The technology and tools we now have at our disposal for contents cleaning and inventory are great and so nice to have, as long as we remember to use them to enhance our ability to create the right kind of experience for our clients and not use it to replace human interaction and relationships.

In this personal, heartfelt Ask Annissa episode, Annissa Coy talks about evacuating her home in the face of the Ford Corkscrew Fire. An experienced fire damage restoration and contents cleaning professional, Coy has worked with property owners through many wildfires and more home fires than she can count. This was the first time Coy and her family were personally impacted.

Purchasing and implementing technology, and adding more services in-house is not just an investment in your future; it just might secure your future. Complacency and delay will separate companies in our industry into two categories we can sum up in six words: Be a Netflix, not a Blockbuster. Let’s embrace technology and bring more contents in-house to become the contents restoration experts carriers and policyholders want to work with.

In mid-February 2021, Prism Specialties of Greater Wisconsin and Western U.P. received a water pipe break claim at a high-end waterfront home that sits just 40 feet off Lake Superior on Madeline Island, Wis. The first decision to be made: Ice road or ferry?

Annissa Coy responds to an employee hoping to convince his owner that an ultrasonic machine is worthwhile. “I don’t understand how a company that does contents cleaning doesn’t have or doesn’t use an ultrasonic machine,” Annissa notes.

Tour the 95,000-square-foot Blue Kangaroo Packoutz flagship facility. See the inner workings of the warehouse, including 750 storage vaults, a state-of-the-art training room, art restoration, contents cleaning, furniture upholstery and refinishing, and more.

We asked restoration industry professionals to answer one question: What was your toughest job and why? 

RSFG continues to expand its umbrella of insurance restoration services and as it evolves, it recognized the need to improve brand awareness and recognition with a single name that represents the company's multiple services – Prism Specialties.

Don’t hesitate to spend time learning and improving your staff and yourself. The time spent training will pay dividends later in the form of faster job completion, little-to-no damage to items in your care and, of course, happy and well-cared-for customers in their time of need.