Hartman Inventory, LLC

Ten Things A Burglar Won’t Tell You

April 3, 2012 | Author Cindy

We often share how to keep your house and belongings safe from burglaries, fires and natural disasters. As nationally certified home inventory professionals, and victims of two burglaries, we know the value of having a thorough inventory of your house and business contents.

Today we’re sharing tips from a retired Detroit police officer. This is a twist from our normal safety tips, as these are words from burglars themselves.

Here are 10 things a burglar won’t tell you:

Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste… and taste means there are nice things inside.
Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.
If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.
A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom – and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there, too.
It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters (don’t take me up on it).

Posted in burglary, personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: burglar, fire, home inventory | No Comments »

Got Jewelry?

March 30, 2012 | Author Cindy

You should be aware that a jewelry box is one of the first items burglars will grab as they rush through a house. Seriously consider not placing your high-value jewelry items in such a place that makes it easy for the thief!

Smart people will place the pieces in a safe deposit box or elsewhere in the house where a burglar will have difficult gaining access. If you have a safe that is small and capable of being carried away, have it bolted to the floor.

Professional burglars know they have a limited time in the house when there is an alarm system. Make it difficult for them to minimize your loss. Also have a home inventory so you can prove ownership and remember what was taken. This will be quite beneficial as you complete your insurance claim. In the stress of the aftermath of this invasion of your privacy, the chance is great that you will forget many items that are missing. A nationally certified home inventory professional will create a thorough document so you are prepared when something like this happens.

Posted in burglary, insurance, personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: burglar, home inventory, insurance claim, nationally certified home inventory professional | No Comments »

No Way! You Keep THAT In Your Child’s Closet?

March 23, 2012 | Author Cindy

No Way! Your kids honestly have fur coats and leather jackets in their closets?

Actually, that’s a smart place to put them. According to a Detroit Police Officer, burglars state that they rarely go into the kids’ rooms when they’re burglarizing a home.

Smart people know how to properly take care of their belongings, and this is a great tip.

Though these coats and jackets we inventoried belong to the adults, hanging them in the kids’ closets will help ensure they’re not stolen if a burglar breaks into the home. It’s also a wise choice to secure a home inventory so the items that are stolen can be identified and proven when the police recover them. Photos and a description of these high-value items are also an essential part of recovering funds from your insurance company after a loss. If you don’t want to bother creating your home inventory, click here to locate a nationally certified home inventory professional.

Posted in burglary, insurance, personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: insurance, nationally certified home inventory professional, stolen, theft | No Comments »

Education is the Perfect Sales Tool

March 21, 2012 | Author Cindy

There is one fact in the world of sales that every business owner or sales representative must take into consideration. People don’t like to be pushed into buying something. So how do you sell your product or service, especially when they don’t know they need you?

You need to inform them how they would benefit by being a customer. Education is the answer. Many people will say ‘no’ because they don’t know they should say ‘yes!’ My industry, home inventory, is just continuing to gain recognition and familiarity. However, there are still quite a few people who don’t understand the reasons why they should have a thorough document of their belongings.

If people don’t know they need your product or service, you certainly can’t expect them to buy it. So the answer lies in this statement – you need to provide knowledge so they can make an educated decision to buy. Knowledge gives them permission to purchase!

The key in educating your potential clients is to know what they don’t know, and know where their interests are. Listening to their concerns can guide you to the proper discussion to solve their pain, ease their fear, or provide peace of mind.

For example, when someone is talking about their fear of a loss due to a tornado or fire, I explain why people need an inventory even though they have insurance (you still need to remember what you owned and sometimes prove it, plus compile a written list of each item). If they are preparing to move, I share stories customers have told us about the losses they experienced because they didn’t create their own inventory prior to the movers packing the truck.

If someone is voicing the need to store household items that their kids are bringing home from college for the summer, we discuss why they should complete an inventory of all items placed in that storage unit. Stories about losses during a move or placing items in storage inform people of the importance of having an inventory of their belongings.

This method of sales – educating so people will buy – is much easier than the “push” type of selling. Trying to convince people to buy something they don’t realize they need is futile. It is much easier to provide knowledge so your prospect is making an educated decision. Then, instead of asking why they should purchase your product or service, they are asking how soon they can get it!

Education is the key to growing our nationally certified inventory business, and most likely, your product or service as well.

Posted in marketing / sales, personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: business owner, home inventory, insurance, sales | No Comments »

Are You More Cool About Your Weapons Than Your Beverages….?

March 16, 2012 | Author Cindy

Really? You have those in a cooler?

That was a question we asked one of our customers. Wrapped in beach towels, he had a whole collection of Civil War weapons hidden in a large beverage cooler.

We’re amazed at the many strange places people keep (or hide) their belongings. In addition to an alarm system, a home inventory will help you protect and recover your collectibles. The alarm system will deter a theft; however, it will not completely stop it. Professional burglars know how much time they have to get in and get out before the police arrive.

If you do have items stolen, having photos and a written report that includes model and serial numbers will help prove ownership when the items are recovered by the police. If you find that you’re hiding things because they have high value, consider investing in a nationally certified home inventory service. This will help provide the proof of ownership to your insurance company.

Posted in personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: collectables, home inventory, nationally certified home inventory service, personal property inventory / home inventory, weapons | No Comments »

Record Contents Now to Ease the Claims Process Later

March 14, 2012 | Author Cindy

PRESS RELEASE

Nationally certified home inventory professionals help you remember and prove ownership when filing an insurance claim after a loss.

Tornado season has started early this year, and many reports are stating this country should expect a more than normal amount of storms and tornadoes in 2012. Seeing the current devastation in the Midwest, people are asking how those who suffered a loss could ever receive an equitable insurance claim.

While in the comfort of your home, without the stress of a disaster or pressure of a deadline, try to write down every item in the room. Imagine having to do that after you just suffered a loss – possibly a complete loss – of all contents in your home or business.

Next think about the CDs, DVDs, and video games. “Many of our customers are shocked when we tell them how many they own. Often, they underestimate by the hundreds,” explains owner Mike Hartman. At a low average of $15 each, and if just 100 were forgotten, this would equate to a loss of $1500. It’s easy to see how quickly a financial loss can add up, just on these 3 categories of items.

Adding to the dismay of disaster victims, there is a misunderstanding about how the insurance claims process works. The majority of people believe that if they have insurance, they will just receive a check without question. Not so, according to insurance websites. When a home or business experiences a loss, the insurance company will request a detailed list of each item lost or destroyed, along with a description. This requested information includes a model number and serial number for electronics and appliances. The time it takes to prepare this document, without being able to refer to a pre-disaster inventory, often can be months. Some state they reach the deadline and are required to submit an incomplete claim.

Hartman Inventory is a nationally certified inventory service that prepares this document of personal belongings prior to a disaster. This allows their customers to file their claim quickly, accurately, and thoroughly. A maximized claim enables the disaster victim to get back to where they were much faster and with more financial assistance than those who do not have a personal property inventory.

The process is a well-honed system that records the home or business belongings in a format preferred by the insurance companies. The finished portfolio is delivered within 10 days, with an option to also secure the information on an encrypted online backup service. This ensures the information is safe in the event of a disaster.

Due to the increased awareness of the need for an inventory, and the growth of the home inventory industry, the founders have developed a home inventory turnkey business package, Hartman Inventory Systems, to help others start their own inventory business. This business package includes an operations manual, hands-on training, a complete marketing package, continued support and mentoring, a business coach and much more.

About Hartman Inventory, LLC: Hartman Inventory is a nationally certified personal property inventory service provider, serving home owners, renters and small-to-medium businesses since 2004.

Posted in disaster, homeowners, insurance, Press Release | Tags: disaster, Hartman Inventory, home inventory business, insurance claim, nationally certified, personal property inventory / home inventory, turnkey business package | No Comments »

What? No Guns in the Gun Safe?

March 9, 2012 | Author Cindy

No guns were in the gun safe!

During our many years of providing our nationally certified home inventory service, we’ve discovered many strange hiding places for valuables.

This particular customer had a huge gun safe down in the basement, way back behind a bunch of boxes in the storage area. My immediate thought was, if a burglar came here, they’d have to really work hard to get to that safe to see if they could open it. Come to find out, nothing was in the safe except the kids’ school papers – elementary school artwork, report cards, concert programs, etc., that they were saving! Not exactly items to record in a home inventory, but valuable nonetheless!

If you do have guns – whether it’s just one or a gun collection – in your gun safe, be sure they’re included in your home inventory. List the manufacturer and serial number on the written document to provide proof of ownership to the insurance company in case they’re stolen. It will help you receive the funds you’ll need to replace them.

Posted in personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: gun collection, gun safe, home inventory, nationally certified home inventory service | No Comments »

Business Continuity Plans Are Necessary For Small Businesses

March 7, 2012 | Author Cindy

The majority of large companies have a business continuity/disaster recovery (BC/DR) plan in place. Unfortunately, most small and medium businesses do not. But it is just as important for them to be prepared as well. Though there are many causes for business interruption; we will focus on fire and natural disasters.

The plan you need will most likely not be on the grand scale that a large corporation will require, though the need is just as large. The same steps, the same details and the same follow-through are required.

If you have employees, you have the responsibility to be prepared so you can be back in business quickly. This responsibility is for your own family, but also for the families of each of your employees.

So what is the reason so many small and medium businesses don’t have a plan?

The owners and executives often wear a large number of hats on any given day. Creating a BC/DR is just one more task they have difficulty fitting into their schedule. Most employees would not have enough knowledge to take on this project. So, unfortunately, it remains on the list of things to do.

The other consideration is maintaining the plan to keep it current. It must be updated annually at the very least. So even if they do remember to address any changes that happened during the year to affect the plan, the issue is finding the time to work that into their already busy routine.

Most SMBs are on a tight budget and have difficulty justifying the expense on something that only might happen. Then when a disaster does happen, and they don’t know what to do, where to go, and how to get back to doing business, they regret not having a plan in place.

There are a plethora of benefits a business continuity/disaster recovery plan will provide. There is great value in saving time, money and stress. This type of preparation will bring benefit to all three. Once this is realized, more owners will take it more seriously and choose to have this much-needed plan in place.

Benefits for small businesses:

Reduced stress — When you know you have a good, solid plan, you can spend your time implementing it and know you are prepared.
Easier and more thorough insurance claim — An inventory of assets allows for a fast, efficient claims process which results in a speedy settlement with a maximized financial outcome. (If you don’t have or want to take the time to create your asset inventory, contact a nationally certified inventory professional to complete it for you.)
More money to replace and repair — The larger insurance settlement will allow for speedy repairs or replacement.
Brief down time -– A very short downtime will ensure you’ll retain customers and employees who might otherwise go elsewhere if there is a long delay before you’re back doing business.

Though it seems you don’t have the time or the money to have a business continuity/disaster recovery plan in place, the cost is minimal if you face a fire or natural disaster.

Posted in disaster | Tags: business continuity, disaster, disaster preparedness, fire, nationally certified inventory professional, small business, SMB | No Comments »

OMG! What is That in Your Underwear…..?

March 2, 2012 | Author Cindy

OMG! What’s that in your underwear drawer?

Surely it’s not a diamond necklace!

According to statistics, that’s one of the first places a thief would look. While lost or stolen valuables may not be able to be recovered, protecting and recovering their value is possible.

Smart people purchase homeowners insurance policies because it will provide the funds to replace the items stolen or destroyed. The person who can provide the tool to help you remember and prove ownership of these items – and all of your belongings – is a nationally certified home inventory professional.

Posted in burglary, homeowners, personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: homeowners insurance, jewelry, nationally certified home inventory professional, stolen, thief | No Comments »

Hugs – A Benefit We Count Every Day!

February 29, 2012 | Author Cindy

I’ve been thinking a lot about a special benefit we receive from many of our customers, and figured it’s time to share it with you.

As a nationally certified home inventory professional, we create a thorough document of the contents (personal property – or assets) of homes and businesses. Part of this process is to count things so our customers know how many of each item they have. Our customers appreciate the service we offer, because they are too busy to create their inventory themselves. Or they choose not to do it. Or, some have stated they just don’t know where to start and really don’t care to learn. Still others say that even if they did create their own, they wouldn’t keep it up to date, thus rendering it’s usefulness less than helpful a few years later when many items have been discarded and even more purchased.

Each customer has displayed their gratefulness and appreciation for our efficient process by saying “thank you” either verbally, with a hand-written note, and many by referring friends and family to us. Some even pay us more than the invoice, stating we don’t charge enough! Of all of these, one HUGE benefit of being a home inventory professional is … you guessed it … hugs!

We count items as part of our service. We count hugs, though, as the biggest indication of our customers’ appreciation because it shows us how important the home inventory service is to them, how well we provide the customer service they expect, and how we have served a purpose!

What a great feeling to know we’ve impacted someone so much that they feel a desire to hug us as we leave!

Posted in personal property inventory / home inventory | Tags: asset inventory, contents inventory, home inventory, inventory professional, inventory service, nationally certified, personal property inventory / home inventory, Valentine's Day | No Comments »