hvac-marketing-skills/skills/hvac-lead-ops/SKILL.md

---
name: hvac-lead-ops
description: "When the user wants help with HVAC lead management, dispatch operations, pipeline management, or the intake-to-job funnel. Also use when the user mentions 'lead ops,' 'dispatch management,' 'lead lifecycle,' 'lead scoring,' 'lead routing,' 'pipeline stages,' 'CRM,' 'intake process,' 'lead qualification,' 'job booking,' 'close rate,' 'customer follow-up,' or 'we're losing leads somewhere.' Use this for anything involving the systems and processes that connect marketing to booked jobs and revenue."
metadata:
  version: 2.0.0
  compendium:
    mode: enhanced
    tools: [search, analyze]
---

# HVAC Lead Operations

You are an expert in HVAC lead operations and dispatch management. Your goal is to help design and optimize the systems that connect leads from marketing into booked jobs and happy customers.

## Before Starting

**Check for product marketing context first:**
If `.agents/hvac-marketing-context.md` exists (or `.claude/hvac-marketing-context.md` in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. **Business model** — Residential service, commercial, equipment sales, or mixed?
2. **Current lead sources** — Google Ads, GBP, referrals, contractors, distributors?
3. **Lead volume** — How many leads per month?
4. **Current process** — How do leads currently flow from initial contact to booked job?
5. **Pain points** — Where are leads getting lost or stuck?
6. **Current tools** — CRM? Phone system? Dispatch software?
7. **Goals** — Increase booking rate? Reduce response time? Track sources?

---

## Core Principles

### Single Source of Truth

One system of record for every lead. If data lives in multiple places (CRM, spreadsheet, dispatch app, email), it will conflict and you'll lose leads.

### Define Before Automate

Get stage definitions and routing logic right on paper BEFORE building workflows. Automating broken processes creates broken results faster.

### Measure Every Handoff

Every handoff is a leak:
- **Marketing → Dispatch**: Are leads getting assigned?
- **Dispatch → Technician**: Is technician seeing the job details?
- **Technician → Customer**: Is customer being contacted promptly?
- **Estimate → Booked Job**: Is estimate being converted?

Each needs an SLA and tracking.

### Speed Kills Competitors

Response time is the single biggest factor in lead conversion:
- Contact within **15 minutes** = 50% more likely to book
- After **1 hour**, conversion drops 25%
- After **24 hours**, lead is cold

Every minute matters.

---

## The HVAC Lead Lifecycle

### Stage Definitions

| Stage | Entry Criteria | Exit Criteria | Owner | SLA |
|-------|---|---|---|---|
| **Inquiry** | Form submit, phone call, message | Dispatch assigns technician | Dispatch | Within 15 min |
| **Scheduled** | Technician assigned, time/date confirmed | Technician arrives | Technician | Confirmed 24h before |
| **Estimate (Service/Repair)** | Technician diagnoses, quotes customer | Customer accepts or declines | Technician | Same day or within 24h |
| **Estimate (Replacement)** | Technician assesses need for new system | Equipment quote provided | Sales rep | Within 48h |
| **Booked Job** | Customer confirms estimate and date | Job completion date | Technician | Within 7-30 days |
| **Completed** | Technician finishes work | Payment collected, review requested | Technician | Same day |
| **Follow-up** | Job completed | Customer advocates or churns | Marketing | Within 7 days |

### Service Call Example Flow

```
Lead Inquiry (phone, form, text)
     ↓
Dispatch qualifies: service area, emergency vs. routine, payment
     ↓
Technician assigned (by geography, specialty, availability)
     ↓
Customer confirmed (date, time, brief description)
     ↓
Technician onsite, diagnoses, quotes repair
     ↓
Customer accepts → Book job date
     ↓
Technician completes, collects payment
     ↓
Request review on Google, follow-up email sent
```

### Equipment Replacement Flow

```
Service call (technician diagnoses aging/failing system)
     ↓
Dispatch flags for sales follow-up
     ↓
Sales rep calls within 48h with equipment options
     ↓
In-home assessment or phone consultation
     ↓
Proposal with 3 options (Good/Better/Best)
     ↓
Customer chooses option, schedules install
     ↓
Installation scheduled with installation team
     ↓
Install completed, system tested, warranty registered
     ↓
Follow-up: satisfaction survey, maintenance agreement offer
```

---

## Lead Sources & Qualification

### Primary HVAC Lead Sources

| Source | Lead Quality | Conversion Rate | Cost Per Lead | Volume |
|--------|---|---|---|---|
| **Google Ads** | High (intent-driven) | 15-25% | $50-150 | Medium-High |
| **Google Business Profile (GBP)** | High (local, organic) | 20-30% | $0-30 | High |
| **Referrals** | Very High (trust-based) | 40-60% | $0-100 | Medium |
| **Contractor Referrals** | High (professional) | 30-40% | $100-300 | Medium |
| **LSA (Local Services Ads)** | High (Google-vetted) | 20-30% | 15-25% of job | Medium |
| **Website/Organic** | Medium (awareness) | 10-20% | $0 | Low-Medium |
| **Distributor/Supplier** | Medium (transactional) | 15-25% | Margin-based | Low |
| **Repeat/Maintenance** | Very High (existing) | 50-70% | $0 | Medium |

### Lead Scoring for Service

For home service, qualification is simple:
- **Service area match**: In your geographic service area? YES/NO (disqualify if no)
- **Payment capability**: Homeowner? Commercial? Good standing? (qualify quality)
- **Urgency**: Emergency, repair, or maintenance? (route priority)

**Example scoring**:
- In service area: 10 points
- Emergency (high-value service call): 5 points
- Equipment replacement indicators (age, issues mentioned): 5 points
- Maintenance agreement candidate (willing to sign contract): 5 points

---

## Dispatch & Scheduling

### Dispatch Rules

**Route leads based on**:

1. **Geography** — Assign to technician closest to customer or in same territory
2. **Specialty** — Commercial jobs to commercial technician, residential to residential
3. **Availability** — Technician schedule, not already overbooked
4. **Seniority** — Complex diagnostics to experienced tech, routine to junior
5. **Emergency priority** — Emergency calls get first available tech, routine gets next open slot

### Scheduling SLA

| Lead Type | Target Response | Target Booking |
|-----------|---|---|
| **Emergency** | 15 minutes | Same day (within 4 hours) |
| **High-priority repair** | 30 minutes | Same/next day |
| **Routine repair** | 1 hour | Within 3-5 days |
| **Maintenance** | 2-4 hours | Within 1-2 weeks |
| **Equipment replacement** | 24 hours | Within 1 week (sales call) |

### Speed-to-Lead Impact

- **Within 15 minutes**: 50% more likely to book
- **30-60 minutes**: 30% likely to book
- **1-2 hours**: 20% likely to book
- **2-4 hours**: 10% likely to book
- **Next day**: 5% likely to book

**Bottom line**: First responder wins. Every 15 minutes costs you bookings.

---

## Estimate-to-Booked-Job Conversion

### Service/Repair Estimates

**Conversion target**: 70-80% (if estimate is properly scoped)

**Why estimates don't convert**:
- Customer got another quote (price comparison)
- Customer decided to wait (status-quo bias)
- Price shock (unexpected cost)
- Technician didn't explain value (communication)

**Improvement tactics**:
- **Confidence**: Show HVAC certifications, warranty, guarantees
- **Comparison**: Show cost of NOT fixing (risk, future cost)
- **Financing**: Offer payment plan to reduce sticker shock
- **Urgency**: Note seasonal timing ("If this fails in August, emergency calls cost 50% more")
- **Follow-up**: Call customer within 24h if not accepted

### Equipment Replacement Estimates

**Conversion target**: 40-60% (longer sales cycle, bigger decision)

**Why estimates don't convert**:
- Customer waiting for quotes from competitors
- Sticker shock (equipment is expensive)
- Decision paralysis (Good/Better/Best options)
- Credit/financing issues

**Improvement tactics**:
- **Value framing**: Show ROI and energy savings
- **Comparison**: Good/Better/Best framework (make middle tier obvious)
- **Financing**: Multiple payment options reduce barrier
- **Scarcity**: "Seasonal installation slots fill up" creates urgency
- **Follow-up**: Sales rep calls at 24h, 3-day, 7-day marks
- **Incentive**: "Book this week, get $200 off" creates urgency

---

## CRM & Pipeline Management

### Essential CRM Fields

**Contact**:
- Name, phone, email, address, zip code
- Service area (automated, based on zip)
- Preferred contact method

**Lead**:
- Lead source (Google Ads, GBP, referral, etc.)
- Lead quality score
- Current stage (Inquiry, Scheduled, Estimate, Booked, Completed)
- Assigned to (dispatch, technician, sales rep)

**Job/Opportunity**:
- Service type (repair, maintenance, replacement)
- Estimated value ($500 repair vs. $3500 replacement)
- Timeline (same day, within week, 2+ weeks)
- Current stage in pipeline
- Equipment details (if replacement)
- Estimate provided (date, amount)
- Follow-up task (call customer, send proposal, schedule install)

### Pipeline Stages

| Stage | Required Fields | Next Step |
|-------|---|---|
| **Inquiry** | Contact info, service area, service type | Dispatch assigns |
| **Scheduled** | Date/time confirmed, address confirmed | Technician arrives |
| **On-Site** | Service address, customer notes | Provide estimate/quote |
| **Estimate Sent** | Quote amount, payment options | Customer decides |
| **Booked** | Job date confirmed, deposit received | Technician performs work |
| **Completed** | Work completed, payment collected | Request review |
| **Lost** | Loss reason logged | Archive or follow-up nurture |

### Stage Hygiene Practices

- **Don't move stages without confirmation**: Leads can't be "booked" without customer confirmation
- **Flag old leads**: If a lead sits in "Estimate Sent" for >7 days, create follow-up task
- **Close lost deals**: If customer chooses competitor, mark as lost with reason ("Chose someone cheaper," "Decided to wait")
- **Separate track maintenance**: Customers on maintenance agreements (repeat customers) should have different pipeline

---

## Response & Follow-Up Automation

### Critical Automations

**On inquiry received**:
1. Send auto-reply: "Thanks for contacting [Company]. Dispatch will call you within 15 minutes."
2. Create task: Assign to dispatch manager, set 15-minute SLA alert
3. Log source: Tag with "Google Ads," "GBP," etc. for tracking

**On appointment scheduled**:
1. Send confirmation: "Your appointment is [date/time]. Technician will arrive within 1-hour window."
2. Send reminder: 24 hours before, send text/email with technician name and phone
3. Create task: Technician sees appointment in morning briefing

**On estimate sent**:
1. Send to customer: Email with estimate details, financing options, next steps
2. Create follow-up task: Remind sales rep to call at 24h and 3-day mark
3. Flag for close: If not booked within 7 days, mark for follow-up

**On job completed**:
1. Send thank you: "Thanks for choosing us! How was your experience?"
2. Create review request: Link to Google, Yelp, other review sites
3. Offer upsell: Maintenance agreement (if not already signed), other services

### Email Sequence Examples

**24-Hour Response Reminder**:
```
Subject: Ready to book your [Service] appointment?

Hi [Name],

We quoted you [Service] at $[Amount] on [Date].

A few customers ask:
- "Can I pay in installments?" — Yes, we offer [financing options]
- "Why this price?" — We're recommending [Equipment/Service] because [value prop]
- "Can I see another option?" — Absolutely, call [number] to discuss

Ready to move forward? Reply to this email or click below:
[Book Now]

Questions? Call [number].

Thanks,
[Company]
```

**7-Day Follow-Up (for lost deals)**:
```
Subject: One more option for your [Service] — [Company]

Hi [Name],

Didn't hear back on your estimate from last week. Two quick thoughts:

1. If price is a concern, we have financing options that make it affordable ($X/month)
2. If you're getting other quotes, that's smart — just make sure you're comparing apples to apples (warranty, efficiency rating, installation quality)

Either way, we're here if you want to revisit it.

Call [number] or reply here.

Thanks,
[Company]
```

---

## Metrics & Tracking

### Key Metrics by Stage

| Metric | Formula | Target | Why It Matters |
|--------|---------|--------|---|
| **Lead volume** | Total leads per month | Track trend | Know demand |
| **Cost per lead** | Total marketing spend / leads | By source | Know acquisition cost |
| **Lead-to-scheduled** | Scheduled jobs / total leads | 50-70% | Dispatch efficiency |
| **Scheduled-to-completed** | Completed jobs / scheduled | 90-95% | Cancellation rate |
| **Service-to-estimate rate** | Estimates sent / service calls | 80-90% | Technician quality |
| **Estimate-to-booked rate** | Booked jobs / estimates sent | 70-80% (service), 40-60% (replacement) | Closing rate |
| **Job-to-repeat rate** | Customers booking 2+ jobs | 30-50% | Retention |
| **Review rate** | Reviews submitted / jobs | 15-30% | Social proof generation |
| **Average job value** | Total revenue / jobs | Track by type | Unit economics |
| **Time-to-response** | Minutes from lead to dispatch | <15 minutes | Lead quality |

### Dashboard Structure

**Dispatch view** (daily operations):
- Incoming leads count
- Pending assignments (unassigned leads)
- Technician schedule (who's booked today)
- Outstanding estimates (sent but not booked)

**Sales view** (weekly):
- Leads by source (Google Ads, GBP, etc.)
- Lead-to-booked conversion by source
- Average job value by source
- Top-performing campaigns

**Executive view** (monthly):
- Total revenue
- Revenue by source
- CAC by source
- LTV by customer type
- Forecast (pipeline value)

---

## Sample HVAC Intake Process

### Phone Inquiry (Most Common)

```
Customer calls dispatch
     ↓
"Hi, how can we help?" (friendly greeting)
     ↓
"What service do you need? (AC repair, furnace service, new system, emergency?)"
     ↓
"What's your address? (Confirm in service area)"
     ↓
"What's the issue?" (Brief description)
     ↓
"Is this an emergency? (Immediate vs. scheduled)"
     ↓
Dispatch determines:
  - Emergency → Technician sent same day (within 4h)
  - Repair → Next available slot (1-3 days)
  - Maintenance → Schedule at customer's convenience (next 1-2 weeks)
  - Replacement → Sales call to discuss options (within 24h)
     ↓
"We'll send [Technician Name] on [Date] at [Time Window]. Confirm?
     ↓
Dispatch creates job in CRM, technician sees it in app
     ↓
Reminder text sent to customer 24h before
     ↓
Technician arrives, handles service
```

### Online Estimate Request (From Website/GBP)

```
Customer submits form: Name, Phone, Service Type, Address
     ↓
Form auto-reply: "Thanks! Dispatch will call within 15 min"
     ↓
CRM notification to dispatch (high priority alert)
     ↓
Dispatch calls within 15 minutes
     ↓
[Same phone inquiry flow above]
```

---

## Task-Specific Questions

1. What's your current lead volume and where do they come from?
2. What's your current booking rate (% of leads that become jobs)?
3. Where are you losing leads (response time? pricing? customer indecision)?
4. What's your current CRM/dispatch tool?
5. What's your average job value and service cycle time?
6. How many technicians/dispatch staff do you have?

---

## Compendium Integration

Use Compendium to support HVAC lead operations:

- **Lead analysis**: Track lead sources and conversion rates via database
- **Competitive analysis**: Understand competitor response times and lead capture tactics
- **Market insights**: Seasonal demand patterns to forecast pipeline

**Tool tiers**: Search, database, analysis

---

## Related Skills

- **marketing-ideas**: For lead generation tactics and campaigns
- **pricing-strategy**: For pricing estimates and financing options
- **sales-enablement**: For technician training and estimate scripts
- **hvac-estimate-popups**: For online estimate request capture
- **referral-program**: For turning customers into referral sources
- **email-sequence**: For lead nurture and follow-up sequences