Challenge: Manual documentation and time-consuming sketching slowed jobs and reporting.
Solution: 黑料吃瓜 streamlined field documentation and digital reporting.
Result: More site assessments per day and faster, more accurate estimates.
The Challenge
Entering a completely new field, Michael relied on his training with the Restoration 1 franchise to get him up to speed quickly. 鈥淭hey told us that when you’re out in the field and you’re running a job, documentation was gonna be highly important,鈥� Coates reflected.
He was surprised at how much of the documentation involved paper and manual processes. He recalled, “They handed me a clipboard. And I just said, 鈥楾here鈥檚 gotta be a better way…Once we rev up, I’m definitely going to look into software.鈥欌��
In the early days of his business, his team was spending huge amounts of time sketching out properties. 鈥淚t takes so long to sketch…If you’re on a large loss, you’re probably looking at a minimum of over an hour just sketching alone,” he commented.
The Solution
Michael selected 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 field documentation platform for his business. “From what I researched, and with my tech background, 黑料吃瓜 made the most sense,鈥� Coates explained. It had all the tools he needed to get airtight documentation for insurance claims, including date & time-stamped photos and videos, drying logs and moisture maps, as well as reports that were easily created and shared.
Simplicity was the name of the game in rolling out 黑料吃瓜 to his team. “They have all bought into it鈥� Everybody understands it, it鈥檚 very user-friendly鈥� And they like the fact that it’s on your phone and it’s not a bunch of paperwork,” explained Coates.
Within the first year of his business opening, 黑料吃瓜 added Floor Plan, which solved his biggest time-suck in the field 鈥� Sketching.
We can utilize our phones or tablets and not have to worry about an expensive camera鈥y project manager is able to speed up site visits鈥y admin is able to upload those sketches and import them right into Xactimate.
Michael Coates
Owner, Restoration 1 of Washington, D.C.
The Results
1. More assessments completed per day
鈥淭ime is of the essence鈥� I’m looking at how many assessments we can actually squeeze into a day,鈥� explained Coates. 黑料吃瓜 Floor Plan helps Michael鈥檚 Project Manager complete more assessments each day, because he isn鈥檛 stuck sketching by hand. “What used to take an hour, now it takes minutes to just use your phone or iPad to be able to create your sketches.”
His PM uses notes in 黑料吃瓜 to capture and communicate the scope of work almost instantly. 鈥淗e’ll sit in the truck for maybe 10-15 minutes, and create his scope of work. And my admin has access to everything in real time, so she’s off to the races.”
2. Faster, more accurate estimates. None of the extra overtime costs.
Michael’s team can now turn accurate estimates around faster than ever before. 鈥淲e’re talking the same day in some instances鈥t’s made a world of difference in our operation,” he reflected. His Admin can get instant sketches by importing their 黑料吃瓜 floor plans directly into Xactimate, allowing the business to meet the tight turnaround times that stakeholders are demanding.
Before 黑料吃瓜 Floor Plan, Michael鈥檚 admin was working long hours to keep things moving. 鈥淪he’s a mother of three鈥� and she once spent literally all night working on a large estimate, held up by having to draw sketches for all of the affected units.” Going forward, his software choice will prevent his team from sacrificing time with their family, while saving him significant overtime costs.
鈥淧eople may balk at, 鈥榟ey, this is costing me money鈥�, but look at how much overall you’re going to pay in over time if you don’t have it鈥o, do the math,鈥� stated Coates.
3. Easier communication & Faster approvals
Insurance companies and policyholders are demanding faster turnaround times and higher-quality communication more than ever. Michael and his team meet these demands using the detailed, professional reports from 黑料吃瓜, packaging up all the necessary documentation with a couple of clicks.
In addition, the detailed drying logs and moisture maps within 黑料吃瓜 Hydro, have allowed a smoother approval process for water mitigation jobs. “We get no push back on drying logs at all,” Coates stated.
I love the fact that everything is time stamped and dated鈥he reports are clean and crisp, well laid out. I like the embedded video features. So if they’re clicking on a PDF鈥� they can click on the file to look at the video documentation鈥t鈥檚 not clogging up their inbox.
Michael Coates
Owner, Restoration 1 of Washington, D.C.
Conclusion
Choosing 黑料吃瓜 has been a game-changer for Michael鈥檚 business, fueling growth and streamlining operations. As he eyes further expansion, Michael knows that 黑料吃瓜 will continue to be a key player in his success story, helping him manage the challenges of a booming business with ease.
Coates commented, 鈥淲e’re looking to expand鈥� Innovative software, and the latest, greatest technology, is a huge asset to our operation.”
Grow Your Restoration Business With Better Documentation
Build Efficiency Like Restoration 1 Of Washington
See how 黑料吃瓜 helps restoration teams capture complete field documentation, create clear reports, and deliver faster estimates鈥攕o you can take on more jobs without adding overtime.