URGENT: Check Your Restoration Contracts and Releases*

Are You Covered?

The funny thing about RISK is; We don’t often recognize it until it’s TOO LATE.
Among the very first things you can do is have a solid contracting and documentation process. 

Contracts vs Work Authorizations

Our industry has misled us. But don’t blame it (the industry). It has only repeated what it was taught. That is how generational education happens.
For a few decades, restoration contractors in the mitigation and emergency services space have adopted the terrible information that simple work authorizations are adequate. They simply aren’t.

A contract is a legally binding document between two parties that contains many required components such as a price, the scope of what's included, dates for completion, etc.

Contracts are required in many states in the US.
Yep. REQUIRED. Meaning any work performed without a contract that meets the requirements for that state is null and...

You Gotta Have FAITH

Go with us on a journey of a restorer who fired most of his team, and now is living the life of freedom that he designed... all in a relatively short amount of time!

Introduction
Chapter 1 - Faithful
Chapter 2 - The Pivot
Chapter 3 - Big Moves
Chapter 4 - Culture Wins
Chapter 5 - Results Also Win
Conclusion

This blog is a detour of our normal content. But one that I think will deliver massive value. I love witnessing and celebrating the success of others. Especially when I was on the journey with them (for the wins and losses)

Introduction

Let’s meet one of the main characters of this story. Nick Lambert owns and operates Faithful Restoration in Billings, Montana. He has built this full-service company with his wife Jennifer and a few key staff members that he would call family.
When we talk about Montana, it is important we not think of the popular TV show Yellowstone. While that stereotype can be found, it is not representative of the hard work ethic that most...

Paying plumbers for leads is the touted as the best sales and marketing strategy for a water damage restoration company by many in the industry.

Plumbers are often the first to discover water damage. Paying them for leads is no different than paying a lead generation company to send you leads, and there is generally good volume with large plumbing companies.

The problem is, plumbers get greedy, and they often will jump ship to send leads to the next restoration company that will give them more per lead. There is less chance of a stable lead source.
Relational>Transactional

Plumbers will sell their leads to the highest bidder.

We have a client that was doing incredible volume and growing rapidly. Their business was growing on the back of a plumbing company who was local to their town. 80% of their new business was coming from this one plumbing company. The owners were friends and the plumbing company owner requested that his field techs send all the work to our restoration client....

From the desk of Toby Clem

I often say I built my local service business on cups of coffee. I get odd looks when I say that.

Here. Let me explain.

If you want to get highly qualified leads for your local service company, you shouldn't rely on lead generation companies or referral partners [plumbers] that cost you a small fortune for each lead if you want to achieve high profits with plenty of sustainable volume.

Lead generation companies diminish your SEO efforts and drive up the value of your PPC. You are fighting a losing battle if you don't hire your own SEO and/or PPC company. More importantly you are missing a tremendous opportunity to get extremely qualified leads for the cost of a cup of coffee or 2. These leads will often be higher paying, and higher profit jobs than opportunities that come from lean generation companies. You will spend hundreds, if not thousands on each lead using those methods. Your profits will always be a challenge, and you will end up spending a lot of...

From the desk of Toby Clem. 

I have been interested in referral marketing for a long time. Specifically plumber referrals.

And over the past 2 years, I have come across a lot of strong opinions about plumber leads that, at first I agreed with, and then the more I learned and educated myself the more I disagreed with. Until eventually, I reached a point where I felt like the only reason these beliefs had become mainstream and commonly accepted was because “a lot of other people” agreed with them too.

So, I want to unpack 5 controversial opinions I’d like to share on plumber leads after many many hours immersing myself in the subject with clients and industry peers and give you my take on them:

1. Plumbers are the best source of water damage leads

I’m not saying they aren't a good lead source.

I’m just saying there are other GREAT sources that have a MUCH lower cost of acquisition.

2. Plumber leads can get you to $1M/truck.

• Contrary to popular...

From the desk of Toby Clem

[some of the links in this article are affiliate links. they help us keep the lights on, so that we can keep putting out this content to help restoration business owners keep from being consumed by the day to day operations.]

This was a post on LinkedIn that went viral. You may have seen it. This image summarized what we've been telling our clients for quite some time in the midst of the massive problem with personnel that the trades (and many industries for that matter) are facing.

Its so easy to hire anyone that will show up for an interview. Someone that is breathing and shows up to an interview is a unicorn these days unfortunately. But its so important for your sanity, the sanity of your people and the longevity of your business to be selective in your hiring process. Get crystal clear on who your company needs, and what role they will be filling.

As a result your company culture will thrive. There will be an upbeat problem solving culture. The...

5 Stages of Restoration Business Systems

From the desk of  Klark Brown (no AI used in creation of this article)

What are Restoration Business Systems?

A Restoration Business Operating System, simply put, is how a business operates. It represents everything from an organization’s structure to how it sets goals, hires people, runs meetings, and ensures that everyone is focused, aligned, and working toward building a thriving organization that has high-trust relationships with all its stakeholders. Every business has some kind of Business System (regardless of how small) from day one.

Some Restoration Business Systems are designed by external experts and decades of trial and error to address all major elements associated with building a great company: concepts, tools, and disciplines.

We’ll explore a few different profiles.

As you scale through the different profiles, you will seek more structured tools and resources to ensure that the information and concepts...

Identifying the 4 Personality Types on a Team in the Restoration Industry - 

#4 The Champion

From the desk of Klark Brown (no AI was used in the writing of this article)

Join us along this ride as we help bring you insights into a better understanding of the different personality types that you may have on your team. But more importantly, maybe you can better put your team in the right place ON the team or better recruit the All-Stars that will help you rocket to success. This is part of our series around PEOPLE. Culture, investing, and growing people to help leaders buy back their time to do the best work that creates profit and FIRES THEM UP. Enjoy and share with a friend if you think they might improve from it.

#1 THE LEADER 

#2 THE TASK MANAGER

#3 THE ABSTRACT THINKER

#4 THE CHAMPION

The Champion

Now that you already have the Leader, Task Managers and Abstract Thinkers, you need a little balance on the team.
The Champion – or Mentor – often stays out of the...

 From the desk of Klark Brown (no AI was used in the writing of this article)
 

Restoration Team Personalities

Join us along this ride as we help bring you insights into a better understanding of the different personality types that you may have on your team.

But more importantly, maybe you can better put your team in the right place ON the team or better recruit the All-Stars that will help you rocket to success.

This is part of our series around PEOPLE. Culture, investing, and growing people to help leaders buy back their time to do the best work that creates profit and FIRES THEM UP.

#1 THE LEADER 

#2 THE TASK MANAGER 

#3 THE ABSTRACT THINKER

#4 THE CHAMPION

Identifying the 4 Personality Types on a Restoration Team

#3 The Abstract Thinking

From the desk of Klark Brown (no AI was used in the writing of this article)

Spotting the Abstract Thinker

The Abstract Thinker Personality might be one of the most difficult to spot and use to your...

 From the desk of Klark Brown (no AI was used in the writing of this article)
 

Restoration Team Personalities

Join us along this ride as we help bring you insights into a better understanding of the different personality types that you may have on your team.

But more importantly, maybe you can better put your team in the right place ON the team or better recruit the All-Stars that will help you rocket to success.

This is part of our series around PEOPLE. Culture, investing, and growing people to help leaders buy back their time to do the best work that creates profit and FIRES THEM UP.

#1 THE LEADER 

#2 THE TASK MANAGER 

#3 THE ABSTRACT THINKER

#4 THE CHAMPION

The Task Manager

By now, you already know the benefits of having a leader on staff, but how will any of the work get done? Leaders can inspire and motivate, but you need a true Task Manager to see any project to its conclusion.

Task Managers often have a reputation as the “bad guy or girl.”...