In the aftermath of the storms that ravaged homes outside of San Antonio last spring, Allstate Insurance completed their traditional role of processing insurance claims with the help of some decidedly nontraditional technology: drones.
One’s insurance needs tend to compound a bit when they’re based on softball-sized holes in one’s roof, which is exactly the kind of claim that Allstate was investigating in these last few months. Due to the sheer amount of damage, the insurance company was unable to fulfill every request in a timely matter.
Their solution? An aerial approach.
Wingin’ it
This kind of innovative thinking paired with existing and easily-accessible technology is what sets Allstate apart; creativity has plenty of application outside of traditionally creative fields, and Allstate clearly has no qualms with thinking outside of the box when it comes to fulfilling their occupational duties.
Of course, the process wasn’t perfect—due to some FAA-related policies, Allstate wasn’t able to send in their drones as a primary assessment tool, but they were able to use their UAVs to confirm and update the information provided by on-site employees.
The future looks bright
Although we’re seeing a fair amount of tandem work like this now, it seems likely that the future will see the bulk of this kind of insurance investigation being predominately carried out by unmanned technology.
Business fields such as real estate are already beginning to rely on the flexibility and relative cost-effectiveness that drones afford.
A reminder for customer service
Industrial drone use is, and will likely continue to be, a source of great controversy. As with any powerful technology trend, the potential to do good equals (or is rivaled by) the potential for wrongdoing; however, Allstate has set an extraordinary example for anyone hoping to use drones—or any other existing type of controversial technology, for that matter—to influence customer service for the better.
Put the customers before the politics, and good things will happen.
