Air Date: 6-20-2014 | Episode: 331
This week on IAQ Radio Radio Joe and The Zman will be broadcasting live from the Violand Executive Summit in Canton, OH. ..
Full Description:
This week on IAQ Radio Radio Joe and The Zman will be broadcasting live from the Violand Executive Summit in Canton, OH. We have an all star lineup of disaster restoration guests joining us in a conference room at the summit. We have put together two questions for each of our 13 guests. Following is the list of guests on this weeks show:
Chuck Violand – President of Violand Management
Bryan O’Haleck – President IICRCA
Andy Robinson – Jon-Don
Bill Yeadon – Jon-Don’s Strategies for Success
Tony Wheelwright – President IICRC
Pedro Perez – Owner Perez Restoration Contractors
Tammy Stokes – Owner Oklahoma Disaster Restoration
Ross Driscoll Sr. – Owner Driscoll and Driscoll Insurance
Mark Welstead – President Rainbow International
Scott Stamper – RIA President
Mickey Lee – Violand Business Development Adviser
Jeff Cross – Editor Cleanfax Magazine
Z-Man’s Blog:
2-Minute Management, A Baker’s Dozen
In preparation for episode 331 of IAQ-Radio (which was broadcast live from the 10th Violand Management Executive Summit in North Canton, Ohio) RadioJoe and the Z-Man decided to do a takeoff on Ken Blanchard’s book “One Minute Manager” by posing several questions each to a diverse group of 13 people we feel represent our industry to gain information which will assist you our listening audience.
Tips for hurricane season
Question from IAQ-Radio:
We are in hurricane season and we know that some firms are either considering or planning to perform catastrophe work remotely, what tips do you have for them?
Answers and comments by Andy Robinson, Remediation & Safety Technical Manager at JonDon Products
- Get a job before you roll your resources. If you don’t have a job, send a sales team down in advance to obtain work before you dispatch workers and equipment.
- Align yourself with other restoration firms who are based in the area or the region and who may have an excess of work; try to work collectively with them.
- Consider a secondary line of chemicals and obtain preapproval for use by your team in the event a vendor sells out of your first choice.
- Diversify the chemistry, by having a combination of both ready-to-use products and concentrated products because water for product dilution may be unavailable on work sites.
- You’ll need money, so pre-establish credit lines with banks, suppliers, leasing companies, rental companies.
IAQ-Radio:
What piece of equipment should every restoration firm consider purchasing?
- While foaming devices aren’t new, they are new to our industry. Foaming devices can efficiently and effectively be used for mold remediation, flood cleanup, fire restoration, etc.
- A foamer converts product chemistry capable of foaming into a dense foam which provides more time for the chemical to work with long dwell time.
- Foam is visual, workers can see where product is applied. Foamers reduce chemical consumption because chemical dwell for increased time where they have been applied.
- Foamers are available in a range from affordable hand-held pump to larger versions.
- Foaming also provides safety advantage: less fallout of droplets and foam can contain loose particulate such as mold spores.
- Foaming is effective for structure cleaning on fire restoration projects
Industry training trends
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What is the most popular training course that your firm sponsors and what other trends in training are notable?
Answers and comments by Bill Yeadon, Training Facilitator at JonDon Products.
- By far, the IICRC WRT (water restoration technician) course is the most popular course.
- Students prefer hands on training.
- There is an uptrend in basic core courses and a downturn in highly technical courses such as color repair.
- Trauma cleaning is a growing industry segment and we will be hosting a trauma course.
Question from IAQRadio:
Historically, which training course has had the most positive effect on attendees and why?
- Undoubtedly, the training course that has the biggest effect on a cleaning or restoration business is Strategies for Success. People don’t fail in the industry because they can’t do something technical they fail because they can’t run a business. It was fulfilling to see that when polled, the majority of the attendees at the Violand Executive Summit were grads of JonDon’s Strategies for Success program.
A profile in courage
Can you speak a foreign language fluently? Imagine the courage and perseverance it takes to learn a new language and start a highly successful business in a country to which you emigrated.
Question from IAQ-Radio.:
As the Latino owner of a restoration business have you found the necessary tools such as: estimating software, technical training, equipment instruction manuals, chemical labels and MSDSs to be readily available?
Answers and comments by: Pedro Perez, Perez Restoration, in Signal Hill, CA.
- A growing number of Latinos are going into business.
- There is a definite need for more technical information on cleaning and restoration in Spanish. While carpet cleaning courses are available in Spanish, there is a need for more restoration training in Spanish.
- The biggest challenge for Latino workers is reading English, because English isn’t spoken as it reads.
- Most of the staff at Perez Restoration is bilingual.
Question from IAQRadio:
As a Latino do you encounter prejudice and or a double standard in insurance claims adjustment?
- He receives claims work assignments from insurance companies.
- His clients include both Latinos and non-Latinos.
- He sees a double standard in claims settlement in only a small minority of situations, about 10% of claims. The double standard occurs most often in poorer communities.
Media moments
IAQ-Radio Question:
What subjects are of greatest interest to Cleanfax readers?
Answers and comments by Jeff Cross- Cleanfax Magazine Editor:
- Cleanfax equally divides focus between carpet cleaning and restoration.
- Cleanfax communicates with their readers “what they want is what they see.” Tech tips are very popular and are used by subscribers in training programs. Business tips, especially on marketing or how to increase customers and numbers of jobs.
- Industry leaders reviews of carpet cleaners and restoration firms in which successful companies are profiled in “how we did it” feature articles.
- Wisdom from the street, where questions are posed to the entire industry via social media.
IAQ-Radio Question:
What are some of the interesting or surprising findings in the latest Cleanfax restoration benchmarking survey?
- Restoration contractors are complaining about difficulties encountered while trying to build relationships with insurance companies.
- Restoration contractors are complaining about delays in payment even when paperwork is completed timely and professionally documented. One frustrated contractor opined: “why can’t we just get paid like the doctors do? You go to the doctor, receive treatment and the insurance company pays them directly.”
- Restoration contractors are tiring being the “eyes in the field” of and doing the adjusters job for them.
- Continuing collusion between insurance companies and computer estimating programs to control pricing.
- Restoration contractors are having difficulty finding good workers.
Women in business
Answers and comments by: Tammy Stokes, Oklahoma Disaster Restoration
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What genetic predisposition, experience or background prepared you to run a business in a male dominated field?
- A strong personality (a DI on the DISC profile). She’s a driven firstborn child who overcame struggles growing up.
- She married into the restoration business.
- She studied accounting, became a CPA where she had the opportunity to observe different types of business and obtained the confidence that in business she could do it.
- She started in the business by working out in the field and remembers doing pack-outs while pregnant.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What are some of the struggles you faced as a women business owner and how did you overcome them?
- Knowing and understanding that situations exist in which women may not be welcome or feel comfortable.
- Never backing down when you have the opportunity to participate.
- Using femininity as an advantage, women connect better with the end-user and recognize things that the men won’t.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
Tell us about the special women only program that preceded the summit.
- Women tend to keep their emotions inside where they build up, the seminar was an opportunity to unwind and decompress.
- Women were encouraged to dress up, don high heels and jewelry.
- The seminar provided the opportunity for women to laugh, cry and discuss private things.
- Some women must be able to multitask and run both the household and the business.
The view from 30,000 feet
Answers and comments by Mark Welstead, President of Rainbow International, part of the Dwyer Group a franchisor of service businesses.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What prepared you to be President of Rainbow International?
- A strong financial background serving as CFO in several businesses, and ‘getting to the industry as fast as he could”. Working at Rainbow before being promoted.
- Rainbow International embraces change, evolving from carpet cleaning to disaster restoration.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
As president of one of the larger restoration franchisors how do things look from 30,000 feet, what do you see and what are you concerned about?
- The landscape of insurance carriers and third party administrators is constantly changing. Successful players must be nimble to respond to changes in the industry. Rainbow wants its franchisees to have access to claims work.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What are the most notable differences between the restoration business in the US and foreign countries?
- Rainbow has 85 franchises in the UK.
- Germany is the largest European economy. Rainbow seeks to use Germany as a platform for further European expansion. There are no 3rd party administrators in Germany. “If they can measure and regulate it German’s want to do it.”
- Building materials are different on different continents, so there are differences as to how our franchisees dry and restore.
- Many people in Europe speak English.
Chairman of the Board
Question by IAQ-Radio:
Is specialty cleaning and restoration truly a global business?
Answers and comments by: Tony Wheelwright, Chairman of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification
- Politics can be dirty, but dirt is never political. Unhealthy, unsafe and unsanitary conditions can be found all over the planet.
- Our industry should be better recognized and more important globally.
- At the ISSA/Interclean show in Amsterdam, the main signage is all in English. Most people in Europe speak can speak and understand English.
- Europe is hungry for cleaning training and standards. Germany is the biggest European economy.
- Visible differences in appreciation for cleanliness between countries when you drive through Europe, Scandinavia, Africa.
- The IICRC has plans to translate more courses and standards into Spanish.
Question by IAQ-Radio:
If you had the power to wave a magic wand and change one thing what would it be?
- We need to work together. The entire industry working together in all ways.
- Obtain more respect and recognition to help the public understand that no matter what we do, we do one thing the same, we create healthy environments in schools, homes and work places.
- A united front, more recognition and appreciation for the cleaning industry, locally, nationally and globally.
- Unsure if North American reliance on hand sanitizers is a good thing?
- The opportunity to learn and rub shoulders with peers is often taken for granted in North America.
Business expansion through multiple offices
Question by IAQ-Radio:
In what cities do you operate brick and mortar restoration businesses?
Answers and comments by: Scott Stamper, Restoration Industry Association President, and owner of Regency DKI, a disaster restoration firm.
- Started as Regency Construction, widened service offering to provide more services. Currently operates 3 offices: Detroit, West Palm and Charlotte.
- Opened the Florida office after Hurricane Wilma anticipating a gold mine. The office was opened with 1 loyal and trusted employee. He has a sense of humor chuckling as he said that since he has had an office in West Palm there hasn’t been a land falling hurricane.
- Florida is different than the Midwest.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What are the biggest challenges of running a disaster restoration business with multiple remotely offices?
- If you are looking for a new challenge the newness will go away. You will be commuting farther. The financial reality of not doing it right it will be costly.
- The owner can’t run all the day to day operations in all offices.
- You must have solid business policies and procedures.
- Make sure that you have a strong sense of who the people are that will be running the remote location.
- Obtain buy-in from all employees on policies and procedures.
- Staff willing to relocate need to: fit in, love the land and learn the new local culture.
- Maintaining consistency between offices is challenging.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What are your goals for RIA?
- The industry needs to work together.
- There are opportunities to build bridges between organizations.
- There is safety in numbers.
- The restoration industry is under represented and gets pushed around by the insurance industry.
- There are many opportunities to participate in RIA. The RIA is building itself within itself.
Specialty insurance broker
Question by IAQ-Radio:
What are the current trends in insurance for disaster restoration, remediation, abatement and IAQ consulting firms?
Answers and comments by: Ross Driscoll, Driscoll & Driscoll insurance Agency
- Ross claims to have insurance for “anything that stinks or can kill you”.
- His specialty markets are served by 4 brokers and 12 carriers (dominated by 7 carriers).
- The restoration/remediation market is now mature 10+ years of experience. Increased loss activity due to construction defect claims which are now surfacing.
- Pricing is flat for best in class risks with growing sales volume.
- Prices can’t fall anymore, having hit bottom of the pricing cycle.
- Insurance companies are giving up some coverage to get business. Buyers should shop forms not price. Coverage for workmanship is available from 1 carrier.
- Underwriters want the best in class risks.
- Contractors should strive to develop best in class risk management practices.
- A single loss even a large one is considered an anomaly. Insurance carriers expect 1 big loss per client every ten years. Many small losses is an indicator of poor risk management practices.
Council of Associations
Answers and comments by:
Bryan O’Haleck, President of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, Restoration Certification’s Council of Associations and Operations Manager at D. A. Burns and Sons
Question by IAQ-Radio- What is the IICRCA?
- The Council of Associations is a meeting point for every organization that interfaces with the cleaning and restoration industry, from service contractors to flooring manufacturers. Organizations have previously experimented with or tried varying levels of collaborating without success.
- Organizations currently working along the same or similar lines and would benefit by collaboration. The council provides a better framework for collaboration than was previously available.
- Every organization in the Council has a voice.
- There is influence in numbers; we can do more as a group than we can do individually.
- The Council is working on reducing some costs and trying to provide better benefits for members.
- A rising tide floats all boats.
- Bryan was elected to the position and leads a group of respected industry people.
- Board of council made up of a great group of highly respected people.
- Not to worry. It’s important for individuals and groups to know that the Council is not going to overpower anyone. The Council will prove through our actions that we are trustworthy.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What has been done and what are your goals for the Council?
- A good foundation was laid by previous board. It’s a large framework which we will narrow down and focus on getting a few things done.
- We have identified revenue sources, begun tradeshow planning, and are investigating have specialty software developed.
- The council is still in the listening stage and seeks input into what it can do for the industry.
- The Council remains open to additional groups for membership who are connected to the cleaning industry in some way.
Restoration contractor and Indoor Air Quality Association President
Question from IAQ-Radio:
Is a disaster restoration guy as President of IAQA, a good fit or a misfit?
Answers and comments by Kent Rawhouser, President of the Indoor Air Quality Association and owner of A & J Specialty Services
- 40% of the membership of the IAQA is made-up of restoration, mold remediation, abatement and environmental contractors. Kent is the 2nd contractor president.
- Contractors receive business referrals from consultants. Industry standards need to come from contractors.
- The IAQA is a method for separating good consultants from the bad. Good people tend to show up for association events, while the bad guys generally don’t.
- The IAQA is trying to have more contractor presentations at their events and the convention committee is hungry for contractor event.
Water man
Answers and comments by: Mickey Lee, Chair of IICRC S-500 Water Damage Standard Chair and business consultant for Violand Management.
- Mickey has both small business ownership and big corporate business experience.
- Big water damage experience is an asset to Violand Management clients.
What’s the status of S-500, will S-500 go out for a 3rd review and what were the most contentious issues?
- The IICRC and the S-500 committee are respectful and committed to the ANSI standard writing process.
- S-500 will be going out for a 3rd review.
- Expressed the committee’s appreciation for the people who submitted comments. Public review has improved the document. The committee has clarified some language.
- There were fewer comments during the 2nd round.
- Committee has just completed responding to the comments.
- Difficult is a better descriptor than contentious. Application of 3rd party science to complex building assemblies. Air mover guidelines are now focused on wet surface areas. Definitions of classes have been clarified.
- Optimistic that the new standard will be published in 3rd quarter of 2014.
Executive Summit Event host
Chuck Violand, Violand Management Associates
Question from IAQ-Radio:
What was your biggest takeaway from Dina Dwyer Owens’ keynote address?
- The importance of culture in a business.
- We tend to measure things we can touch and frequently overlook the role that culture plays.
- Culture drives the direction of a business, the people that we attract and manage and the financial performance.
- Values are the building blocks of business culture.
Question from IAQ-Radio:
As a business consultant with 4 children, have you directed your kids towards starting a business?
- College isn’t for everybody.
- We helped fund our kid’s education, they had skin in game. Our kids chose their own direction.
- Thus far, Chuck’s kids seem not to have entrepreneurial tendencies.
The final word from Chuck Violand:
“Keep working on your business and yourself, as you grow your business grows.”
Z-Man signing off