What are You Getting for Your "Property Loss Control" Dollar?

It’s a question we all face every day. Are we really getting what we pay for? There are several ways this can be viewed. Do you really understand exactly what you should be getting? Do you know the quality of the services you receive? How do you measure all aspects of both quantity and quality?

First of all, let's list some basic service expectations:

  • All scheduled inspections done on time.
  • Inspections with all items completed as agreed
  • Timely and thorough reports
  • Prompt and knowledgeable response to your questions
  • Well trained, knowledgeable consultants doing your work
  • Consistency of service throughout your company's facilities

The list may sound simple, but let's take a closer look:

  1. Are the contracted inspections actually being done, and if so, are they being done on time? It may surprise you if you do not keep a schedule, or request a list of visits that have been done.

    2. At Matrix, we do the consulting inspections in your contract, and we do them on time! We will be happy to keep you updated quarterly or semi-annually. Our field visits are typically done within 30 days of the "due date".

  2. Are complete inspections being done? Are all systems being tested as agreed, or are you receiving spot checks?

    3. When in the field, you can count on Matrix consultants to do the things we agreed on in your contract. If there is something we could not do during a particular visit, you don’t have to ask, we will tell you! The only client we will survey about what YOU want is YOU!

  3. Are all loss prevention reports beginning to look and read like they were written by a computer and not a real, live, thinking human being…at least not one who actually went to your facility? "Time is money"... and the adage is more meaningful now than ever. Canned loss control  recommendations that are generated by entering a code in the PC are the rage with some consulting/insurer groups.

    4. We feel that our loss prevention reports are the best in the business! They are comprehensive and written specifically for your facility by a qualified engineer.  If you have special needs or requests for information from your facilities, let us know them up front and we will address them as requested. Our consultants are an extension of you - your eyes and ears in the field.

  4. How is the service you receive when you have a problem? How long does it take to get a return email or phone call? When you do get a response, is it complete and well thought out? Were you asked the right questions to explain what you really need, or were you given a quick, off-the-shelf answer by a trainee or assistant? Is the person on the other end really familiar with your account, or your facility, or your processes?

    5. As a valued client of Matrix Risk Consultants, you will have an account engineer, or possibly an account team, depending on your size. We do things differently…in fact, we do things a lot differently. When your account engineer comes to visit, he is not there for a quick tour, he is there to complete your entire inspection and provide you with the service you expect. He will be busy servicing your facilities, wherever they are, not just in one district or region. As your account engineer, his district is your world, not ours. Email, voicemail, cell phones and laptop computers mean your account engineering team is never far away, and when you call, we intend to give you a complete, correct answer the first time!

    Are well trained, knowledgeable engineers performing your work?

    Our consultants' average experience level is almost 20 years, and Matrix Risk Consultants' staff has over 300 years experience in total. In short, our staff has already been there, done that! 

  5. How is consistency? For example, let’s say your company is building three almost identical plants scattered around the country and you ask for help from three local consultants in the areas where you want to build. Look carefully at what each tells you. Sure, available water supplies will most likely be different, and wind and snow loads vary depending on location, but why is the recommended sprinkler density different for the identical occupancy? Why would this happen? Remember that earlier we said "time is money." Let’s expand that to say "office space is overhead, and overhead is money!" To make more money, some companies put their staff in the field, working out of their homes, and their main daily interaction is with a computer. These companies end up with a staff and management team that seldom talks. They have people who look at the same problem and give different answers to the simplest of questions. They have engineers who seldom have the chance to interact and discuss problems over lunch, or draw crazy little pictures with the engineer in the office next door. In short, growth, learning, and CONSISTENCY begin to falter.

    Consistency? Your Matrix account engineer will not only review all reports for your facilities, he will visit most of them and write most of the loss prevention reports. It’s a little less profitable to do business this way, but it’s the only way we feel we can give you absolutely the best service in the industry. We are here to make your job easier!

    If the problems described above sound familiar, you should be talking with Matrix Risk Consultants. If you like the above philosophy of service, please contact us. We promise to get back to you with a service you will like, at a price you can live with. We look forward to hearing from you.