Opening a roofing franchise is a smart step toward owning a lucrative business in an extremely steady industry. Before you take the plunge, it helps to know what skills will come in handy to help you succeed. But remember: Owning a franchise means you’ll always have support!
5 Helpful Skills for Opening a Roofing Franchise
If you possess these qualities and characteristics, you could be well on your way as a successful roofing franchise owner!
Leadership Skills
Hiring roofers is just a minor part of opening a roofing franchise. Keeping your crew motivated to deliver quality results is the only way to help your business succeed. To best lead your team, you will want to:
Make expectations clear. Crew members should know that you are monitoring their work at all times, and that their behavior on job sites, accountability, and customer satisfaction will all be evaluated when it comes time for a raise or promotion.
Set performance metrics. Sales teams will need set goals. Give them numbers to meet and beat, so they’re reaching for the stars every time they speak to customers. Establish and announce a reward system so they stay motivated.
Give support whenever needed. When a job is complicated or business is slow, you need to be willing to step in. Whether it requires advising on boosting sales or calling in an expert, your team needs to know you’ve got their back in good times and bad.
2. Customer Service Skills
Any roofing company can bang on a door and claim to have the best price. That’s not going to seal a deal. The way you treat customers, and train your team to treat customers, can set your roofing company apart from competitors. Opening a roofing franchise requires:
Being personable enough to gain a customer’s trust
Listening to a customer’s needs before a job begins
Updating customers throughout the job
Following up with customers to ensure they’re satisfied after the job is complete.
Addressing any concerns that are under warranty even years down the road.
Going the extra mile to exceed customer expectations will earn you the positive reviews and referrals needed to continue growing.
3. Organizational Skills
Opening a roofing franchise means entering into somewhat of a juggling act. You will have crews to actually install the roofs, but you’ll have your own hands in a lot of different baskets, such as:
Prospecting, bidding, and appointment setting
Executing contracts
Accounting/paying appropriate taxes (including sales taxes)
Managing insurance
Sourcing vendors
Securing lines of credit for materials
Operations and management
Human resources/training
All of this can sound intimidating at first, but choosing the right franchise means you’ll get the help you need to handle it all. Just remember that most roofing franchise owners don’t come to the table with experience in all of this – and still end up running highly successful businesses!
4. A Fast Learner
As we said above, you don’t have to be an experienced roofer to own a roofing franchise, but you will need to understand the ins and outs of roofing to run the business. The industry is constantly evolving, with new materials and techniques always emerging. Using online resources and industry publications will help you study all the necessary regulations and best practices. One helpful blog is RoofScoop, from the National Roofing Contractors Association.
It’s also a good idea to attend conferences, workshops, and training programs to gain hands-on experience and stay updated on technological advancements and safety protocols.
5. Motivation
This is probably the most important skill needed when opening a roofing franchise. You must believe in your business and expect it to succeed – and be willing to do all you can to make that happen!
While freedom and authority are some of the main appeals of owning a business, remaining successful requires keeping yourself in a routine and setting goals. You’ll also need to motivate your team by giving positive feedback and plenty of opportunities for development. Of course, Honest Abe will help with all of these things throughout your journey as a franchise owner.
Skills Not Needed When Opening an Honest Abe Roofing Franchise
As you can see, opening a roofing franchise does require plenty of skills when it comes to learning and growing the business. Thankfully when you work with Honest Abe, you don’t have to worry about some of the more daunting tasks of getting your business going.
Branding. Joining a reputable roofing franchise provides access to an established brand, proven business systems, and operational processes. This is a huge advantage over starting an independent roofing business.
Marketing and advertising. We offer marketing and advertising support, including national or regional marketing campaigns, branding materials, and strategies. Having marketing and ads right from the start not only saves a bunch of money; it allows you to begin generating leads immediately.
Sales training. Our sales team is here to support all our franchisees through different channels including inside informational podcasts, training videos, sales meetings, and competitive rewards.
Human resource guidance. Hiring the right people is crucial in the roofing industry. This is why we provide top-tier support in the hiring, recruiting, and training processes of your teams. We support you to guarantee success.
Vendor relations. At Honest Abe Roofing, we partner with approved vendors that provide top tier products for our brand. We provide you with connections and access to materials so you can get started.
Do You Have What it Takes to Open a Successful Roofing Franchise? Let’s Find Out!
Success in the roofing industry is achievable, but it requires more than just the desire to run a business. You will need an understanding of the roofing market, effective leadership skills, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. We can help with all of that!
We’re eager to discuss your interest in opening an Honest Abe franchise. Schedule a discovery meeting with our team today.
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