RC: How would you assess the state of the roofing industry in 2022?

Erick Vargas (EV): In 2021, every business was challenged by the pandemic in different ways. Followup CRM moved from in-person to full remote workforce. Thankfully, being in the software business, our sector has boomed. With most of the world needing to work remote, people now realize the importance of CRM software and tracking information in the cloud. The pandemic accelerated the roofing industry’s need for software by several years and Followup CRM is looking to meet that demand.

RC: How did the supply shortages of 2021 impact business and where did you find stability?

EV: This shortage affected our product roadmap because clients needed a better way to track which opportunities would be profitable for them and which were going to be delayed due to materials not being available. During this time we were able to design features so that our clients could pull the reports that they needed and continued to close opportunities that they were able to complete.

RC: What do you think was learned and how will that impact the industry moving forward?  

EV: One of the biggest lessons learned is that a hybrid workplace model is the future. Especially with the millennial generation, working from home needs to be a strategic consideration when building a company in this day and age.

RC: How did you help support contractors as their needs changed throughout the pandemic?

EV: The most tangible way Followup CRM helped contractors during this pandemic was helping them with a hybrid workplace model. Many of our contractors had to go fully remote or partly remote, which brought new challenges to organizing the back office. Sharing about best practices from some of our top clients as well as increased support for our clients really helped them get through this past year.

RC: What are you optimistic about in 2022?

EV: Followup CRM was designed to help drive sales in 2022. Tracking leads pipeline and developing new opportunities with business development allows our clients to take care of their clients and continue to serve them at the highest capacity. Followup CRM allows our clients to automatically follow up with their leads and bids, saving them time and winning them more jobs.