Leveraging contractor challenges to create innovative solutions

By Jenny Yu.  

Versico Roofing Systems’s approach to product development focuses on labor savings, risk reduction and direct contractor feedback. 

For roofing manufacturers, innovation often begins with a simple question: What challenges are contractors facing in the field? According to David French, Vice President of Product Management and Design Services for Versico Roofing Systems, customer feedback remains one of the most important drivers behind the company’s product development strategy. 

David, who has been with Versico for approximately 20 years, oversees product managers and design service personnel supporting the company’s commercial roofing business. He said successful innovation starts by identifying real-world challenges and developing solutions that create measurable value for contractors. 

“At its core, innovation is really rooted in problems to solve, whether that's problems with labor or problems with not having enough time or not reducing risk on the roof or solving installation issues, whatever it might be,” David stated. “Innovation is instrumental to Versico’s success because it helps develop partnerships where we can add value with our customer partners.” 

To uncover the problems that need solving, Versico relies on multiple sources of customer insight, including direct conversations with contractors, field observation and a structured process Versico calls “outcome-driven innovation.” The approach focuses on understanding the specific responsibilities and pain points of different job roles, from estimators and project managers to installers working on the roof and gathering feedback from a variety of ways — surveys, observation and conversations. Of these, David says direct, in-person feedback often breeds the best information. 

“It's always best to get direct feedback because it's necessary and critical to ask qualifying or follow-up questions,” he said. “By asking clarifying questions, you can get to the root of the importance and how big a problem it is to solve. Every substantial, revolutionary new product that we developed was rooted in direct feedback from contractors.” 

Direct feedback has helped shape numerous products introduced by the company in recent years. David pointed to TPO membrane with peel protective film as one example. The product originated from a contractor’s complaint about installed roofing becoming dirty during construction. After extensive follow-up discussions and research, the concept evolved into a successful product offering. 

Labor challenges continue to influence innovation across the roofing industry. David said every new solution under consideration must either simplify installation or reduce labor requirements. “My edict to the folks is: any solution to any problem has to be easier to install than the thing it's replacing, or it has to be labor-saving in general,” he said. 

Looking ahead, Versico plans to expand its investment in research and development, including facility growth and additional innovation resources. “If you're impressed by what we've done in the last 25 years, I would say just wait for the next five years because it will be even better than it's been in any year in the past,” David said. 

Support Versico as they continue to innovate by filling out the Request More Information form on the Versico directory page.