A Hurricane Is Coming! 3 Ways Contractors Stay Fast & Organized
It’s a big deal when a hurricane is coming!
Hurricanes can cause billions of dollars in damage and change people’s lives forever. But, thankfully, hurricanes don’t happen all the time.
According to the National Weather Service, on average, five hurricanes hit the U.S. coast over three years.
Thus, when a hurricane is coming, contractors have to be ready.
But…it can be overwhelming!
You’ve got teams to organize, roofs to tarp, and insurance claims to juggle. Plus, you have the emotional toll a hurricane can take on you as you see the aftermath of people’s lives destroyed.
As a contractor, you must be organized and fast to succeed during a hurricane. Otherwise, you may end up spreading yourself too thin, costing sales and the opportunity to help others recover.
How do you move faster and stay organized?
HailTrace gives you the tools to make that happen when a hurricane is coming…or has already made landfall.
1. A Hurricane Is Coming! Be Ready To Target The Right Areas
Being fast is key when a hurricane is coming.
Contractors specializing in roofing or general repairs must act quickly and target areas best suited to their business. The sooner you can target areas with damage that match your specialty, the better.
This preparation starts before the storm even hits.
Weather Broadcast To Know When A Hurricane Is Coming
Hurricanes move fast and change quickly, so staying on top of the forecast is crucial.
Tools like the HailTrace Weather Broadcast are great for tracking these storms.
Taylor Cox, HailTrace's Digital Meteorologist, gives live updates on severe weather, including hurricanes, and helps those in the restoration industry to prepare for these storms.
So far in 2024, we have had three hurricanes that caused severe damage: Hurricane Francine, Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Milton.
When a hurricane is coming, Taylor and other experts at HailTrace shared details about how the storm was changing and which areas would be hit hardest.
For example, during Hurricane Francine on September 11th, Taylor discussed the development of the storm before it made landfall and noted the hurricane was most likely not going to intensify any further due to factors, such as dry air working its way into the storm.
As Hurricane Milton developed and intensified rapidly, Taylor covered those updates live each step of the way as it made its way to Florida.
One risk she highlighted in her coverage was the debris left by Hurricane Helene two weeks prior being picked up and causing more damage. Additionally, hurricanes often spawn tornadoes causing additional risk and damage. Read more from Taylor in the blog “Hurricane Beryl Causes Tornadoes Across the US.”
This kind of information helps contractors get to the right areas quickly and get started on tarping roofs or boarding up windows.
Wind Maps To Target The Right Areas After Landfall
Once the hurricane has made landfall, contractors need to shift their focus to areas where they plan to mitigate damage and repair properties. This is where HailTrace’s Wind Maps come in.
These maps, created by a team of meteorologists, show the areas hit by the hurricane's various wind speeds.
Wind speeds can vary dramatically within a storm, and different areas may experience various levels of damage. Contractors can use the Wind Maps to determine where to send their teams.
For instance, roofing contractors may want to focus on areas where winds were below 120 mph, while general contractors might target places with higher wind speeds due to structural issues.
One customer who has utilized our Wind Maps successfully is Steve Slepcevic, the founder of Strategic Response Partners (SRP). SRP handles disaster management for hospitals, airports and logistics centers when a hurricane is coming. Then, after a storm, his teams help communities recover and rebuild.
During a recent interview I had with Steve, he mentioned that HailTrace’s Wind Maps and our Forecast have been vital to know what critical structures will be and have been impacted. This data allows them to adjust plans with the development of the hurricane.
Watch the full interview here:
With HailTrace’s Wind Maps, contractors and others in the restoration industry can make informed decisions and prioritize areas that align with their expertise.
This data-driven approach helps ensure efficient team deployment, maximizing time and resources in the days and weeks after a hurricane has made landfall.
Impacted Assets To Offer Peace Of Mind To Customers Hit
When a hurricane is coming, people leave behind their home or business, unsure of what they’ll return to.
With HailTrace’s Impacted Assets feature, you can offer peace of mind both before and after a hurricane.
This feature tracks your clients who are hit by a storm, making it easy and fast to help them. With a quick text or call, you can let your clients know they’ve been impacted and that you'll be on-site to mitigate damage and start repairs.
Even better, you can reach out when a hurricane is coming.
Let your clients know you’re already tracking their property and will be there to help if they’re affected. This reassurance builds trust, and your clients will appreciate knowing you’re looking out for them, especially as the storm approaches.
Already a customer with access to this feature? Here is a template you can utilize with your clients:
Before the Storm:
Hi [Client’s Name],We’re keeping a close eye on the hurricane heading your way. Rest assured, we’re tracking your property and will be ready to assist if you’re impacted. Stay safe, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns. We’re here for you!
Best,[Your Name][Your Company Name][Your Contact Info]
After the Storm:
Hi [Client’s Name],Our team has tracked the storm, and it looks like your property was impacted by winds of [wind speed] mph. We’re ready to help with tarping and other mitigation. Let us know a good time to stop by and assess the situation. We’ll be there to support you through the recovery process.
Best,[Your Name][Your Company Name][Your Contact Info]
Using the Impacted Assets feature, HailTrace tracks the exact locations of clients hit by hurricane-force winds, giving contractors an organized way to plan their response and prioritize existing customers.
2. A Hurricane Is Coming! Be Ready To Organize Leads After The Storm
Staying organized is crucial to acting fast and effectively when a hurricane is coming.
The sheer volume of leads flooding in from impacted areas can easily overwhelm contractors. With a good system in place, teams can avoid spreading themselves too thin, missing out on valuable leads, and wasting precious time and resources.
For instance, project managers will lose time if jobs are spread out too far, slowing down progress and efficiency as they travel between worksites.
To prevent this, it’s important to use tools that keep your team focused and organized, ensuring no leads fall through the cracks and everyone knows where they should be.
Here are two powerful tools that help contractors stay organized during hurricane season:
Deploy Teams To Hit Areas With Campaigns
The Campaigns tool is designed to help contractors set up canvassing strategies before and after a hurricane is coming.
This feature lets you plan ahead by assigning specific areas to individual team members, making sure your team focuses on the right neighborhoods and isn’t stretched too thin.
This targeted approach means each team member is responsible for a manageable section, improving efficiency and ensuring the most impacted areas are covered quickly.
For example, contractors might pre-select neighborhoods based on shingle types or demographics. Using the Campaigns feature, these areas can be divided among your team, reducing wasted time and allowing for a more organized canvassing effort.
This tool is especially useful for large-scale hurricane damage, where the damage is widespread and the potential for leads is high.
By organizing your team through Campaigns, you can ensure that no valuable areas are missed and your resources are maximized for efficiency.
Track The Influx Of Leads With An Opportunity Pipeline
Once the storm passes, the leads will start coming in fast.
The Opportunity Pipeline is your go-to tool for managing those leads from the moment they’re captured until the job is complete. It helps you track each lead’s status in a central place, ensuring no opportunities slip through the cracks.
By organizing your leads in a sales funnel, you can prioritize high-value opportunities and quickly follow up on them, making sure your team is always focused on the next best job.
Each lead is moved through the pipeline stages—whether it’s an initial contact, a tarped roof, or a completed contract—so you can easily see where every job stands at a glance. This level of organization prevents leads from being lost in the chaos and ensures a steady, organized workflow.
Additionally, the Opportunity Pipeline allows you to assign jobs to specific team members, so managers can efficiently track the progress of each lead.
With both the Campaigns and Opportunity Pipeline tools, contractors can stay ahead of the game, organize their teams efficiently, and handle the influx of leads that come when a hurricane is coming.
These tools help you move faster, avoid overwhelm, and make sure every opportunity is seized and followed through to completion.
3. A Hurricane Is Coming! Be Ready To Provide Documentation For Claims
It is no secret that claims after a hurricane will be a long process.
There are many reasons for this. Kyle Maring, CEO of Premier Claims, mentioned that many property owners need help finding their insurance policy or do not have property photo evidence before and after the storm.
These issues can unnecessarily slow down a claim after a hurricane.
You can watch Tyler Cox’s full interview with Kyle Maring as they discuss the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and navigate the insurance claim process.
Another reason claims can be prolonged is with questions about past storms that hit a property, possibly causing damage, or disputes around flood or wind timing.
That is why having a weather report is vital to provide documentation for weather claims after a hurricane.
Weather History Report: The Full Storm Picture
The Weather History Report provides a complete overview of a property's storm history, not just the hurricane's date of loss. It helps contractors determine if the damage seen on the ground is solely from the hurricane or if earlier storms played a role.
For example, a windstorm or tornado months earlier could have damaged shingles, leaving the roof vulnerable when the hurricane struck.
This report offers a clear timeline of storms, making insurance claims smoother and faster to process. This allows contractors to focus on repairs without unnecessary delays.
Read more about our Weather History report at 3 Ways A Hail History By Address Report Can Close A Claim.
Expert Report: Timing Of Wind vs. Flood Damage
The Expert Report goes further by providing a meteorologist’s expert opinion on the timing of wind versus flood damage that impacted a property. This information is crucial for clarifying disputes during insurance claims.
For example, if wind damage occurred before floodwaters arrived, the Expert Report helps establish the timeline with an authoritative opinion. This level of documentation is often key to resolving disputes between insurance companies and property owners.
Contractors, insurance adjusters, and weather engineers can all use this report to close claims more quickly. In some cases, the Expert Report can even be presented in court to support a legal argument.
Want to learn more about our reports? Read 4 Reports To Find a Date of Loss and Close A Weather Claim Fast.
A Hurricane Is Coming! Get HailTrace To Be Fast & Organized
When a hurricane is coming, it can feel overwhelming.
You have teams to organize, roofs to tarp, and insurance claims to manage—all while navigating the emotional toll of the storm’s aftermath.
Without the right tools, you risk spreading your team too thin, losing leads, and missing opportunities to help people rebuild.
But with HailTrace, you don’t have to struggle. Our tools help contractors like you move faster and stay organized.
- Target the right areas with our Weather Broadcast, Wind Maps, and Impacted Assets, so you can focus on your specialty and start helping homeowners quickly.
- Stay organized using Campaigns and the Opportunity Pipeline, so you don’t lose leads or overextend your team.
- Provide the right evidence with our Weather History and Expert Reports, helping you resolve insurance claims faster.
A hurricane is coming—but with HailTrace, you’ll be prepared to act fast, stay organized, and succeed when it matters most.
Request a call today and understand how HailTrace can help be a tool during a hurricane!
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