BUSINESS CONTINUITY / DISASTER RECOVERY
Promote self-service with proactive notifications . Like preparing your team , preparing your customers can go a long way , too .
Proactively inform them about what is forecasted and what preparations they can take to mitigate damage . Let them know if and when it is safe to return and what steps they need to take to ensure they can do so without harm . There still may be widespread utilities outages , curfews to prevent looting , road , bridge , and tunnel blockages , and loss of ferries and mass transit links .
The notification can also serve as a reminder to customers that your call center may be dealing with an influx of calls following the disaster . Subsequently , it can double as another reminder on how to quickly access your self-service claim options for digital claim reporting .
Certain solutions can be easily added into your self-service reporting portal ahead of time to allow customers to submit damage photos in real time . This expedites the process of reporting loss by leveraging fast AI damage assessments to allow adjusters to respond quickly to the claim .
Be flexible . In some cases , your traditional brick-and-mortar operation may not be feasible if the location is threatened by severe weather , making it difficult for your customers to travel to claims offices and perhaps drive in claims locations .
Empower adjusters with virtual damage inspection tools to quickly visit customers electronically and gather the information needed to expedite claim settlements . Also , consider pre-arranging partnerships with a third party that handles virtual claims to quickly adapt with turn-key damage estimating solutions that can grow capacity overnight .
More and more , these contingency plans have become a must-have not just during hurricane season , but yearround because disasters can occur at any time . Even when a hurricane isn ’ t on the horizon , many communities are threatened by severe storms , hail , blizzards , earthquakes , and wildfires .
The threat of natural disasters and non-weather challenges will always be a constant , but with preparation , your call center can be ready to handle claims and take care of your customers . The key is to act now and not wait until the eye of this storm stalls over your call center .
Bill Brower is Vice President Industry Relations for Solera focused on advancing its insurance , claims , fleet , and automotive business while helping define the future of Solera products and services . Bill is a widely recognized claims leader across the Insurance P & C Claims Industry with more than 35 years of experience .
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