Data Driven Restoration: RocketPlan's Approach to Recovery

When disaster strikes and water is pouring through your ceiling at 3 AM, the last thing you want to worry about is paperwork. Yet for years, that's exactly what bogged down the restoration industry – until one immigrant's journey from Dairy Queen employee to tech innovator changed everything.

Meet Joe Tolzmann, the founder and CEO of RocketPlan. His story isn't your typical Silicon Valley tale. After serving in the Croatian military, Joe arrived in North America without speaking a word of English. His first job? Serving ice cream at Dairy Queen. But this humble beginning was just the first step in a journey that would transform an entire industry.

From Construction to Crisis Management

Joe's path led him through construction and real estate development until the 2008 financial crisis forced him to pivot. While others saw disaster in the recession, Joe spotted an opportunity in disaster recovery itself. Property restoration – the business of responding to floods, fires, and other property emergencies – seemed recession-proof. But as he built his restoration company to over 100 employees, he encountered a problem that plagued the entire industry.

"When I started, I was the guy taking those calls 24/7," Joe explains. "Middle of the night, evening, weekends, responding to the call, working in the field... manually gathering all this documentation, manually doing all the reports, estimates, and billing."

The challenge? Bridging the gap between muddy boots and sleek software. Field workers were drowning in paperwork, office staff were struggling with incomplete information, and customers were caught in the middle. Traditional software solutions, built before smartphones became ubiquitous, simply weren't cutting it.

Technology Meets Real-World Experience

That's where RocketPlan comes in. Instead of forcing field workers to adapt to office software, Joe built a solution around their needs. The platform combines several innovative features:

• FLIR Thermal Imaging Integration: Direct integration with FLIR cameras helps detect hidden moisture and document damage with scientific precision
• RocketSketch: Transforms disaster zones into precise 3D models in about 30 minutes
• RocketCall AI: Ensures no emergency call goes unanswered, even during surge periods
• RocketPay: Streamlines payment collection right from the field
• RocketTime: Automatically tracks work hours and mileage through geofencing

But what sets RocketPlan apart isn't just its features – it's the deep understanding of the industry's challenges baked into every aspect of the platform. "We built RocketPlan to follow the workflow," Joe notes. "It was built for these site conditions in the order that it happens."

Real Impact, Real Results

The results speak for themselves. What started as an in-house solution for Joe's restoration company has grown into a platform that serves businesses of all sizes, from family-run operations to major national networks. By streamlining documentation, automating reports, and improving communication between field and office staff, RocketPlan is helping restoration companies respond faster and work more efficiently.

Looking Ahead

As climate change drives more extreme weather events and aging infrastructure faces increasing challenges, the need for efficient property restoration has never been greater. RocketPlan's success shows how combining deep industry experience with smart technology can solve real-world problems in ways that make a difference not just to businesses, but to people facing some of their most stressful moments.

Want to learn more about how RocketPlan is transforming property restoration? Visit RocketPlanTech.com to see demos, customer stories, and discover how this innovative platform is setting new industry standards.

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