As far as contents claims go, our team is much more than just your claims partner – they’re a sigh of relief. Each member of our contents team is passionate about helping our partners and their policyholders recover after a loss. Plus, as long-time experts in the industry, they’re really good at what they do.
We sat down with a few of our team members to learn more about how they approach contents claims, and how they’re adapting to an ever-evolving industry.
Who are you and what do you do?
Steve Sanchez – Senior Vice President, Claims: As Senior Vice President, my role is to emulate and fulfill our organizational mission of a commitment to excellence. I feel it’s important to look beyond what we do or even how we do it. Our value truly lies in our “why,” and that is to elevate our client’s ability to create great claims experiences. I take pride in creating a culture and a sense of purpose throughout our team centered on this. I look to cultivate an environment where our team members, who make everything possible, can excel and feel proud of the impact they are making, and our clients feel equally proud to be partnered with TheBest Claims.
Alex Xiros – Senior Vice President, Claims: Along with my friend Steve Sanchez, I oversee the operations of the Contents Division at TheBest Claims. I am responsible for ensuring we deliver best-in-class products to all our clients. This includes a lot of listening to feedback, finding new and efficient ways to meet their needs, and reporting back on data and results in using our services. Just as necessary, I must ensure that all our employees have what they need to succeed in their roles. Being a leader means that you are truly working for your employees so they can take pride in their job and deliver on the promises made to clients.
LaChandra Stefan – Assistant Vice President of Contents Support – As Assistant Vice President of Contents Support, I work with our vendors are a daily basis, either on orders that have been placed or getting products ordered. Adjuster invoicing once we have completed claims. Also, I ensure our credit card transactions are reconciled daily and monthly. Working with our Account Executives through any questions, or concerns that they may have.
Barri Spaulding – Manager of Contents Creation Services – I oversee our Contents Creation team that manages and assists policyholders, inspectors, and Carrier Adjusters with the operation of compiling and processing Personal Property and business inventories, after catastrophes and perils, both out in the field and remotely. I oversee the operations internally with our team and our field inspectors to ensure proper protocols, and guidelines are being followed and share my knowledge and tools learned and experienced throughout my years of managing claims and working with carriers and policyholders out in the field as well.
How does what you do impact our clients? Their policyholder?
LaChandra: Our replacement service is one of many that impacts our insureds. I am constantly working with our vendors to provide quality products and great customer service to the policyholders. It is always in the back of my mind that we have individuals or families that have gone through a loss and that loss could be great. We need to make these people whole again and as quickly as possible.
Alex: One of my favorite things about this job is that we create positive experiences for policyholders alike. An insurance claim is invariably a negative experience for someone. If we, in contents, can provide accurate numbers for settlement, provide white glove service in creating their inventories, and replace certain lost items, we make life better for both the policyholder and the carrier. Accurate and efficient settling of claims leads to satisfied policyholders and prevents indemnity leakage for their carriers. At the end of the day, if we can take a tough situation and make it a little better, everyone wins!
How has the Contents Claims Industry changed in recent years?
Steve: While the foundational goal of the industry remains to create outstanding claims experiences, the definition of “outstanding” has evolved. Years ago, speed in settlement was the primary benchmark. Now, we’re witnessing a shift where customer engagement, convenience, expertise, and white-glove service take center stage.
Alex: Like many industries, technology has changed the way claims get settled and the speed they get resolved. Also, as the industry has evolved, carriers are spending more time focusing on contents claims than they have in the past. For a company like TheBest Claims, which is committed to excellence, it allows us to shine more.
How are our contents solutions changing to meet the evolving needs of the claims industry?
Steve: As the industry evolves, we’ve been nimble in our approach, actively forging strategic partnerships and integrating technology-based solutions to stay ahead. These advancements, however, are always guided by our core principle: the human touch. Even as we innovate, our primary focus is to ensure that our solutions not only meet industry shifts but also resonate on a personal level, offering a seamless, empathetic experience for every individual we serve. This balance between innovation and genuine human connection is what defines our commitment to excellence in an ever-changing landscape.
Alex: We never want to stand still. Stand still and you become obsolete. We are always seeking new technology that enhances our service. Things like straight-through processing, engaging AI, and direct and real-time access to data reporting are the future of Contents. We continue to invest time and money into tying all these things into our services.
What do you think sets our team apart from others?
Barri: We genuinely aim to take care of our policyholders and Adjusters. Every department comes together here and operates as one force. You don’t find that in this industry just anywhere. There is contact energy that embraces what works and a drive to never stop searching for what can work better.
Steve: What truly differentiates our team is our fusion of our people, relentless commitment to excellence, and a profound sense of purpose. For us, the process isn’t simply about resolving claims‚ it’s a deeply personal endeavor. Every claim represents a life, a story, a challenge someone faces. Our approach goes beyond transactional interactions. We strive to create meaningful, positive impacts, turning challenges into reassurances. This human-centric ethos, paired with our drive for excellence, makes our team stand head and shoulders above the rest.
How have you used your expertise to improve our contents processes?
LaChandra: I have been in this area of work for over 10 years, so I am always trying to think of ways to improve our processes. I am grateful that I work with leaders that are open to ideas and ways to improve. For me, it is always about being more efficient.
Alex: The most important thing I have learned in nearly 30 years in the industry is to keep listening. By listening to our clients and their needs, we customize programs, stay ahead of the curve, and deliver a superior product. By listening to your employees, you make necessary changes to protocols and systems to make them more productive and loyal.
Why does utilizing our vendor partnerships benefit our clients? The policyholders?
LaChandra: Our vendor relationships are vital to our replacement services that we provide to our insureds. Having positive vendor relationships helps to create the right expectations of service for the policyholders. And if problems do arise, we work together to find the best solution.
Contents creation is very customer service centric. How does our approach to customer service tailor itself to policyholders who are going through a challenging time?
Barri: We make what can feel like an impossible task possible. We help bring back humanity in this process for them. We play a big role in helping make people’s lives and businesses whole again. We often spend the most time with the policyholder during the compilation process, giving them human one-on-one interaction and support.
