When contractor-driven software keeps pace with change

By Jesse Sanchez. 

How long-term industry experience and user feedback are shaping the next phase of roofing technology. 

Technology adoption in roofing has shifted from optional to essential, driven by labor shortages, tighter margins and the need for clearer operational visibility. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, recorded during a Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) board meeting in Monterey, California, host Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Brian Cook, chief operating officer of Dataforma, to talk about how contractor-driven software continues to evolve with the industry. 

The conversation reflected a familiar industry arc. Dataforma began more than two decades ago as a commercial service platform and has grown into a web-based system designed to help contractors manage their entire business. Brian, who has been with the company for eighteen years and now serves as COO, described the foundation of the platform as the “building file,” a single address-based record that tracks every interaction, visit and decision tied to a property over time. 

That long view matters, especially as contractors navigate uncertainty and increasing complexity. Brian explained that software leadership is rarely static. Tools must continuously adapt as user expectations change and competitors catch up. “So, there's times when you're the leader and then people catch up and you have to leapfrog again, become the leader again,” Brian said. 

As contractors confront shifting economic conditions and rising expectations around service, speed and transparency, the ability to see and act on accurate data becomes a competitive advantage. The conversation in Monterey demonstrated that effective roofing technology is not built in isolation; it is shaped by ongoing dialogue with the contractors who rely on it every day. When software evolves alongside the realities of the field, it does more than streamline tasks; it strengthens decision-making, protects margins and positions companies to grow with confidence in the year ahead. 

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about how contractor-driven technology is evolving to meet the demands of today’s roofing businesses!