Roof Repair Experts: 3 Ways Partnership Beats Quick Fixes

(UPDATED)

Your roofing system is a critical component of your commercial property — you need it to perform well so it protects your property and everything in it. So when something goes wrong and it needs to be repaired, it’s best to choose roof repair experts who take a partnership approach instead of a quick-fix approach.

A partnership approach is built on honesty, trustworthiness, and availability.

Honesty

You’re much more likely to get straight-forward, honest answers and opinions from roof repair experts who want to be work with you for the next 10 or 20 years. Unlike contractors interested in quick fixes, partners don’t offer cookie-cutter advice or solutions that benefit their bottom line more than yours — they know that won’t earn your repeat business, nor should it.

You can identify honest roof repair experts when they:

• Offer you alternative solutions to your problem
• Answer any questions you may have
• Explain the “why” behind the “what”
• Aren’t pushy
• Don’t try to upsell you or talk you into a making big decision on the spot

Honest roofing contractors are rewarded by customer loyalty and a growing customer base. That’s why the length of time a roofing contractor has been in business is a good indicator of how well it runs the business.

For example, at Sentry, we started working with a popular restaurant chain about 10 years ago. When the regional facility director left that chain to work for another chain, he brought Sentry along. He told us he wants to continue to use our services because he appreciates that we tell him the truth, offer valuable alternatives, only recommend work that really needs to be done, and give him advice that benefits his bottom line.  

Trustworthiness

We’ve all been there — an “expert” shows up, looks at your problem, and gives you a convincing sales pitch. Then, after doing the work, the results don’t deliver. Or the work wasn’t completed in the way you were promised. Or the work took longer to complete that you were told, or you were charged more than you were quoted. There are lots of ways to lose trust in a contractor!

Trustworthy roof repair experts:

• Are reliable
• Tell instead of sell
• Do what they said they were going to do
• Charge what they said they were going to charge
• Do the job right the first time
• Stand by their work
• Fix anything that’s not right ASAP

They want you to be happy, and they know their reputation is on the line.

They also know that each interaction with you either builds trust or chips away at it.

When you trust your roof repair experts, handling a new repair is as simple as picking up the phone. You can delegate it and forget it. Even if you manage many properties located all across a metro area, having a roofing partner you can trust who makes problems go away at a fair price makes your life a whole lot easier. That’s what our clients tell us — and the more properties they have, the more headaches they don’t have because our crews have their backs.

Availability

A partnership with the right roof repair experts ensures your roof will get attention when it needs it. Roofing contractors can have lousy reputations — sometimes they’re available, other times you have to wait. And wait. You can even have to wait for a return phone call.

You want to form a partnership with roof repair experts who:

• Have a big enough staff to be able to respond to your needs
• Send professionals with the right skill set for your problem
• Have materials on hand
• Provide high-quality craftsmanship every time
• Give you sound advice no matter how busy they are
• Go out of their way to work within your schedule, even if it’s unusual

Quick-fix contractors aren’t very interested in long-term business relationships, so they’re not very interested in being highly available to you. Interactions are more like transactions, so if something goes wrong down the road, you need to get in line and they’ll get to you when they can.

Conversely, contractors who take a partnership approach want to cultivate the strongest relationship possible and treat you like you’re important. Because part of providing expert roofing services is providing expert customer service, too.

During the holidays when everyone is traveling, guess where reputable roofing partners are? Ready to solving roofing problems — just like they are at every other time of year.

One of Sentry’s biggest clients is the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Last year, while the roof over the main security checkpoint was under construction, there were torrential rains on Christmas. Our guys were out on the airport roof 24/7 making sure that the entire construction area stayed water tight. And we do the same for any size job if we need to. That’s not the kind of availability you get from contractors who value a quick fix over a partnership.

Roof repair experts who are worth your time and loyalty will:

• Learn about your goals and priorities
• Deliver customized services based on what you really need
• Train their crews continually so they’re always honing their skills
• Provide recommendations for seasonal preparations and maintenance
• Explain key roofing concepts so you understand the repair strategy
• Develop life-cycle plans to help keep your costs low
• Help with your budget approval processes, if necessary
• Offer strategic advice about re-roofing, when needed
• Focus on a long-term commitment to you and your property value
• Be honest, trustworthy and available at every opportunity

For more than 30 years Sentry Roof Services has been building exceptional business relationships based on a partnership approach. The experience is much different from what you get with a quick-fix contractor. We’re family-owned, ethical, and we take a lot of pride in our work and the partnerships we build. And we’re proud to have been working with some of the same customers for literally decades.