Why Star Roofing Thrives with Constant Improvement and Stellar Customer Service

Peter Wall had worked on a roof just once when his brother Jim asked him to start a roofing company with him.

He was reluctant at first but ultimately agreed to run the sales and marketing operations while his partners took care of field operations. He reviewed market data and did his due diligence, but eventually just decided to go for it.

Together, over 28 years, they built Star Roofing with an appreciation for promoting internally and the determination to give clients the quality materials, installation, and communication that the sales team promised. They give back to the Capital Region, too, by supporting several local charities and sports teams.

Now, they join The Leadership Team on ESPN Radio as the area's premier roof installer with 48 employees and four teams of specialty subcontractors. Peter Wall sat down with Rodger Wyland to share what keeps their business at the top of the industry. Listen to the full interview here or keep scrolling for a condensed version:

The Leadership Team Podcast with Rodger Wyland on ESPN Radio

Rodger Wyland: What do you find rewarding about running this business?

Peter Wall: I've always had the temperament and the drive to work for myself; I didn't have anyone to motivate me. I'm a self-starter. I like the creative part of the business, I like the sales part of the business, I like the people part of the business. And that's where I thrive.

Rodger Wyland: Does your firm support the professional growth and development of your team?

Peter Wall: Absolutely. Most of the managers we have started in a position below where they are right now, including some of our salesmen. In our office staff, for instance, the managers have been there for almost the entire time we've been in business.

Rodger Wyland: How do you build and maintain client relationships:

Peter Wall: Our clients are important to us. We are a small enough company that every person we deal with gets individual attention. Whether you're a homeowner who is re-roofing a porch, or a commercial owner, or a general contractor, we treat everyone the same; we give everyone the same attention. If you're a customer, you have someone assigned to your account, and we handle everyone the same, whether you're spending $1,000 or $100,000.

Rodger Wyland: You've been so successful at what you've done in the past 28 years. What differentiates you from your competitors?

Peter Wall: Coming out of banking, I understood the importance of customer service and communication. A lot of times, contractors are great contractors, but they don't have the customer service skills to work with people under special circumstances. They are more cookie-cutter; they go in and say, "This is what I'm going to do and this is how I'm going to do it." Our philosophy has always been to listen to the customer to tailor a solution to exactly what they are asking for. Sometimes you do have to guide them into a solution but for the most part, we spend a lot of time talking to people to find out how to solve their problem.

Rodger Wyland: So beginning, to middle, to end, client satisfaction is important to what you do.

Peter Wall: And service after the sale is critical. There are so many people who, upfront, they are great salesmen. They get you to sign the contract and they almost forget about you once they get your deposit. That's not our philosophy at all.

Rodger Wyland: With 28 years in the business, where do you see Star Roofing 10 years down the road?

Peter Wall: I think we're still going to be a leader, I really do. We have some younger people involved in the business now. We're go-getters. We're always on top of the new systems and manufacturers. We're always trying to improve our processes and products.