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In the aftermath of a major event like a hurricane, earthquake, or wildfire, or an isolated incident that disrupts production, the last thing businesses need to worry about is whether they’re getting good customer service from their disaster recovery company. But in the rush to restore assets, customer service can become an afterthought. ATI makes sure that doesn’t happen.
Most disaster recovery companies assign a project manager to oversee the job and customer satisfaction. But that wasn’t good enough for ATI’s President, Ryan Moore. About five years ago, Ryan wanted to figure out how to reach out to ATI’s clients more directly, creating a stronger chain of communication that would last throughout the customer relationship.
So, ATI developed a customer service team. Today, team members reach out to clients to check in on how the work is going throughout a project. They serve as a conduit between the project team and the client, monitoring their reactions to ensure ATI delivers the optimal customer experience.
But that’s not the only way ATI builds relationships with its clients. From start to finish, ATI works hard to form a partnership with clients that lasts.
ATI treats clients like partners from the start. One goal is for ATI clients to get the same experience every time regardless of location. So, if a client has an asset in Seattle and another in Tampa, they can rely on ATI to deliver the same quality of service for every loss.
To achieve this goal, ATI takes a number of steps, starting with client communication. ATI gives each client a central point of contact, from the first point of loss through the billing process. And even before a disaster strikes, ATI will capture the client’s communication preferences up front, which may include setting up a custom email address for the client account. When a client emails that address, the entire team serving that client receives that message immediately.
In this business, preparation is everything. ATI extends that to its service delivery. So, the ATI project team walks clients through what they can expect within the first 24 hours of any engagement. That conversation sets the stage for what’s to come, with updates throughout the life of the loss. ATI allows the client to dictate the cadence of those touchpoints — daily, weekly, monthly, or otherwise — to deepen and develop the partnership.
ATI also offers clients the opportunity to sign an emergency response agreement (ERA). The ERA sets forth the details of the engagement and pricing even before a disaster occurs. Agreeing to terms in advance allows ATI to take appropriate action to mitigate damage from a disaster immediately and shorten the time it takes to get the business back up and running.
No matter where a major event occurs, the ATI response is consistent, prompt, and responsive to client needs. Those hallmarks are the results of a process that governs every client engagement. On national accounts, project managers and supervisors ensure that losses are handled the same way every time.
That consistency starts by ensuring alignment with the client’s goals for the project. From the beginning, ATI asks who the client’s stakeholders are and what they expect from them, in addition to completing a thorough job walk to assess the scope. ATI recognizes that the longer clients suffer a business interruption, the greater their losses. So, the goal is to help businesses return to a position where they can take care of their customers as quickly as possible.
Meeting that goal requires ATI to follow uniform processes. That way, if a breakdown does occur, ATI can measure where it happened and take steps to correct it for that and all future projects. After an initial meeting, project leads share daily updates and maintain frequent communication to ensure the project stays aligned with the client’s goals and on track to meet the expected timeline.
For example, take a multifamily housing unit that has suffered a fire, displacing its residents. In this circumstance, ATI steps in to help not only its client but the client’s tenants as well. ATI works through its client to help salvage tenants’ personal property, accelerating the time it takes for those tenants to settle into temporary housing.
For ATI, a restoration job isn’t complete as soon as a crack in a foundation is repaired or when the paint is dry. The work continues until the asset is restored to its pre-loss condition. When the work is complete, the team reviews a punchlist as they walk through the project with the client. Depending on the scope, they may also reference psychrometric data to validate dry outs or a third-party industrial hygienist report to confirm an abatement was successful.
The key is to learn from every experience with the client, so the next project is even better. To accomplish this goal, the customer service team contacts every client, asking for feedback. If concerns are raised, ATI reps listen with empathy and strive to correct the situation. The team also communicates wins to refine operating procedures and training.
ATI’s commitment to customer care was recently recognized in two ways: the C&R Unsung Hero Award and BBB Torch Award for Ethics.
Tyler Wright: Unsung Hero Award
ATI’s Tyler Wright was recently recognized by Cleaning & Restoration Magazine as the Unsung Office Hero of the Year for 2022. This award is given to people who exemplify “selflessness, leadership, grit, and tenacity within all levels of the restoration and cleaning industry.” The attributes expected from an award winner include “dedication to serving, communicating with, and advocating for customers through a foundation of trust and integrity.”
Over the last five years, Tyler has mastered every administrative position at ATI. She started at the front desk and progressed through program coordinator, construction coordinator, and restoration coordinator. She was recently promoted to project manager. According to her peers, Tyler goes above and beyond whenever needed. For example, Tyler took part in an initiative to create a training tool for technicians that covers paperwork filing procedures. The initiative received positive feedback by management and field technicians alike, as it helps drive greater efficiency for our clients. In short, Tyler always rises to the occasion. She offers solutions and steps in to lend a helping hand — even though her plate is full with work and a newborn at home — with a smile on her face.
BBB Torch Award for Ethics
ATI is proud to be a Finalist for the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Torch Award for Ethics in Orange County, California. The award, one of the highest honors the BBB offers, recognizes local businesses with practices that “elevate their commitment to ethical business.” Finalists are selected by an independent panel of volunteer community leaders and must demonstrate a commitment to ethics and trust in four categories: character, culture, customers, and community.
In addition to recognition for its devotion to the communities where it works, ATI was recognized for its work culture, where employees demonstrate a high level of integrity and follow the company’s “CARES” values:
ATI embeds these values in its daily work. For example, the company starts every meeting by sharing an ATI CARES moment. And it carries these values through to customer service. As the nation’s largest family-operated disaster recovery services company, ATI is committed to helping customers through the most difficult times in their lives, ensuring the job is done safely, effectively, and with integrity.
Click the link below to watch a client describe the kind of experience ATI provided once it was brought in midway through a job to help rectify damages that were originally missed by another vendor.