On this episode of Ask The Expert, we’re joined by returning guest Robb Harrell, Vice President of Strategic Accounts at DocuSketch. We’re revisiting a topic that has gained impressive momentum in the last year: the claims ecosystem. In a previous article, Robb addressed the importance of repairing the restoration triangle. In 2025 and the beginning of this year, we have come a long way. Robb breaks down where we’ve improved, where we need a little more work, and how he sees everything going in the future. 

Key topics of discussion in this episode include:

• Industry pioneer, Mickey Lee, created the term "restoration triangle" to describe the three key parties involved in the claims ecosystem. This includes the contractors, carriers, and property owners/policyholders.
• There are several barriers preventing a unified claims ecosystem. Robb shares what he believes is the biggest human-driven barrier preventing a unified claims ecosystem. It is the lack of shared understanding and assumptions between the three parties. Contractors assume adjusters understand field activities, adjusters assume contractors understand policy constraints, and carriers assume both understand risk modeling.
• The loss of personal relationships and face-to-face interactions between contractors and adjusters is a fault line. Restorers can rebuild trust by leveraging digital tools like 360 documentation to help facilitate a shared understanding and transparent communication.
• 360 documentation and other collaborative technologies can transform the claims process by removing ambiguity, promoting standardization, and increasing accountability across the restoration triangle.
• The industry is still struggling with technology adoption that solves human problems, not just creating more dashboards. "Tech that supports shared language" enables real-time data sharing and seamless workflows between all three parties.
• If Robb could redesign the restoration triangle, the non-negotiable elements are shared data sources, transparent documentation, and standardized processes that keep the policyholders’ experience as the central focus, especially as extreme weather events require faster scaling.