Tips for Training Your Restoration Technicians on Documentation

Team member training restoration technicians on using documentation software on site Documentation is one of the most important skills a restoration technician can have. Documentation done right helps justify restoration insurance claims, increase claims payouts, and speed up payments. Documentation done poorly leaves restorers with weak leverage during negotiation, lower claims payouts, and slower payments. Good restoration insurance claims documentation skills don’t happen by accident. Today, the restoration industry experts at One Claim Solution are here to share tips for training restoration technicians on documentation.

The Value of Strong Restoration Documentation Skills

Internal Benefits

When your restoration team has established documentation standard operating procedures, you’ll see benefits internally. Team members who are not on site will be able to view your documentation and get a better understanding of a job. Documentation also acts as an important historical record that protects your team in the event of disputes with customers.

Insurance Claims Benefits

Strong restoration documentation benefits you with every restoration job your technicians handle. But it’s especially important when it comes to insurance-covered water damage losses, fire damage losses, and mold damage losses. When the time comes time for the insurance claim to be sent to the provider, your documentation will be the backbone of proving and justifying your team’s work to carriers.

When your restoration technicians document thoroughly and strategically, the entire claims negotiation and accounts receivable process goes better. Your company will enjoy:

Higher Payouts: When you can provide ample proof of the work you did, you’re more likely to get paid in full by carriers for the restoration insurance claim.
Faster Payouts: Clear and thorough documentation also speeds up payouts by cutting down on the back-and-forth between the restoration claims adjuster and your company.
Fewer Disputes & Denials: The weaker your technician’s documentation is, the more claims disputes and denials you will face.

Tips for Training Restoration Technicians on Documentation

Train Restoration Technicians on Your Documentation Software

Explaining how a technician can collect documentation is just as important as explaining what documentation they should collect. Most restoration companies use some type of software to gather and/or organize their documentation. Take the time to train your technicians on using your documentation and organization software. Some technicians may be more experienced or tech-savvy than others, so adapt your training as needed.

Confirm that your team member knows software skills like:

Correctly taking and uploading photos
Locating other documentation for a job
Correctly filling out forms and notes
Entering data like moisture readings

By the time training is complete, navigating and using the software should be second nature for your technicians.

Use Past Jobs as Training Exercises

A great way to teach documentation is by using real-life examples. Luckily, any water damage company should have a wide range of past jobs to pull from. Look for a variety to use as training examples. Then,

Present the job details to the technicians as though they were the ones working the job.
Ask the technician in training what documentation they should collect.
Compare their answer to the documentation your team collected in real-time. Point out differences and areas for improvement, both in your trainee’s answer and the real-time documentation.

This side-by-side comparison helps technicians become familiar with restoration documentation best practices in a variety of situations.

Pair Them with an Experienced Technician in the Field

Like many other essential job skills for restorers, using a shadowing system can help newbies learn more effectively. When you’re training your new technician, have them shadow an experienced technician to see how they document the job. Have your experienced technician explain what they are documenting and why.

Show Real Examples of Claims Being Denied or Approved

In most companies, technicians collecting documentation are not the same team members submitting and negotiating insurance claims. While you are training restoration technicians on documentation, show them real-life examples of past claims. This can help further explain how their documentation impacts claims. Show them real-life cases where strong documentation led to fast, high payment. Also, show them claims where payouts were delayed or denied due to sloppy or inadequate documentation. These real-life examples can provide them with a deeper understanding of their role in the insurance claims process.

Establish Documentation as a Non-Negotiable for Restoration Technicians

Communicate straightforwardly with team members about how documentation is a core function of their role. Establish your expectations, provide documentation SOPs for them to follow, and then hold them accountable. When you establish documentation as a non-negotiable while training restoration technicians, you’re more likely to see buy-in.

How OCS Converts Your Documentation into Higher Revenue

Even with the best documentation, getting paid what you deserve requires negotiating with insurance adjusters. That’s where OCS comes in. Our team provides personalized tips about improving your company’s documentation processes. Then we use your documentation and a range of other restoration insurance claim strategies to negotiate higher and faster insurance payouts for your company.

Want to learn how OCS can help your business? Reach out to us today.