Building resilience amid uncertainty

By Dani Sheehan. 

From customer communication to sustainable roofing systems, prepare your business to adapt and grow. 

Despite recent economic uncertainty and industry turbulence, Will Lorenz, president of General Coatings Manufacturing Corp, believes Americans – and roofing contractors in particular – are resilient. In a recent CoatingsCast™, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Will to talk about how contractors can remain strong in a shifting market. 

During uncertain times, roofing decisions become more complex for building owners. Budgets tighten. Priorities shift. “You have to have a good understanding of what your clients want and what they can afford,” Will said. “Part of that is educating — ‘Hey, you can do this today’ or ‘You can’t do this until next year’ — and offering solutions that align.” When you build strong, communicative relationships with your customers you are in a better position to offer budget-friendly options, like maintenance programs or restoration systems, that help building owners make smarter decisions early without compromising long-term performance. 

But building relationships doesn’t only occur outwardly with your customers. A resilient business invests in their own crew and focuses on refining operations to constantly move the needle forward. “They’re looking at their labor pool and making sure that they get trained, qualified people. They’re making sure their business practices are sound and that they’re not wasting money,” Will explained. “These times cause people to put the car into overdrive rather than into reverse.” Whether it’s training crews on new application methods or gaining certifications to offer new systems, investing in education is a smart business move. Contractors who grow their capabilities and offer specialized services are better positioned to weather the ups and downs of an uncertain market. 

One of those specialized services is roof restoration, which continues to be a highly appealing alternative to full replacement – especially when budgets are tight. Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is a restorative solution that checks many boxes: “Don’t open up your contents. Improve your waterproofing. Save energy. Put a couple inches of spray polyurethane foam over most existing roof systems... and now you’ve extended the life of your roof and made it durable, structurally sound and high performance,” Will offered. 

Ultimately, the roofing industry is built on American grit, innovation and problem solving. When you take the time to understand customer needs, invest in training your crew and embrace sustainable, restorative solutions, you’ll continue to grow your business no matter the economic conditions. “We have a lot of aging buildings that we need to take care of,” Will shared. “Whether they’re school buildings, commercial buildings or our government buildings, we need to make sure that they’re sustained and continue to serve the purposes that we invested in them.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the webinar to hear more great tips on embracing uncertainty and building a resilient business.