Champion vs. Old Man Winter

In January of this year Old Man Winter hit Georgians pretty hard. Temperatures in our area dipped down into the teens at night and barely got above freezing during the day on a couple occasions. Champion has learned from past experiences to be prepared for an influx of jobs from pipes freezing, thawing out, rupturing and then causing minimal to sever water damage to a home. Pipes can freeze in the wall or in the attic if not properly insulated.

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Champion Construction Hail Damage Customers

We want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding.  Champion has received countless calls regarding hail damage from the recent storms. We thank you for understanding that we have to take care of our customers with the most damage to their homes first. Some have lost their entire roof and as we get them taken care of first, we thank you for your patience and understanding.

We have been serving the South for nearly forty years, in good times and bad. We are here to help and we promise that your patience will pay off.  You will receive the best restoration service experience possible. So when we call and say we can't come out for a couple of weeks, please know it is because WE DO CARE and we want to accomodate everyone's needs.

Icela Reets, Emergency Response Program Director

I've never had a claim...how does my insurance claim get paid?

The whole insurance claim process can be confusing.  Its true that your insurance company approves the scope of the repairs and provides the claim funds.  But your contractor (not the insurance company) is responsible for performing satisfactory repairs, and you the homeowner (not the insurance company) are ultimately responsible to make sure that your contractor gets paid.

A common question people have is 'what do I do with my deductible?'  Your insurance company will 'deduct' your insurance deductible from the total claim funds that they pay.  If you have a total claim of $10,000.00 and your deductible is $1,000.00, your insurance company will pay $9,000.00 and your $1,000.00 deductible is to be paid by you directly to your contractor. 

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One Thousand Firsts

The anniversary of my 8th year with Champion is fast approaching. There are many stories to relate in this bittersweet industry. Cries of devastation from homeowners at the beginning of a loss turn into sighs of relief and reflective appreciation at the job’s completion. I’d like to think I’ve seen it all yet every so often I am surprised. But when you see me at your home ready to do my part to put your life back together, this one fact remains constant: whether it is my 100th or 1000th job, I am ever-conscious that it is your first loss. So, in essence, it also becomes mine again. I treat every job as if it is the first because every person is different and every situation is unique. I care about what has happened to you and how it is affecting you. So go ahead and cry if you need to. You’ve been devastated and no person, even if they have been through something similar, can possibly understand exactly how you feel. I’ll hand you a tissue and give you a moment. When you’re ready we’ll walk through your house and anything that is important to you is important to me and when I tell you to call me if you have questions or forgot to tell me something, I mean it. We’re all in this together and all want the best possible outcome. One day it will all be a distant memory but when you think of it I hope the process leaves you with a warm feeling.

Chloe L. Hudson - Senior Contents Technician

A Good Time Was Had by All...

Today we hosted a continuing education course for insurance agents and adjusters about wood floor drying.  We enjoyed having those ladies and gentlemen with us (as always) and it seemed that they had a good time, too.  Lunch from Cafe Pig was a real treat.  We're already looking forward to the next one, March 17, about Ethics. 

Today was an especially exciting day for us because the speaker was one of our very own, Jeremy Reets.  He shared a lot of valuable information about how the innovative Thermal Energy System (TES) he developed himself can be used (among other things) to save hardwood floors that would previously have been unsalvageable.  This saves time and money, is environmentally friendly, and spares homeowners a lot of stress and grief. 

Speaking isn't a new thing to Jeremy:  Every six weeks or so restorers from all over the US and beyond come to our facility for TES training.  We have a very unique "flood house" on site-- an actual house that gets flooded and dried over and over again.  One of the highlights of today's course was that the agents and adjusters got to flood the house and then see how TES is used to begin the restoration process.  Jeremy developed TES as part of his never-ending quest to find a better way to do things.  It's something I like to tease him about (I am his wife, after all) but I have to admit it's a pretty remarkable system!

Starri Reets - Event Coordinator

http://www.tesdryingsystem.com/

Service with a Smile

Customer service and satisfaction is our chief concern. If I cannot personally help you or answer any questions that you may have, I will find someone who can.

Mollie Reets - Receptionist

Community Service

One thing about working in an Emergency Service Business is you don't exactly get to meet people at their best.   I  know that would be the case if I were standing in 6 inches of water or looking at a tree lying in the middle of my Living Room Floor.  Therefore, I am quick to tell our customers not to worry, take a deep breath, we are here to help you through the process.

Lisa Moore - Project Coordinator

The Key to Good Business

Customer Service is defined as "the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.'  It is important that customer service be implied to your customers during their entire experience with your company.  This assures that they feel wanted, as opposed to needed, which can also help generate more business for you in the future.  If they feel they were well taken care of, they will pass on this information to others, which in turn can help build your reputation as a business.  Exceptional Service also helps prevent problems and issues that would potentially arise if the customer was not taken care of all the way through.  Overall, Customer Service is the key foundation to help build a successful, winning business!

Pamela Brown - Marketing Representative

The Human/Business Model

In the restoration business, when it comes to Customer Service, it is imperative that we apply The Human/Business Model.  What is it?  Simply put, in any interaction, a customer has both business and human needs that have to be satisfied.  There are always human needs that need to be satisfied during a business interaction.  Ignoring these human needs may leave a customer feeling upset even when the business service is outstanding!  Exceptional customer service providers understand their customers' business and human needs.  How can we identify these needs?

Business needs might include:  affordability, timeliness, fair value, quality product, repairs made according to current building codes.

Human needs might include:  good communication, compassion, empathy, respect, patience, reassurance, being made to feel important.

Keeping both business & human needs balanced is the key in providing excellent customer service.  This can certainly be a challenge, since one aspect does not outweigh another.  Our success is based upon how much each employee cares about the part he/she plays in satisfying these needs for our customers. Never forget the perspective each customer has from the very moment this interaction begins, "I don't care how much you know, until I know how much you care." (source material drawn from Customer Service and Homeowner Relations: Defining the Scope and Responsibilities of Superintendents)

Jerry Quarles - Estimator