6 l ROOFINGBC l FALL 2018 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE TIME WELL SPENT CHRIS SMITH RCABC President A s we finally start to see a tiny bit of profit return to our businesses, a new threat to contractors’ pocketbooks comes from our provincial government who, it appears, is looking to bankrupt us all. Fifty-four companies and over 6,000 kilometres clocked on my truck. My 2018 Roofing Road Tour is now one for the history books. Not only did I have an opportunity to explore this great province of ours, I also had a rare chance to visit with my industry peers and experience how they make their businesses function and flourish. This ambitious journey was something I truly felt needed to be done early on in my RCABC presidency. I have been involved with this professional organization for over 15 years and when I accepted the President’s gavel, I accepted the role with great honour. As RCABC President, I felt it was extremely important to reach out to our members both large and small – and in all regions of the province – to lend an ear and listen to their concerns and day-to-day worries. Although I, too, am a roofing contractor, it was an opportunity for the members to realize we are all in this industry together. I was truly impressed with everything I saw and learned along my journey, but two things really stood out for me – the pride and passion of the business owners I met, and their supportive staff who embrace that passion and keep the company gears lubricated. At each shop I visited, I was amazed with the warmth and openness I received from the owners. They were so eager to tell me about their business – from the company origins, obstacles they have overcome, visions for future development, to the reasons why they are the best in the industry; this is one familiar trait which I saw over and over again. We are all so proud of our businesses, along with being RCABC members, and we’re not afraid to tell everyone about it. Then there were those whom I sometimes refer to as internal customers – those individuals who keep our business machines operational. In the roofing industry, we are all too often caught up in trying to keep our external customers happy. Although they get more and more demanding each year, we bend over backwards to meet ever-changing schedules, conflicts with other trades and shrinking budgets only to realize that in the end, their loyalty is as good as the last job. On this voyage, I realized we don’t have to look any further than our own offices to see what loyalty and dedication truly are. An internal customer is defined as anyone in an organiza- tion who needs assistance or interaction from another to fulfill their responsibilities. From my point of view, I define internal customers as our most precious asset – our staff. They are the ones who work together through thick and thin to ensure operations run smoothly. Several of the companies I visited were family-run organiza- tions, with a few of them being third generation. There was even one with four generations of roofers, but spread between two different outfits. I met wives, husbands, uncles, aunts, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and cousins, all of whom were involved in the day-to-day business activities. I can certainly understand why family would give their all to ensure the profitability and FT SYNTHETICS SILVER GOLD PLATINUM A NEW GENERATION OF UNDERLAYMENTS www.�syn.com marke�ng@�syn.com Phone: 604-594-3439 Fax: 604-594-3589 Unit 1-13120 76 Avenue Surrey BC V3W 2V6 Canada Synthe�c Breathable Underlayment #1-13120 76 Avenue, Surrey BC V3W 2V6 40 year limited warranty Featuring our exclusive GRIPSPOTTM Technology slip-resistant surface!