Anna’s AI Plan & Your Roofing Business: Part 2

In our last article I discussed the heavy lifting of auditing your current systems, identifying workflows that need to change, and taking steps towards a cultural shift in your business to embrace human directed AI solutions. First off, if you have embarked on bringing AI into your business, celebrate that win, many businesses are just starting their journey to leverage AI and you are already making progress.

Let's be honest though truly embracing AI is a big task. There are some very practical steps to implement AI effectively and remember it’s not an overnight solution. So, if you are stuck don’t worry, here is a 30-60-90 day roadmap with actionable steps to get started.

Days 1-30: Explore, Prioritize, and Align

• Week 1: Audit your systems (as outlined above). Gather your team for a meeting to discuss findings.
• Week 2: Research easy AI tools. Try free options like ChatGPT for content ideas or Canva's AI features for images. For roofing-specific needs, look at tools like AI Customer Service assistants.
• Week 3: Prioritize 1-2 areas. If marketing is your focus, pick content creation or lead tracking.
• Week 4: Align your team. Block off time to demo AI tools and address concerns like "Will it take my job?" (Spoiler: No—it handles boring tasks so you can shine.)

Goal: End with a clear "AI wishlist" and buy-in from everyone.

Days 31-60: Build, Configure, and Test

• Set Up Tools: Integrate AI into your existing systems. For example, connect an AI chatbot to your website for instant quote requests.
• Customize: Train the AI on your data company culture, project photos, or ask AI to help with your safety briefs so it learns your style.
• Test in Real Scenarios: Run a trial of your AI assisted solution. Track results and tweak. Remember AI is a LLM (Large Language Model) thus it gets smarter the more you train it.
• Monitor Security: Ensure tools comply with data privacy (e.g., don't share sensitive client info without checks.)

Goal: Have a working prototype.

Days 61-90: Evaluate, Refine, and Plan to Scale

• Measure Success: Compare pre- and post-AI metrics (e.g., time saved, increased efficiency, reduced overhead, etc.).
• Gather Feedback: Survey your team—what worked? What needs fixing?
• Refine: Make adjustments, remember great things take time and modifications.
• Scale Up: If customer service succeeds using AI, expand to other areas of the business (e.g., AI for inventory tracking) or HR (e.g., resume screening for diverse hires.)

Goal: A refined plan for ongoing use, with quarterly check-ins.

Final Thoughts: Empower Your Roofing Business Today

AI isn't a distant future—it's here to make roofing businesses like yours more innovative and inclusive. By auditing your systems, redesigning workflows, and following this roadmap, you'll not only boost efficiency but also inspire the next generation of women in roofing. Start small, stay curious, and remember: Technology is a tool we wield to build stronger futures!

I and fellow industry experts were panelists on an AI webinar with NWIR Diamond Sponsor Owens Corning. If you would like to download our free AI Marketing, Business, & Legal Prompts guide from the webinar click this link.