Fire restoration? Do your homework
By Tom Tanglos
I just got off the phone with a very
talented drycleaner in the Southeastern part of the country who
was looking to expand the amount of fire restoration work he
was doing.
We’ve talked and shared ideas dozens
of times over the past 15 years.
Many years ago in our conversations we
asked each other should we do wholesale work or truck routes?
Should we put in more package plants or go with large central
operations? Should we do upcharges? Should we computerize our
stores? Should we be high-end on our prices or middle of the
road? How about Wetcleaning? Wedding gowns? Shoes? Leathers,
suedes, furs?
The conversations have always been lively
and exciting. We’ve kicked around a lot of information
over the years. But on a scale, I think I’ve learned more
from him, than he has from me.
About ten years ago, our operations went
in different directions. We decided to concentrate on fire
restoration work, reducing our reliance on retail, while he
started expanding his retail and routes and centralizing his
production to two plants.
This last conversation lasted an hour and
a half He wants to do more fire restoration and was doing his
homework.
Based upon our conversation, here are some
of the questions everyone needs to ask themselves before going
down that same road.
1. What makes you different? Exactly what
do you have to offer that would compel people to do business
with you instead of a competitor? Do you have a “Unique
Selling Proposition”?
2. Do you have useful information and
statistics that pertain to fire restoration? Do you know where
to get them, what they mean and how to use them to your
advantage?
3. Do you know how you’re going to
promote yourself to the insurance industry? Will you do the
marketing yourself? Will you hire someone or will you open the
door and hope the work will come in?
4. Do you really know how to successfully
get the smoke smell and heavy soot out of garments?
5. Do you know how to handle a substantial
amount of accounts receivable and the best techniques to
increase the odds of getting paid directly and quickly from the
insurance companies, or will you make everything C.O.D.?
6. Do you know the three different types
of companies and contractors (other than insurance companies)
that can give you restoration work? Are you going to market
them differently than the insurance companies?
7. Do you know the four types of insurance
adjusters? Do you know which ones will most likely give you the
most business, and which ones you might not want to market at
all?
8. How much are you going to charge?
9. Are you going to guarantee your work?
Are you going to offer free services? If so, which services
will they value the most?
10. Do you know what perceived value and
frequency marketing are, and how to use them?
Do your homework. Success is something you
plan for.
Tom Tanglos and his family are owners of
Clothes Call in Crofton, MD, one of the largest restoration
drycleaners in the United States. Its 20,000-sq.-ft. facility
is dedicated exclusively to the restoration of garments damaged
by smoke and fire. He can be reached at (410) 721-7445; fax
(410) 721-6719, or e-mail at TTanglos@aol.com.
 |
