24/7 Emergency Service
First Notice of a Water Loss – The Phone Call
6/23/2020 (Permalink)
Michelle Miller - Job Coordinator by day, Rock star EVERY DAY!
On Monday (June 22, 2020), we received over 50+ calls at our office concerning some type of water problem in homes. We refer to these problems as a ‘water loss’. The majority of calls focused on issues with basement floor drains or the sump pump. This is not our usual Monday. The call that we receive is a lead on a job and referred to as the First Notice of Loss, shortened to FNOL. On this call, our team is asking questions and collecting all the information they need in order to respond to the request for help as quickly and as efficiently as they can. So, here’s what to expect when you call us.
**Ring
SERVPRO, how can we assist?
During office hours (Monday – Friday from 8am-5pm), our phone calls come straight to our local offices where our job coordinator, Michelle Miller, answers it. Many might see her and think she’s “only” a receptionist but she does more than answering the phone. She is vital to our operation. We all seek and appreciate amazing customer service and that is what Michelle does every day as she answers calls from worried and sometimes frantic people. Disasters are scary and we understand that. At SERVPRO of Black Hawk County, we give you peace of mind from the very beginning with our empathy, honesty, and professionalism.
FAQs
There are 3 important details that we collect during the FNOL.
- Caller Details – Name, Phone, Is the Caller the Customer? Etc.
- Customer Details – Name, Phone, Email, Loss Address, City, etc.
- Loss Details – Type of Loss, Date it occurred, Cause of Loss, Finished or Unfinished Basement, Residential or Commercial, Type of Flooring, Is there standing water? Etc.
Who is your Insurance Provider and Agent?
Home Insurance policies may be able to cover water loss expenses so we work closely with our local insurance agents and adjusters. We ask the customer who their insurance provider and agent are for two reasons…First, to remind the customer that their insurance can possibly help them. Secondly, to determine their coverage and if they will be turning the damage in as a claim.
Our desire is to be “Faster to Any Size Disaster” 100% of the time, but when heavy call volume occurs, it won’t ever seem fast enough! We respond and follow up to every call. We know first-hand how crucial timing is with a water issue and cleanup is needed. A waiting list is often started, and as hard as it is to ask, we encourage people to continue contacting other restoration and cleanup companies that may be able to assist sooner. SERVPRO cares about you enough to make this recommendation! What’s most important is that you are helped, even if it’s not through us. We’d rather gain a friend and direct you to another than to lose you over a promise we can’t keep.