Jeff Cork, Operations Manager HBI Australia

When I first started at HBI Australia in 2016, the way we worked was very different. We didn’t have prescribed roles and our systems were pretty much paper filing and spreadsheets. It was pretty much old school, but we always got the job done and kept our customers happy.

Today we have an excellent IT system that even works for the least tech-minded members of the team. We are also talking about Artificial Intelligence, something very new to me, and using more advanced technology to help with the more mundane administration tasks.

As one of the longest serving team members I speak confidently when I say that the important aspects of working with people haven’t changed at HBI Australia, if anything these too have improved. At the end of the day, when the work revolves around people, being prepared to ask, listen and to be empathetic never goes out of fashion, and can always be done better.

In my role I am involved in the more difficult jobs where issues have risen and need to be addressed. When I first meet up with a customer who has voiced concerns, I don’t start by talking about the job but rather I spend some time getting to know them, understanding what they have gone through, asking the right questions, and yes, often giving them the opportunity to vent. After all it’s their property that is damaged, and their lives that have been put on hold, and that is never easy.

Going into communities where major damage has occurred has really opened my eyes to the extent of damage that nature can wield, and the toll it puts on people. For example, after the bushfires of 2019, I went to Caparra (near Forster) to be confronted by mounds of ash where houses used to stand. There was massive devastation to property, livestock, and the native animals.

At the time, I went to see a guy who had built this amazing house made of stone. I can picture it, as if it was yesterday, I pulled up to see this fellow sitting in a chair, nothing else was there. He was really devastated, and he knew what he had lost he wouldn’t ever get back. I knew that day, all he wanted was a listening ear, and that was what I gave him.

Another time after a massive flood, I recall meeting another bloke who just wanted me to sit and have a cup of tea with him. He simply wanted someone to talk to. It’s the human side in these difficult times that is critical.

Sometimes our less experienced guys don’t recognise the importance of doing this, they just want to get on with the job but it’s not that easy. I tell them, build rapport first, get to understand people and their individual circumstances, and then it will be easier for everyone to get on with the job. 

One of the key things that talking and listening accomplishes is that the initial negativity that comes with insurance assessment can be addressed. Most people think you are there to knock things back, but that isn’t the job. We must audit first, and then after that, fix what can be fixed, so we can get the best outcome for everyone, and they can get back home. Once people understand this, they relax, and we can get on with the job. It is amazing what 30 minutes of asking, listening, and telling it straight can achieve.

So then, along the way, if complexities arise being open and honest about delays or issues is the best way to find the solution. Do things right the first time, that is our aim, and yes, we don’t always get it spot on every time, but our honest and transparent approach commits us to finding ways to continuously improve.