Are you ready for the robots?

By Emma Peterson. 

John Kenney shares why contractors with strong systems, clear workflows and documented processes will be best positioned to embrace new technologies.  

For many of us, robots seem like something from a science fiction movie – something that might be cool but is far from becoming a part of our reality. But with advancements in automation and technology, robotics are already beginning to influence the roofing industry. To learn how contractors can prepare their operations for emerging robot technology, we brought John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group on for a Read Listen Watch® webinar. 

Looking to the future, John sees robotics as a tool that will be used for repetitive tasks, sharing, “I think you're going to be able to have a lot of things happen within your company that are repetitive tasks, that we can't find anybody that wants to do them anyways, like moving materials, loading trucks, setting things up, managing your inventory, etc.”  

Additionally, he predicts that they will eventually become advanced enough to collaborate with your service technicians, saying, “There is a future where robots could be a part of service workflows. It could be super helpful in situations where you don’t have a full visual of a roof and need to collect that data safely. A robot could go up there and record data so that your service crew knows they can safely climb on a roof to work.” 

Obviously, we have not developed this level of robotic technology yet, but with the advancement of technologies like artificial intelligence, it has started to feel increasingly inevitable. So, if robots are going to become a part of our industry in the future, how can you make sure your company is positioned to adapt to this change effectively? John argues that it all depends on your operational workflows being in order:  

You have to start documenting your workflows and you have to start figuring those out. Further, you need to develop an accountability chain. Most companies have an unclear accountability process and if robotic tools ever become a part of our industry, you're going to need to clean those up... It’s the companies with disciplined systems and strong operational clarity that have the flexibility to adapt with technology.  

This advice applies to more than just preparing for future robot coworkers. It’s also about helping your team operate more efficiently and profitably today. By having everything documented and in order, your company will be better positioned both today and wherever the future leads.  

Listen the RLW or Watch the recording on demand to learn more about robotics, roofing and preparing your company for the future.