Ask Annissa: I’m New to the Industry – is that an Issue with Adjusters? | 2014-05-23

Master the ability to become the adjuster’s solution partner and they won’t care how long you have been in the business

man working restoration First off, know that you are more worried about it than any adjuster really is. The adjuster just wants to know that you will do a great job, do it right and not cause him or her any headaches.

Whether a company has been in business for 20 years or two months won’t matter as long as the quality of work and integrity are there.

That being said, there are some things that you can do to break through the initial hesitation or lack of confidence that you may receive from an adjuster at the beginning of a job.

First and foremost, make sure that in all of your marking you have testimonials. If you have done any business prior to starting restoration, like carpet cleaning, janitorial or window washing, you can still use a testimonial from one of these clients that speaks to your quality and ethics when it comes to taking care of clients. It doesn't matter that they are not from restoration jobs, they will help the adjuster get an idea of how great you treat your clients. What your clients have to say about you can be more important than how long you have been doing what you do. I know a 15-year-old restoration company that the adjusters in our area refuse to use because of their poor work ethics and bad quality of work.

The other piece that you should be able to show is that you have a good solid foundation of the job through education and hands-on experience, if at all possible. There are some very specific processes that you need to know and be able to demonstrate for an adjuster so they can have confidence that you can handle the job. So be sure that you are certified and have taken the courses necessary for you to be confident in your skills and ability to handle the cleaning and deodorizing of a job.

Understand that the barrier that you are speaking of is mostly coming from you. In order for the adjuster to have confidence in you and your experience, you need to be confident first. The days of flying by the seat of your pants in this industry are a thing of the past. So do your due diligence and get the education that you need to understand not only how to do the job properly, but how to communicate, help and handle a job from an adjuster’s stand point.

Master the ability to become the adjuster’s solution partner and they won’t care how long you have been in the business.

Annissa Coy is a well-trained and highly skilled professional with more than two decades of experience in the cleaning and restoration industry and the co-creator of Firehouse Education and Mobile Cleaning Systems. She was also the winner of R&R’s inaugural Recognizing Women in Restoration award in 2017. Be sure to check out Annissa’s weekly videos on www.randrmagonline.com! Have a question for Annissa? E-mail her at Annissa@firehouseeducation.com.

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