Category: <span>Technology</span>

Category: Technology

5 Ways AccuLynx Can Help Streamline Your Insurance Restoration Process

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While the insurance restoration process can be confusing and tedious for the homeowner, it can be equally as challenging to navigate as a professional roofer.

A home’s roof is one of the most important parts of a house or building to ensure, as anyone who has suffered damage from a storm or other “act of God” can attest. While the process can be confusing and tedious for the homeowner, it can be equally as challenging to navigate as a professional roofer.

Working as a sort of go-between for the customer and insurance agency, along with all of the necessary paperwork, scheduling and invoicing can be a headache for your office manager or bookkeeper, especially during high-volume times.

AccuLynx has several tools that your office manager can utilize to help streamline this paperwork process that is all part of the platform, minimizing time spent dealing directly with insurance companies on a day to day basis.

Keeping Your Insurance Information Organized, and Available:
When a customer files an insurance claim to cover and help pay for their damages, a lot of paperwork tends to be involved. By filing information such as the Claim Number, Adjuster Name, Contact Info and more into the Job File, everyone has the information readily available, at any time.

But, not all paperwork starts its journey in the office. The AccuLynx Field App supports uploading scanned documents, so your sales team can upload the masses of paperwork that an insurance job entails right from the site, or their truck, without having to go back to the office to scan everything into the system.

Keeping your files organized is only the first step – AccuLynx has specific modules built into the platform that are dedicated to the insurance claim process, including a Supplement Tracker and Mortgage Check Tracker.

Using the AccuLynx Supplement Tracker, your company can create custom statuses that can be used to track the supplement progress. Office Managers can make entries within the Job, and make notes specifically regarding the progress of that supplement. This allows anyone in the company to see what the status is and track the overall progress of all outstanding supplements.

The Mortgage Check Tracker is similar, but it’s designed to let assigned people know the status of checks that are awaiting the mortgage holder to co-sign so that the funds can be released.  This allows Sales or Project Managers to keep track of the check status without having to contact the Office.

Building Estimates: Include What Insurance Companies Want
By creating and using the AccuLynx Estimate templates specifically when dealing with an insurance claim, you can ensure that all of your paperwork meets the basic requirements of insurance companies, and your sales teams won’t forget to fill out important fields.

State Farm Insurance suggests that professional roofers estimates include:

  • Quantity of materials needed
  • Labor charges
  • Work specifications
  • Approximate starting and completion dates
  • Payment procedures
  • Building permits secured (if applicable)
  • Warranty details – review conditions that would void it.

You can expedite this paperwork by building these templates as SmartDocs in AccuLynx, which allows you to cut back on time filling out forms by automatically populating known fields from your Job Files. Estimates can be included in document packets that can include warranties and permits, all sent to the customer in one electronic bundle, ready for signature. Once the packet is completed, it is returned to your Job File, and your office staff are notified. If there are any changes from the insurance agency, you can add a Change Order directly to the packet and send it back to the customer for approval.

This process expedites the handling of paperwork, keeps your files organized, and keeps the customer in the loop on the progress of their claim.

Include Photo Annotations for Documentation with the Photo App:
Another component of the AccuLynx platform that allows you to provide transparent validation of your Estimates is the Photo Annotation Feature on the AccuLynx Field App.

Using the App, your Adjustor or Field Sales Rep can take photographs of the damage, make annotations to those photos and store them directly in the Job File. Providing specific photos of the damages as part of your Packet can help insurance companies visualize the estimate and correlate that damage with the materials and labor times you quote.

Invoicing Directly from Estimates, Saving Time:
Roofing companies that utilize the Estimate Feature on AccuLynx for insurance claims have an easy and simplified method for invoicing.

Place material orders directly through AccuLynx to trusted suppliers like ABC and Allied Building Products, and set delivery drop schedules. These records are also stored in your Job File, should insurance companies require proof of order and payment on your end, as well as invoices sent to the Customer.

Convert your Estimates to Invoices with all final changes and notes categorized and cataloged already within the Job File with the click of a button. Final Invoices and copies can be emailed directly from AccuLynx without the hassle of printing or scanning, and no double data entry is required by your office staff.

QuickBooks Integration: Give Your Bookkeepers a Break:

AccuLynx has a Quickbooks integration feature that allows your bookkeeping and office staff to input financial data once, and share applicable Job information across the platforms. While your staff can continue to track and manage all company financial data in Quickbooks, Job Cost tracking can be shared with AccuLynx so that Project Managers can see when invoices are scheduled and paid.

This blog first appeared on AccuLynx’s blog and can be viewed here.

AccuLynx is designed to help contractors see their business more clearly and communicate better — there’s nothing to download or install — you just log in and get to work. Learn more at www.acculynx.com 

Cyber Threats

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By Dale Tyler, National Roofing Partners

It is important to understand the threat of cyber-attack and how important it is to protect digital assets and access.  With a strong focus on technology solutions, NRP works with close to twenty different portals including the NRP Customer Portal to exchange information with national corporate accounts.  Security is of paramount importance when providing uninterrupted access and data that results in scalable and sustainable long-term roofing service, maintenance and replacement.

Per a recent report from Experian, a global information services group, businesses can expect to see an increase in the number and severity of cyber-attacks in 2017 and 2018. The report also predicted that many politically-motivated cyber-attacks near the end of 2016 would escalate into larger cyber-attack conflicts and that businesses in the financial, security and healthcare industries would be the most frequently targeted.

 

What is Cyber Risk?

Cyber risk is the risk of financial loss, disruption, or damage to reputation because of breaches of data security, including unauthorized disclosure of data and comprise or failures of IT systems.

Specific examples include:

  • Security breaches where sensitive information is stolen or disclosed
  • Theft or loss of digital assets
  • Business interruption due to a virus shutting down a network
  • Costs associated with damage to data records caused by a hacker

 

Major Predictions

As a part of the report, Experian made five major predictions for cyber-attacks in 2017:

  • Password breaches will contribute to the abandonment of the password as a security measure. Although the theft of login IDs and passwords constitutes a short-term threat, the report states that cybercriminals continue to sell passwords long after they are stolen. And, as businesses and consumers are lured into a false sense of security after their password is unknowingly stolen, passwords alone will begin to fall out of favor. Instead, the report emphasizes that two-factor identification-where two separate pieces of authentication evidence are required-should be used by businesses to defend against cyber-attacks.
  • New, sophisticated attacks will continue to target the healthcare industry. Because medical identities and information remain relatively easy to access and profitable for hackers, the healthcare industry will continue to be a target in 2017. The report also states that large establishments, such as hospital networks, will continue to face threats like ransomware, a type of attack where an organization is “locked out” until a financial ransom is paid.
  • Politically-motivated and state-sponsored attacks will become more common. The large number of high-profile cyber-attacks at the end of 2016, along with the accusation that many of the attacks were state-sponsored, may lead to businesses being affected by the collateral damage of these attacks. Additionally, the report predicts that such attacks will only grow as politically-motivated hackers seek retaliation against others.
  • Hackers will focus on payment-based attacks, despite new credit card security measures. Although the switch to EMV chip cards and the PIN liability shift were expected to protect against payment breaches, uneven adoption could lead to additional cyber exposures in 2017. Additionally, criminals are beginning to use sophisticated skimming machines to steal card data at physical retail and ATM locations.

For more information, visit www.nationalroofingpartners.com.

Important Considerations When Selecting Software

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth

Contractors who are focused on technology and building progressive roofing companies are taking a lead in the market.  Here are five areas to add to your considerations when choosing software for your roofing company.

  1. Reliability and Customizable Production Features

Solid ordering and scheduling that adapts to your business are critical to a successful business.  Scheduling and ordering is arguably the most important aspect of any roofing business.  Look for software that provides the most customizable and reliable scheduling and ordering features available.  In fact, it is good to look for software that will expand ordering and scheduling to grow the business instead of outgrowing the software.

  1. Customization & Automation

Many contractors find themselves with programs that are stagnant in the development of their systems. They feel they are limited to what their current or former program can do.  Be sure to ask for contractor-driven development.  It makes you a part of the process and not only helps your company but the industry overall.

  1. Own and Protect Your Data

Today’s data is gold and needs to be protected.  Be sure that whatever software company you work with makes your data accessible 24/7 with easy downloads and storage.  Also, it must be secure.  With viruses like WannaCry on the rampage, be sure that data is protected and has an elevated level of redundancy when backing-up.  Be sure that with a push of a button you can download all your leads, workflows, customer info and more.

  1. Process Is King

Look for a strong manageable flow.  Rather than having a few status “buckets” to move your jobs along, look for the ability to create custom workflows based on your processes. Regardless if your job cycle has five steps or fifty, you should be able to design processes and notifications with ease to keep your jobs moving along in a seamless manner.

  1. Evolving, Not Versioning

It can be very frustrating when your favorite app or program gets updated? It probably does everything it did before (and then some), but suddenly, you’re forced to re-learn everything.  Things that were on the left are now on the right, things that were visible are now hidden.  Some software does not release new versions, they simply evolve. In some cases, they can let you decide when you want to move and update interfaces. Ask if this is available and that way, you can learn how to use a new feature when you aren’t as busy.

For additional technical blogs be sure to visit the RoofersCoffeeShop.com Technology Newsroom at https://rooferscoffeeshop.com/category/technology/.

Technology on the Roof

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth

For many when thinking of roofing, they may not think of high tech.  But in today’s age, technology is everywhere including the roof.  For excellent maintenance and service of the roof, technology has become one of the most important tools for roofing contractors.  From smartphones to tablets, the men and women who are maintaining the integrity of roofing systems across the country rely on strong communication and information.

For facility managers, maintenance portals play a significant role in allowing them to see exactly what is happening on their roofs.  Understanding that very few managers will have the opportunity to walk all their roofs, a customer portal provides a view of the roof that inspires confidence through ongoing communications, documentation and visual review.  In fact, contractors can upload unlimited photos to the portals providing real-time documentation with every service or repair call.

Customer portals are used for more than just review.  Facility managers can report a service request through the portal and track the status of the work.  Email alerts help to keep all parties aware of updates or repair requirements.  As noted earlier, the future is the speed of delivery using mobile solutions.  Contractors should utilize mobile devices on the roof to not only communicate service but to provide succinct inspection services.

By utilizing custom inspection checklists, roof service teams can quickly communicate roof issues or concerns along with the progress of the repairs.  Custom inspection reports include photos from the roof that correlate with early imagery or even satellite imagery to create a visual timeline for the facility manager.  All of this is shared through the online NRP portal providing an easy way to distribute information to management, purchasing agents or building supervisors.

Technology is no longer an option on the roof it is mandatory.  Companies are developing systems focused on customer communication.  In order to provide the best systems, service providers must have cutting-edge technology that functions effectively from the roof.  Mobile solutions are allowing contractors to be in contact faster and easier for rapid response and ongoing communications through the customer portals.