At ServiceMaster Restore, a restoration franchise with more than 1,900 units, insurance experience can be a valuable asset for sales and business development representatives. Professionals who have worked as adjusters, agents or in other insurance roles often bring industry knowledge and relationship-building skills that translate well to the restoration business.
"Almost everything transferred over," said Joe French, a business development representative with ServiceMaster Restore who previously spent 21 years as an adjuster and adjusting supervisor. "As an adjuster, you have to be able to sell yourself and gain that trust in minutes."
Daniel Hilbert, a sales representative with ServiceMaster Restore in Raleigh, North Carolina, also brought insurance experience with him when he joined the restoration industry. Before coming to ServiceMaster Restore, Hilbert worked in insurance sales and quoting, helping homeowners evaluate coverage options through multiple carriers.
"I can gain some credibility because I understand what they're dealing with," Hilbert said. "It's because I know things that help me relate to what agents and customers are seeing."
While their insurance careers followed different paths, both say the experience prepared them well for restoration sales.
One of the biggest advantages insurance professionals bring to restoration sales is experience working with people during stressful circumstances. As an adjuster, French regularly met homeowners and business owners after a loss and had to quickly establish credibility while helping them understand what would happen next. He sees many similarities in his current role.
"We've never met the individuals and they have to trust us," French said. "We go to their homes or businesses and do similar things."
Customer communication is one of the most transferable skills. Whether someone is discussing a claim, evaluating coverage or dealing with property damage, they want to work with someone who can clearly explain the situation and help guide them through the process.
"Being able to understand what's going on in the background helps open up a channel to a conversation," Hilbert said. "It helps them see that we want to take care of their customers and take care of them."
Insurance experience also helps restoration sales representatives connect with referral partners. French says his background allows him to understand the terminology, processes and challenges agents deal with every day.
"It levels the field for me," French said. "I'm able to walk into an agent's office and speak to them with their terms and their terminology and really just understand their side of things and what they're looking for.”
Hilbert's years spent working with carriers and quoting policies created a similar advantage. His understanding of claims history, underwriting considerations and coverage options often helps him have more meaningful conversations with agents.
"Being able to understand what's going on in the background and talking to the agents from that knowledge helps them see that we want to take care of their customers and take care of them," he said.
Although insurance experience translates well, both experts say restoration sales differs from many traditional sales positions. Rather than selling a product or service that someone needs immediately, restoration sales often centers on building relationships long before a loss occurs.
"You're not selling an immediate product," Hilbert said. "This is all about building a relationship and being top of mind when they have that need, when that client calls them. You just really have to trust that in that process of building those relationships, believing that those relationships will reciprocate with referrals.”
That means spending time networking, visiting insurance offices, meeting property managers and becoming a trusted resource in the community. Success often comes from consistently maintaining those relationships over time.
Both French and Hilbert believe insurance professionals possess many of the skills needed to succeed in restoration sales, including communication, relationship-building, problem-solving and the ability to earn trust quickly.
"If you have experience adjusting, it's a great opportunity," French said. "You can take years of learning and working with insureds and agents, and it transfers directly over."
For insurance professionals looking for a new challenge, restoration sales offers an opportunity to build on existing experience while continuing to help people during some of life's most difficult moments.
For more information on working for ServiceMaster Restore, visit: https://careers.servicemaster.com.
ServiceMaster Restore
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Professionals with insurance experience often bring relationship-building skills, industry knowledge and customer service expertise that translate naturally into restoration sales.
At ServiceMaster Restore, a restoration franchise with more than 1,900 units, insurance experience can be a valuable asset for sales and business development representatives. Professionals who have worked as adjusters, agents or in other insurance roles often bring industry knowledge and relationship-building skills that translate well to the restoration business.
"Almost everything transferred over," said Joe French, a business development representative with ServiceMaster Restore who previously spent 21 years as an adjuster and adjusting supervisor. "As an adjuster, you have to be able to sell yourself and gain that trust in minutes."
Daniel Hilbert, a sales representative with ServiceMaster Restore in Raleigh, North Carolina, also brought insurance experience with him when he joined the restoration industry. Before coming to ServiceMaster Restore, Hilbert worked in insurance sales and quoting, helping homeowners evaluate coverage options through multiple carriers.
"I can gain some credibility because I understand what they're dealing with," Hilbert said. "It's because I know things that help me relate to what agents and customers are seeing."
While their insurance careers followed different paths, both say the experience prepared them well for restoration sales.
One of the biggest advantages insurance professionals bring to restoration sales is experience working with people during stressful circumstances. As an adjuster, French regularly met homeowners and business owners after a loss and had to quickly establish credibility while helping them understand what would happen next. He sees many similarities in his current role.
"We've never met the individuals and they have to trust us," French said. "We go to their homes or businesses and do similar things."
Customer communication is one of the most transferable skills. Whether someone is discussing a claim, evaluating coverage or dealing with property damage, they want to work with someone who can clearly explain the situation and help guide them through the process.
"Being able to understand what's going on in the background helps open up a channel to a conversation," Hilbert said. "It helps them see that we want to take care of their customers and take care of them."
Insurance experience also helps restoration sales representatives connect with referral partners. French says his background allows him to understand the terminology, processes and challenges agents deal with every day.
"It levels the field for me," French said. "I'm able to walk into an agent's office and speak to them with their terms and their terminology and really just understand their side of things and what they're looking for.”
Hilbert's years spent working with carriers and quoting policies created a similar advantage. His understanding of claims history, underwriting considerations and coverage options often helps him have more meaningful conversations with agents.
"Being able to understand what's going on in the background and talking to the agents from that knowledge helps them see that we want to take care of their customers and take care of them," he said.
Although insurance experience translates well, both experts say restoration sales differs from many traditional sales positions. Rather than selling a product or service that someone needs immediately, restoration sales often centers on building relationships long before a loss occurs.
"You're not selling an immediate product," Hilbert said. "This is all about building a relationship and being top of mind when they have that need, when that client calls them. You just really have to trust that in that process of building those relationships, believing that those relationships will reciprocate with referrals.”
That means spending time networking, visiting insurance offices, meeting property managers and becoming a trusted resource in the community. Success often comes from consistently maintaining those relationships over time.
Both French and Hilbert believe insurance professionals possess many of the skills needed to succeed in restoration sales, including communication, relationship-building, problem-solving and the ability to earn trust quickly.
"If you have experience adjusting, it's a great opportunity," French said. "You can take years of learning and working with insureds and agents, and it transfers directly over."
For insurance professionals looking for a new challenge, restoration sales offers an opportunity to build on existing experience while continuing to help people during some of life's most difficult moments.
For more information on working for ServiceMaster Restore, visit: https://careers.servicemaster.com.
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