Getting comfortable with coatings

By Emma Peterson. 

Helping crews understand both the why and how behind roof coatings can set the stage for stronger adoption and better installations. 

In a new episode of CoatingsCast™, Megan Ellsworth sat down with Lauren Begg for a discussion centered around helping crews build confidence with roof coatings. Lauren is an estimator and project manager at Aetna Roofing, a roofing company that has provided commercial roofing services to the New Jersey market for over five decades. 

When it comes to introducing a crew to coatings for the first time, Lauren highlighted the importance of keeping your crew involved from the get-go. As she put it, “Instead of just saying, ‘this is what we’re doing,’ and going through the motions, explain everything to your crew and keep them in the loop.” She continued, highlighting what keeping them in the loop may look like, “People usually resist things that they don't understand or they don't feel confident doing, so to counter this, you want to make sure they have both the education and the training they need to understand the why you're pushing them towards coatings and be able to install confidently in the field.”  

How do you give them this? Lauren recommends starting by clearing up any possible misconceptions your crew might have about coatings. She gave an example, sharing, “I think some people have historically looked down on coatings because it is seen as a quick fix, something that isn’t as good as a full tear-off.” She continued, “And I think one of the most important things when you are getting your crew used to coatings is clearing that up and helping them understand how valuable coatings can be with the right client and the right project.”  A great way to do this is to have a manufacturer rep come to your office, present to your crew and answer any of their questions!  

As for the field training, Lauren suggested checking places like manufacturer’s websites as well as industry associations (like the Roof Coating Manufacturers Association). In her words, “Give them as much time with the products themselves with training events and such. And then, on the first few installs, make sure they have time to take things slow. Those first few projects where your crew is doing something new in the field is going to be where the majority of the learning happens.”  

At the end of the day, when companies face resistance from their crews during a transition into using a new product like coatings, it all boils down to whether the business’s leadership is actually working with the crews. As Lauren put it, “Communicating with your crew and walking them through the new product is key. When people feel their concerns and needs are heard, they’re far more likely to listen and buy-in to transitions... It's all about really treating them with respect and understanding.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recorded episode on YouTube to learn more about getting your crew comfortable working with roof coatings.