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Lets talk about Client Onboarding

coaching entreprenuer estimating leadership marketing pricing profit sales small business startup systems Sep 20, 2022

Let's talk onboarding.

In 2016, I met a guy named Andy McCabe.

He was making videos on LinkedIn. I liked what he was saying but I really was drawn to his desire to stand up and talk about things no one else was, and things that most avoided from fear.

We spoke for a while and developed a MOVEMENT called Restoration 2.0.

A reboot

A newer version

An update

An exit from the Matrix.

The carriers were getting more brazen and stronger with their tactics outlined in Delay, Deny, Defend.

A profit driven system applied to the claims process.

Carrier relationships that built incredible companies were no longer as strong and many had deteriorated with the expansion of the MRP's and growth of TPA's.

Quality and Customer service had been removed as KPI's and replaced with Claims Ratios, claims shrink and lowering of overhead by limiting site visits ( pushing the documentation onto the contractor).

Frustration was building.

Franchising was exploding (MRP's) and the quality of work in the industry was dropping.

Our first or second development of this industry grew and fostered pioneers.

Individuals that worked together and developed systems, tested theories, and created standards.

Following those first ones, we were not seeing a continuance of that theme.

Profit and greed among contractors set on.

Everyone had no time or concern.

The pressure to be profitable from DDD (carriers) put a strain on many employees and left little time to do industry things, and stay in their business.

Meanwhile, carrier profits exploded. Look these numbers up. Public information

So Andy, a few others and I saw this from a higher level, seeing people nationally and decided to spend our spare time to shine light on the causes, provide solutions to become independent, and most of all, collaborate. Stop being fragmented as the carriers want. Band together.

We started the Rebels.

FYI- The rebels are the alliance and Jedi's. Alliance is about a group banding together and fighting back.

So everyone that hated us because of the Rebels name

Should feel silly.

I saw an enormous need for a coaching and consulting solution for helping people rebuild or develop companies based on this new mindset.

This was wild stuff. Scary to be different. But the results spoke for themselves.

I started Restoration Advisers based on the Restoration 2.0 Pillars.

Client onboarding is a critical component of Restoration 2.0.

Hundreds… probably more like thousands have shifted, evolved and started from things we all discussed in the Rebels. That's incredible and that is legacy.

Give yourself a chance to not be a part of the Insurance Matrix. 

It starts with solid client onboarding.

So what is onboarding?

Onboarding is a term that has been used a lot. Its not really taught properly on a large scale. It can mean many things, but we want to break down how it can be one of the most impactful soft skills in todays climate with insurance companies crushing the profits. 

Onboarding happens in every business. Big businesses. Small businesses. 

YOU are on boarded when you see a commercial on TV.

Pepsi on-boards you during the superbowl half time show. 

Whether you realize it or not, every client that you have… you have onboarded them.

Onboarding is the process where you establish the expectations for your working relationship with your customer. It is most effective if you clearly define the processes and procedures that will be used by your company to execute the contract. 

When teaching onboarding to our clients, we tell them… on boarding STARTS in your marketing. 

How you respond to your clients when the first call is the first half of determining your sales success rate. How you present yourself when you drive up the first time and greet them at their door is the second half of your sales success. 

On boarding is when a customer asks you questions, and you answer those questions, 

HOW you answer those questions matters.

HOW you onboard matters.

Here are 2 examples for one scenario. Lets assume you are onboarding a client whose house needs to be dried out. 

Example 1

Traditional restoration. Restoration that is taught by carriers and adjusters supported by TPAs and programs. 

Customer: "I need to file a claim with my insurance company. I don’t have the funds to cover this right now. How do I get the work done by you? Can you work with them to get paid? What is that process?"

You: "Well, we are going to dry out your house and then send you and your insurance company and the assigned claims rep an estimate for the work when we complete it. If your insurance company has any questions or any issues with our estimate, they can call us directly and we will work it out with them. We can provide them photos, documentation or any other information that they need to justify our estimate so they release the funds to you. After you get the funds from your insurance company, you pay us. It really is that easy. We will take care of everything on your behalf."

Example 2:

The better way. 

The way to stay out of UPPA (unauthorized practice of public adjusting)

The way to decrease your overhead

The way to keep your sanity

The way to increase your profits

Most importantly… the way to have more time doing the things you love. 

Customer: "So, I'm filing a claim with my insurance company to pay for this work, how does that process go?"

You: 

  • "First, we are going to evaluate the damage to your home or business.
  • Second, we are going to recommend to you the method of repair that is most suited to properly restore your property to pre-loss condition using industry standards (IICRC or otherwise) and OSHA requirements.
  • Third, we are going to thoroughly review our contract terms with you, and explain our recommended scope of work, so you fully understand what we are recommending needs to be done, AND why it is important for each of these steps to take place.
  • Next, we are going to show you exactly how much this project is going to cost you.
  • Once we come to an agreement, we will document our scope of work in an estimate with your signature, and we will put the dollar amount in our contract that includes our payment terms. 
    • We recommend that you submit the contract showing the dollar amount that was agreed upon so that you can get the initial reimbursement as soon as possible. 
  • Then, we are going to dry your house per said agreement.
  • If at any point we believe that we are getting close to meeting the estimated amount we will have a conversation with you to let you know where we stand. If we believe that more work is needed than what was originally agreed upon, you will be provided with all the details and information to make an informed decision about whether or not you want us to proceed or to suspend service. 
    • If you choose to have us continue, we will document the changes and the agreement in a Change Order for you to sign off on. That change order will be added to the original contract as an amendment for you to submit to your insurance company. 
    • If you elect to have us suspend work, we will provide you with a “Hold Harmless document” that provides you with the information needed with a signature that you agree to assume the responsibility of incomplete work. 
  • After we are finished, we will send you an invoice for the work performed(Due Upon Receipt or within the terms set forth in the contract).

 

Using our best soft skills possible, we will politely reemphasize that payment will be due within the terms set forth in the contract that they signed. 

  • If you are not able to be reimbursed before the terms are expired in the contract, often what happens is after you pay the invoice, our office will provide you with Paid-In-Full Receipts that you can send to your insurance company to get reimbursed.
  • Your insurance company will then send you a check for reimbursement of the costs incurred to you, due to the damage that is covered under your insurance policy."

The customer is asking you how the process is going to go. 

This is your opportunity to be the professional (beyond a good drying tech) and TELL THEM HOW it needs to go. 

It really is that simple folks.

It is OKAY to explain to your customer that you are providing them with products and services, and that you expect to be paid upon completion, regardless of whether or not they have an insurance claim that they think is going to pay them back.

A sales tactic that helps with this topic is “overcoming objections”.

What are the objections that the client might have when you are trying to sign the job?

List them out and then consider ALL options to help them get over that hurdle and hire you.

If getting the funds is the objection, consider things like, credit lines at their local bank, interest free credit cards, 3rd party financing (you should have a relationship with a company that can provide this… reach out to us for suggestions). 

We’ve been asked for a few years to do a Client Onboarding class. 

We are finally getting to it!

We will be teaching a 2 day virtual Client OnBoarding Workshop in October!

This will be a comprehensive yet affordable training that can be potentially recouped in the first job if applied properly. 
We will be releasing details soon… but let us know if you’d like to be added to the communication about the class by filling out the form below and in the comments section copy and past this “ONBOARDING CLASS”.

For the record, we don't hate insurance companies. We understand they are chasing a profit. 

What we see.. is carriers often treat their clients like garbage, and those individuals are revolting, but that's not all.

We support contractors. Only the good ones (we can tell who these are instantly).

If you want to grow a company, get paid what you are worth, on time, and build a team of professionals that allow you to be the CEO or even start other companies, we are the people for you.

We are very friendly with our peers, but I'm 100% certain we bring a different offering to our clients.

Ask them.


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