Red Dog's Roofing - PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Patrick Cochran from Red Dog’s Roofing. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

Intro: Welcome to the hottest podcast in the roofing industry. Get ready to meet the stars of the rooftops, the shingle sensations and  the gutter gurus. Each month we'll climb up to the top to shine the spotlight on one remarkable roofer who's nailing it. We'll dive deep into their stories, their triumphs and  the secrets behind their sky-high success. Don't miss out on these industry insights, incredible tales of resilience and  the passion that keeps these roofers at the top of their game. Tune in, subscribe and  follow us on this incredible journey as we crown this month's Roofer of The Month. 

Hello, everyone. I'm Alex Tolle with rooferscoffeeshop.com and  I'm back for another Roofer of The Month podcast. I'm so excited to celebrate Red Dog's Roofing with Patrick. Patrick, how are you? 

Patrick Cochran: Very good. How are you doing? 

Alex Tolle: Good. So go ahead and introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about you and Red Dog's. 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. So my name's Patrick Cochran, owner and founder of Red Dog's Roofing. Started Red Dog's Roofing in 2012. The name very symbolic, I named the company after my grandfather, his nickname was Red. My dad said he worked like a dog, so I kind of combined the two and that's where the name came from. There's an apostrophe in the name, right? So it kind of shows ownership. I really wanted to make sure that customers knew that I was going to take ownership of projects. 

So 2012 I started just doing repairs and maintenance and essentially I got into residential contracting right after getting my MBA. So about two years into business. Two years into business, started growing the residential side and it was really just a hundred percent word of mouth pretty much right up until I opened my second office in Sarasota, Florida. So in 2017, went down there, really didn't have a lot of employees at the time. 

It was really just myself and a crew kind of doing the work. And went down there, got the business up and running, grew residentially and commercially in both markets and  then opened a third office in Waterford, Connecticut. So opened that office and just kind of continued to grow both residentially, commercially doing replacements and repairs and  then also other exterior services in the Northeast. 

So yeah, we've really kind of grown the team. We have all the departments, marketing, inside, outside, sales, production, HR, admin, everything like that. And as a company, a big passion of ours is really working with the next generation and working with our team on training and getting new people in the industry. So yeah, that's a little bit about Red Dog's Roofing. 

Alex Tolle: I always kind of wondered about where the name came from, so that's really cool. I like the bringing your, you said it was your grandfather, right? Bringing him into it. I love it. 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. 

Alex Tolle: And it's so cool to hear how your company has grown so much over the time that you have started it. So I mean, compared to a lot of roofing companies, you're still kind of new. I mean, how many years have you been in business now? 

Patrick Cochran: So I've been in business about 13 and a half years. 

Alex Tolle: Okay. 

Patrick Cochran: July will kind of mark that time. So really cool to be honored in July is for the month with Roofers Coffee Shop. 

Alex Tolle: Yay. I know. Great timing. So you kind of already talked about it, but if you can dive in a little bit more about the services that you provide. It sounds like you kind of cover a little bit everything. 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah, absolutely. So we focus on residential roofing and commercial roofing, both replacements and repairs. We do a little bit of new construction, but not a ton. In the Northeast, we also do siding, windows, doors and  gutters as well. So we do a lot of siding. So we'll do full exterior remodels in the Northeast. And so yeah, so predominantly what we focus on is asphalt shingles, but our biggest, I think, really benefit for customers and that is really being able to offer them great solutions. 

We take on very intricate and tough projects that some contractors will kind of stay away from. So we do a really good job kind of getting great solutions and  if a customer wants a new product, I have a team that can really research it very well and make sure that things are installed well. And also work with the manufacturer in that to make sure new products are installed properly in that. So I think that's something that's very unique about us. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. And that's so important for the customer, the home or building owner, to be able to have a roofing company that's going to just really take care of everything, make it super easy on them. 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. We want it to be a seamless process. It's a big investment into their home and they're either paying for it all up front or they're making monthly payments in that. And it's something that's got to perform after the project is done, right? 

Alex Tolle: Right. 

Patrick Cochran: It's not really just about putting a roof on and the experience at that time, which is very important. But also after the fact is making sure that when the harsh weather comes, is the roof going to perform and is the home going to be kept dry and have no issues? So it is, it's really about coming up with proper solutions and  that's something we really pride ourselves on with all the products that we offer. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. Because the work that you're doing, like you said, just those first couple of days while you're putting on the roof, but then you're still, your work is showing for the next 10, 20, 30 years. 

Patrick Cochran: Exactly. 

Alex Tolle: Even longer. So yeah. 

Patrick Cochran: It has to be able to perform. I mean, that's why they're making the investment. Right? 

Alex Tolle: Right. 

Patrick Cochran: And that's where you really kind of see who you have for a company. If something goes wrong and nobody's perfect, right? So when something goes wrong, are people going to be there, step up and make sure they take care of it? And are they going to take the proper precautions on the front end to make sure they have a good solution for the customer? 

Alex Tolle: Yeah, amazing. So with my time working with you and your team, you guys seem like you have a great company culture. Can you share what kind of things your company celebrates? 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. So first of all, I appreciate that. I like to think we have a great company culture too and  I get a lot of great feedback about that. So I really appreciate that. Something really, really cool that I want to share is this year we're doing our first ever Red Dog's Roofing Week. So it's actually being done in the month of July, which again makes us being honored in July with Roofers Coffee Shop that much cooler. And it's actually my grandfather's birthday week. 

Alex Tolle: Wow. 

Patrick Cochran: It's 7/11 this year, kind of falls on. And we're celebrating kind of three pillars of our success. Right? So first is our customers and our community. Second is the industry itself and the next generation coming into it. And then third is our existing team, right? Our team. 

And basically Red Dog's Roofing Week, what we're celebrating is we're doing three roof giveaways, so one in each market, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Then Thursday we're going to have a trade show where we're going to have ourselves and our vendors set up and students and parents will be able to kind of come out and see other opportunities in roofing. Like Roofers Coffee Shop, right? You guys aren't necessarily installing the roofs, but you're very involved in the industry. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. 

Patrick Cochran: So we're allowing parents and students to kind of see other sides of the industry that they may not consider. Right? Construction and roofing specifically, there's a lot of great opportunity even if installing isn't necessarily for you. So that's going to be on Thursday of that week, July 10th. And then July 11th that Friday, we're doing a training for the entire team in an award ceremony. Right? To really be able to kind of celebrate the team. 

When I started, like I said, I named the company after my grandfather, but the point that we're at here, this is really about the team effort. Right? And this is that apostrophe and the name kind of grew into all of us really taking that ownership. Right? So we're really celebrating, like I said, the community and our customers, the industry and the next generation and  then our team. Right? Our team that kind of brings it all together and makes it all possible. So that's kind of a really cool celebration that we're doing. It's the first annual. So very excited about that and really looking forward to kind of seeing everybody come together and enjoy that week together. 

Alex Tolle: What a special way to celebrate everything that you guys do. And I love how you're bringing in the younger generation to see the industry. You already do so much work with SkillsUSA and this is just another way to do that. I think that's so amazing and we would love to be there at some point maybe next year. 

Patrick Cochran: Absolutely. We'd love to have you. 

Alex Tolle: That's awesome. We definitely want to hear more about it. So afterwards we could do a little recap maybe. 

Patrick Cochran: Absolutely. 

Alex Tolle: So how do you define superior customer service at Red Dog's Roofing? 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. So superior customer service to me, right? It really boils down to communication and effectively communicating. If you look at issues within the company or things that go on even in our personal lives, right? It usually boils down to communication or a lack of understanding. Right? So being an effective communicator is extremely important. 

And I'm not talking about just simply telling people and keeping people informed, right? But being an active listener, making sure that you understand what somebody's saying. There's a saying, "If you want to be understood, you must first give understanding." Right? So instead of talking to respond, I really want to make sure that I'm talking to be able to understand. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. 

Patrick Cochran: Right? That's how a great conversation goes. So really having depth with the conversation and making sure that people are kept up to date. If there's changes, that they're being addressed right away and if there's issues, that they're being addressed right away. Right? Sometimes people will put something off or push it off and  what sometimes people don't think of is, this is somebody's home, right? This project, you may have multiple projects going on or  you may have another project coming up depending on the size company you are, but I mean essentially this is their sanctuary, this is their home. Right? So this is everything to them. 

Alex Tolle: Right. 

Patrick Cochran: So addressing those things in a timely manner really just will set you apart in the industry. And I try to let my team know we're not perfect, right? But if something happens, we need to make sure we address it in a timely manner. We need to see what went wrong, focus on the solution, make sure that the customer's happy with where we're at. But then more importantly, when we're done, reflect on it and see what we could have done better. Right? So I think communication is by far the best way to offer superior customer service. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. I think that's great. I myself have worked a lot in customer service and retail and hospitality and  you can have someone have a huge issue, but if you actually care and you communicate and you help solve their problem, then they're going to forgive you for it and they understand that you're human. And being able to show that you really care about what's going on makes a world of difference. 

Patrick Cochran: I agree. And they can feel that too. They may not necessarily know it, but they're picking up on that. And I think sometimes people just want to vent. Right? Sometimes people are frustrated, maybe there's something going on in their personal life and this just happens to be part of their whole day that they're not having a great day. Right? So the biggest thing is not taking it personally. Right? And being able to kind of focus at the situation on hand. Obviously it's easier said than done, right? 

But being an effective communicator, listening to them, making feel like they're understood and they're heard can sometimes really turn things around like you just said. And you can start off a really bad spot and you're like, "Wow, this is kind of going a way I don't want it to go." And that can turn around completely. Right? Because what I'll tell people sometimes, whether it's an employee or in my personal life or a customer, it's like, "I can't go backwards to what happened." Right? 

Alex Tolle: Right. 

Patrick Cochran: "I understand what happened. I understand why you feel the way you feel. All I want to do is work on a solution. So this is where we're at, this is my thoughts." Or, "Hey, what are your thoughts?" Whatever that might be. But I think communication is invaluable for a good, superior customer service. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah, absolutely. So I mean, we kind of already went over it, but why should home and building owners work with Red Dog's Roofing? It seems pretty obvious to me, but maybe you could share a little bit more. 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. I appreciate that. So I think somebody that values communication, as I mentioned earlier, I think unfortunately this industry a bad reputation sometimes for the lack of communication or the lack of updates and stuff like that with customers. So if customers are looking for somebody to really make it a seamless streamlined process and have good communication, that's one reason. And I think the other thing that I'd like to mention is really if they want a company that takes a hands-on approach, right? 

We really make sure we have somebody on our team that's part of the process from the first time somebody reaches out all the way up until the job's closed and even after that. So we take a real hands-on approach. We have people from our company on site. And I know that that doesn't happen as much anymore. Sometimes there's a lot of companies that are more like a broker. Right? And nothing wrong with that. But is there somebody there to answer questions? Is there somebody there to kind of take the customer through any issues? Is there somebody there to address an issue right away? 

Or is it everybody that's just kind of focused on doing the work and making sure that those things are happening, which is very important, but there's also that customer service aspect that we offer that I know that tends to be kind of unique within the industry. So I think if customers are looking for somebody that's really taking a hands-on approach and making sure that they're not having to deal with this outside stuff that they're not familiar with, then they have somebody there that can answer questions. I think that's really what brings that value to the homeowner from us. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. And having that person there on site, I mean, a lot of times people are home when they get their roofs done or any exterior projects. I was home working while I had my roof done. And so having somebody there who I could easily just go ask questions and get an update, like, "Hey, how's it going up there? Any issues?" Or they'd come to me if they found something and it was just so transparent and so easy to just communicate with that. So that makes a huge difference for the homeowner. 

Patrick Cochran: That further, right? If somebody's your home during the day when your roof is going on, maybe you have to run out. Right? So maybe you have to run out and you're leaving and you better be able to back out of your driveway at 11 o'clock and they didn't ask you and all of a sudden all the materials right there or  they dropped and they ripped the roof. Now you can't pull your car out. So are they going through, "Hey, we're going to start on the front side. We're going to work our way around. What time are you leaving? I want to make sure I'm mindful. 

Can you text me before you walk out if you're doing it at this time, because we're going to be right above the door?" So there's a lot of little details too, to make sure that are being communicated because it's a disruption in somebody's day, especially on the residential side. Right? People are there that aren't typically there. There's material there, there's equipment, there's debris kind of coming off the roof. You need to make sure that they're able to access their home safely and leave when they can. So having that communication in that I think is extremely important and you've kind had that experience, so- 

Alex Tolle: Yeah. 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah. Totally, great. 

Alex Tolle: So why are you an R-Club member and maybe what's one of your favorite things about Roofers Coffee Shop or the R-Club? 

Patrick Cochran: Yeah, so the R-Club I think is great. It's a great way to kind of just hear a lot about what's going on in the industry. Right? The world is changing very fast as we know. So being able to kind of keep up to date and kind of see what other people are doing, I think is great. And I think for myself, one of the number one things I like the most is hearing other stories. Right? What do other people value? How did they implement certain things? 

What are some hardships that they've overcome or successes that they've had? And for that, that helps me be mindful of certain things that I may not be thinking about or maybe things that I'm trying to enhance that I haven't kind of figured out yet. So I think that's probably some of the best things I like about the Club. And it's great for the industry and the community to kind of have that. I think it's very unique and that's what I really enjoy about it. 

Alex Tolle: Well, thank you and we're happy to have you in it. 

Patrick Cochran: Absolutely. 

Alex Tolle: So lastly, the best question of all, what would your walk-up song be? 

Patrick Cochran: So my walk-up song, I would probably say "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" from Dropkick Murphy's. I'm not from the city of Boston. I don't live in the city, although it is my favorite city to visit, about an hour away in a small town called Fitchburg, North Central Massachusetts. So just on the New Hampshire line. 

But for those of you that are in New England, you know this, when we travel for industry events, there's not a lot of us from the Northeast that typically attend these national roofing events. So we typically all say we're from Boston. And then when we see each other, we let each other know kind of really where we're from and what part of Massachusetts. But I'd say Dropkick Murphy's "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" would be my walk out song. 

Alex Tolle: Okay. I love it. That's great. Well, Patrick, thank you so much for being here today. We're so excited to honor Red Dog's Roofing as the July Roofer of The Month. And anything else you want to add? 

Patrick Cochran: No, I appreciate the opportunity and the recognition and  I'm really glad it happened in July. So that will work out. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah, I know. It was like something told me I had to pick you for July. What are the odds? 

Patrick Cochran: Absolutely. 

Outro: All right. Well, thank you so much Patrick and  we will see you all on the next Roofer of The Month. 

That's a wrap on this month's episode of Roofer of The Month. Thanks for joining us on this journey. We'll catch you next time for more rooftop celebrations. Make sure to subscribe and follow the Rooferscoffeeshop.com podcast page for more. And go to Rooferscoffeeshop.com or askaroofer.com for more information.