QR codes for roofers: turn a parked van into a WhatsApp enquiry point

QR Trade is for tradespeople with a work van. Its branded QR code pack can take a person who has noticed a roofer’s parked vehicle to a WhatsApp chat with a pre-filled quote-enquiry message.

That is a contact route, not an inspection, diagnosis or commitment to take on work. The person chooses whether to send the message, and the roofing business manages every part of the response.

Someone may want to ask about slipped tiles, guttering, a flat-roof covering, flashing, roofline work, moss clearance or a planned replacement. They may also simply want to describe something they have noticed from ground level.

A QR code should not invite people to inspect a roof or make a judgement about its condition. Keep the invitation to an enquiry, and let the business decide what information is needed afterwards.

A useful pre-filled message is: “Hi, I saw your van locally and would like to ask about a roofing quote.” It is short enough for a person to adapt, whether their question concerns a repair, guttering or a future project.

1. Select the WhatsApp number used for business messages in the QR Trade builder.
2. Create the pack with a clear, general roofing enquiry prompt.
3. Scan the code with a phone and check the correct chat opens.
4. Test the final placement from beside the safely parked vehicle.

If they choose to send a message, a person might include their postcode, a brief description and photos taken safely from ground level. QR Trade does not automatically capture that information.

WhatsApp is a useful destination because the scanner can review the draft, add their own wording and decide whether to send it. It also gives the roofer a single chat thread in which to ask follow-up questions in the business’s usual process.

A scan alone does not indicate the scope, safety, urgency or suitability of work. Avoid wording that suggests an immediate response, a roof assessment or a result from scanning.

On a van, place the QR code on a clear panel with an obvious instruction such as “Scan to start a WhatsApp roofing quote enquiry”. Avoid handles, door seams, heavily patterned graphics and areas a person cannot reasonably approach when the vehicle is parked.

For any separate site sign, follow the site’s permission and safety arrangements. Do not place a code where scanning would require someone to enter a work area, stand near vehicle movements or look up at roofing activity.

Leave visual space around the code and use wording that tells a passer-by exactly what the scan does. A focused instruction is clearer than a crowded panel of services and can be checked alongside the QR code during a test scan.

Use ordinary phone testing in the lighting and position likely around the van. If the code or its instruction is obscured, move it rather than expecting people to search for it.

The roofing business receives the WhatsApp enquiry and can decide how to respond based on the details voluntarily provided. Establish internally who checks the chat and how you will request additional information where needed.

QR Trade costs £75 per van for a branded QR code pack. Confirm the WhatsApp destination and draft message in the builder, then test them again after the pack is positioned on the vehicle.