As Accuserve recruits restorers daily to join our vendor network, it is interesting to see what separates the average restorers from the good ones and the good ones from those that are great. See 5 ways below to separate yourself from your competition by focusing on these key measures of success:

1. Great Customer Service

Show up on time, if not early, and look and sound like a professional. This starts with a clean, well-logoed vehicle parked on the street in front of the house and continues with the technicians wearing neat uniforms, with photo ID badges and wearing shoe protectors when in the home. Introduce all technicians that will be working on that project and be sure to show their IICRC certification cards to provide a level of comfort about their expertise.

2. Technical Knowledge

“You can’t outperform your own knowledge” as a good friend of mine use to say, and he was right. You must hold your technicians to a high technical standard that surpasses the normal IICRC WRT certification everyone expects. They must think critically when investigating how to utilize the least invasive drying strategy on every water mitigation project. The Applied Structural Drying (IICRC ASD) course focuses on the same information learned in the IICRC WRT course, but adds the component of having to think in real-world terms in determining category and class of water, how many airmovers and dehumidifiers will be needed, whether to use an air filtration device (AFD) or not, placing containment effectively, and how to save as many materials as possible with the least amount of demolition and disruption. The goal is to return the home to pre-loss conditions as quickly as possible to give the occupants their lives back and to avoid lengthy build backs and hassles of having workers in your home for extended periods. Make sure your technicians have an IICRC ASD certification.

3. Equipment

Restorers must invest in the latest drying technology, including airmovers, dehumidifiers, wood floor drying equipment, specialty extraction tools, diagnostic equipment, and mobile apps. The technician can have all the knowledge in the world, but if they don’t have the proper equipment then being successful will be that much harder. The goal is to minimize labor and focus on equipment rental by earning as many claim referrals as possible, thus keeping your equipment off the shop shelves and out in the marketplace. It is simple, the more demolition you perform, the more labor costs you incur, the more profit you lose. Become a restorer that everyone calls when they want their lives back after a water loss.

4. Documentation

Learn how to utilize mobile apps to easily transfer information and become good at it. Make sure the documentation is transmitted to materially interested parties in a timely manner and be detailed by properly labeling photos, providing daily psychrometric and moisture content readings with a detailed moisture map showing all moisture points and how you initially placed drying equipment and containment. If it is a contaminated water loss it is that much more important to prove containment separated affected areas from unaffected areas and how you utilized engineering controls to protect indoor air quality. Photos and videos can tell your story well, so learn how to use them on every project. Proper documentation provided in a timely manner will also get you paid quicker.

5. Attention to Detail

Take special pains to “WOW” the customer by paying attention to the smallest details and leaving an immaculate work site. Take photos to document all areas left in a spotless and safe condition and don’t forget to take photos of your final moisture content readings taken with a penetrating moisture meter, if possible, to prove you left all affected materials that you were drying in an acceptable moisture content.

Remember: Be really good at the little things for they are the stepping stones to accomplishing great things.