Published on February 26th, 2024
In this article, we’ll show how roofers can use CRM automation and templates to speed up their billing process and collect payments more accurately.
If you’ve been in the roofing or contracting businesses long, you know the struggle of collecting payment.
Trying to keep track of missed payments, settle payment disputes, communicate with clients who don’t know why their bill is as high as it is, and simply trying to continue running a business while fixing all these problems can all be a massive headache.
But there’s a way to avoid all these problems, and it starts with a roofing invoice template and CRM processes that help you streamline the estimate-to-invoice process.
Let’s get started!
- Why Roofing Invoice Templates Are Essential
- How To Create The Perfect Roofing Invoice Template
- How To Accelerate Your Billing (From Start To Finish)
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Why Roofing Invoice Templates Are Essential
Without streamlined processes, invoice creation can take up precious time that could have been spent on other essential business tasks.
However, with roofing invoice templates, you can make your invoicing process much quicker, more accurate, and more efficient.
Some of the benefits of using a roofing invoice template include the following:
- Speed Up Invoice Creation
Creating invoices from scratch can be a tedious process.
But with roofing invoice templates, you can simply fill in the blanks and have your invoices ready to send in minutes.
- Better Info Collection
An invoice template ensures that you collect ALL the information you need every single time due to its standardized format.
- Easily Generate Complex Bills
Roofing jobs often have complex billing requirements, such as progress invoicing, payment schedules, and complex materials costs.
With roofing invoice templates, you can easily create complex bills without reinventing the wheel every time.
- Save Time on Paperwork
By using roofing invoice templates, you can easily manage and organize your invoices electronically, saving time and ensuring you can easily access your invoices when needed.
How To Create The Perfect Roofing Invoice Template
As a roofing business, you know that creating and sending invoices to your clients is one of the most important tasks you have to do.
Cashflow is the lifeblood of your business.
Invoices not only help you get paid for the services you have provided but also help you keep track of your finances.
Here are some basics to get started:
What Information To Include
The first step in creating the perfect roofing invoice template is to determine what information you need to include.
Your invoice should include the following elements AT A MINIMUM:
- Your company’s name, logo, and contact information
- The client’s name and contact information
- An invoice number for keeping track of which invoice was sent to which client
- Date of the invoice (for tracking late payments)
- A list of the services you have provided, along with the date of service and the charge for each service (materials, labor, environmental fees, etc.)
- Total cost of the job, including taxes and fees, minus discounts
- Terms, such as payment due date, installments, payment methods, etc.
In addition to these lines, you should include anything relevant to your company and the jobs you complete.
The most important thing to remember when creating a roofing invoice template is to ensure everything is CLEAR AND CORRECT.
You know how frustrating it is to deal with a company that doesn’t provide a detailed and precise list of everything you’re being charged for (hospitals, anyone?).
Don’t be that business.
Make sure your clients can figure out EXACTLY what they’re being charged for and how much it costs.
Design Elements
Once you’ve determined what information to include in your invoice, it’s time to think about design elements.
You could put everything together in Excel and just print it out, but that doesn’t exactly provide a great impression of your company.
Instead, design an invoice template that represents your company well.
It should be simple, clean, and easy to read.
You can use your company’s color scheme and logo to make it more visually appealing.
Additionally, try using tables to make your invoice more organized and readable.
How to Accelerate Your Billing (From Start To Finish)
Nobody wants to sit around all day just managing tedious billing processes.
First of all, it’s boring.
Second, you spend less time managing your business and your active jobs.
The good news is there are ways to accelerate (and sometimes automate) your billing process from start to finish so you can focus on your core business and increase your revenue.
Before we wrap up this post, we’ll show you how to streamline your billing process and minimize errors by following some simple steps.
Collect Customer Information
Collecting accurate customer information is key for accelerating your billing process.
This typically includes contact details, property address, and the type of roofing work required.
The best time to collect this information is when you’re taking the first call from a roofing lead or when you’re making your estimate at the site.
Invest in an online database or CRM like VipeCloud to manage customer data and keep it updated in real-time.
Over 90% of businesses with more than 11 employees use CRMs, meaning you’re lagging if you’re not using one yet!
It also makes it much easier to go back and find exactly what you need about your prospects.
No more flipping through hundreds of files frantically trying to find the right client – just make a quick search in your CRM.
Provide Estimates Using A CRM
Once you have collected customer information and visited the job site, it’s time to provide an estimate for your potential client.
The best way to send an estimate is through the same CRM where you compiled your customer data. Doing so allows you to quickly include the most pertinent details about the customer without needing to do everything manually.
By using a roofing CRM, you can easily create and send personalized quotes to your customers, track client interactions, and monitor sales performance all in the same place.
The best CRMs will also allow you to automatically use customer information to generate estimates with much less work.
VipeCloud offers an estimates tool that allows you to send and track estimates with information that auto-populates based on the information about the client and job that you enter as you collect it.
Clients can also accept or reject the estimate, and VipeCloud will automatically update its status in your CRM.
This will save you time and help you close deals faster.
Create And Send a Contract
Once a customer has agreed to your estimate, it’s time to create and send a contract.
The best way to create and send contracts is by using the same template each time. You can create your own template – just make sure to include the most essential details, such as:
- Payment terms
- Deadlines
- Timeline
- Late payment penalties
Using your template, generate a contract and ensure all the necessary information is covered.
Contracts are one of the most critical parts of any roofing job because they help you avoid payment disputes and increase customer satisfaction by improving communication and expectations.
Use Your Roofing Invoice Templates
After a project is completed (or at specific intervals during the project, depending on your contract structure), it’s time to invoice the customer.
Use the roofing invoice templates you created in the steps above to save time and minimize errors.
Each invoice should include your business logo, terms and conditions, payment instructions, and other essential details about your job (see the checklist above for a more complete list).
Some CRMs also allow you to send invoices from their platform.
You can autofill the invoice with the customer and job info and send it all from your CRM.
This saves you the headache of needing to do the tedious work of creating a brand-new invoice and filling it in every single time.
Automate Follow-Ups
What happens when you need to follow up with your customers about payment and other job-related communication?
- Late payment notifications
- Job satisfaction surveys
- Upcoming payment reminders
- Referral requests
- Job progress updates
Keeping in touch with your clients can quickly become a full-time job.
In those cases, automate your follow-ups with a CRM like VipeCloud.
Email automation allows you to create a sequence of personalized emails.
One particular use is setting up triggers based on customer behavior, meaning you can set up something like a drip campaign when a customer fills out an online form.
Email automation will help you save time and increase cash flow by improving follow-up and reducing late payments.
FAQ
How Do You Quote A Roofing Job?
When you quote a roofing job, make sure you include the following:
- Company name, logo, and contact info
- Client name and contact info
- A detailed breakdown of work to be completed and the cost of each work item
- Timeline
Make sure your quote is complete to reduce miscommunication and improve customer satisfaction!
How Much Profit Should You Make On A Roofing Job?
Your profit from job to job will vary, but your profit margin should generally hover between 20-40%.
How Much Should I Charge To Sheath A Roof?
Average roof sheathing costs include about $0.50-$2.00 per square foot of plywood plus $1.50-$3.00 per square foot in labor costs.
What Is The Difference Between Net Profit And Gross Profit?
Gross profit is how much money the client pays you minus the cost of materials and labor.
Net profit is after all business expenses have been subtracted from total profit (taxes, utilities, transportation, etc.).
Ready To Streamline Your Roofing Invoicing Process?
Accelerating your billing process is essential for roofing businesses and contractors looking to increase revenue and improve customer satisfaction.
Following the steps outlined above, you can streamline your billing process and minimize errors.
Before long, you’ll be using roofing invoice templates to become a pro when it comes to speedy billing and automatic client communication.
With these tips, you can focus on your core business and take your roofing business to the next level.
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