Amidst Hurricane Season, We Plan for the Unthinkable

“Hope we never see you again!” These are usually the words muttered under the breath of very happy clients! Always said in jest but truer words are never spoken. No one wants to experience a loss. No one wants to suffer the potential of losing customers. Yes, business interruption insurance does help with the pain of losses, but it may not cover the long-term loss of customers. No one wants to think about having another loss. At GRS Disaster Response, we often hear “I wish I knew then what I know now…we could have done so many things differently.” (If you missed our client insights discussion on this very topic last year with Moody Gardens, be sure to check it out!)

What can be done to avoid the “I wish we knew” scenario?

Selecting vendors on a pre-loss basis is much easier than reacting to an event. What that means is having a vendor relationship secured prior to the unexpected will reap countless benefits and help you on the path to recovery immediately after an event.

Some events provide time to react:

Hurricanes
The winter melt and potential flooding…
Wildfires: sometimes there is reaction time, sometimes it’s a panic!
Transportation strikes
Pandemic incidents
Impending droughts

Others do not:

Earthquakes
Fire, flood, frozen Pipe, snow load,
Tornados
Torrential rains and flooding
Sandstorms
Power interruptions/blackouts
Vandalisms
Terrorism
A supply chain vendor had an interruption

We know many of these scenarios could be a possibility, but it’s never expected to happen to us. We do, however, have a sense of the seasonality of potential events like on the chart shown below.

How do you choose vendors?

The goal should be to fortify your disaster plan with vendors that more likely than not, will be needed after an event. So, how do you choose these vendors? Below are some helpful tips and considerations.

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GRS Disaster Response was built to serve the needs of Gilbane clients. Designed to step in and take care of a building that may face the tragedy of a loss via natural hazards or other unfortunate events. GRS delivers a single-source approach to getting facilities operational and reconstructed after disaster strikes. This collaborative service model reduces downtime and maximizes owner control over scope, costs and schedule while seeking to minimize conflicts with property insurance settlements.

GRS was created specifically to bring restoration contracting in line with the processes, procedures, and transparent reporting methods of large, modern, and well-managed construction firms. GRS was formed to provide disaster remediation and reconstruction Services in the most user-friendly, transparent, and efficient manner possible.

Reach out to Jim Wills today to receive the GRS Cares Short Form Pre-loss Agreement and get started on your preparation journey.

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About Authors

Jim Wills

Jim Wills has over 36 years of restoration and disaster planning experience. He holds his Associate in Business Continuity Certification (ABCP) as well as the Certified Business Continuity Vendor Certification (CBCV) through Disaster Recovery Institute. Jim is a licensed All-lines Insurance Adjuster and has been the Managing Director of Commercial Loss Solutions for two of North America’s largest restoration and recovery organizations. GRS Disaster Response is the first construction management company to introduce the design-build and open book pricing model to the insurance claims industry. Jim has provided consulting services for major insurance companies after some of the nation’s worst natural disasters. He has been a speaker at many trade and industry organizations.

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