How to Get Your Restoration Claims Team & Field Team Aligned

Your restoration claims team and field team rely on each other more than they may realize. One side is in basements, attics, and flooded basements, gathering documentation. The other side is at a desk, working with carriers and adjusters to make sure your company gets paid. But if either team drops the ball, the entire claims process slows down.

In many restoration companies, it can be easy for a gap to arise between these two groups, leading to miscommunication, missing documentation, billing delays, and lower payouts. But with the right processes and systems, you can close that gap and keep both teams moving toward the goal of faster payments and better margins.

At One Claim Solutions, we work with restoration contractors and claims every day, so we have seen firsthand how much it matters to have your field team and claims team aligned. Here are some of our tips for restoration contractors facing challenges with getting these teams on the same page.

Why Alignment Matters

Every claim starts with your field technicians on-site with the homeowner when they begin to assess the damage, take photos, write notes, and set up equipment. Everything that happens in those first few hours becomes the foundation of the claim.

If photos aren’t clear, if notes are missing, or if scope details are inconsistent, your restoration claims team has to chase down information later, often long after the field technician has already moved on. This creates frustration between your teams and slows down payment.

When your documentation is thorough and your claims team knows what they’re working with, the whole process runs more smoothly. Adjusters are less likely to push back, your invoices are stronger, and your days to payment timeline shortens.

Common Gaps Between Field and Claims Teams

Before fixing the problem, it helps to recognize where things usually go wrong. Here are some of the common gaps we see arising between restoration claims teams and field teams:

• Incomplete or inconsistent documentation: Photos without context, unclear moisture readings, or missing time logs make it harder to justify line items later.
• Different goals: Field staff may be focused on customer service and job completion, while claims staff are focused on defensible invoices. Without shared priorities, conflicts are inevitable.
• Lack of communication: If the claims team doesn’t give feedback to the field team on documentation quality, mistakes repeat across multiple jobs.
• Technology silos: Field staff may be capturing data in one app while claims staff are using another, creating gaps and double-entry.

Speak to team managers and members and ask them where they often see gaps and misunderstandings arise. They are the ones immersed in the processes every day, so they know better than anyone.

Tips for Getting Your Restoration Claims Team and Field Team Aligned

So, how do you get your restoration claims team and field team aligned? Here are strategies that we recommend for restorers:

Standardize Documentation Practices

Consistency is key. Create clear checklists for field staff that outline exactly what’s needed on every job. Documentation checklists should include things like:

• Before-and-after photos
• Timelogs
• Equipment setup and monitoring logs
• Moisture maps and readings
• Customer signatures and approvals

Train your field team to use these checklists. When everyone follows the same process, claims staff spend less time piecing things together later.

Explain Why It Matters

Your team members are experts in their area of the restoration and claims process, but that doesn’t mean they fully understand what other teams within the company are doing. Don’t automatically assume your field technicians understand how their documentation impacts the restoration claims team. Take the time to explain it to them, using examples from real claims. You’re more likely to see the field team buy in to the documentation process when they understand that it’s not just extra busy work; it plays an important role in getting your company (and, in return, the field team) paid.

Set Up Time for Feedback & Collaboration

Instead of letting documentation and communication issues pile up, set up a regularly occurring time when both teams can meet to share feedback and collaborate. During this time, the claims staff can review job files and share feedback with field staff. In return, the field team can answer any more practical restoration job questions the claims team has. These meetings will also have the secondary advantage of building stronger relationships between team members from different teams, something that is always helpful for a business’s success and happiness.

Harness the Power of Technology

Explore the different documentation and job management software out there and pick a few for your team to use. Train both your restoration claims team and your field team on using them, and encourage adoption. Using technological tools and software can make it even easier to ensure all your teams are on the same page.

The One Claim Solution Restoration Claims Approach

At One Claim Solution, we’ve built our entire model around eliminating misalignment between technicians on site and the restoration claims processing team. Our proprietary Contractor Portal software gives our contractors visibility into their accounts receivable while ensuring our claims advocates have the documentation and AI-powered tools they need to negotiate effectively. This means faster and higher payments for our contractors, all with less back-and-forth and misalignment.

When you partner with One Claim Solution, you can skip training and building an internal restoration claims team. Instead, you can rely on our seasoned claims expert to manage your claims and ensure you get paid more, faster. Our technology and processes are designed to close these gaps between claims and your field team so that you can focus on serving your customers and building your business without the extra claims stress. Contact One Claim Solution today to see if our restoration claims management team could be a good fit for your company.