AccuLynx, you can have real-time visibility without leaving the office by staying connected to your crews and subcontractors throughout an entire project. In the Crew App, crews can be assigned jobs, view their schedules, access work orders and even get directions to the job sites right from the app. You can also have more visibility about what is happening at a job site by your crews uploading photos, sending messages and utilizing the checklist feature you can create for them ahead of time. 

CRM task 6 - Offer digital payment options 

Everyone loves to get paid, but tracking down payments from customers or doing extensive accounting work for each project can get tiresome and frustrating. AccuLynx came up with a solution by creating AccuPay, a secure payment processing system right in AccuLynx that can help you quickly get paid while providing more payment options for your customers. 

With AccuPay, you can manage all of your payments in one place, without having to go cash checks at the bank. Customers can pay with credit cards, debit cards and e-checks, either in-person, on the phone or online. Once you need to request payment, your customer’s payment information automatically uploads, and you will be notified whenever there is a payment. 

AccuPay also helps to simplify accounting work. You no longer have to transition between different programs or enter payments into multiple places. Instead, our CRM for contractors automatically syncs payments with your QuickBooks account and tracks payment requests right from the Job File. 

CRM task 7 - Manage each job from a centralized location 

Many contractors use spreadsheets to manage everything from lead generation to sales and production. But as your company continues to grow, this process isn’t scalable and can lead to many inaccuracies throughout their business. 

With a CRM for contractors like AccuLynx, everything from a customer’s job estimate to communication that has happened throughout the job, is saved in a customer’s Job File. This file is easily accessible for those who need to view it and helps give you peace of mind knowing that it won’t be lost or accidentally deleted. Not only that, AccuLynx has come up with a new feature, Custom Workflow, which helps you see how the job is progressing right on the homepage of the Job File. 

The #1 CRM for contractors 

AccuLynx is the #1 all-in-one CRM system to help roofing contractors save time, grow their business, and become more profitable. Schedule a custom demo to see how AccuLynx can help your business today. 

Learn more about AccuLynx in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit AccuLynx.com. 

Original article source: AccuLynx