The ultimate guide to roofing CRM software
Whether your roofing company recently implemented a CRM or is considering it for the first time, there’s a lot to understand in order to ensure success. Getting started can be intimidating with so much information to digest, but AccuLynx is here to help.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything there is to know about roofing CRM software. We’ll break down all of the basics–from sharing what features and integrations to look for, to providing best practices that will help you maximize your roofing software investment.
Roofing software 101
What is roofing software?
“Roofing software” generally refers to cloud-based technology specifically developed to help roofing businesses efficiently manage different functions and tasks. Roofing software can take many forms. Some software includes CRM components.
What is a roofing CRM?
A roofing CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a type of business management software that is designed around the needs and workflows of the roofing industry. This version of a CRM provides roofing businesses the tools they need to manage their:
- Sales pipeline
- Customer data
- Billing information
- Material orders
- Production
- Reporting
CRMs for roofing vs. standard CRMs
Standard CRMs generally allow businesses to manage customer information, track activities, look at project statuses, run some basic reports, and view leads. While roofing CRMs do many of the things standard CRMs do, the user interface, features, and functionality are specifically built around a typical roofing business’ workflow.
The best roofing CRMs allow businesses to manage everything from an initial lead to a final invoice, including:
- Managing leads and opportunities
- Creating estimates and contracts
- Managing documents and photos
- Automating and tracking communication
- Ordering materials and aerial roof measurements
- Managing production
- Scheduling labor and deliveries
- Collecting payments
- Reporting on sales performance
Who uses roofing CRM software?
Roofing CRM software isn’t just for business owners–it benefits everyone in the company. From sales teams in the field, to the production team and the office staff, it helps keep each department connected from start to finish.
The best roofing CRM features and functionality
Lead management
It’s easy for lead information, documents, communication, etc. to fall through the cracks–meaning a missed opportunity for additional revenue. A roofing CRM can help roofing contractors effectively manage their sales pipeline, increasing closing rates.
With a roofing CRM, every detail and activity for each contact in the system is tracked, giving a clear view of where your leads are in the sales process. This allows the sales team to focus their selling efforts on the right opportunities and always know what comes next.
Roofing crew scheduling
Roofing contractors can easily check crew availability, schedule labor, and share key project details with teams. In the case of project delays or updates, contractors can use CRMs to automatically notify crews of important changes.
Roof estimates
With a roofing CRM, salespeople can create estimates in only a few clicks. The best CRMs allow teams to use templates that automatically pull customer information, measurements, and material pricing to ensure accuracy.
Roofing material orders
Having to place orders to a distributor by phone takes extra time that most roofing contractors don’t have. Roofing CRMs with integrated material supplier ordering can cut out the extra steps by allowing contractors to access real-time product catalogs to build estimates, place orders directly, and track the material delivery status.
Mobile apps
Roofing apps help roofing contractors manage their customer/project information from anywhere. Contractors can use their CRM’s app to review daily tasks and notifications, enter leads, access job files and estimates, order aerial measurements, and more, from a phone or tablet.
Customer portal
Homeowners have questions about their project at all hours. A customer portal allows homeowners to have a central place to see project details and documents, request and process payments, exchange messages, access financing, and more.
Customer portals also improve the homeowner experience by providing them with the self-service capabilities they want.
Roofing project management
A roofing CRM can keep teams organized and in the loop with what’s happening as the project moves through from different milestones including estimating, scheduling, pulling permits, ordering materials, scheduling crews, monitoring progress, and communicating with the homeowner.
Communication tracking
Communication can be a challenge when different departments handle different parts of the process. With a roofing CRM, emails and texts can be sent and tracked in a central location, so anyone associated with the job can review the conversation. Plus, teams can message each other in the system and get notified when others respond.
Sales commissions
With a CRM, there is always a record of what’s been earned, approved, and paid in the system, ensuring the sales staff is compensated correctly. Business owners can set commissions and profit margins, and sales people can see their earnings on each job.
Roofing company reporting
As a company grows, it can be difficult to maintain visibility using only spreadsheets. Roofing contractors can stay in the loop on the information that is most important to them and their roofing business by taking advantage of customized reporting tools within a CRM. Some CRMs for roofing even offer pre-built reports to help track and view job progress, permits, material orders, billing information, estimates, and more.
Permits, supplements, and mortgage check tracking
When a contractor submits permits or insurance claims, they can track where they are in the process of being approved or when they’ll be received right in their roofing CRM. This makes it easy for all crew members to reference job-related documents.
Roofing CRM software integrations
Switching between different systems for day-to-day activities can be time consuming and create information silos that make it difficult to keep track of project information. Integrations simplify information handling by allowing key systems to easily pass information back and forth, and store it all in one place.
Integrations with roofing CRMs can vary, but popular integrations include billing/accounting systems, material suppliers, and aerial measurement providers.
Benefits of CRMs for roofers
Improved accuracy, less human error
Humans aren’t perfect. We can easily miss or invert a piece of vital information. With roofing software, these kinds of errors are no longer as common.
Having a single source of truth where everyone in your business can access the latest photos, material orders, aerial measurements, billing details, and more, can ensure accuracy throughout projects.
More staff accountability
From business owners to office staff to field teams, it’s important for everyone to make sure they are doing what is required and not holding up projects. When teams begin using a roofing CRM, it is much easier to hold staff accountable and get ahead of potential issues since everyone can see where the project stands and what needs to be done next.
Easier performance tracking
The best CRMs for roofers give a clear picture into the most vital business information so contractors can make more informed decisions about their operations. Roofing CRM software that offers a variety of pre-built, customizable reports and dashboards will allow them to better visualize their data and be able to make more informed decisions.
Hours saved each day
Roofing CRMs help businesses save time by centralizing information, automating tasks and communications, reducing double data entry, and cutting out unnecessary third-party applications. All team members can benefit from eliminating unnecessary administrative work so that they can focus on high priority tasks.
Using roofing CRM software vs. creating your own system from scratch
One question that may arise is: Why pay for a roofing CRM if I can manage everything myself, the same way I have been? At some point, Excel Spreadsheets might not cut it anymore. You may think the solution may be to invest in a custom roofing job management software.
While you may think this method is a good option, roofing contractors should be sure to consider all of the factors that go into the creation of complex CRM system, including:
Cost
When you create your own roofing CRM, you’re responsible for costs associated with developing and maintaining it.
Time
It could take months to design and build a roofing CRM by yourself and have it perform the way you envision it.
Resources
Having an individual(s) with the skills to maintain and troubleshoot any technical issues may be a challenge.
By choosing a pre-built solution, roofing contractors have most of this taken care of for them through their subscription. Roofing software providers like AccuLynx handle software updates and customization. They also have innovative teams that are constantly releasing new features and integrations to help contractors make the most out of their software.
AccuLynx’s roofing CRM software
Since AccuLynx is a CRM built specifically for roofing, it’s easy for contractors to use. By streamlining and organizing every aspect of a roofing company, AccuLynx enabled contractors to focus on growing their business.
Our software is also packed with powerful features that simplify work while increasing productivity and profit. With AccuLynx, contractors can:
- Track leads and tasks
- Manage photos/videos and documents
- Create estimates and contracts
- Send and receive texts
- Collect payments
- Schedule labor
- Manage projects
- Run reports
- Automate email, texts, and tasks
- Offer homeowner financing
- Schedule labor
- And more!
AccuLynx also integrates with the tools and suppliers that contractors use everyday including:
- ABC Supply
- Beacon Building Products
- SRS Distribution
- EagleView
- GAF QuickMeasure
- QuickBooks
- HailWatch
- CoreLogic Hail Maps
- And more!
Implementing the best roofing CRM
Getting your company on board
Employees might not understand the need for software if they’re not aware of performance and business goals, but it’s important for the whole company to improve processes in order to see results.
Making sure the entire team is on board and fully adopting the new technology is critical to realizing a return on investment.
Patience and practice are key when promoting consistency with new roofing software. But it’s important to continuously remind staff members that this change has big benefits.
Training and support
When a business purchases new technology, some software companies provide hands-on support and training at the beginning, while others may just offer documentation to help get started. Regardless, the initial onboarding process requires coordination and time at the beginning.
On-demand training and support is something a roofing CRM software company can provide. They may have training specialists on standby to help walk your team members through any specific features they’re struggling with or address any questions about functionality.
Training and support will help everyone get in the habit of being consistent with the new software.
Once everyone gets the hang of using the roofing CRM software, it’s time to start reaping the benefits.
See a demo of AccuLynx’s roofing CRM today
Contractors that use AccuLynx see a 32% profit growth on average after just one year, and save each user nine hours per week. Sign up for a 30-minute demo and see why AccuLynx is the #1 roofing CRM software available.
Frequently asked questions about CRMs for roofing
Before making an investment in new technology, it’s common to have questions. As the leading all-in-one roofing software, AccuLynx has helped thousands of contractors simplify their processes and grow their businesses. Here’s some of the most common questions roofing contractors ask: