Storm preparation is a time-critical, high-stakes operation for asset managers
When a hurricane is forecasted, asset managers are responsible for ensuring that every property in their portfolio is secured—often within a 24 to 72-hour window. This involves coordinating multiple vendors across sites to board up windows, secure assets, sandbag vulnerable areas, and shut down non-critical systems.
The complexity of this task multiplies with the number of properties and vendor crews. Effective communication at scale becomes the deciding factor between mitigated risk and costly damage.
The real cost of inadequate coordination
Recent hurricanes along the U.S. East Coast have reinforced the scale of economic risk:
- Hurricane Ian (2022) caused $112 billion in property damage, making it the costliest hurricane in Florida’s history.
- Hurricane Helene (2024) inflicted an estimated $78.7 billion in damage, affecting commercial and residential properties across multiple coastal states.
- The National Institute of Building Sciences confirms that every $1 invested in disaster mitigation saves $6 in avoided recovery costs.
Despite this, most asset management firms still rely on emails, phone calls, PDFs, and job tickets to coordinate emergency vendor work. These methods break down when the pressure is on, leading to:
- Delayed or incomplete prep tasks
- Vendors arriving without clear instructions
- Sites being prepped inconsistently or out of order
- Rework and added costs after the storm
The Coordination Problem
Even with good Standard Operating Procedures in place, the gap lies in execution:
- Vendors are often unfamiliar with property-specific requirements.
- Instructions get buried in long work orders.
- Supervisors may not be onsite to direct crews.
- Conditions evolve quickly, requiring real-time communication.
When vendors arrive at a property without timely, precise guidance, they waste time—and the property remains at risk.
Sig2 Smart Reminders make timing at scale possible
Sig2 provides right-time location-based audio instructions to vendors as they arrive at each property. Messages are triggered automatically by geofences and can be updated instantly to reflect changing conditions or priorities.
“Boarding kits are staged by the maintenance shed. Begin at the west-facing windows first—storm shutters already deployed on the east side.”
“Flood zone protocol active. Sandbags are behind the clubhouse. Focus on entry points near garages and basements.”
No mistimed messages. No waiting for a site lead. Just coordinated execution.
Operational advantages for Asset Managers
With Sig2 Smart Reminders, asset managers gain:
- Consistent execution across dozens or hundreds of properties
- Faster vendor deployment, with site-specific guidance delivered automatically
- Hands-free communication—updates and reminders while driving
- Clear audit trail of messages delivered and when they were heard
- Reduced risk of property damage, rework, and post-storm liability
The Bottom Line
When major weather events strike, every hour matters. The faster and more accurately vendors can execute preparation tasks, the more damage is avoided—and the more resilient your portfolio becomes.
Sig2 ensures that each property can “speak” for itself when you can’t be there in person.
Hurricane prep doesn’t need to rely on manual communication. With Sig2 Smart Reminders, your properties give instructions—automatically, clearly, and on time.