As we get a fresh start in 2025, restoration companies are wanting to leave 2024 in the dust. For many of our fellow colleagues, it was a year of challenges and changes in the likes that we have never experienced. 

During last year’s calendar year, we saw inflation take center stage as prices for everything skyrocketed. As the cost of goods soared, so did insurance premiums. Add in a very mild to non-existent winter throughout the country; it has become the perfect storm that has rocked our industry hard.

Insurance companies have started pulling coverages out of certain regions of the country, giving homeowners less options. For homeowners with claims, premiums have doubled, tripled and even quadrupled in some areas. Several insurance companies have even started refusing to write policies if a homeowner has more than one claim.  

With premiums on the rise, a high percentage of homeowners (already feeling the pinch of inflation), have opted for higher deductibles. They are also more reluctant to file a claim for damages on their property.

In 2024, many restorers have reported a much higher number of jobs they are doing estimates for when compared to previous years. Closing percentages are down. Sales are down. While there is a percentage of companies that are growing, a significant amount are downsizing, while others are closing for good.  

So, the question becomes, how do we adapt to the changes in our industry that we are facing?

As one of my business partners Gilbert Muniz, or (“G-Money” as we call him) puts it, “Restoration companies need to “evolve”.

Evolving starts by facing our challenges head-on and finding ways to change what we have done in the past to better our future.

Here are a few tips that can help your team evolve and close more jobs in 2025.

1. Know Your Audience: As you perform your inspection, ask questions. What is your potential client looking for? Are they trying to avoid filling a claim? Is quality important to them? Is price the main factor in their selection for the job? Is the timing of the job important to them? By asking questions, you can find out what is important to your client. If they are looking for the lowest price, you can find ways to help them achieve that without cutting your rates. For example,
   “Mr. Smith, I know your trying to keep the cost down as much as possible. If you move all the contents out of the basement, this will save you “X” amount.”
   By asking questions and knowing your clients’ needs, you will be better prepared to help them, which will help to set you apart from the competition. 

Find tips for offering great customer service

2. Confidence is Contagious: Who is doing the inspections in your company? Are they the best players? Do they understand how to connect with a client and build a relationship?
   The best players in your company should be the ones handling the initial inspections with potential clients. They are the ones who will be on the job site first and must make the best impression. Having confidence in the service they sell and talking to clients is key. If you are not confident, clients will be able to pick up on that. It can cost you a potential sale.
   Being confident will help you close more sales. It will also cause those around you to see what you are doing right and follow your lead. Confidence can help create new leaders around you.
   Spend a significant amount of training to ensure your team is confident in all aspects of the work they do. This will translate onto the jobsites and will increase closing percentages.
3. Offer different payment options: With higher insurance premiums and deductibles, potential clients are looking for alternatives to filing an insurance claim. Percentile deductibles are becoming more common in our industry. Not everyone has $5,000 in savings to pay for water damage or to cover a deductible.
   We have found that taking all forms of credit cards is a great alternative. Offering to not charge a 3% is another way to help. When potential clients are given an estimate and told they will be charged 3% for all credit card transactions, it can steer a client to a competitor who will not charge the fee.
   Offering financing is another great alternative. There are many companies that offer partnerships to make it very convenient for you to offer financing.
   The company we partner with has an app. We can text the link to our clients. They download the app, apply for funds needed and are given immediate options for financing, some including zero percent options. This is a great way to offer the clients more without putting your company at additional risk.
4. Consistent follow-up: The follow-up after an estimate can be one of the most forgotten, yet crucial steps for success. Far too many companies give a price, send an emailed estimate and if the client doesn’t say “yes”, they tend to move on. Following up with your client lets them know that you value their potential business. It also sets you apart from the competition.
   Create a follow-up schedule for every estimate that is given out. If the client does not hire you for the work right away, then let them know you will be following up with them. If they are getting other estimates, it will make you stand out.

As your company looks to evolve in 2025, remember that people will rarely forget how you made them feel. Take the time to understand your clients’ needs upfront. The closing percentages and sales will start to increase. Then you will be back on the road to hitting your goals and success.