What do you need? A service development checklist for roofing companies

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Service is the foundation of success. Here’s how to strengthen it right from the start. 

If you’ve read the first article in this series, you already understand why service matters. It’s not just an add-on or a fallback plan; it’s a growth engine that provides consistency, strengthens client relationships and helps roofing businesses thrive regardless of market conditions. That’s the core philosophy of Tracey Donels, founder of Service First Solutions, a company dedicated to helping contractors build and scale high-performing commercial service departments. 

But the natural next question is: What do you need to actually build a functioning, scalable service department? Whether you’re just getting started or trying to clean up a struggling service operation, success depends on assembling the right mix of people, processes and planning, not just tools and trucks. 

Here’s a practical checklist to help you launch or grow a professional service department with intention and efficiency. 

1 – A dedicated (and prioritized) team 

The first step is assigning service its own space in your organization. This doesn’t mean building a new wing on your office, but it does mean clarity: service tasks should not be shared responsibilities that get done “when there’s time.” 

“Even if we only have two people doing 20 hours a week, those people need to prioritize service,” says Tracey, “If you share roles, service always gets pushed to the back.” 

Start with at least two dedicated team members — one to manage field work and inspections and another to handle admin, scheduling, documentation and invoicing. This allows both capacity and accountability to grow as work volume increases. 

2 – Defined roles and responsibilities 

Lack of role clarity causes bottlenecks and burnout. A typical early-stage service department needs clearly defined duties for: 

• Service coordinator: Schedules jobs, takes calls and manages job flow 
• Estimator/Inspector: Walks roofs, scopes repairs and writes proposals 
• Technicians: Performs the repair or maintenance work 
• Admin support: Handles invoicing, documentation and customer updates 

Tracey likens this structure to a Chick-fil-A drive-thru: “I can’t do three things if I’m working in the drive-thru. I do one thing, I take orders or I cook or I bag or I take the food or I clean. I’m not doing lots of stuff at one time because ultimately that’s going to cap my capacity.” 

3 – A system for proposals, work orders and invoicing 

You can’t grow if you’re constantly reinventing the wheel. That means having templates, timelines and protocols for: 

• Submitting proposals (and tracking what’s been sent and what’s still owed) 
• Scheduling approved work and closing out jobs 
• Invoicing promptly, ideally within one to two business days after completion 

Many companies struggle not because they lack work, but because their paperwork slows everything down. “If we went to go get our Chick-fil-A and they said, ‘Here’s your food. Whenever we get a chance, we’ll send you a bill,’ you’d be like, ‘How do you guys make any money whatsoever?’” says Tracey. “It must be horribly difficult to collect this money.” That’s exactly the kind of bottleneck that standardized templates and clear timelines are built to prevent, so no one’s chasing payments or drowning in admin when they should be focused on the job. 

4 – Tools to track the right metrics 

Growth without visibility is dangerous. At minimum, track these five service KPIs weekly: 

1. Number of bids delivered 
2. Total value of bids sent 
3. Bids still owed to customers 
4. Approved work not yet completed 
5. Invoices not yet sent 

These indicators will reveal your department’s weak points, whether it’s turnaround time, estimating backlog or invoicing delays and help guide your next hires or investments. 

5 – A preventive maintenance offering 

A service department without a preventive maintenance plan is leaving revenue on the table. Preventive programs create recurring income, deepen relationships and often qualify clients for insurance discounts. 

Tracey emphasizes that you don’t need new customers to grow. “We recommended work on existing leak calls and preventive maintenance plans on existing buildings we’re working with or roofs that we’ve put the roof on.” 

6 – A culture that supports service 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, service must be seen as a priority across the company. From ownership to sales to field techs, everyone needs to recognize that great service drives referrals, margins and long-term growth. 

Building a department that runs efficiently, scales with demand and delivers consistent results requires buy-in. Leadership must be willing to allocate people, resources and attention to service, not just as a side gig, but as a core business unit. 

Final thoughts 

Having a truck and a technician isn’t always enough. To build a profitable, sustainable service division, you need the right structure, systems and mindset. Use this checklist as your foundation and revisit it often as your business grows. 

Watch for the next one in our series, where we’ll dive into how to hire, pair and train service crews for maximum impact, starting with just one truck!