Embracing innovation within the industry is becoming more and more critical as it can affect your bottom line. New technology makes taking daily readings more efficient, profitable, faster, and improves the quality of service for everyone – insurers, contractors, and homeowners. There are plenty of options for restoration contractors in today’s technological world. But if you want to be a leader in the industry, it’s time to start planning for the evolution of connected equipment.

Technology as a Productivity Tool

What would happen if you had to work today with the equipment, tools, and technology you used 10 or 20 years ago? Outdated paper file systems, whiteboards, typewriters, landlines, just to name a few, would make the process of tracking and documenting structural drying jobs a full-time job in itself. Time and resources would be spread thin sending your skilled technicians to job sites multiple times a day to monitor the performance of your drying equipment. For an industry that thrives on equipment allocation and scheduling, the use of outdated tools and resources might be the deciding factor between you and your competitor.

Embracing and investing in technology that focuses on data collection, equipment management, and remote monitoring solutions will drastically reduce your administrative overhead. You’ll also have a lot more time to organize your existing resources and get more jobs done in a day – which means you’ll be more profitable.

Get Connected

Unless you live off the grid, you are likely using Bluetooth or WiFi at this very moment. Bluetooth and WiFi are both wireless technologies for connecting your devices, but they are quite different. While WiFi is mainly used to connect your devices to the internet, Bluetooth is only used to connect your devices to each other. In a nutshell, Bluetooth in connected products is a great solution because drying jobs are set up temporarily. Bluetooth is known to be the right technology for temporary networks such as when your phone connects in your car or when you connect headphones or health devices to your phone. WiFi is great for your home but is very cumbersome for temporary applications.

Bluetooth-enabled equipment such as dehumidifiers, air movers, and accessories allow for automated psychometric readings, moisture content readings, days of usage, location, and serial numbers all be transferred to an automated drying report in seconds. These detailed reports can be shared with your team, customer, or insurance agency via text or email. Bluetooth beacons can be retrofitted on any piece of equipment allowing you to take readings, track inventory, and provide days of use and serial numbers to drying reports.

View detailed reports at your fingertips.

Schedule Smarter

Connecting your Bluetooth-enabled devices to a mobile job-based drying app allows you to manage your drying jobs and coordinate your team seamlessly from your phone. Monitor, track, and report while skipping unnecessary steps that waste time and money. And most importantly, these apps make it easy to share drying reports with your team, customer, or the insurance agency via text or email.

Mobile job-based drying apps also allow you to:

• Save up to 30 minutes setting up jobs
• Gather readings instantly from all Bluetooth equipment in range
• Prioritize onsite visits based on remote readings
• Send notifications in real-time if the equipment is turned off
• Track inventory, using last known location
• Upload data automatically to the cloud whenever you have cell service

Remote Monitoring and Inventory Tracking

With the risks associated with COVID-19, still front-and-center, having the means to restrict face-to-face meetings with homeowners is now more important than ever. Bluetooth-enabled equipment paired with a mobile device and drying app allows you to monitor jobs 24 hours a day, remotely. By reducing the amount of face-to-face interaction with occupants, eliminating the use of PPE on needless site visits, and reducing the overhead associated with job site visits, you’re able to provide the property owner a higher level of service while increasing your profits. Similar to businesses turning to video conferencing and Zoom meetings, remote monitoring offers a wealth of benefits to keep restoration businesses not only viable but more efficient during these difficult times.

Smart Dehumidifiers, Air Movers, and Accessories

Phoenix Restoration Equipment was an early adapter of the connected equipment movement. Our DryMAX XL was the first dehumidifier with built-in Bluetooth technology to ever be built. We continue the tradition of being innovative leaders in the water, mold, and fire restoration equipment industry. We have a dedicated technologies team focused on building Bluetooth-enabled products and solutions that allow you to locate and take readings from of smart equipment on-site, right from your phone.