The Forgotten Department: Making Service Calls Profitable

The Forgotten Department: Making Service Calls Profitable

In most roofing companies, the service department is treated as an afterthought. Estimating teams focus on large re-roof projects, sales reps chase big bids, and leadership often overlooks the financial power of service calls. But here's the truth: your service department can become one of your most reliable profit centers—if managed correctly.

At Cotney Consulting Group, we help roofing contractors stop leaving money on the table by turning service calls into strategic opportunities. Let's look at what's going wrong—and how to fix it.

The Service Department Isn't Just Overhead

Too often, the service team is seen as a necessary expense—something you must offer to stay competitive but don't expect to generate profit. That mindset is costing you.

The fix: Shift your thinking. Your service department can do three things:

1. Generate fast-turn revenue
2. Build long-term client trust
3. Create pipelines for larger re-roof or maintenance projects

You're missing out if your service team isn't achieving all three.

The Most Common Mistakes

1. No Dedicated Estimating Process
   Service tickets are often priced on the fly. Without a process, costs get missed and pricing is inconsistent.
2. Technicians Aren't Trained to Sell
   Many service techs don't understand how to spot upsell opportunities or present premium options.
3. Lack of Documentation
   Photos, notes, and service summaries are often incomplete or missing, making it harder to justify pricing or follow up on larger work.
4. No Tracking by Ticket Type or Profitability
   If you can't see which types of calls are most profitable, you can't optimize the department.

How to Make Service Calls Profitable

1. Implement a Flat-Rate Menu with Tiered Options
Move beyond hourly estimates. Present good-better-best options that include standard fixes, preventative upgrades, and restoration work. Let the customer choose.

2. Train Techs on Sales and Communication
Service techs are in the best position to identify needs. With proper training, they can:

• Explain the benefits of premium repairs
• Offer seasonal maintenance packages
• Document upsell opportunities

3. Use Digital Documentation Tools
Require before-and-after photos, clear notes, and client sign-off on completed work. This builds credibility and improves close rates on follow-ups.

4. Track Metrics That Matter

• Average ticket size
• Close rate on recommended follow-up work
• Callbacks per tech
• Response-to-invoice timeline

Use this data to coach your team and improve efficiency.

Turn Service into Strategy

A well-run service department can be your secret weapon:

• It keeps cash flow steady between big jobs
• It builds customer loyalty and reduces churn
• It uncovers bigger repair and re-roof opportunities

Cotney Consulting Group offers service department optimization as part of our advanced estimating and operations training. We help roofing contractors:

• Create service estimating processes
• Train techs to communicate value
• Build SOPs for documentation and dispatch
• Review metrics to drive revenue

Don't overlook the department that's already on your payroll. With the right systems, your service division can stop bleeding resources and start building profit.