An interview with Travis Braun – Operations Manager at SERVPRO of The Southtowns

3/25/2019 (Permalink)

Travis has been a part of the SERVPRO of The Southtowns family since 2006

An interview with Travis Braun – Operations Manager at SERVPRO of The Southtowns

What makes your proud to work at SERVPRO of The Southtowns?

The environment. We are a big “Family” company, not corporate, there is a direct line to each person in this company, an open door policy if you will.

What is something that still surprises you?

Never Settle. We are always striving for continuous improvements, such as the textile restoration division we just launched.

What is our greatest strength?

Compassion. We train everyone to have a “hero” mentality. We are usually dealing with people on their worst day. Every person in the company has to have great compassion for our customers to help them though their tougher times and get them back on their feet.

What is your management style?

I try to always be here to help if I am needed, but I prefer to give initial input and then let them perform with the best information they have and the training we’ve given them. This is a tough job and things change constantly. My team has to know that I trust them to make decision because I have set the expectation and given them the training to succeed.

Where do you see the company going in the next 5 – 10 years?

I want to double everything – double the building space, the truck fleet and the crew numbers. We have doubled in size over the last 5 - 7 years and I am looking forward to doing it again.

What would make someone successful at SERVPRO of The Southtowns?

Initially, just someone who has a good attitude, a willingness to listen and learn. Restoration is a specialized field, I don’t expect people to come in understanding the daily activities, just that they are excited and motivated to learn and succeed.  

What does a typical day in your job look like?

I spend most of my time communicating with adjusters on approvals for certain job criteria.  Also responsible for final invoices and compliance with the programs we are on. As the industry has evolved there has been major shifts in compliance and expectations between insurance companies and vendors. It is my primary responsibility to make sure that everything we do is in line with what the insurance companies request from us.

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Travis! You are an integral part of our team.