4 New Year’s Resolutions for Rockstar Adjusters

You might be thinking about how you’re going to make the new year your best ever by focusing on changes. Unfortunately, New Year’s resolutions often fail; about 80% of people have given up on theirs before February, according to Forbes. Unless you’re one of those disciplined 20%, you might be looking for ways to keep yourself on track.

There’s a lot of advice out there about creating achievable, measurable, and timely goals. Only you can make yourself hit the gym or stick to your self-care routine, but we’re in your corner if you have professional goals for the new year. To start you off strong, we’ve created this list of resolutions that can help you settle property and casualty claims with efficiency, accuracy, and confidence.

Millions of people start the new year strong but abandon their resolutions once the party’s over.

1. Communicate

The pace of the world seems to pick up with each passing year. When you’re trying to keep the claims process moving, adjusting can start to feel like a numbers game. While the numbers matter, it’s important to remember that there are human beings affected by every step of the process.

Maintain a good relationship with your policyholders with empathetic, transparent communication.

Property failures cause policyholders stress ranging from mildly inconvenient to life changing. Communication is key to maintaining these relationships. Keep them in the loop on new developments in the claims process to let them know they’re a priority for you. You’re providing a service, and empathy and integrity will keep your customers happy, even if the outcome of their claim isn’t exactly what they hoped for.

For more tips on maintaining a positive relationship with customers, check out these tried and true tricks to make your policyholders happy.

2. Find Vendors You Trust

The 20% of people who manage to keep up with their resolutions after the shine is off the new year have at least one thing in common: a support system. Handling property assessments also requires a team you can turn to for advice and assistance. Fortunately, with a little research and networking, you can build a bench of professional vendors that you trust.

Know what you want from a damage assessment vendor and find individuals and companies that check all your boxes.

This one will take a little legwork, but you’ll be glad you put in the effort. Check out each potential damage assessment vendor’s website. Look for mission statements that align with your professional goals, and explore further to verify their experts’ credentials. Work only with vendors who show you the same courtesy and professionalism you show your clients. Make sure their customer service meets your standards throughout the process.

What should you expect from your client experience? Learn the three characteristics of superior customer service.

3. Create Processes That Work for You

Getting organized is a popular New Year’s resolution for a reason. When it comes to reaching your full potential as a property claims adjuster, this extends beyond tidying up a cluttered desk. It’s hard to manage your time when you’re scrambling to locate the guide you downloaded about HVAC inspections or trying to remember where you read that pertinent article about roof collapse.

Streamline your work as much as possible by establishing a consistent process for how a claim progresses from beginning to end. What conditions trigger what actions? Which vendor do you need under what circumstances? Bookmark useful resource libraries online, or build your own, and keep your list of trusted vendors updated and easy to reference.

Engage in processes that work toward your personal and professional end goals.

As much as possible, opt into systems that work for you. For example, a single chain of custody for a failed appliance can reduce the time you spend worrying about lost, damaged, or misplaced evidence. Automated notifications give you peace of mind once you’ve submitted work to a vendor.

To find out how an unbroken chain of custody and automated updates can make the process easier, read what it is and why it matters.

4. Know Your Stuff

It’s impossible to be an expert on every type of property that comes across your desk. That’s why you have damage assessment vendors, after all. But even when you have resources you can rely on, knowing a little about different kinds of property will make your job easier.

Start with the broad strokes, then dig deeper into the types of damages and equipment that come across your desk most often.

Set a monthly goal to learn more about the most common properties you see in claims. There are plenty of organizations out there that dictate construction, composition, and inspections. The National Fire Protection Association, the International Building Code, and the Environmental Protection Agency are good places to start for an overview.

You can drill down by seeking out webinars on specific topics and earn CE credit while you’re at it. Alpine Intel’s webinars discuss common perils and product failures. Learn about our upcoming topics.

Alpine Intel’s family of brands can be an integral part of maintaining your professional New Year’s resolutions. Submit an assignment and treat yourself to an extra piece of cake knowing that you’re now a part of that elite 20%.