AI tools and data insights take center stage

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Industry experts explore how integrated software, artificial intelligence and industry data can improve business performance for contractors. 

At the International Roofing Expo (IRE) in Las Vegas, technology and data-driven decision-making remained central themes as contractors looked for practical ways to improve efficiency and scale their operations. Speaking from The Coffee Shops™ sound stage, Kaili Smith of JobNimbus pointed to a growing need for streamlined systems that reduce complexity across daily functions. “We do project management CRM software for roofers,” Kaili said. “We’ve seen so many changes in the industry, and we want to make sure we’re creating products and systems that talk to each other. So, that way you don’t have to have 15 to 20 tools to function. You can have just one.” JobNimbus connects estimating, sales, production scheduling, customer communication, payments and reputation management in a single platform, giving contractors one source of truth across the full project lifecycle. 

That emphasis on integration reflects a broader shift across the industry, where disconnected platforms are giving way to unified systems that support the full lifecycle of a project. From sales and production to customer management, contractors are increasingly prioritizing tools that keep information centralized and accessible. The shift is especially pronounced among growing roofing businesses that have outgrown spreadsheets, group texts and patchwork tool stacks, and now need an operational backbone that scales with them. 

At the show, JobNimbus demonstrated how that approach is evolving with the introduction of an artificial intelligence assistant currently in beta testing. Kaili explained, “You talk to it, saying, ‘This is what I need.’ It’ll generate information for you and update your stuff, answer questions.” The tool is designed to reduce manual input while helping users quickly access and act on critical information. In practice, that means contractors can ask the assistant to pull job status updates, surface customer details, draft follow-up communications and update records, all through natural conversation rather than clicking through menus. 

Beyond artificial intelligence, the company is also expanding its focus on marketing and lead generation, working to connect reputation management and customer acquisition more directly to contractor workflows. The goal is to ensure that growth-focused activities are fully integrated into day-to-day operations. 

The company also highlighted its annual Peak Performance report, built from insights gathered from more than 2,000 contractors and over 1,500 homeowners. In addition to benchmarking data, the report outlines clear next steps for users. The report surfaces benchmarks across lead conversion, job cycle times, average job size and customer satisfaction, giving contractors a clear picture of how their business compares to peers and where the biggest opportunities for growth sit. “If you don’t take action off of it, it kind of doesn’t matter if you have it,” Kaili said. “So, we want to make it really simple.” 

As roofers continue to embrace new technologies, the conversation is moving beyond access to technology and toward effective implementation. At IRE, that shift was clear as success is increasingly tied to how well contractors can connect systems, interpret data and turn insights into action. 

Watch the full interview to learn more about how AI tools and data insights are helping roofing contractors streamline operations, connect systems and turn information into actionable business results!

Key takeaways: 

• JobNimbus positions itself as the operational backbone for roofing contractors, replacing fragmented tool stacks with one connected system. 
• The platform spans estimating, sales, production, customer communication, payments and reputation management. 
• A new AI assistant, currently in beta, lets contractors update records, pull information and manage tasks through natural conversation. 
• The annual Peak Performance report draws on data from 2,000+ contractors and 1,500+ homeowners to benchmark industry performance and surface growth opportunities. 
• JobNimbus is built for growing roofing businesses ready to move beyond spreadsheets and disconnected tools, flexing to fit every stage of growth without forcing teams to switch platforms as they scale.