Guide
How fast should an HVAC shop respond to new leads?
Last updated By Ryan Watson, founder of Scout
Who this is for: HVAC owners and office managers who need help with leads from the website, calls, texts or lead services.
Short answer
Reply to every new lead right away, while the customer is still choosing who to call, with a useful answer and a time. A lead who waits may book whoever answers first.
Why does lead response time matter?
Someone with a broken AC or a cold house may reach out to more than one shop at once. The first useful reply with a time is in a strong position to get the job, and a slow one can mean they already booked someone else.
Fast has to mean useful: answer the question they asked and offer a time, not just a note that you'll be in touch.
What about leads that come in after hours?
The evening a system fails and the first hot week of summer are when replies slow down and customers book whoever answers. Leads don't stop when the office closes, so decide who or what replies at night and on weekends.
What should you look for in HVAC lead follow-up software?
Whether it's part of your field service software or a separate lead management tool, the test is the same: does every lead get a fast, useful reply, and does it end in a booked job? Ask:
- Does every lead get a reply, from every source you pay for?
- Does the reply answer the question, or only say someone will be in touch?
- Does it keep working the lead toward a booked job after the first text?
- Can you see later what the lead said, next to your calls and texts?
Ways to reply to new leads
Office staff watching for leads
- Good for
- Personal replies during business hours
- Watch out for
- Replies slow down after hours and on busy days
Owner or tech on call
- Good for
- Urgent problems after hours
- Watch out for
- Hard to keep up with while on a job
Automatic text reply
- Good for
- An instant first touch
- Watch out for
- It has to answer the question and offer a time, or it's easy to ignore
Answering service
- Good for
- Calls answered when you can't
- Watch out for
- Ask whether it also replies to web and text leads, and whether it books
Scout's Speed to Lead
- Good for
- Replies to every new lead within 5 seconds and works it toward a booked job
- Watch out for
- Covers Meta lead ads on Facebook and Instagram and Google Local Services Ads, so check where your leads come from
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Office staff watching for leads | Personal replies during business hours | Replies slow down after hours and on busy days |
| Owner or tech on call | Urgent problems after hours | Hard to keep up with while on a job |
| Automatic text reply | An instant first touch | It has to answer the question and offer a time, or it's easy to ignore |
| Answering service | Calls answered when you can't | Ask whether it also replies to web and text leads, and whether it books |
| Scout's Speed to Lead | Replies to every new lead within 5 seconds and works it toward a booked job | Covers Meta lead ads on Facebook and Instagram and Google Local Services Ads, so check where your leads come from |
General traits of each way of handling it. The Scout row restates what Scout does.
Where Scout fits
Each Speed to Lead conversation sits in the same memory as your calls and texts, so Scout Chat can tell you what a lead said.
