The importance of communicating opportunities for growth to employees

I originally reached out to Alex Blagojevic regarding a post from LinkedIn on the importance of technology in the property claims assessment process, "I’ll be on site conducting a 360 degree scan of a water damaged unit. With my site scope and virtual scan, a control estimate will be conducted by our Xactimate team within a matter of days. It’s truly incredible what our new technology can capture in one quick site visit." We were putting together a multi-member panel for a discussion about Docusketch which turned into Episode 40 of The DYOJO Podcast.

As an independent commercial claims adjuster she shared her experiences with technology and integration with tools such as Encircle for categorizing photos from a loss and Docusketch for 360 degree captures that can expediently be transformed into a layout sketch for Xactimate. For those who aren't familiar with the property claims process, thorough documentation is key to empowering all stakeholders to communicate clearly and restore the affected to pre-loss conditions. Alex has observed these tools quickly becoming the standard for insurance carriers and restoration contractors.

She shares how her journey into the insurance claims world started with a position as a project managers assistant at a local ServiceMaster, helping those managing claims to maintain their documentation streams. In her pursuit of more meaningful work, increasing responsibility, and upward mobility, she pursued the claims side as an entry level broker. It wasn't long before doors opened to allow her to explore more direct involvement with helping people with property damages as an adjuster.

There are many nuggets within this discussion, of which managers should take note, on how young people entering the workforce are looking for opportunities for professional growth. Those organizations and people in positions of leadership who can connect growth minded individuals with the opportunities within their companies will find that there is a deep well of strong candidates eager to make a difference. Alex understood the process of earning her way by learning from each role while keeping her eyes open for experiences that would further her career. Seeing the claims process from "both sides" has helped her to have a greater perspective for how to serve the client to create a positive customer experience. Some of the best training she received was while she was at an entry level position with a brokerage and yet it would appear that organization was unable to connect their training with opportunities that would keep a strong candidate such as Alex within the fold.

We had a similar conversation with Chris Stanley on Episode 38 of The DYOJO Podcast. Chris shared how important it is for companies to create a direct correlation to training and advancement which is why his organization IA Path has developed a process that empowers those seeking a career in adjusting to get to work within 90 days. Alex notes the value of initiatives such as The DYOJO Podcast which is, "A platform that encourages collaboration while opening up discussions that directly effect our day to day work across the claims industry."

Alex encourages adjusting professionals, who want to create a positive customer experience with their brand, to remember that the claims process:

• Is likely the first time that an insured is experiencing how their insurance policy is carried out at their time of need; 
• Most clients don't understand the ins-and-outs of the operation, so having patience and communicating clearly are essential;
• Don't assume that a customer knows what you are talking about or what questions to ask, explain the process and the timeline so that you can help them through the experience to a successful conclusion.

The market is always evolving and people in a position of leadership who want to remain competitive need to invest in their own training for soft skills to optimize employee recruitment, hiring, and retention. We discussed another great resource for growth minded leaders who want to develop their abilities for working with the incoming workforce candidates, the book Insuring Tomorrow: Engaging Millennials in the Insurance Industry by Tony Canas and Carly Burnham of Insurance Nerds. Seeking out employee input, reading books on vital soft skills, and listening to programs such as The DYOJO Podcast can help managers to shorten their learning curve for leadership development and employee engagement.

Topics and Guests for The DYOJO Podcast Episode 43:

• Alex Blagojevic - www.linkedin.com/in/alexdoesclaims
• The DYOJO Podcast - www.thedyojo.com/listen
• Fulfillment at work
• Insurance claims professional development
• Docusketch and technology for the property restoration industry 
• Blurring the lines between carrier and contractor