How to sell roofs 24/7: The future is e-commerce

By Dani Sheehan. 

Technology is here to stay, and the shift towards virtual continues. Don’t get left behind in a society that wants everything at their fingertips. 

Did you know that Sting’s “10 Summers” CD was the first item ever purchased via e-commerce? Or that Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks purchased a $40 million private jet completely online? Newly promoted CEO and co-founder of ROOFLE, Travis Harvego, shared these fun facts and more during his presentation for the Roofing Contractors Association of Washington (RCAW) 2023 fall annual membership dinner. In their first year as a company, they’ve been able to gain over 600 users on their platform. 

Travis began his presentation with a reminder of the old way and how far our technological advancements have taken us so far. He starts, “You probably remember files, paper files. We go in the office; you have the little plastic sleeves on the wall probably... Pretty much everybody in here uses some sort of CRM to where now everything is digital.” 

Drones and AI can now detect damage without needing a person to perform a physical inspection on the roof, and in a pre-covid society, in-home appointments are increasingly being taken virtually. ROOFLE began with an observation of these changes and the roofing industry’s emphasis on in-person selling. Travis explains, “In 2019 we went out and said, ‘What’s the next greatest thing to come from the industry?’ We said, ‘Is e-commerce possible?’... We then took that technology, put it into a website where the homeowner was allowed to come to our website, and they were able to purchase their roof 100% online.” And it worked. He continues, “We did that for three years, did about $6 million in revenue over that period 100% online. Brand new company, no reviews, no physical location. All we had was technology and the ability for them to be able to shop online 24 hours a day.” 

There were two major takeaways from this venture. First, 80% of their business came between 9 p.m. and midnight when homeowners might have the time to think about new projects, but roofers aren’t available to meet or answer questions. Second, there was now proof that there has been an increasing demand for virtual. According to Travis, everyone should want to sell online. While it forces your company to be more transparent about pricing and improve your numbers or processes, it has great potential. Transparency will build greater trust. From there, you’ll increase your lead opportunities, and you can target the younger generation. When you streamline your sales with e-commerce, you’ll have more time to focus on other aspects of your business, and you’ll be growing even bigger in no time. 

Ready to add e-commerce to your business? See how ROOFLE can help you grow your business, improve your customer experience and build a unique brand your customers will rely on.