I remember years ago, we were in the middle of a huge rain and windstorm in Southern California (yes, it does rain in Southern California). My company was receiving calls at a pace we could not keep up with. Business had been slow leading into this storm, and I did not want to miss any opportunities to sell jobs and make money. There was only one problem: I only had a few first responders to inspect new losses, and all of us were already running from job to job as fast as we could to get contracts signed. The volume of calls was exceeding our capacity to respond quickly enough. I needed help—but who would go to the other new losses?
Well, there were techs available. Do I send them to inspect and sell a job without proper training?
I sure did.
I pulled my truck to the side of the road, pulled out my laptop, and made a quick process flow for how to walk the job and do an inspection. I then made a diagram that would help them walk the potential client through the claim process so they wouldn’t need to use a script. All they had to do was follow the diagram.
Guess what happened? They sold a whole bunch of losses that night using the basic tools I made for them on the fly.
That night changed how we operated our business from that point forward. I didn’t want to be in a position again where I might lose work because I couldn’t dispatch someone quickly enough to sell a new loss. I needed to train my entire field team to sell. To do that was going to take much better tools than what I had made on the side of the road—along with training and role-play to get them comfortable with the selling process and mindset.
Now, I know many of you are thinking, “But techs HATE to sell,” and they just won’t do it. Yes, I agree—it’s not their favorite thing to do. But I disagree that they won’t do it.
With the right investment in training, even the most quiet and shy techs can sell a new loss. Here’s how we did it:
Training Empathy
We needed to teach our team to lead with empathy. We had meetings and discussions about how stressed out and scared many restoration clients are. We taught them that we are there to help people. The clients are not just a claim number or “the insured”— they are human beings with emotions and feelings. We needed to make sure our people understood this so they could gain the trust of the client during the inspection.
Doing a Great Inspection and Speaking Plainly
We then needed to teach them the finer points of doing a thorough inspection using visual aids for the client, such as thermal imaging cameras and moisture meters. We taught our techs to bring the client along on the discovery journey to find the water. The more the client is involved, the more buy-in we get—and the closer we are to getting a signature to perform work.
We also scripted all client interactions—from the initial meeting at the front door to the final signature. Then, we practiced and role-played to get them comfortable performing the script.
Process Flows and Diagrams
I felt that the more tools I could give them to avoid having to remember all the nuances of the sales process, the better. So instead, I outfitted them with step-by-step diagrams for both performing the inspection and walking a client through the claim filing process. The more I could give them visual cues for what to say next, the less they needed to remember—and the quicker I could train a new tech to sell.
Educate, Don’t Sell
We use the word “sell” whenever we refer to procuring new work. We all do it. But you know what? That word freaks many technicians out. They do not want to identify as salespeople. So, I reframed what we were doing during a new loss inspection as “education”—and that helped them mentally shift their idea of sales.
All of us in the trades can go on and on about the finer points of our technical work. We’re happy to tell anyone who will listen. Well, is that really any different from the sales process? Selling and educating are the same thing. So, I worked with my techs tobetter understand that I didn’t need them to sell. I needed them to educate so well that the client wanted to buy.
Train for the Critical First Moments
We needed to make sure our techs understood that those first few minutes could make or break getting the job. Most clients are scared, confused, and worried about whether the insurance company will pay for the damage. We choreographed those first several moments to ensure the client felt safe and secure from the moment we arrived.
- We carefully scripted what to say on the pre-call to let them know we were on the way.
- We scripted and practiced what to say at the front door.
- Using the “theater of business,” we choreographed a performance of the initial inspection to show competence and authority,
- We dispatched quickly, showing our sense of urgency.
- We never used high-pressure tactics. Our job was to help and serve.
Why Did I Invest This Time and Resources?
After that stormy night, I realized the importance of having many people who could sell a new loss—not just a few first responders. I also realized that as we grew, this was a great way to identify and train the next group of first responders.
At our company, I acted as a first responder for most of my working day. I ran from loss to loss around Greater Los Angeles, and often when I would pull up to a job, there would be several other vans from my competitors. We’d all be vying to meet with the client and get the job. I loved when I would pull up and see very young, untrained technicians who had been dispatched (without sales training) to compete against me. I knew I would walk out with a signature every time.
So, I knew we needed to make sure all of our lead techs could also sell a loss when called to do so. It made our company stronger and gave us the ability to respond faster when things got busy.
Conclusion
In today’s tightened market, where more companies are chasing fewer jobs, having a strong technician sales team isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Gone are the days when we could rely on a few top closers to carry the load. Now, every technician who steps onto a job must be equipped to represent our company with confidence, clarity, and care. That’s why doubling down on training your techs not just to fix problems, but to educate clients, build trust, and win work is so crucial. In a crowded and competitive industry, the companies that will thrive are the ones that can turn every service call into an opportunity—and that starts with a well-prepared field team that knows how to sell.
Eric Sprague
Eric Sprague is a long time cleaning and restoration business owner. Having sold his service business in 2018, Eric is Owner of Super Tech University and Co-host of the Blue Collar Nation Podcast. Eric’s passion is helping service business owners and their field technicians be the best they can be and grow as people and service business professionals.
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