Q&A with RSS Roofing Services & Solutions

 

RC: What are the top reasons why the company is still successful? And how do they help explain the company’s longevity?

RSS Roofing Services & Solutions: Unanimously, RSS is still successful because of our employees. Our people pride themselves with the quality of work they install. Our experiences with all types of roofing gives RSS an advantage in today’s specialty market.

 

RC: Who is your longest-serving active employee? Are they or a recent retiree available to interview?

RSS Roofing Services & Solutions: Carlton McGrew is the longest term active employee with more than 46 years with the company. Second is retired employee Floyd “Smitty” Davis with 45 years at the company and might field your questions.

 

RC: What are the challenges in your market and how have you overcome them?

RSS Roofing Services & Solutions: The number one challenge today is the same challenges we had twenty years ago. Laborers! Roofing and Architectural Sheet Metal work is difficult work. The construction industry as a whole needs more qualified laborers and beginner labor sources. We can overcome this problem by bringing trade schools back into our education system. An experienced qualified roofer and metal worker will earn more in a year than many four-year college workers.

 

RC: What are the advantages/disadvantages to being a company with such a long tradition?

RSS Roofing Services & Solutions: One advantage of having a long tradition in this line of work is that we’re able to bid projects that some of our competitors may not be able to simply because of our history. We strive to be the professional roofing contractors who our clients rely on, trust and call when they need a new roof or repair. Another advantage is that we’re able to retain more employees longer because the company’s success allows us to be more dependable.

 

RC: What does having a 100-year history mean to you and your employees?

RSS Roofing Services & Solutions: This means everything to us. Our long-standing and successful history is directly related to our employees. Our employees come first and the experiences they bring to the company has made us evolve into the company we are today. Many of our employee’s fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers have been employees of RSS, and when we’re able to bring the next generation into our industry and show them the trade first-hand, our hope is that they pass the same skill down to their sons, nephews and grandsons.

For Carlton McGrew (mentioned above), his father started with RSS the year he was born. He was with the company for more than 30 years, Carlton has worked for RSS for more than 46 years, his son and the current general manager Matt McGrew has worked for RSS 15 for years, his daughter has been at RSS for more than 10 years and he has grandchildren who have worked at RSS in the Summer for the past two years. Carlton says, “Four generations at the same company is impressive! I was an apprentice with this company 46 years ago and today I’m one of the owners of a company that started in 1895. It doesn’t get much better than that!”

 

RC: What advice do have to current or future roofing contractors that can only dream of being in business for a century?

RSS Roofing Services & Solutions: Relationships are everything in this industry. The RSS team remains successful because of our professional relationships with clients, vendors and fellow contractors. However, the most valuable takeaway is to have a core group of good people with the right culture. A company’s employees must have similar values and beliefs to work as a supportive team and to help each other every day. You’ve got to love what you’re doing to do it this long.

 

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