Timberline Forum

It seems like you just can’t get away from all the grim financial news.  No matter where you go, there it is.  At work, restaurants, grocery stores, the park…it’s all people talk about.  So now, more than ever, it’s time to test your metal. What are you made of?

If you’re a roofing company in Arizona, you’re pretty scrappy.  You are likely doing better than most.  Industry news tells us roofing is not taking as a big a hit here as in other parts of the country , for several reasons.

1.  The weather.  You can virtually work year-round.
2.  The weather.  The heat here is hell on roofs which means plenty of repair work.
3.  People need roofs.  Period.  The work has to be done.  You can skimp on red meat but skimp on roof repair and you will pay dearly in the end.

So what are Arizona roofing companies doing to shelter themselves from this economic storm?  Many companies are cutting their overhead.  Many have reduced their staff and their hours.

Others have reduced benefits.  On the chopping block are 401k’s, holiday pay, dental plans, personal sick pay and employee assistance programs.

Minimizing work truck expenses is another way people are coping.  Companies are carefully planning out their routes, driving less and still others are switching to smaller vehicles.

However, they are deliberately increasing their marketing.  Not only are they touting their regular services many companies are diversifying.  They’re offering green products, adding cleaning services after installation and adding solar installations, to name a few.

But it’s not all bleak news.  This year’s International Roof Expo held in Las Vegas was by all accounts a success.  Not surprisingly, this year’s theme was “Planning ahead for a Challenging Year.”  Nearly 400 companies were there marketing themselves.  We at DB Data Inc were among those representing Sage Timberline Office.  Officials tell us 7,472 people attended, only 367 less than last year.  What does this number tell us?  Roofing companies are not giving up, they are simply preparing for the future.

“We’re very pleased the International Roofing Expo was a tremendous success for both exhibitors and attendees,” said Donna Bellantone, Director of the IRE.  “With solid attendance during a tough economy, the show continues to deliver a valuable service as the leading industry event for products, education and networking in the roofing industry.”

Daren Baldwin, President of DB Data Inc,  just came back from the Vegas IRE.  What he heard over and over is that roofing companies want ONE integrated system that will link sales with accounting.  If that’s what you’re looking for, we’d love to help.

Many companies are using this downtime to analyze the way they do business.  Upgrade their accounting system, examine the way they monitor equipment and expenses and most of all prepare for an economic upswing.  When it comes, and it will, many companies want to be prepared.  Now is the time to implement changes.  There is more time to incorporate new software, new technology and new ideas.  People are more open to change, especially if it means continued employment and longevity for their employers and themselves by default.  Take a good hard look at the way you do business.  Can a new accounting system better prepare you for the future?  Can you implement tracking devices and field devices now so when the busy time comes, you’re ready for it?  In the end, streamlining your business, improving your ways of tracking finances and investing in the future, are all things you, the business owner, can stay focused and bring clarity to the current situation.

This economic storm will pass – question is — will you be ready?

At the January 2009, International Roofing Expo at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, I spoke with several owners of roofing companies about the software they use for cost accounting, estimating and project management.  In a couple of the breakout training sessions, there was a general agreement that Sage Timberline Accounting is recognized as the best cost accounting software for medium to large roofing companies.  This made me happy since I represent Sage Timberline.  There was also alot of rumblings about consolidating all of the various softwares into a single integrated software that can handle processes of a typical roofing company.  For example, roofing companies need Customer Relationship and Sales Tracking software which is commonly referred to as (CRM software).  CRM software is more important to Residential Roofing companies opposed to Commercial Roofing companies.  These companies would love a solution that allowed the CRM software to track and create sales proposals and then flow seamlessly into the Cost Accounting software if the work is awarded.  From here, the accounting department can buy the materials, manage the job and bill the client. 

There is a little known solution using a software created by EnablingIP that connects Sage CRM to Timberline.  You can attend a webinar on their website www.enablingip.com or contact www.dbdatainc.com