You have a large loss; all hands on deck, everyone responds, warehouse is put on notice, staffing resources are contacted, estimators are on-site, communications are vital at this point as is mobilization of resources. Who will prevail in winning the service agreement?

The best prepared; the one with the answers, the one with the system that answers the needs of the client and the insurance adjuster. This often means the one with the most equipment, the most up to date inventory process, the most readily available manpower, and the resources to store and locate stored items. These are the benchmarks of preparation, clients are in a delicate position that may determine whether their business survives or struggles, are you going to help or hinder in this process?

There is an old saying in the military; it is referred to as the “6 P Principal”;

Proper

Preparation

Prevents

Piss

Poor

Performance

The beginning of any large loss situation is critical, how many of you have seen competitors removed within the first 48 hours due to serious deficiencies? Deficient in packout procedures, large groups of temp labor moving through parking lots like migrating herds as opposed to straight lines of controlled, choreographed movement that adds safety, as well as the image of disciplined, focus in the labor force.

The Groundwork

Labor resources: Do you have a solid relation with multiple labor sources? Do these sources cover labor as well as special situations such as haz-mat? Have you sat down with your labor resources to let them know what you need?