In the emergency restoration industry, unexpected problems and delays come with the territory. The way we approach communicating unexpected project delays and complications to customers can make a huge difference in our relationship with customers. At One Claim Solution, we work with restoration contractors every day who are faced with challenging customer communication situations. Here is advice OCS Contractor Success Manager Jake Scorse has for restoration contractors who are faced with communicating project complications to homeowners.
How you communicate with homeowners at the beginning of a restoration job is almost as important as what you say in the moment when a project hurdle comes up. “If you could just eliminate surprises, I think that’s the key,” Jake says. “That’s done by building trust day one, minute one.”
When property owners are aware of potential restoration project surprises in advance, they have an easier time handling the news if they come up later on. “It’s about setting realistic expectations from the offset. I think if you come at it with the approach of, ‘We’ve seen some projects just like this. Here are some of the unexpected challenges that could come up, but hopefully don’t,’” Jake explains. “That can help customers feel more prepared and less surprised if something comes up.”
When you do discover more extensive damage or run into any other issues that could lead to a project delay, communicate that transparently with your customers. “I think the key is to be prompt… and as clear and honest as possible with the customer about any issues that do come up or could come up,” Jake says.
No one likes to share bad news, even when it’s necessary. Presenting the problem and your solution to the customer at the same time can soften the blow and help maintain your relationship with them. “Come prepared with a solution in place,” Jake recommends. “That way there’s no loss of confidence in the contractor’s abilities.”
Sometimes when you run into issues on a emergency restoration job, it can be tempting to just quickly solve them and move on without speaking to the customer. “Sometimes you can see that delay in the process as causing fear that doesn’t need to be there with the client. But I think that’s a mistake,” Jake says. Maintaining transparency with your customer helps ease their concerns and build their confidence in you as a restoration expert. Plus, if something related to the initial issue later goes awry, you might end up in a difficult position where you have to admit to a customer that you withheld information from them. It’s easier to avoid withholding information in the first place.
Be careful not to let restoration project problems escalate by waiting on the green light from adjusters. Waiting for adjuster approval can easily lead to bigger problems down the road and greater risks to the customer’s property.
“Your contract is between you and your customer, not the adjuster,” Jake points out. “Brief notes in the paperwork go a long way to capturing a fair and reasonable payment with the carrier.” Instead of waiting for adjuster approval, fix the problem immediately. Then later on during the collections process, you can persuade the adjuster that the work was necessary.
Securing payment for emergency restoration work can be just as complicated as communicating those emergencies to homeowners. At One Claim Solution, we handle securing payment from carriers for our restoration contractors. Because of this, our contractors can focus on providing excellent restoration emergency services without having to worry about the future claims negotiation process. Learn what outsourcing claims collections can do for your restoration business by reaching out to our team.