Matt Spanton, Vice President of Mastercraft Exteriors in Rockton, Ill., tripled his company’s sales in three years, and he credits new technology for helping increase sales and boost profits.
After graduating from Illinois State University, Matt entered the roofing industry in a sales role where for four consecutive years he reached personal gross sales in excess of $1 million dollars annually. As the sales force of Mastercraft Exteriors grew, Matt was promoted into sales management, where he led Mastercraft through a comprehensive training program that increased the company’s sales from $7 million to $46 million.
In his session titled “Technology in Roofing,” Spanton detailed how he implemented new technology to streamline his business processes and increase profits. He covered advances including aerial measurement systems, construction management systems and customer resource systems. He also explained how his company uses social media marketing to reach new customers via Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
“Eight years ago I had a Nextel flip phone and no laptop,” said Spanton, who now sets up and tears down six to eight offices annually and oversees approximately 75 salespeople. He depends on web-based software to keep him in touch with his entire team. “I’m in the air roughly 150 days a year,” he said. “Thank God Air Tran has Wi-Fi.”
Spanton said new technology allows his company to maximize current personnel, lower overhead, increase profit margin, increase bid acceptance and reach new markets. For example, he noted that EagleView aerial measurements were not only faster and more accurate than traditional roof measurement, they kept estimators safer by keeping them off the roof, lowering workers’ compensation costs. They also allowed the company to hire sales professionals from other industries who didn’t know how to measure a roof - and allowed them to see more customers per day. The reports also help the company put together more professional presentations for customers.
Web-based customer resource management and construction management systems allow real-time collaboration, maximizing employees’ efficiency and minimizing overhead. “You can track production in real time,” said Spanton. “And there’s accountability - everything gets a note.”
With web-based systems, there is permanent access files, which saves space and secures records from such threats as fire, flood or theft. Plus, the entire team can access the same file simultaneously.
Social media marketing should also be a part of a company’s branding strategy, said Spanton, who detailed how Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can be used to “get your name out fast and free.”
“Utilize technology in order to reach a larger prospect base with efficiency and accuracy,” Spanton concluded. “Lower your overhead, increase margin, and enable your top performers to handle more.”
