Relationships that generate success for our network
When disaster strikes, property owners often don't know who to call first. Usually, they look to their insurance carrier to connect them with restoration professionals who can get recovery started quickly. These insurance referral relationships have become a crucial part of the restoration industry. They help policyholders find trusted providers while giving restoration companies a consistent source of work, but developing these partnerships can be difficult for some owners.
How insurance relationships are built
Insurance carriers want confidence in contractors they recommend; they look for providers that can represent their policyholders well and become an extension of the claims team. For independent restoration businesses, earning those referrals can take years of relationship building. Even then, many companies don't have the scale or resources to manage long-term carrier partnerships. As a result, some turn to third-party aggregators to access insurance work, adding another barrier between the contractor, the carrier, and the customer.
Franchise networks, like ServiceMaster Restore®, with long-standing carrier relationships, can offer more. By operating under a recognized brand, business owners gain access to referral partnerships that would be challenging to win and manage on their own.
Leveraging network-wide partnerships
ServiceMaster Restore® has secured relationships with many national and regional insurance carriers through program-level agreements negotiated and managed at the corporate level. Dedicated carrier sales, account management, and commercial operations teams work to maintain those relationships for franchise owners while ensuring a consistent experience for carrier partners and their policyholders. This helps our owners stay focused on delivering service, with the logistics simplified. We also recognize the owners who consistently meet high standards through our Qualified Restoration Vendor (QRV) Program. QRV-qualified franchises receive 33% more opportunities from national partnerships dispatched through the Claims Capture Unit and Commercial Call Center. Qualified owners are also eligible to participate in catastrophe mobilization efforts and larger restoration projects, creating additional revenue centers.
What this means for prospective owners
Insurance partnerships are an important part of a successful restoration business, and a referral network can help create a better flow of opportunities while giving property owners confidence that they're working with a trusted recovery partner. For ServiceMaster Restore® owners, those relationships are nurtured and backed by a nationally recognized brand, dedicated support teams, and programs designed to reward excellence.
Interested in learning more about what ownership with ServiceMaster Restore looks like? Our franchise development team can walk you through the support available to owners, discuss what it takes to join our network, and answer any questions you may have. Reach out to get the conversation started today.