With a single location in Greenville, S.C., and a dedicated team of 20 employees, IES Roofing Services is fast becoming a major force in their hometown market and beyond, servicing the fast-growing areas on the northwest side of the state. Starting exclusively as a commercial roofing contractor in 2009, founder and current owner Kevin Thivierge has since diversified the service offerings to include roof coatings and spray foam insulation. The company added residential reroofing to the mix earlier this year, and is experiencing better-than expected growth.

Marketing Director Tyler Leach recently took some time to respond to the following questions from RC.

RC: Who are you? And how’d you get here?

TL:  I’m the marketing director for IES Roofing Services in Greenville, S.C. I started in January 2018. I was a marketing and events coordinator for a fitness company and wanted to get away from that business. I was asking around and one of my friends encouraged me to ask on a Facebook page called “Greenville Young Professionals.” Kevin Thivierge saw my post, I had an interview and I was hired.

RC: How did IES Roofing Services start?

TL: The company started with Kevin Thivierge. It was literally just him and another guy. I think a milestone for him was being able to move into a new physical location and really transition into mostly commercial and industrial roofing. Most companies never make the transition. We have been the forefront of coatings in our area and if you Google roof coatings companies in Greenville, S.C., we are on the first page.

RC: How is your company structured? Are there separate divisions? 

TL: We don’t have a lot of hierarchy. There are separate divisions: sales team, TPO crew, spray foam crew, coatings crew, and a shingle crew.

RC: How do you create a good working atmosphere for employees?  

TL: We are very good about recognizing birthdays, making it easy to contact the owner, and providing good pay. We don’t provide benefits yet but we will soon.

RC: How do you build relationships with customers?  

TL: All of our customers receive access to constant updates via software we have for pictures of their roof. Also, we reach out after every project to make sure everything is still okay. 

RC: What types of marketing programs does your company use?

TL: On social media we’re active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google Ads. For SEO we use the SEMrush marketing platform.

RC: What are some key challenges in your market?  

TL: I think for us a key challenge is in 2019 we are starting to do residential roofing and commercial. It has been a biggest transition but we have done very well and are cranking out residential jobs each week.

RC: Do you have any tips on educating building owners about roof systems? 

TL: Definitely...

• Make sure that you get multiple quotes. Someone may give you a quote on a reroof when you can coat the roof for have the cost.
• Make sure that you have a roof leak issue and not a hvac issue.
• Clean your roof monthly if you know it has a tendency to get dirty. Trash and nails can leave a hole in your roof.
• Cheaper is not always better.

RC: What was the best experience your company had? The worst?

TL: Probably the transition to doing residential. The worst is hiring. Hiring the right people is always the hardest.

RC: What are the key attributes of your company that make it successful and sets it apart from the competition?  

TL: We go out of our way for the customer. We respond right away. One thing that sets us apart from our competition is the amount of roof coatings we do, customer service, quality of work, and our marketing.

RC: Do you have a mission statement? 

TL: Yes. Our mission statement: We are your roofing experts. Give us a call today to help with your roofing needs. Our estimators, roof technicians, and staff work to provide the highest quality service. We provide a free estimate, so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone!

RC: What advice do you have for other roofing contractors out there? 

TL: Get an insurance expert on your team. You are losing out on a lot of money insurance companies will pay you. Customer comes before convenience. Always be honest with clients and people. Be ethical.

RC: What other aspect of your company and the industry would you like to discuss? 

TL: I think that integrity should be huge. I believe that roofing and construction companies get a bad rap because companies aren’t ethical. Work hard and respect your client’s investments.