The New-Neighbor Capture System
Client identity withheld.
Results
$37K
Booked revenue in 90 days, at the shop's own prices
27% → <2%
Inbound calls left unanswered
62
Service calls booked by the phone assistant
49 sec
Median first reply to online leads, down from 2h 20m
22% → 37%
Online leads that booked a visit
71 → 118
Google reviews, with the rating holding at 4.8★
Company Profile
Company
Residential HVAC shop in a fast-growing metro. ~$900K revenue, 3 techs plus the owner, and a part-time office assistant. ~1,300 past customers, many in new subdivisions.
Stack
Entry-level field-service software, Google Local Services Ads, Nextdoor and website leads, Angi.
Operating Need
Capture the steady flow of new residents looking for an HVAC company, and build reputation fast enough to win them.
The Challenge
New subdivisions were filling up around the shop, and every new homeowner eventually needed an HVAC company. Most found one by searching or asking neighbors, then calling whoever answered first. The shop's part-time assistant covered mornings, so many afternoon calls went to voicemail, and online leads waited hours. With 71 reviews, the shop also looked small next to the larger regional companies moving into the area.
The Audit
We reviewed 60 days of calls, 90 days of lead response times and the shop's review history.
Patterns Found
- About 27% of calls went unanswered, mostly in the afternoon
- About 40% of callers were new to the shop
- Online leads waited a median of 2 hours 20 minutes for a first reply
- Only 22% of online leads ended up booked
- Roughly 1 in 25 customers left a review, and none were asked
- New-resident leads rarely called back after reaching voicemail
The shop had a growing market at its door. It needed to answer first and build the reputation new residents look for.
The Architecture
Three systems working as six parts, built to win first-time customers.
Call Handling
An AI assistant in backup mode that picks up after 3 rings and all afternoon and evening, identifies itself as virtual, checks the zip code, and books routine work.
Emergency Routing
Follows the owner's written rules for true emergencies and gas or carbon monoxide calls.
60-Second Lead Responder
Texts every Local Services, Nextdoor, Angi and website lead by name within 60 seconds and books the visit.
Quiet-Lead Follow-Up
Follows up a few times with leads who go quiet, then stops.
Review Engine
Texts every customer after the job with a check-in and the review link, and drafts replies for the owner to approve.
Monday Recovered Revenue Report
One page every Monday with calls answered, leads booked, new customers and reviews.
How the System Operates
The system answers, replies and asks for reviews. The owner sets every price and handles every sales conversation.
- The assistant answers first only when the team can't
- Every customer gets the same review request; no one is filtered out
- Callers can ask for a person at any time
How It Flows
- 1A call or lead comes in
- 2It's answered or texted within 60 seconds
- 3Routine work is booked, and emergencies are routed
- 4After the job, the customer gets a review request, and every booking is logged
All public review replies are approved by the owner before posting.
Implementation
| Stage | Focus | Key Results |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Call, lead and review audit | Afternoon call gap and 2h 20m lead response measured |
| Stage 2 | Setup and approval | Service area, price list and emergency rules written by the owner |
| Stage 3 | Launch | Call Handling and Lead Responder live |
| Stage 4 | Always-on | Review Engine live on every job; Monday reports every week |
Ownership
The shop now owns a lead record and a reputation that grow with the area.
One lead record across every source, with response times
A growing review profile and reply library
Written emergency rules and service area
Every call summary and Monday report
Operational Impact
New residents who call the shop now reach it, and online leads hear back before they call the next company. Every finished job adds to the shop's reviews, so it competes on reputation with the larger companies moving in. The shop is growing with its market instead of watching others capture it.