A couple of years ago, we had a water leak in our house that several companies came to “fix.” Unfortunately, the fixes never worked. Finally, a company determined the leak was coming from the brick chimney. This was hard for me to believe but I was quickly put at ease because the company did a water test with video. I could then see the issue with my own eyes. During the repair, the technician was constantly sending me pictures of the internal damage found and the progress of the repair. It made me wonder why we do not do more of this in the fire protection industry.
Cell phones and instant access to data have provided our customers with more knowledge of our industry than ever before. This has created a savvier or some may even say more demanding customer.
We should all strive to be good stewards for our customers' money. No one can run a successful long-term business by taking advantage of the customer. That is why visual documentation for deficiencies and technician check-ins and check-outs are important tools for your company. They can help you build a long-term profitable relationship with your customer.
One of the main advantages of requiring pictures is to provide your customer with clarity about what the issue may be. Customers are still not professional fire protection people. Pictures serve as a universal language; they can ensure that our customers clearly understand the issue(s) and motivate them to act swiftly. Creating revenue quickly for you.
This visual record of the deficiency will also support the increasing trend of Fire Departments using third-party regulatory compliance reporting programs out on the market.
Pictures of deficiencies can also help you in other ways.
For example, with inspections of Kitchen suppression systems. Pictures of deficiencies of nozzle coverage or appliances outside the hood would be extremely important to document. This simple task could make all the difference in reducing your liability if a fire were to break out, causing damage to the restaurant.
In some cases, customers may argue that deficiencies were not present before and that the fire protection company was responsible for them. Photographs provide a clear record of what was discovered at a specific point in time. This can protect both the technician and the company involved, providing an indisputable record should any disputes arise.
Understanding our industry has also increased the number of customers who require the use of an IVR system.
Today’s IVR no longer needs to create dread and frustration for technicians calling a phone number and hoping someone will answer quickly. Today’s IVR is a convenient, simple tap of a button from your phone.
An IVR-based check-in/check-out system is not an isolated tool. It can be integrated with other systems within the organization, such as scheduling, GPS tracking, and project management tools.
IVR is an important tool for transparency and building trust with your customers. It helps them understand the time needed to perform the work involved. It eliminates disputes over the number of technicians or the hours spent on-site.
The use of an IVR system in many cases allows you to be paid more quickly for your work.
By combining a picture deficiency program with mobile-enabled check-in/check-out solutions, the fire protection industry is setting new standards for clarity, communication, compliance, and operational excellence. Embracing these technologies is not just about keeping up with the times, it is about safeguarding lives, streamlining workflows, and ensuring every aspect of fire safety is managed with the highest level of professionalism and efficiency.
