From the Desk of Robert Klein, CEO

Subject: Field Trips Remain Popular

In the spring of 2003, Safeguard Properties originated a unique program that promotes better understanding of what the term “field services” really means by providing – what else? – field trips.  Since its inception, Safeguard’s “Hands-on Training” has enlightened internal staff who are responsible for ordering, approving, reviewing, and paying for various field services that Safeguard provides to its clients.  Employees of Safeguard, along with employees of mortgage lenders, investors, servicers, and other clients benefit from getting out in the field where the services are actually performed and viewing houses that are in the process of receiving property preservation and maintenance care.

So far, more than 360 participants in 15 states have experienced the Hands-on Training field trips.  While visiting selected areas, they observe contractors and vendors operating in compliance with the investor guidelines to preserve, protect, and make ready the properties for marketing.  Based on comments such as, “This opportunity proved to be invaluable for me.  It truly put things into perspective and gave me a new-found respect for our vendors who have chosen the property preservation industry as a career,” it is clear that the field trips have been successful to encourage more appreciative attitudes toward others involved in day-to-day operations.

A Safeguard client contributed that he took away a better understanding of how contractors perform the required services and the actions they must take to protect the client’s interests.  This participant added, “It was an eye-opening chance to learn about another element of default servicing that I had never been directly exposed to in the past.”

Attendees watch a variety of service activities, including securing, winterizing, boarding, removing debris, and maintaining exteriors.  This proves helpful to inform office personnel about how contractors determine occupancy status, identify damages, determine mortgagor neglect, calculate estimates of debris, make photographic documentation and notes, and arrive at bids to submit for review and approval.  The technological advances that Safeguard has pioneered and implemented are showcased and demonstrate their worth in time savings and accuracy. 

 
One Safeguard staff member confirmed that the opportunity to observe contractors in the field provides additional tools to execute more effective quality control. “On these trips, Safeguard updaters have the opportunity to compare photos received by the Cleveland office with the properties we observed in the field. The comparison training has taught us how to better determine cubic yards of debris before invoicing the client.  In addition, the field visits have encouraged the development of dialogue between the staff and the contractors about Safeguard’s standards and our methods for reviewing and processing updates,” according to this staff member.
 
Another Safeguard staff participant said that giving “office dwellers” the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the field is the best kind of education. She added, “My understanding of what is required to accurately assess a property’s condition has improved in ways that hours of classroom training could never provide.  It has provided me with more knowledge to perform quality control on the bids and to better understand the overall property condition information we require in order to provide our clients with the necessary details.”   
  
“Everything went very well, and we saw an outstanding group of service providers at work.  Thanks for setting this up.  Everyone should go [on a field trip] at least once, in my opinion.  It’s worth the time,” said a client participant. 

Safeguard will continue to make these field trips readily available to our clients, investors, and staff of the HUD M&M contractors.  They are scheduled at a location that is convenient for the participants and conducted during the week or on weekends, as requested.  Please contact Kathryn Harris ( kathryn.harris@safeguardproperties.com ) to express interest in arranging to participate in a future Hands-on Training field trip in your area.