Spartan StormShield is doubling down on making personal connections in neighborhoods like yours

By Patricia Nugent

Can you think of a more nostalgic and welcoming sound than an ice cream truck rolling down your street?

This slice of Americana spells the promise of something special, a call to stop whatever you’re doing, head outside, catch up with your neighbors and enjoy a cherished treat.

With the launch of their Neighborhood Check & Chill Experience this month, the folks at Spartan StormShield are bringing back the ice cream truck. They’re even improving on it—the ice cream is free, and they’re including free roof inspections and Q&A sessions for homeowners to learn about roofing. The first Check & Chill Experience took place in Avon and one will be coming to a neighborhood near you soon.

I caught up with Joel Arlia, one of the co-owners of the family-owned company, to find out about the motivation behind this new community outreach program geared toward spreading goodwill.

“The ice cream truck signifies a return to All-American values and a simpler time,” Joel says. “We came up with the idea for the Experience as a reflection of our values, which are transparency, honesty and educating homeowners about the latest in roofing technology. It’s a great opportunity for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the crowded roofing market to find a trustworthy provider.”

How to Know Whom to Trust
Joel reports that a challenge homeowners are faced with when it comes to roofing is deciding whom to trust.

“There have been significant changes to the local roofing industry,” he says. “People would be surprised if they knew how many roofing companies are owned by private equity interests instead of the families they pretend to be. Private equity firms have nearly endless funds for investing in digital marketing. As a result, homeowners are overwhelmed, irritate, and confused by the barrage of messages they receive. In response to this formidable competition, our company has made the strategic decision to connect directly with people. We’re doubling down on personal connections.”

He also notes the market for roofing services has become saturated, resulting in an increase of unqualified roofers who are willing to work for less.

When Joel and his crew field questions from homeowners, the three consistent questions are: “What types of storm damage do you look for that are not visible from the ground?,” “Have you seen my insurance provider approve full roof replacements instead of just repairs for my type of roof damage?,” and “If I make a claim, will my rates go up?”

All About Education
Joel says their ability to educate the consumer is the reason why 90% of Spartan’s business comes from word-of-mouth.

“We go out of our way to educate homeowners and work with insurance companies to make sure they receive the full amount of their claim,” he says. “Our clients have always found this refreshing, and we hope they find their Check & Chill Experience refreshing, too.

Neigborhood Check & Chill Experience
If you are a homeowners association, community event organizer or sports team, contact Spartan StormShield to schedule your Check & Chill Experience with Q&A session. Reach out to info@spartanstormshield.com.

With the tagline “The roof system to last your lifetime,” Spartan StormShield is headquartered at 309 Silver Street in Akron. It installs and repairs roofs for homes and businesses all over Northeast Ohio. Call 330-SPARTAN (772-7826) or visit SpartanStormShield.com. The company is thankful to Tory and Renee from Blooming Apéro (BloomingApero.godaddysites.com/) for providing the trailer and services for Check & Chill events.