Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report

Tech No Longer Wows Your Prospects

Issue #294 | September 16, 2026 | Todd Miller

When I returned from the 2020 International Roofing Exposition, I made the comment that hipsters had taken over our industry. And I was serious. Everything was suddenly about technology.

The roofing industry was rapidly embracing satellite measurements, hail reports, online financing, automated estimating, visualization software, extravagant CRM systems, digital presentations, call recording, and all sorts of other tools designed to make the contractor faster and smarter. But, really, was it always about fast and smart? I don’t think so. The main driver seemed to be making the contractor more impressive to homeowners. Dazzle them with your brilliance!

And, to be fair, much of that technology has been incredibly useful. It has helped contractors measure roofs more economically and safely, respond to prospects faster, improve follow-up, simplify financing, communicate better, and operate more efficiently. But this idea that somehow technology itself was the differentiator was short-sighted and short-lived.

The thinking became: if I have the latest presentation platform, the newest app, the best visualizer, the slickest estimating software, or the fanciest tablet presentation, I will wow the homeowner and look better than my competition.

I am convinced those sorts of expenditures are no longer the key to success. In fact, I think contractors who keep spending money on technology simply because it is new, impressive, or trendy may be heading toward unnecessary expense that will eventually bite them where the sun don’t shine.

Why? Because homeowners are absolutely no longer impressed by technology the way they once were. We now live in the age of AI. Consumers have tremendous amounts of information sitting right at their fingertips. Before they ever call a roofing contractor, they have already researched materials, warranties, costs, ventilation, installation methods, energy efficiency, hail resistance, wind performance, and every other topic imaginable. They can ask an AI system a question at 10:00 at night and get an answer in seconds. So when a salesperson pulls out a tablet and shows them a slick roof visualizer, it may still be useful, but it’s no longer impressive.

They already live in a technology-rich world. You can’t wow people with something they see and use every day, both in their personal and work lives.

If technology is no longer the great differentiator, what is?
The answer is your company’s story and your customer experience. Today’s homeowner will understand the basics of a new roof before you ever arrive. What they are really trying to determine is something much more personal and emotional:

1. Can I trust this contractor?
2. Will they do what they say?
3. Will they communicate with me?
4. Will they take care of my home?
5. Who will be in and out of my property?
6. What happens when something goes wrong?
7. How do they treat their employees?
8. What kind of training has their team received?
9. What do past customers say about them?
10. What does a job actually look like from beginning to end?

Those are the things homeowners cannot learn from any sort of fancy tech you may spend money on. And these are the things contractors need to focus on.

I know one contractor who wears Meta glasses during portions of his workday so he can capture real moments happening inside his business—conversations, jobsite activity, problem-solving, craftsmanship, and customer interaction. What an incredible idea!

Don’t get me wrong; I am not suggesting everyone needs Meta glasses. The point is not the device. The point is the stories.

Every roofing company has stories happening every day that could help a future customer understand what it’s like to work with that company.

These story moments build trust:

1. A crew member taking extra time to protect landscaping.
2. A salesperson returning to a job to solve a concern.
3. A foreman explaining a complicated detail.
4. A homeowner talking about why they chose your company.
5. An employee completing advanced training.
6. A difficult roof detail being handled correctly.

And when those stories are supported by third-party verification—customer reviews, trade associations, certifications, project case studies, media coverage, supplier relationships, independent publications—they become even more powerful.

Keep in mind that this all matters not only to homeowners, but increasingly to AI systems as well. AI systems are trying to determine which companies have credibility, experience, authority, and a track record worth recommending. The more independent evidence that exists supporting your company’s claims, the easier it becomes for those systems to understand who you are and why you should be trusted.

Is technology dead?
Absolutely not. Technology will continue to transform our businesses. I think we need to become much more disciplined about why we invest in it. The question should no longer be “Will this technology impress the homeowner?” but instead “Will this technology improve the customer experience, improve our operation, or help us tell our story?”

If the answer is no, you probably don’t need it.

Ironically, I am currently working on what some people might consider an old-fashioned roofing presentation—yes, it can be delivered on electronic devices, but is designed to be a physical flip-book presentation. That’s about as old-school as it gets!

And why am I doing this? Because I don’t think homeowners care whether you own the newest tablet.

What matters is what we talk about.
The stories we tell. The questions we ask. The experiences we share. The proof we provide. And keep in mind that, in some cases, the salespeople out there with this sort of tribal knowledge, built over years of breathing and walking in roofing, aren’t the most tech-savvy. In fact, sometimes, they will just move on rather than have tech forced upon them. And then you’ve lost a great asset – your company’s history and experience.

Technology should help us deliver a great customer experience. But people will remember the experience itself.

The future of roofing sales may not belong to the contractor with the newest gadget. It may belong to the contractor with the best story—and the evidence to prove it.

The good news is that telling these stories doesn’t require a production crew or an expensive marketing budget.

Start by identifying the moments that happen naturally in your business every day.

Ask your team to capture a short video of a challenging roof detail being handled correctly, a crew member explaining why they take an extra step, or a homeowner sharing what the experience was like.

Informal videos recorded on a phone can often be more believable than highly polished advertising. With the customer’s permission, turn those moments into social media posts, short website stories, newsletter features, or simple before-and-after project case studies.

A monthly email might feature one customer’s experience, one employee’s story, and one example of how your company solved a problem. Over time, those stories create a much more complete picture of your business than a collection of product claims ever could.

And don’t forget the stories your salespeople tell in the home. A physical presentation, tablet, or laptop can all be effective, but the real value is in the conversation.

1. When a homeowner asks about communication, tell them about a customer who had a concern and how your team handled it.
2. When they ask about installation quality, show them a real project and explain the craftsmanship behind it.
3. When they wonder whether your company will be there after the sale, share the experience of a customer you helped years after their roof was installed.

Encourage your team to collect these stories, organize them, and practice telling them naturally. Then support them with genuine reviews, customer testimonials, certifications, and independent third-party recognition wherever possible.

The goal is not to create a more impressive sales performance. It is to give homeowners enough authentic evidence to picture what it would be like to trust your company with their home. You aren’t going to “wow’ them with tech any longer, but you can wow them with the reality of your company.

In the future, I want to talk more about how your salesperson must be the smartest person in the room, yet have the humility and soft skills to relate well to customers. As always, though, contact me anytime I can be of help.

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