PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: EagleView

In a recent conversation with EagleView, a contractor explained how his company now delivers projects without ever seeing the customer face to face: “Two years ago, you would have thought we were crazy to try this, but now, we go from initial sales meetings, to estimates, to project delivery without physically meeting with the customer.”

This virtual business landscape was becoming the new normal long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Recall the first time you used a rideshare app, like Uber or Lyft, instead of standing in line for a taxi? Using your phone, you had to prepay for a ride from a stranger, who was driving their personal car, which you couldn’t see, while hoping they would find you quickly, and then they were supposed to drive you to an address they had never been to. What seemed like a crazy idea at the time has proven to be more efficient than the old way, and now the entire industry has adapted. Who would have thought that the long-standing taxi industry could be so disrupted by technology?

Similarly, there are technology trends that are fundamentally transforming the construction industry.

The homeowner is changing.

Over the years, people have become accustomed to researching and buying online. Buyers have less time, and little desire, to meet with multiple contractors face to face just to get an estimate on a project, and they expect to gather much of a project’s detail using their phone and PC before having their first conversation. Contractors need to know a lot about their customer and the project before their first meeting.

The contractor is changing.

Handwritten notes, spreadsheets and manual project tracking is slow and error-prone. Contractors are now building their businesses on CRM and ERP systems that are specifically designed for the construction industry. This allows companies to deliver jobs faster, which allows them to take on more customers.

The process is changing.

Manual site visits to gather measurements have been replaced by aerial images that produce precise property data, including dimensions and other critical details. Scheduling a site visit and driving trucks to a remote location, getting up on roofs and stretching tape measures have been replaced by sourcing property images and reports that are delivered directly to your email.

The sales methodology is changing.

It is too expensive to spend time calling on unqualified leads. Sales reps need to meet with the right customers at the moment they are ready to engage, and be able to answer detailed questions about a project ahead of time.

Construction companies and contractors that embrace these trends will gain a competitive edge, and those who resist will fall behind. That’s why IKO is dedicated to aligning our ROOFPRO members with partners like EagleView, which can help them adapt and grow their business.

EagleView uses high-resolution aerial imagery and patented software technologies to create 3D models of homes, resulting in roof dimensions and dynamics that are much more detailed than what can be derived from satellite images and manual measurement methods. EagleView reports are highly integrated with today’s leading CRM and ERP tools, making precise property structures seamlessly integrated into project workflows.

By using this service, contractors have more time to focus on their businesses and generate more sales. IKO ROOFPRO contractors are automatically eligible for EagleView’s Gold-level pricing. All a contractor needs to do is create an account on https://www.eagleview.com/, then contact Customer Service at 866-659-8439 or contractorsupport@eagleview.com and mention they’re an IKO ROOFPRO Contractor.