Healing After Loss Starts With Our Team
Shawn Folks • March 11, 2019
As a company, I have found Guarantee Restoration to have a caring, solutions and customer service driven team. However, like doctors, even the most caring in the restoration industry can forget the stress a property loss has on the families and businesses we serve.
Recently, our CEO Shawn Folks had our company reading Healing the Loss by Steve Toburen. From defining our role as property damage restoration professionals to reminding our team of the emotional dynamics involved during a client’s property claim; this book is helping our team understand we aren’t just rebuilding a structure… we are rebuilding lives and businesses.
Here are 3 lessons I have learned:
- Understanding our role during the initial phase of a property claim is to provide comfort for our clients.
- By using unemotional legal phrases like “the insured” can reflect a cold & unfeeling attitude toward the client. Additionally technical language can overwhelm the client.
- 80% of how a client decides if the job was done right is based on the relationship of the technicians, subcontractors and project managers they see doing the work.
In summary, by investing time to develop rapport & understanding, our team will better meet the client’s expectations and continue our success.
*If you or a client is need of property damage restoration, call our offices located along the gulf coast in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans & Gulfport, MS by calling 1-800-349-HELP (4357)
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On the Gulf Coast, preparation isn’t optional. It’s simply a part of doing business. From hurricane season to heavy rain events and everything in between, properties in Lafayette face a different level of risk than most. And when something does happen, the difference between a smooth recovery and a stressful situation often comes down to one thing: having a plan in place with the right team. Why Pre-Loss Planning Looks Different in Lafayette Pre-loss planning looks a little different here because the risks are different. It’s not just about knowing where your shutoffs are or having a list of contacts. It’s about understanding how quickly a storm can shift, how water can move through a property, and how to respond when multiple buildings or locations are impacted at once. That kind of preparation requires more than a template. It requires local knowledge. At Guarantee Restoration Services, our Lafayette team builds pre-loss plans with that in mind. We take into account the specific challenges that come with properties in Acadiana, including wind-driven rain, tornado threats, and the potential for widespread damage across an entire area. That allows us to create a plan that is realistic, not just theoretical. The Importance of Having a Clear Path Forward “We’ve seen how quickly things can escalate during a storm event. Having a pre-loss plan in place gives our clients a clear path forward instead of trying to figure it out in the middle of the chaos,” said Craig Rose, Mitigation Manager at our Lafayette Branch. That “clear path forward” is what makes the biggest difference. When a storm hits, response times are everything, but so is access. Roads can be blocked, power can be out, and communication can be limited. A strong pre-loss plan accounts for those variables and ensures that response efforts can begin as soon as it is safe to do so. Protecting Operations, Employees, and Tenants It also helps property teams stay focused on what matters most. Instead of trying to coordinate vendors, track down information, or make high-pressure decisions, they can follow a plan that has already been built around their property and their priorities. From a business standpoint, that level of preparation protects more than just the building. It protects operations, tenants, employees, and timelines. Building Trust Before Disaster Strikes “Pre-loss planning is about building trust before there’s ever a problem. Our clients know who to call, what to expect, and how we’re going to support them when something happens,” said Paige Hebert, Business Development Representative in Lafayette. That trust and familiarity matter, especially in a region where large-scale events can impact entire communities at once. You are not just calling a company, you are calling a team that already understands your property, your risks, and your expectations. Be Realistic. Be Ready. Pre-loss planning on the Gulf Coast is not about over-preparing. It is about being realistic and ready. Because when the next storm comes through Lafayette, it is not a matter of if you will need a plan—it is a matter of how well that plan works when it is put to the test. Call us today to schedule your Pre-Loss Planning meeting where 24/7 is not just a number… it’s a GUARANTEE!
