Get paid like the big guys, with respect.
It’s like having your own AR department, without the payroll expense.
Most people think of documentation as a chore, that extra thing you only “kind of” have to do. We often come up with plenty of reasons not to “do the documentation” or to ignore the Dry Logs. Some of your reasoning to avoid Dry Logs might include:
Perhaps a few of the above reasons are things you’ve said before. You could come up with a slew of reasons why not to document your dry logs! It could even seem boring or even pointless to your overall restoration project. Regardless, there is one major reason why you should prioritize your Dry Logs and any form of documentation, and that is profitability.
Continuous documentation of your drying procedures and the progress you have made has the potential to increase your profitability. The beautiful thing about proper documentation and correct Dry Logs is that profitability is driven by actual work done and proof of that. It’s simply collecting the “full scope” of work, rather than having to settle for lower rates because the techniques and restoration methods used were hard to justify. When you document the methods and even the reasons why, it is hard to ignore and even harder to disapprove.
Dry logs not only show the work that is being done, but it also helps your business overall. Maintaining your dry logs will help instill confidence in your business and prove you’re working closely with your customer(s).
Restoration has changed greatly over the past few decades. For years, most restoration teams had a “let’s get this done” mentality, using any method or technique they could to get the job done for the customer as quickly as possible. Once upon a time, documentation was less important, and restoration professionals worked their way through projects full steam ahead. Belongings and the property itself were inspected using sight and touch without taking proper notations.
On the other hand, the current era of restoration is marked by professionalism and technology. With proof of increased profitability using Dry Logs, restoration teams everywhere are keeping track of documentation. Using state-of-the-art tools that allow technicians to check the progress of moisture evaporation in affected areas and spaces, documenting the progress has never been easier. This new technology not only communicates when work is accomplished, but it also justifies the types of drying techniques and procedures used. Justifying your practices and procedures will instill confidence in your team and your business.
Another way to think about documentation and dry logs is to think about it in terms of communicating clearly to your customer. Working closely with your customers could be giving basic updates on the restoration or giving thorough documentation on the progress and process of the job. Letting your customer know exactly what steps you’re taking during the drying process will give you and the customers a clear picture of the overall project, as well as help alleviate some stress. Having every step you’ve taken and every point of progress made all on a dry log will encourage the customer to trust you. If you provide proper documentation to homeowners or property managers, they are more likely to spread the news of a thorough and organized restoration company, ultimately bringing in more profit for your restoration business.
If in your documentation, you can communicate the procedures, techniques and progress, you’ll be more profitable and will spend less time worrying about customers’ collections.
