President John F. Kennedy was quoted as stating what should seem quite obvious to those of us who make a living in the roofing industry:

"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

President John F. Kennedy was quoted as stating what should seem quite obvious to those of us who make a living in the roofing industry:

"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

We are not, however, unlike anyone else in this regard. We get so wrapped up in the heat of each day's battles that we sometimes forget to plan ahead. The summer season of hailstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes is upon us. The time to make plans to deal with disasters is not sometime soon, but right now.

The purpose of this brief note is not to give you an exhaustive list of things you must do to plan for the changes that will come to your business as a result of natural disaster, but simply as a reminder to make a plan. This publication goes out to roofing contractors across the nation, and you all face different types of weather issues. For the most part, I suspect you know what a great disaster recovery plan would look like, but have you have taken the time to make one? Failure to plan may end up costing you considerable time and money when disaster strikes.

Put it in Writing

Take an hour to sit with your key people to discuss disaster recovery and form a written plan. Formulate some simple questions and come up with rational answers and plans to deal with the possible consequences of a natural disaster. Consider questions like, "What do we do if our shop is blown away - computers, records, equipment and all?" or, "How will we respond to our customers' needs if they all have a problem at once?"

You may find that the answers to some basic questions will provide opportunities to take some pre-emptive actions. You may want to reach out to your key clients and provide them suggestions or instructions on what to do to prevent trouble on their roof. It may involve you providing them with some inspection services (now, while the sun is shining). You may have a talk with your key suppliers to gain commitments for service and availability in the event of supply issues resulting from weather activity (even if it does not directly hit your market). It will not hurt to share plans with all of your constituents to let them know you are thinking ahead.

JFK was right. Some simple planning when the sun is shining could save your business.

Let's Hear From You

We need to hear from you about what is happening in your world. Roofing Contractor is making plans to feature the best of the best roofing contractors in the country, as well as the best of the best supporters of the efforts of all roofing contractors. See pages 61 and 69. We would consider it a great honor if you would take the time to respond to our call entries for the "Most Intriguing Contractor" and "Most Valuable Partner." We plan to prominently feature the top entries in an upcoming issue of Roofing Contractor.

Tell us what sets your roof contracting enterprise apart from all the rest. We are not looking for the biggest, but the best. Good luck!