"Everyone deserves a roof," says roof raiser Dior Vass of Dior Construction, "and we want to give it to them."
Grâce au travail acharné, un engagement envers le service communautaire, une utilisation de technologies innovantes et des contributions continues à l'industrie de la toiture, Dior atteint cet objectif depuis 2010. Learn how this GAF Master Elite Contractor* and his northern New Jersey company are raising the roofing game.
Raising the Roofing Workforce
Encouraging future roofers is one way Dior raises up the industry. At a recent GAF Roofing Academy course held at GAF headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey, Dior shared industry insights and advice with an all-female class from Edison Job Corps.
Women are vastly underrepresented and underutilized in the industry and only comprise about 4,6 % of roofers. Dior is helping encourage a new wave of skilled laborers by supporting the Roofing Academy as it teaches the necessary skills to enter the roofing industry.
"Making roofing more appealing and friendly to women opens up a whole new level of opportunities from a business perspective," says Dior. Whether they're going to install shingles, manage projects, or sell jobs, "not actively seeking women out is one of the biggest mistakes a business can make."
Dior is excited to see and support GAF making roofing more accessible to women through job training. "GAF Roofing Academy is really creating jobs and building the industry more than I've seen anyone else do," says Dior.
As an industry leader, Dior knows the learning never ends. He regularly has GAF come out to teach his staff and notes that "GAF is the world's largest roofing manufacturer and still takes the time to create programs that educate existing roofers."
Sharing the Keys to Success
How has Dior built such a successful company? Communication. "We've come to learn nothing is possible without it," he says. Along with strong internal and external communication, he attributes Dior Construction's success to people and processes.
Dior has a well-planned approach to hiring the right team members and implementing the right processes. "Without the right people, processes will never be followed," he says. And without the right processes, "you can have great people, but they might be on the wrong seat on the bus and not have the opportunities they need to excel in their lives and careers."
With solid communication, people, and processes, Dior's teams can provide "the highest level of quality and best service possible."
Advancing with AI Technology
To stay ahead of the curve, Dior Construction has been using artificial intelligence (AI). One example is its use of AI chatbots to provide instant answers to employees who need technical data. This saves his employees time and his company money.
"There are thousands of technical bulletins and guides and code books," says Dior. Instead of an employee needing to dig into online manufacturer libraries or search hard copies at the office, Dior uploads roofing resources into an AI database. "Now, the employee can ask detailed and technical questions to the AI like it's a real person, and the AI chatbot will search thousands of papers and quickly provide the correct answer."
Dior also uses AI to screen job applicants. "It costs us-and the applicant-time and money if we hire someone who's not the right fit," he says. Based on Dior's parameters, an AI program efficiently filters through job applicants, does a preliminary interview with them, and scores their resumes before they can progress to in-person interviews. "It's amazing," says Dior. "We wouldn't be who we are without our team. That's why it's so important to get the right candidate on board."
Redonner à la communauté
Since the company started in 2010, it has been involved in several programs to help provide safe, affordable housing to those in need. Some of these efforts are in partnership with GAF and Habitat for Humanity, where GAF donates roofing materials and a System Plus Limited Warranty, and Dior donates time and labor for the Habitat for Humanity roofing project.
Dior has also helped provide added rebates for US military troops. The GAF Roofs for Troops program offers a 250 $ rebate when eligible military troops install a qualifying roof system. Dior Construction then matches the GAF rebate, providing local military members with 500 $ savings total for their new roof.
Getting Involved
Dior is a true leader in roofing, from community service to empowering the industry and innovating new strategies for business success. Are you a contractor feeling inspired to get involved, too? Contact your local territory manager to see how you can help support your community, and look for a GAF Roofing Academy class in your area to help inspire future generations of roofers.
*Les entrepreneurs inscrits aux programmes de certification GAF ne sont pas des employés ou des agents de GAF, qui ne contrôle pas et ne supervise pas ces entreprises indépendantes. Les entrepreneurs peuvent recevoir des avantages, tels que des points de fidélité et des remises sur les outils de marketing de GAF pour avoir participé au programme et offert des garanties améliorées GAF, qui exigent l'utilisation d'une quantité minimale de produits de la marque.
