Responsibility is key to a healthy industry

CCS Influencer Jeff Blank says people need to understand that just because it says it's a warranty, doesn't mean that it's a guarantee!

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Jeff Blank.

Megan Ellsworth: Hello everyone, my name is Megan Ellsworth here@coatingscoffeeshop.com, and I am so excited. We're back again for an influencer response for the month of April 2024, and I'm here with Jeff. Hi Jeff, how are you?

Jeff Blank: Oh, how are you Megan? Good to see you. You look great.

Megan Ellsworth: Good to to see you too.

Megan Ellsworth: I'm so excited to hear what you have to say. This month's topic is all about fluid applied system warranties, and the question is, how should companies be using warranties for fluid applied systems in their sales and marketing? So take it away, Jeff, teach us your knowledge.

Jeff Blank: Well, that's a big assumption. In any event. Okay, so warranties. I've been a, as I said, as I stated previously, I'm an old guy. So, um, I've been in this business a really, really long time. It's the only job I, the only industry I've ever really worked in. So I'm subsequently, um, uh, I've been doing it a long time and warranties have been a huge, huge problem, um, in our industry. And typically the way it works is the manufacturer is responsible for the materials warranting those, and the contractor is typically responsible for the installation. Right? And in a perfect world that works perfectly, but unfortunately, um, in our industry, that's been a problem. So, and one of, and I have a, I mean I obviously have war stories like, um, you know, crazy instances where, um, we sold a product and the contractor called us up and said, uh, the stuff's not getting dry.

You gotta come see this. It's not getting dry. You know, we just did a whole roof. And I went out there and it was aluminized smooth surface roof, and it was indeed tacky. And we started moving the stuff around and, um, the, we started moving stuff around and water literally started coming up from underneath the roof. So, um, the key problem with that is, uh, they went over a, basically a wet roof. They didn't really do any due diligence and it was really, the insulation was basically a floating bag of water absorbed mulch. And, you know, obviously they had to tear that up. It was a big problem and they were on the hook because they didn't do the proper due diligence. And, you know, this is still our client, the roof of the contractor. So, you know, we had to help them out too.

So even in a perfect world that, you know, we could have said, sorry, see ya. But, you know, the company was respons, you know, fair-minded. So that's, that's always been, you know, a, you know, an issue for our industry. The good thing is, is I work for, I've been working for Simon Roofing now for the last 27 years, and we're the one of the few truly vertically integrated roofing companies, which means we make the stuff, we, uh, uh, we install the stuff, we design the stuff and then we warrant the stuff. So basically you have, um, uh, you have a, uh, a full, uh, start to finish responsibility and, um, that makes life a lot easier. So our, our field, our ma our, our design people, our product design people are empowered to really make stuff that is very high quality. And then our, uh, our, our manufacturing people are empowered to make sure that it's made per the specifications and, um, the, uh, installers and our people that are trained on how to stall stuff are equally responsible for making sure that it's properly put down and then our warranties become a complete wraparound.

So that has kind of changed the calculus in our industry and we're very proud of that, you know, uh, soup to nuts start to finish kind of, uh, program.

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, absolutely. Um, and then with that, that roof you were talking about, I mean, having, you need to support their customer too and that's where the warranty kind of comes in, um right. Helping them understand Correct, you know, application and not to how not to void the warranty and making sure that they're doing the best thing for their customer as you do the best thing for your customer. So it all is a circle,

Jeff Blank: Right?

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely correct. Well, Jeff, thank you so much. Anything else to add? Any tidbits of, um, advice on, uh, warranties?

Jeff Blank: Basically a warranty is a legal document. And what people need to understand is just 'cause it says it's a warranty, doesn't mean that it's a guarantee. There's a huge difference between a warranty and a guarantee. A warranty tells you, um, you know, specifically it lays out the parameters of the responsibility for the, for the supplier. A guarantee says this is gonna be great, and we guarantee it. You know, it's like the old joke from, you know, men's warehouse where the guy used to always say, you're gonna look great. We guarantee it, you know, that was a great slogan. But not everybody looks great to start with. And that's true with warranties. Not all of 'em, uh, are created equal. So, you know, buyer beware, you know, and then do your, do your homework, do your due diligence. Don't, you know, everybody wants to, you know, promise you the sun, the moon and the stars. Make sure they can deliver it.

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, that's great advice right there to end it off. Wow. Um, well Jeff, this has been a great influencer response.

Jeff Blank: Thanks. I feel very influential.

Megan Ellsworth: Oh good. I'm glad you do. 'cause you are, um, everyone out there listening. Um, make sure you stay tuned to all of the influencer responses that are coming for the rest of the month. Um, and we'll see you on the next one. Thanks so much, Jeff.

Jeff Blank: Take care.