Insurtech | TreeManager | Peter Dubiez
Peter Dubiez spent the first ten years of his life growing up in Singapore, and then immigrated to Australia where his mother was born. While growing up Peter had many dreams of what he wanted to be from a lawyer, a sport physiotherapist, a coach, a surf bum...He was lucky enough to experiment with a few of them.
Peter Dubiez, CEO TreeManager
Today, Peter is the CEO of TreeManager, an innovative a business that helps state emergency services, insurers, and the government as well as arborists and people in tree network trade. The business is available 24/7 for any tree jobs across Australia. With a highly curated supplier network, TreeManager delivers low cost, high quality, and timely arborist outcomes. His network plays a vital role when there is a big event and there is need for “make-safe”. We were lucky enough to interview and find out more about his business.
What gave you the idea for TreeManager?
I enjoyed the outdoors, was doing a bit of rock climbing so transitioned into being a climbing arborist in 1983. I left the industry in 2005 and did “change management” consulting to mines in WA. In 2010 I came back to my passion, the tree industry. My wife, and I purchased a small tree business in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
In 2011 we handled a couple of insurance jobs for NRMA during the Blue Mountain storms in NSW. The insurance builder was impressed and inquired if we could undertake make-safe work outside Sydney. That is where the initial idea started on how to manage a network of trades people across Australia.
In 2013, we started developing TreeManager to act as a two-sided business platform, specifically designed for the trade person on site during an emergency event. From the initial idea of 2013, we developed a project management platform for our internal use. We then added an App for the onsite make-safe trade to undertake the job that drives and automates workflow that can be customized to meet individual client’s needs. The App generates rich data from onboarding, safety, validation, customer satisfaction, communication, impacted structures and more.
Any key stats, data, reports, research you can provide to give flavor to the opportunity/problem?
Our recent client survey’s (the procurer of the arborist or trade service e.g. the insurer) consistently highlighted five key frustrations they were having with the “supplier network”:
Arborists/trade compliance getting all relevant rules, regs, insurance etc.
Poor communication between customers, arborists, and the procurer of the service e.g. insurer
Poor scheduling and delays in getting critical work done.
Insufficient quote information to understand and review scope and costs after the event.
Not using the procurer’s platforms and processes
The make-safe supplier network is generally the first responder on site, the person that can deliver a “happy customer” or the alternate! To TreeManager, it is a great opportunity to provide the “make-safe” trade a tool to drive automation, rich granular data, and resolve the 5 key frustrations.
What does TreeManager do? Who is the solution for? What problem does it solve?
Our business is a two-sided project manager. One side is clients such as insurance, state emergency services and government, the other side is the arborist/tree network (trade). Our solution is we are a single contact point for our clients for any tree job across Australia, 24/7 all year. Our network of tree partners is the SME local trade. We provide a single platform (TreeManager) and site App for our tree partner (the local SME) to allow them to onboard, accept, schedule, communicate, cost, sign off and invoice all from site.
The problem we solve for a client, is a single contact point for arborist/tree works that delivers relevant value adding management metrics and KPIs, a transparent and auditable documentation process involving cost, communication, safety, validation, and compliance.
What is your elevator pitch?
A smarter way to manage your site trade.
What is unique about TreeManager?
Our App has been built with the trade in mind. As a former onsite trade person, myself, I am aware of “fat thumbs”, language issues, color, rolling screens Etc. – the trade’s frustrations. We eliminated all the “supplier network” annoyances. This is our 3rd iteration in 7 years. In iteration 1 and 2 my ego and developers were looking only from our internal perspective, what we thought was correct!! For iteration 3, we listened and workshopped and developed only for what would benefit the trade. We developed with an external need for the user. Our uniqueness is we get it from the site trade back to the client’s platform fast with rich granular information.
By capturing data real time, we can identify anomalies, ensure jobs are progressing as quickly as possible, and ensure all parties are kept informed of progress.
TreeManager has been used for tens of thousands of tree jobs across Australia for insurance, state emergency services, facility maintenance. We have captured in detail a plethora of data points from timeliness, photos, line by line job descriptions, and costs. By analyzing the data, and developing benchmarks, we have been able to clearly show clients how to reduce admin costs by 30%, cost savings on jobs of 40%, reduce open days by 35%. Powered by this data we are now moving to the first time in Australia fixed tree cost parameters on a claim.
Currently, we are collaborating with Swinbune University and BOM to provide cost and risk matrix based on the type of staff, type of equipment, hours required, type of tree, size and location, postcode, impacted structures.
What have you learnt about raising capital?
If you do not need to, then do not. Yes, there has been some very tough years, yet there has always been a solution – from really tightening the belt, juggling finances or government grants.
What do you think Corporates can learn from early-stage businesses?
The magic of early stage is the blue-sky thinking, the agility, eagerness. Corporates need to harness that magic! But early-stage businesses need to realize they can learn a bit from Corporates as well.
Where do Corporates need to improve in working with/supporting early-stage businesses?
It should be a collaboration and interaction. Use that early-stage enthusiasm, different viewpoint, and eagerness to achieve. A Corporate should challenge the early-stage business, give them a problem to solve and a clear description of what “good” looks like for them. Provide time, guidance, and direction. If the early-stage business owner is enthusiastic and believes in their product, they will find and deliver on the Corporate challenge.
Corporates need to know how to be able to clarify what problem they need solved. Spend time workshopping and brain storming – and then leave it to the early-stage business to make it happen and do the grunt work.
Looking back, with what you know now, what would you have done differently?
Nothing different. Every failure has presented an opportunity to be better. Without those experiences we would not be where we are now.
Where do see your TreeManager in ten years’ time?
We have set up a business division in Spain to access Europe and UK markets and we have had interest from USA insurance providers for the past few years. The next few years we will explore opportunities globally. Our App design and workflow will be integrated to service multiple trades. Enviro will be an extension of the claims process, specifically for the field trade.
The next years we will continue to improve on our corporate readiness – BCP, manuals, security, policies etc.
Biggest challenge you have faced so far?
The first product we produced was acceptable as a start-up, not the future. From 2016, we started on a second platform. Running an existing platform and developing a new platform created large cash flow drain. At the same time competitors came into the marketplace, who impacted revenue. So, you must be prepared for a cash flow challenge and competitor crunch in the journey - there may be one just around the corner!
Example of a good result with TreeManager?
The current CAT Event in Melbourne Victoria. The storm impact was the 10th of June. That morning we had already mobilized the local tree partners. Here is some data we have already captured out of this event, where TreeManager intelligence system matches tree cost to key specific tree parameters. This has delivered the clients reduced open days, less leakage, quality, and timeliness- and happy customers! Some of the data:
Less than 10 hours to assess and submit a quote across many hundreds of make safe requests
Nearly 2000 trees worked on with an average of 5 trees per job, almost 500 stumps grinded and over 40 needing cranes
Every second job had fence damage
Nearly 5000 communications at an average of 11 communications per job
Nearly 20000 hours of work quoted
4.5 days to invoice on average
85% of all make safe requests quoted within 3.5 days – quote submitted back to client
3742 m3 of waste generated
1,575 tonnes of carbon loss
67,200 Lbs of CO2 is not Sequestered
For each job we provide benchmarks by provider back to the client as well as other information like tree height, tree location, nature of damage eg type of fence, roof, pool, shed, playground equipment.
What are the key disruptive forces you see facing the insurance industry?’
It has been said insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. My sense is many big businesses lack the courage to make real change. What they have been doing is not quite working. Instead of making the hard call they tweek it a bit and “hope” they get a better result. Hope is not a good strategy!
There is a surge of newer insurance models and competitors entering the Australian landscape using technology to drive efficiencies and margins. The smaller boutique providers are gaining greater market share. Covid has provided the legacy providers that they can adapt, when forced to do so (working isolated, satellite offices, communications etc.), it has shown weaknesses too.
Relying on a “brand” name will no longer be enough for the next generation. For the larger players in the Australian market an opportunity is now to lead in many verticals in future years. Covid has delivered a wake-up call in operating with a legacy mindset and at the same time delivered a disruptive circuit breaker for them to change.
What is your focus now? And for the next couple of years?
My current and future focus is improving our technology for the field trade to improve their lives - make their day easier! We are in the process of finalizing release of our Licensed product so the trade can use our product for their own jobs, and we are adding some other verticals to our existing platform.
I see the “supplier network” as an untapped vertical in the claim process. The big focus with the insurance or builder is still the claim desk technology, not the potential that can be gained from the field in the urgent make-safe process. The trade can be the first responder on site, with our App now, beside tree information, they can now gather roof and/or fence data if required. Not just at surface, importantly at a deeper granular level, by just doing their job. We aim to eliminate for our client, the key frustrations they encounter with the supplier network, by providing our App for the trade, that is designed for them, and by them (collaboration, listening, failing then learning and adapting)
What are the one or two lessons/principles/ you carry with you into everything you do?
Three things:
Listen to and surround myself with mentors that are wiser and smarter in their field.
Know my purpose (words that resonate with me). Say and live them daily.
Profit is reality, revenue is ego. A saying from one of my mentors that I live by. As an early-stage business, it is not always the idea, it is the management of the finances that leads to failure.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
I see myself continuing to consider, listen and support the trade network, how to improve their life through technology. Improving the relationship with site trade and client; whilst achieving cost, quality and timeliness. I will likely not be at the helm of TreeManager. I have less years ahead of me than what I have behind. I enjoy travel, new places, new experiences; that TreeManager has been a part of the provider. I was fortunate in 2020, whilst most Australians were bound to our wonderful shores, I got to spend time in Spain, Portugal and Sweden – that provided a greater impetus to ensure TreeManager leads in the make-safe trade App industry so I can tick items on my bucket list.
How do you balance your personal time and your ‘work’ time?
They are symbiotic. I can only be my best at business, by being the same in my health and family. My wife and I walk every morning, watch the sunrise, and learn to be present in the moment. During the beginning of Covid, I saw many a family doing the same ritual, I just wish they all continued to embrace it and make it a part of their daily life. Gratitude is an especially important practice.
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