Level Up Claims

Galen Hair talks with Aleksa Aleksic, a roofing industry marketing consultant, who discusses marketing strategies for roofers. Aleksa highlights the importance of a strong social media presence and brand and criticizes the use of non-exclusive leads in favor of those with higher conversion rates and underscores the importance of community involvement and successful handling of online reviews.

Who's the Guest? Aleksa Aleksic is a seasoned marketing consultant with a specialized focus on the roofing industry. Recognizing the challenges that roofing contractors face in attracting new clients and growing their businesses, Aleksa dedicated himself to bridging this gap. With a background in marketing consultancy, he saw an untapped opportunity to make a significant impact in the roofing sector.

Highlights

• The challenges and importance of effective marketing in the roofing industry
• The importance of having a strong community, a strong brand and a good social media presence in modern marketing
• Data privacy and the ways companies collect personal data
• The value and benefits of exclusive leads
• Finding the right marketer for growth and deciding on the best channels for marketing
• The role of online reputation and reviews in business growth
• How roofing company owners should invest the time into marketing and to learn to speak the language of the customers

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Aleksa Aleksic
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdoesbiz

Galen Hair talks with psychologist Dr. Robert Kegan about the process of 'immunity to change' and how limiting beliefs hinder meaningful transformation. Kegan uses the example of unsuccessful dieting to underline the importance of shifting mindsets, not just behaviors. He illustrates common leadership issues in initiating change, like arrogance or insecurity, and how these can lead to employee attrition. He advises that those who persist through uncomfortable personal growth phases will ultimately enjoy substantial personal and professional advancements.

Who's the Guest? Dr. Robert Kegan is a professor at Harvard University and a world-renowned contributor to the field of development and transformation. He's a recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards and has over forty years of research, teaching, writing, and professional practice that influenced leadership development, executive coaching, and culture-change management across the globe.

Highlights

• The turning point in Dr. Kegan's research was recognizing that change challenges related to individuals' underlying mindset, not just specific skills or behavior.
• Dr. Kegan identifies a dichotomy that exists: people who are overly kind or overly concerned about how others think of them, and people who are too hard on their teams.
• Younger generations like millennials, see learning as a lifelong process rather than a phase of life.
• There is a difference between presenting change to people who are open and prepared for it as opposed to those who aren't.
• Your destiny is to become a bigger and better version of yourself.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Dr. Robert Kegan
• https://www.amazon.com/Immunity-Change-Potential-Organization-Leadership/dp/1422117367

Galen Hair talks with Derik Kline about weather changes and storm chasing. Derik clarifies that hurricanes aren't increasing despite common perception, and their likelihood this year is lower due to Pacific Ocean shift conditions. Kline's Hail Trace Company provides hail maps to prevent unnecessary insurance claims by showing potential hail damage locations.

Who's the Guest? Derik Kline joined the KOCO 5 First Alert Storm Chasing Team in April of 2020. He has over 20 years chasing experience, including covering 400 plus tornadoes and 10 plus hurricanes. Derik even got on the northside of a tornado on his first day of chasing - an amazing accomplishment in the storm chasing community. His passion for weather led him to create Hail Trace LLC, his own weather consulting company in 2010 that focuses on weather forensics and real-time severe weather tracking.

Highlights

• Derik talks about his passion for storm chasing and how it led him into his industry
• He shares his recent achievement of winning an Emmy
• The origin of the idea for Hail Trace comes from a contractor friend asking Derik about storm tracking assistance
• Story of a hurricane claim dispute based on mismatched weather data and actual damage
• How their data helped debunk a false claim that a tornado had hit a certain property
• The varying levels of storm activity from year to year, with previous years having slower activity compared to this year
• Why hurricanes need more than warm ocean water to form, highlighting the role of wind shear
• An overview of the services provided by Hail Trace, including alerts on potential weather events for those who use their premium services

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Derik Kline
• https://hailtrace.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/hail-trace
• https://theorg.com/org/hail-trace/org-chart/derik-kline
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/derik-kline-086aa912

Galen Hair talks with Justin Seymour, Business Intelligence Manager for Avicado Construction Technology Services, discussing innovations within the business and construction sectors. Justin highlighted advancements in computer vision that assist in monitoring construction projects and detecting defects. He emphasized the importance of intercommunication between different technologies, recommending Microsoft's Power BI, SharePoint, and Power Automate as effective data tracking systems. Justin also encouraged businesses to leverage these data-driven tools and recommended employing a tech professional to facilitate the process.

Who's the Guest?

Justin Seymour is a construction expert with 15+ years of jobsite/engineering experience all around the world. Passion for construction innovation and strategies to improve productivity. Builder who loves solving construction problems with technology. Works best in fast-paced cultures not afraid of hard truths and making data driven decisions. Empathy and understanding of product management stakeholders. Experience from laborer, to software developer, to company president.

Highlights

• Justin's journey from the construction industry to technology
• How his self-created tech platform helped him to secure a software developer job upon his return to the US
• His experience with COVID-19 in Indonesia
• The lengthy process of his first insurance claim due to a lack of clear data
• How safekeeping of data separate from the physical assets they pertain to
• The promising future of tech in construction, particularly in relation to project management information systems (PMIS) and machine learning
• The step-by-step process of companies becoming data- driven
• COVID as the catalyst for rapid technology adoption and growth
• The benefits of beta testing new technologies and how incorporating them can transform businesses dramatically
• The practicality of using already available Microsoft tools

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Justin Seymour
• https://www.avicado.com/about/meet-the-team/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindseymour

Galen Hair talks with Amparo Sancen who discusses her entrepreneurial journey to developing an educational initiative, 'Latinos en Roofing.' Delegating her contracting business to three trusted personnel, she began focusing on her community-outreach initiative. Her advice to fellow entrepreneurs is to trust their team and themselves and to not fear having someone more competent in their business.

Who's the Guest? Amparo Sancen worked as a medical assistant for years after moving to the U.S. and was quickly inspired to enter construction after getting to know a number of clients in that industry. With her limited knowledge and lack of resources, she eventually quit her job and made the leap. Within six months, she had learned enough to get into the remodeling business. Eight months later, she forayed into roofing. She made every rookie mistake imaginable but stayed undeterred.

In 2016, she moved to Texas, determined to rebuild her roofing venture, hungry to learn as much as she could about building a strong, profitable business. Today, beyond her own business, she's taken on the responsibility of inspiring and educating Latinos around the country to find entrepreneurial success in the world of roofing and construction.

Highlights

• The importance of connections in business.
• Having and utilizing a network
• Giving back to the community
• Business growth through the help of others
• Expanding their training services to other businesses
• The importance of effectively communicating company mission, vision, and values to the crews and workers

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Amparo Sancen
• https://linktr.ee/latinos_en_roofing
• https://www.facebook.com/latinosenroofing
• https://www.instagram.com/latinosenroofing/
• https://www.facebook.com/amparo.sancen/

Galen Hair talks with Daniel Robosky who shares his journey from the army to leading a successful insurance claims business, Coastal Claims. He emphasizes the importance of adapting military-style organization and evaluation at his firm, encouraging growth among employees, and maintaining ethical business practices. He mentions the increasing trend of mediation in settling claims, stressing the need for businesses to adapt to industry changes. Daniel also underscores the necessity of proper planning and proactive measures, as well as the importance of educating contractors on claim representatives. He defines success as making a positive impact on others' lives, which he believes will lead to his own success. Both Galen and Daniel stress that doing right by others is beneficial for all parties involved.

Who's the Guest? Daniel Robosky is the Principal Owner of Robosky Consulting, LLC which specializes in education and consulting in the insurance and construction fields. Also is the Director of Operations for Coastal Claims Services which is the one of the largest Public Insurance Adjusting firms in the country. Managing residential and commercial insurance claims, appraisal, and umpire services.

Highlights

• How Daniel started working in the claims business after ending his military service
• The military's organizational practices and their relevance in running a solid claims organization
• The importance of data in running their firm, using it to plan for the future based on past performance
• Training and support network required for employees, and the need for a clear process in identifying these needs
• The ripple effect of training high-end claim handling people and giving them room to grow
• The fear many in the industry have when their employees leave
• Importance of training employees to ensure they provide positive impacts across the board
• Their firm's data-driven approach asserts confidently that no public adjusting firm in the country does what they do
• How desperation can lead people to inflate claims
• How success is measured by the success of his team and fostering an environment in which everyone can thrive

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Daniel Robosky
• https://coastalclaims.net/our-team/
• https://www.instagram.com/thebigrobosky/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-robosky-62179158

Galen Hair talks with Thomas Valera who discusses his successful business approach. Having started his career in sales and later moving to a ladder-assist company, he established his own roofing firm in 2017.He also shares insights on navigating difficult insurance carriers, stressing honesty and transparency with homeowners, checking contractors' certifications, and building relationships with insurance agents. This strategy leads to agent referrals, aiding business growth and avoiding unnecessary claims.

Who's the Guest? Thomas Valera is the owner of NOVA ROOFTEK which is a local roofing contractor in Northern VA specializing in roof replacement, siding, and gutter installations, repairs, and roof inspection.

Highlights

• Thomas shares his background in the roofing industry
• Insight into the technical aspects of roof inspections
• The art of non-aggressive salesmanship in the inspections business
• Importance of a repair servicing arm in roofing businesses
• Strategy shared on dealing with difficult insurance companies
• Honest communication with clients
• Thomas shares strategy for dealing with insurance agents
• Importance of preparing homeowners of potential disputes with insurance companies

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Thomas Valera
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-valera-523b2a64
• https://novarooftek.com/

Galen Hair and Cheryl Cran, discussed the future of work, recruitment challenges, and leadership strategies. The conversation emphasized the need for businesses to align with technological advances such as AI and face recruitment challenges head-on by fostering a culture of growth, teamwork, and reward. They highlighted the importance of communication and explored the idea of adopting a 'start-up' approach, such as considering freelancers or contract work. They also discussed ways to augment employee productivity during remote work, combat "quiet quitting," and navigate the ethical implications of AI replacing human jobs.

Who's the Guest? Cheryl Cran is the founder of NextMapping™/NextMapping.com, creator of the NextNow podcast and the CEO of parent company Synthesis at Work Inc. Named #1 Future of Work influencer by Onalytica, and in the top ten future of work experts by GoCatalant. She is on the Fast Company Magazine Executive Board and a faculty member of ExecOnline. Cheryl is the author of 10 books including her newest, Super.Crucial.Human and her bestsellers, "NextMapping – Anticipate, Navigate and Create The Future of Work" and "The Art of Change Leadership – Driving Transformation In a Fast Paced-World".

Highlights

• Cheryl discusses the issues of attracting and retaining key staff.
• The need for a reevaluation of work processes, such as how work is distributed and how automation and AI can be leveraged better.
• The explosion of freelance and contract work post-COVID.
• Cheryl urges business leaders to think like a start-up and question if they would have the current jobs in their business if they were starting it from scratch.
• The concept of paying employees well and treating them like entrepreneurs is discussed.
• Younger generations are diversifying their income, taking on multiple jobs simultaneously to secure their revenue.
• The way to stop quiet quitting is through consistent one-on-one meetings and coaching, helping to identify early signs of disengagement.
• The ethics behind AI usage are brought up, especially when it comes to content creation and the question of replacing human effort with AI applications.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Cheryl Cran
• https://nextmapping.com/
• https://twitter.com/cherylcran

In this podcast episode, Galen Hair and Jay Baer highlight the power of exceptional customer service as an effective marketing tool. They propose that delivering unexpected value to clients often inspires word-of-mouth promotion. However, Jay states that many businesses prioritize growth over customer retention and view customer service as a cost rather than an investment. He believes that rewarding customer retention just like customer acquisition could radically alter the business landscape. The most important insight is that businesses can create their own unique selling points or initiatives that may not align with their offerings. If consistently implemented, these can result in free, enduring marketing.

Who's the Guest? Jay Baer is the founder of Convince & Convert, a Hall of Fame keynote speaker and emcee, host of the award-winning Social Pros podcast, and the author of six books including "Talk Triggers: The Complete Guide to Creating Customers with Word of Mouth". Jay uses his comprehensive consumer research approach, and combines it with massive expertise gained from advising more than 700 brands. The result is real, proven, viable advice that makes businesses better. All wrapped up in a hilarious and inspirational package audiences never forget.

Highlights

• Honest communications for marketing
• Marketing and customer service
• Creating talk triggers
• Providing an unexpected service story
• DoubleTree Hotels' warm cookies
• The principle of consistent word of mouth
• Changing marketing strategies to adapt to societal changes
• Beginning points for marketing and messaging strategies
• Unique marketing strategies
• Importance of empathy in marketing
• Potential marketing strategies
• Personal marketing experiences
• The central issue of customer service philosophy
• Importance of bonusing customer service teams

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Jay Baer
• https://www.jaybaer.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/jaybaer/
• https://www.convinceandconvert.com/author/jay-baer/

This podcast episode features an interview with Joey Coleman, an expert on employee and customer retention. Together with Galen, Joey explores strategies to enhance the employee experience and mirrors this to the customer's journey. An eight-phase model is discussed, which emphasizes treating employees remarkably, leading them to offer exceptional customer service. The episode announces Joey Coleman as a speaker at the Level Up Claims Summit in 2024 and emphasizes the importance of growth and lifelong learning.

Who's the Guest? Joey Coleman is the creator of The First 100 Days – a system that is designed to dramatically increase your customer retention and as a result, your bottom line. Joey is a recognized expert in customer experience design and is an award-winning speaker at both national and international conferences.

Highlights

• Joey introduces his new book 'Never Lose an Employee Again' and discusses the struggles employers face in finding, hiring, and retaining good employees
• Joey's unique methodology consisting of eight phases
• Client experience and employee experience is not sales but an authentic process of recruiting and retaining talent
• How to use video tributes for job offers to emotionally connect with their candidates, make them feel valued and maintain a positive employee experience
• The importance of making employees feel loved and appreciated, asserting that happier employees will genuinely represent and champion a company
• The value in considering the employee's loved ones when giving gifts
• How for leaving a job often has nothing to do with the employer

Episode Resources

• Connect with Galen M. Hair
• https://insuranceclaimhq.com
• [email protected]
• Connect with Joey Coleman
• https://joeycoleman.com/
• Never Lose a Customer Again: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Lose-Customer-Again-Lifelong/dp/0735220034