Are you feeling the heat yet? And we’re not talking about the temperature. Late summer is a peak season for roofing businesses, a time often marked by long days of work and weeks of backlogs. But don't worry—we've got you covered with eight roofing business productivity tips to help you survive the height of roofing season.
1. Start your day 30 minutes earlier than the rest of your staff.
You might be surprised at how much you can get done by hitting the to-do list 30 minutes earlier every day. A quiet office is a perfect place to check emails, plan projects, draft budgets, and other tasks that are bound to be interrupted if you try to accomplish them during the regular workday, especially during the most intense days of roofing season.
2. Touch each paper or open each email just once.
Shuffling, whether it’s of the tangible or electronic variety, is a major productivity drain. Make it a habit of dealing with each piece of mail or message only once by 1) taking action on it right away or 2) setting up a time on your calendar to handle it later if it requires more attention.
3. Set aside dedicated time for routine tasks.
How often do you check your email each day? Facebook? All that “checking” adds up over the course of the day. Stay better focused on the task at hand and boost productivity by establishing a dedicated time for “checking in.” For example, check and respond to emails before the day starts, at lunch, and then at the end of the day.
4. Set meeting agendas.
Meetings can easily turn into black holes, swallowing valuable time from any roofing company’s schedule. Make the most of your meetings by setting an agenda and a time limit–and stick to them. Do this in a way that makes sense to you, whether that’s typing out the agenda on your smartphone or scrawling it on scrap paper.
5. Create tomorrow’s to-do list before you leave each day.
This is a no-hassle technique for surviving the busy roofing season. Establish tomorrow’s tasks before you leave the office or job site each day. When you arrive the following morning, you’ll be ready to dive right into work.
6. Consider roofing equipment upgrades to raise productivity.
Specialized roofing equipment, like the Equipter RB4000, will help your business book more jobs, finish more projects, and save wear and tear on your roofers. If you’re too swamped now to make a roofing equipment upgrade, start gathering information or rent an Equipter so you can make a decision when the schedule slows down a bit.
7. Take care of yourself.
Running yourself ragged doesn’t do you, employees, customers, or your bottom line any good. So invest time during peak roofing season to do all those things any mom would tell you to do: stay hydrated, eat healthy foods, and get some sleep. Encourage your workers to do the same—healthy roofers are more productive roofers.
8. Recharge.
Recent research revealed that a six-hour workday creates the ideal productive workplace environment. Yeah, we laughed at that one too—the reality is that most of us can’t cut back our workdays that much. However, it’s still essential to give your brain a break occasionally during peak roofing season so you can maintain productivity. Take regular brief breaks during the day to do something you enjoy: sit in the shade for a few minutes, go for a walk around the block, watch a ridiculous video, or listen to a podcast.
What other roofing business productivity strategies have you used to keep sane when roofing season gets busy? Let us know on the Equipter Facebook Page.
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