Speed to lead checklist

Choose a response target you can keep.

Write down when calls and forms are monitored, who covers absence and what the customer sees outside those hours. An automatic acknowledgment confirms receipt; it is not a human answer or an appointment.

Measure time to the first useful human reply during the hours you promise. Use the inquiry timestamp and reply record. Do not report an instant acknowledgment as the response time.

Follow one inquiry through the handoff.

1. Receive: arrange a labeled form and phone-path test with the office. Confirm the correct inbox or CRM, stored request, caller details where permitted and fallback for failure.
2. Assign: name the person who replies and a backup. Each open inquiry has one accountable owner.
3. Qualify: confirm the requested work, service area, timing and the best way to reply. Ask only what is needed for the next step.
4. Reply: answer the question and agree a call, site visit or reason the work does not fit. Record the first useful reply time.
5. Continue: after each attempt or estimate, record the next action and due date. Use the customer’s agreed channel; stop when asked.
6. Close: record no fit, no response, declined, accepted or completed work separately. An open estimate is not a won job.

A replacement estimate needs a different reply from a leak.

Illustrative workflow, adapted from the existing roofing example:

For a replacement request, the office confirms the service area, roof concern and timing, then agrees a site visit if the work fits. The estimator records inspection completed, estimate sent and the agreed follow-up date. The office keeps the inquiry open until there is a decision.

For a leak, confirm the issue and actual availability before promising attendance. For storm work, explain assessment and scheduling without promising insurance coverage. For a commercial bid, confirm site access, contact role and bid timing.

Keep the private address and customer details in the job record. Marketing reports need the job type and outcome, not those details.

Use the records you already have.

The contractor work standards cover acceptance checks. The roofing worksheet keeps inquiries, estimates and completed work distinct. These are practical examples, not measured client results or a promised response-time lift.