Disaster Kleenup International

DKI Services LLC

Type	Private
Industry	Restoration Insurance Construction Environmental Services
Founder(s)	Ed York (1974)
Headquarters	1555 Mittel Boulevard Wood Dale, Illinois, United States
Area served	North America
Key people	Dale Sailer (CEO) David Eisman (VP & General Manager of DKI Loss Services) Ellen Mikula (VP Sales & Delivery) Rich Lytle (Director of Business Development) Ken Larsen, CR, WLS Director of Education
Employees	50 (2010)
Website	http://www.dkiservices.com

Disaster Kleenup International is a franchisor with 400 service locations throughout the United States & Canada.^[1] The services that DKI provides to insurance, commercial and residential clients include: emergency response, water damage mitigation, fire and contents cleaning, mold remediation and reconstruction.

Headquartered in suburban Chicago, DKI Services LLC is the parent company of Disaster Kleenup International (DKI), DKI Commercial Solutions, DKI CodeRed, DKI Market Services, DIAMOND Claims Solutions, and Circumspex. DKI Market Services provides educational opportunities to loss professionals through DKI Marketing, and its IICRC certified school, the Restoration Leadership Institute^[2] and its annual trade show, Insights: The Property Restoration Conference & Trade Show.^[3]

DKI Services LLC employs 50 corporate staff at its national headquarters and supports a network of 187 Members in 44 U.S. states and 8 Canadian provinces.^[4]

Early history

Disaster Kleenup International (DKI) was founded in 1974 by Ed York who sought the benefits of a collaborative business and personal network. In 1974, Ed York took an academic paper he wrote for a graduate school class, turned it into a business plan, and launched Disaster Kleenup International.

Ed York

Ed York was a pioneer in the cleaning and restoration field. In 1969, he and his wife Wanda formed Steam Services, a carpet cleaning distributor and mail order merchandiser that began sponsoring technical training in 1971. Steam Services provided the foundation from which so many other York innovations grew. Steam Services began sponsoring technical training schools in 1971.^[5] In 1972, York founded the IICRC, today's leading certification organization serving the cleaning and restoration industry.^[6] In 1973, he created the Society of Cleaning Technicians, later to become what is today the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians, a nonprofit trade association for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries.^[7]

York's vision was to create a collaborative group of professionals who would share business ideas and concepts, but also market under an overarching brand – Disaster Kleenup. From a humble start on the west coast, York played the role of Pied Piper to dozens of restoration professionals who met on a regular basis at Disaster Kleenup meetings and conferences to learn marketing tips and business techniques from him.^[8] York's most memorable marketing gambit was his “Year and a Day” guarantee. By going the extra day, York claimed, DKI offered more warranty protection than anyone else in the marketplace.^[9]

A key aspect of the Disaster Kleenup organization as much then as it remains today, is that the companies that make up DKI are referred to as Members. Prospective companies were invited to join the Disaster Kleenup membership by virtue of their qualifications, experience, references, and technical capability, not simply because they could afford it. One could not ‘buy' their way in. The existing membership alone determined whether a candidate was worthy, a process and standard that continues to this day.

Organizational Change

York eventually turned over the mantle of leadership to Executive Director Martin “Marty” Berry in the early 1980s and Berry moved the organization to Baltimore, Maryland, one of many geographic moves the corporate organization would make over the years. Berry oversaw the building of a corporate infrastructure and protected the company's most precious assets, including the formal protection of the Disaster Kleenup name and its distinctive red and blue, ‘Wind Fire Water' triangle logo in 1981.^[10] Meanwhile, a succession of ‘Member Presidents', including Denny Jensen, whom DKI named an internal award after,^[11] Alan Goeltz and Darrell Paulson developed a vision for the organization and continued its move forward.

Derry Strong

While DKI had corralled a number of restorers across the United States and Canada into the fold, the industry remained highly fragmented and there was tremendous opportunity for Disaster Kleenup to increase its organizational cohesiveness. Derry Strong, a partner in Inex Restoration, a Disaster Kleenup member in Toronto, Ontario, sensed this opportunity, and began recruiting additional members in Ontario to increase Disaster Kleenup physical presence and market awareness. He was highly successful, and after growing membership in the province from three to 15 members, he led the effort to form the Ontario Chapter, Disaster Kleenup's first chapter organization. Today, DKI has six chapters throughout the US.

In 1991, based on his success in Ontario, DKI recruited Strong as its next leader, replacing Berry and moving the Disaster Kleenup organization to Toronto. There it flourished, adding new members in the US and Canada, and adding true credibility to the ‘International' in its name.

Non-traditional Franchise

In 1994, Disaster Kleenup made a significant change to its structure by becoming a franchise organization, falling under the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission. As a franchise organization, DKI began filing Uniform Franchise Offering Circulars annually and having its financial books audited, but Disaster Kleenup was no ‘traditional' franchise. It did not charge a royalty on all income, demand adherence to a set of specific operating procedures, or mandate the source of business purchases.^[12]

Rather, DKI afforded its franchisees tremendous autonomy, forcing them to adhere to a set of very high-level performance standards, but allowing them to operate independently and maintain their own market identity. Many DKI franchisees are second and third generation businesses and it seemed appropriate to leverage those businesses' strengths rather than restrict their unique value. This is still the way the business is run today, allowing each Member to maintain its identity if they so choose, while gaining the many advantages of affiliation with an organization of DKI's size and scale.

Business Development

The subsequent years saw the development of two other core Disaster Kleenup businesses – a cooperative buying program^[13] and an annual conference. DKI's increasing membership size allowed it to pool its buying power and enter into value-added pricing agreements with industry manufacturers to the benefit of all parties and in 1995, Disaster Kleenup hosted its first conference in Salt Lake City, with both an educational agenda and a trade show, allowing its many vendor partners to sell directly to Disaster Kleenup members. That initial cooperative buying program has grown into today's Procura Buying Program, and that first conference has grown into Insights, the Property Restoration Industry Conference and Trade Show, which will host its 17th edition in Austin, Texas in January 2012.^[14]

Claims Management

With the growing emergence of third party administrators and managed claims programs such as PRISM,^[15] it became apparent to the company that it needed to enter the information age and find an efficient way to connect its Members to the insurance industry and other clients with which it wanted to do business. Thus, in 1998, Disaster Kleenup introduced the Global Communications Access System (GCAS) to the market. Electronically connecting its contractors and clients so that they could jointly manage a digital claim file, DKI added its first claims clients and began managing dozens of claims a month through its newly established 24 hours claims hotline. Five years later, DKI rolled out the next generation of its platform, the DKI Information and Management on Demand system (DIAMOND), which today facilitates the management of thousands of claims from DKI corporate clients through it 24/7/365 support center.

2000–Present

As it moved into a new millennium, the rapid pace of change in the industry caused the DKI Board of Directors to reassess its future and secure the assistance of a consulting firm in 2000 in developing a long-term plan for the business. The planning process resulted in the hiring of Dale Sailer as the company's new general manager.

Dale Sailer

Dale Sailer has been the CEO and President of DKI since 2001. Sailer worked for fifteen months in the company's Indianapolis corporate headquarters (it moved from Toronto to Indianapolis in 1996), before relocating the company to the near west Chicago suburb of Wood Dale, Illinois in early 2003, where it remains today. Sailer got his feet wet in the business world as a commercial banker on Wall Street.

Sailer has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. His real education came during the dot-com boom and bust beginning in 1999, when he went to work for Ace Hardware's ourhouse.com.^[16] His background in finances, insurance claims and contractor networking led him to DKI in 2001.^[17] Dale Sailer has 25 years of progressive managerial and executive experience in business to business service industries, with deep roots in sales, marketing, operations, business development, product management and strategic planning.^[18]

Branding & Growth

The new century has brought change to Disaster Kleenup International on many fronts, most dramatically in its branding. After 30 years being positioned under the Disaster Kleenup International label, the company unveiled a new logo in 2008 under the DKI brand.^[19] In parallel with the new branding, the company embarked on a comprehensive marketing communications campaign to establish the company's market resume. The company's 100 Members generated over $360MM in system-wide revenue in 2001 which grew to over $1B by 2008.

Change in Infrastructure

In growing from $370MM in revenue to over $1B in system-wide revenue in just six years, the company grew from 107 locations in 2002 to 250 today in the US, with another 40 locations in Canada. Those locations can be found in 44 states and 8 Canadian provinces.^[20]

Supporting this growth required DKI to invest in its infrastructure across several dimensions. To facilitate this growth, DKI Services Corporation was created to support the continued growth of Disaster Kleenup International Inc., but the new parent company also formed DKI Loss Services Inc. and DKI Market Services Inc. to manage the company's claims management business and its industry offerings business respectively. Along the same vein, DKI opened up a technology center in Indianapolis in 2003 to provide technological support to its employee and client base, as well as its claims management business.

In 2006, DKI created DKI Commercial Solutions to deliver emergency response in the event of a catastrophe, weather-related or otherwise. In 2008, DKI purchased IntegResource Inc., a marketing leading commercial loss solutions provider, and in 2009 DKI purchased Circumspex LLC, a developer of a ‘Software as a Service' disaster planning platform. The President of Circumspex is David J. Mistick.^[21]

Today, as DKI's history blends with both its present and its future, DKI continues to be first to market in many areas, including become the very first ‘green-certified' organization in 2009. DKI received the Green Risk Professional designation established by Vale Training Solutions.^[22] DKI is also the first company to adopt the DryStandard Software in 2010.^[23]

Training

98% of DKI Members & their employees hold certifications including:

• Certified Restorer (CR)
• Certified Mold Remediator (CMR)
• Institute of Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)
• Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA)
• Water Loss Specialist (WLS)
• Certified Mold Remediation Supervisor (CMRS)
• American Indoor Air Quality Council (AIAQ)

To achieve these certifications, DKI holds classes through the (RLI).^[24] DKI founded the Restoration Leadership Institute in 2003, which is based in Wood Dale, Illinois.

Awards & Recognition

• Disaster Kleenup International is North America's largest property damage restoration contracting organization.^[25]

• In 2010, Disaster Kleenup International was ranked #11 for the Franchise Business Review Satisfaction Awards for Midsize Franchises.^[26]

• The Certified Restorer designation is the highest designation awarded in the disaster restoration industry, and nearly one in every five Certified Restorers is a DKI Member.

• DKI Members have won nearly 50% of the Phoenix Awards conferred by the Restoration Industry Association.

• In 2009, Disaster Kleenup International was ranked the #1 contractor in America based on dollar volume by Qualified Remodeler magazine.^[25]

• In 2008, Disaster Kleenup International was ranked the 76th largest franchise organization in the world by Franchise Times magazine.^[27]

• DKI is the first and only Green Certified Restoration Services organization. DKI received the Green Risk Professional designation established by Vale Training Solutions.^[22]

• DKI (Disaster Kleenup International) was selected as the exclusive dry down and cleaning vendor for Season 8 of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.^[28]

References

1. ^ "Disaster Kleenup International Directory - Claims Magazine." Claims - Covering The Business Of Loss - Claims Magazine. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
2. ^ Restoration Leadership Institute Instructor List. Web. 24 Nov. 2010
3. ^ Insights 2011: The Property Restoration Conference & Trade Show. Web. 24 Nov. 2010
4. ^ "Disaster Kleenup Franchise Information." The Franchise Mall, The Franchise Opportunities Directory. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
5. ^ Downey, John. "In Memoriam: The Lasting Legacy of Ed York." Cleanfax Online:: Brought to You by Grand View Media. May 2006. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
6. ^ "IICRC." The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
7. ^ "About SCRT." Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
8. ^ Downey, John. "In Memoriam: The Lasting Legacy of Ed York." Cleanfax Online :: Brought to You by Grand View Media. May 2006. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
9. ^ Downey, John. "In Memoriam: The Lasting Legacy of Ed York." Cleanfax Online :: Brought to You by Grand View Media. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
10. ^ http://media.merchantcircle.com/9843946/DKI%20Member%20Company_medium.jpeg
11. ^ Donahue, Michele. "Derry Strong Receives 2010 M. Dennis Jensen Award." DKI Services.
12. ^ Franchise Business Review. "Guide to Top 50 Low Investment Franchises."
13. ^ Procura Buying. Co-op Buying
14. ^ [1]
15. ^ PRISM
16. ^ Toriello, Monica. "OurHouse.com Begins to Pay off for Ace Hardware - Brief Article | Home Channel News | Find Articles at BNET." OurHouse.com Begins to Pay off for Ace Hardware. 5 June 2000. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
17. ^ Stiefel, Lynne. "Preparing for Disaster Is Dale Sailer's Vocation :: News :: PIONEER PRESS :: Glenview Announcements." Pioneer Press:: Pioneerlocal.com :: News from the Chicago Suburbs. 18 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
18. ^ Insights 2011: The Property Restoration Conference & Trade Show. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
19. ^ http://www.insurancevendors.com/images/clientimages/dki_logo25.gif
20. ^ "Disaster Kleenup Canada - Member Database Search - Water, Wind & Fire Damage Restoration Network." Disaster Kleenup Canada - Water, Wind & Fire Damage Restoration Network. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
21. ^ "Circumspex - Bios." Circumspex - Home. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
22. ^ ^{a b} Bramlet, Christina. "Speaking Of: Going Green - Catastrophe & Restoration - Claims Magazine." Claims - Covering The Business Of Loss - Claims Magazine. 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
23. ^ IDSO: Our Software. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
24. ^ Restoration Leadership Institute Instructor List. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
25. ^ ^{a b} "The Annual National Firms List." Qualified Remodeler Magazine - Remodeling and Home Improvement Information and New Products for Remodeling Professionals. Sept. 2009. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
26. ^ Investment, By. "Top Franchises." Franchisee Satisfaction Awards. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
27. ^ "Franchise Top 200." Franchise Times Magazine. 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
28. ^ "Today's Facility Manager." 12 Nov. 2010.

External links

• DKI Official Website
• Restoration Leadership Institute
• Insights Conference
• Hurricane CAT
• DKI CAT
• Circumspex
• Procura