Here are five ways to train and prepare your restoration employees to provide the best customer experience, both in their everyday work and after disasters.

The water damage restoration industry is changing rapidly, and moisture meters are no exception. In this article, I will focus on the changes in smart technology which are making it easier to take moisture readings and provide valuable information to contractors in real-time about their jobs.

In most cases when a home is damaged by a disaster, the homeowner(s) are already upset by the time the restorer gets there. The last thing a restorer wants to do is add insult to injury by doing or not doing something that could add stress or make the situation worse.

“In a crowded marketplace, it can be hard to cut through the noise and reach customers,” Josh Miller writes. “With a micro approach that focuses on how we can do our jobs more effectively, and a macro approach that communicates our expertise to the marketplace, we can all help promote the credibility and competence of the professionals in our industry.”

“Being a real company sounds like a simple task in theory, but in reality, it is not a consistently followed practice. So what does ‘be a real company’ mean? It requires doing the small and sometimes neglected items that you would normally complete while trying to build your company in your local market,” Jeff Carrier writes.

While advertising, marketing and public relations are all methods businesses use to communicate with their stakeholders, the benefits of each are not usually discussed individually. Small business owners know they need marketing to target the right customers and advertising to make the phones ring, but they do not realize public relations can help them become the trusted experts in their markets, which leads to greater opportunities. So, what is PR? Heather Ripley explains.

“When restorers allow insurers to make major changes to prices and scopes of work, it creates a serious risk that policyholders will end up with something less than what restorers believe in their professional judgment are the best methods to return properties to their pre-loss condition.”

The gap between exit-ready restoration businesses and eager buyers continues to widen, and a lack of sellable businesses could spin the industry into crisis. But there is good news on the horizon for current owners who focus on six key areas of their companies.

By all means, let your gut lead the way when it comes to establishing your company values, your sense of purpose, and your long-term vision. But for the sake of that beautiful vision, strategize by the numbers.

Rather than begin the hiring process by looking at external factors such as unemployment rates or shifts in the perceived value of secondary education (things outside your control), it would be more beneficial to start the recruiting process by looking internally at both your company’s culture and the company’s leadership (things within your control). Chuck Violand highlights three critical areas to invest in.