During the week following Hurricane Ike, the 600-mile-wide, Category 2 storm that hit the Gulf Coast in early September, I learned about a new kind of customer service from Todd Overpeck, communications specialist for Glass Doctor, Waco, Texas: emergency service. Before and just after disasters, glass shops work in overdrive to protect homes and businesses.

Hurricane Ike devastated parts of the Texas coast before continuing on to Houston, leaving most residents without power. In the few days after Hurricane Ike, Overpeck says the Houston-area Glass Doctor franchises kicked customer service into high gear, despite notable challenges.

“Our guys are doing a great job of serving customers without modern communication and sometimes without water,” Overpeck said three days after Ike. “Right now, a lot of our guys are just driving through neighborhoods doing a lot of board-ups.”

Overpeck said the owner of Glass Doctor’s Livingston, Texas, shop lived in his RV outside the shop, working off generators. The franchisee in Huntsville, Texas, worked to clean up his shop and then went to all the businesses along the block and helped them clean up. “It’s neighbors helping neighbors right now, before any formal service.”

Glass companies face several challenges just after a storm, Overpeck said. Employees have to secure their own homes before they are able to come into work; power, phone and water outages, in addition to low fuel, food and water supplies can affect the ability of a business to complete jobs; limited availability of plywood and glass means fewer customers can be serviced; and waiting on insurance adjustors can create delays.

Preparedness is crucial to help overcome challenges after a storm, allowing shops to reach customers faster. Overpeck says the Houston Glass Doctor franchise had plywood supplies stored. After the storm, the team was able to almost immediately work on emergency board-ups for storefronts and businesses. “This is better for security from possible looting,” Overpeck says.

If you have stories of great emergency service from your team, during Hurricane Ike or any other disaster situation, e-mail me at kdevlin@glass.org.