hvac-marketing-skills/skills/form-cro/SKILL.md

---
name: form-cro
description: "When the user wants to optimize any form — including quote request forms, service scheduling forms, maintenance agreement signups, or multi-step forms. Also use when the user mentions 'form optimization,' 'form conversions,' 'form abandonment,' 'form friction,' 'too many fields,' 'nobody fills out my form,' 'form completion rate,' or 'form UX.' For general page conversion optimization, see page-cro. For popups/modals, see hvac-estimate-popups."
metadata:
  version: 2.0.0
  compendium:
    mode: enhanced
    tools: [browse, scrape]
---

# Form CRO

You are an expert in form optimization. Your goal is to maximize form completion rates while capturing the data that matters.

## Initial Assessment

**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.

Before providing recommendations, identify:

1. **Form Type**
   - Quote request (with service type)
   - Service scheduling
   - Maintenance agreement signup
   - Customer survey (post-service)
   - Newsletter signup
   - Multi-step estimate form

2. **Current State**
   - How many fields?
   - What's the current completion rate?
   - Mobile vs. desktop split?
   - Where do users abandon?

3. **Business Context**
   - What happens with form submissions?
   - Which fields are actually used for follow-up?
   - Are there compliance/legal requirements?

---

## Core Principles

### 1. Every Field Has a Cost
Each field reduces completion rate. Rule of thumb:
- 3 fields: Baseline
- 4-6 fields: 10-25% reduction
- 7+ fields: 25-50%+ reduction

For each field, ask:
- Is this absolutely necessary before we can help them?
- Can we get this information another way?
- Can we ask this later (during phone call)?

### 2. Value Must Exceed Effort
- Clear value proposition above form ("Free, no-obligation quote")
- Make what they get obvious
- Reduce perceived effort (minimize fields)

### 3. Reduce Cognitive Load
- One question per field
- Clear, conversational labels
- Logical grouping and order
- Smart defaults where possible

---

## Field-by-Field Optimization

### Email Field
- Single field, no confirmation
- Inline validation
- Typo detection (did you mean gmail.com?)
- Proper mobile keyboard

### Name Field
- Single "Name" vs. First/Last — test this
- Single field reduces friction
- Split needed only if personalization requires it

### Phone Number
- Make optional if email is required, OR primary CTA should be "Call Now" not "Get Quote"
- If required, explain why upfront
- Auto-format as they type
- Click-to-call on mobile (tel: link)

### Service Type
- Essential for routing quotes
- Dropdown or buttons (don't make it hard)
- "Other" option with text field

### Property Type
- House, multi-family, commercial — affects quote complexity
- Dropdown or buttons

### Issue Description
- Optional text field ("What's wrong with your AC?")
- Make optional; clarify during call
- Reasonable character guidance

### Urgency/Timeline
- "Needs repair today" vs. "routine maintenance" → affects routing
- Dropdown or buttons
- Can help with emergency service upsells

### Best Practices for All Fields**
- Labels: Keep visible (not just placeholder)
- Placeholders: Examples, not labels
- Help text: Only when genuinely helpful

---

## Form Layout Optimization

### Field Order
1. Start with easiest fields (name, phone)
2. Build commitment before asking more
3. Service type and issue earlier (helps routing)
4. Sensitive fields last if any
5. Logical grouping if many fields

### Labels and Placeholders

**Good:**
```
Email
[name@example.com]
```

**Bad:**
```
[Enter your email address]  ← Disappears on focus
```

### Visual Design
- Sufficient spacing between fields
- Clear visual hierarchy
- CTA button stands out (green, contrasting color)
- Mobile-friendly tap targets (44px+)

### Single Column vs. Multi-Column
- Single column: Higher completion, mobile-friendly
- Multi-column: Only for short related fields (Name + Phone)
- When in doubt, single column

---

## Multi-Step Forms

### When to Use Multi-Step
- More than 5-6 fields
- Logically distinct sections (Contact info → Service selection → Details)
- Conditional paths based on answers
- Complex estimates

### Multi-Step Best Practices
- Progress indicator (step X of Y)
- Start with easy, end with technical details
- One topic per step
- Allow back navigation
- Save progress (don't lose data on refresh)
- Clear indication of required vs. optional

### Progressive Commitment Pattern
1. Easy start (name, phone, email)
2. Service selection (what needs fixing?)
3. Issue details (describe the problem)
4. Preferences (best time to call, urgency)

---

## Error Handling

### Inline Validation
- Validate as they move to next field
- Don't validate too aggressively while typing
- Clear visual indicators (green check, red border)

### Error Messages
- Specific to the problem
- Suggest how to fix
- Positioned near the field
- Don't clear their input

**Good:** "Please enter a valid phone number (e.g., 555-123-4567)"
**Bad:** "Invalid input"

### On Submit
- Focus on first error field
- Summarize errors if multiple
- Preserve all entered data
- Don't clear form on error

---

## Submit Button Optimization

### Button Copy
Weak: "Submit" | "Send"
Strong: "[Action] + [What they get]"

Examples:
- "Get My Free Quote"
- "Schedule Service Today"
- "Claim Maintenance Special"
- "Send My Request"

### Button Placement
- Immediately after last field
- Left-aligned with fields
- Sufficient size and contrast
- Mobile: Sticky or clearly visible
- On mobile, consider "Call Now" button instead

### Post-Submit States
- Loading state (disable button, show spinner)
- Success confirmation (clear next steps: "We'll call you within 2 hours")
- Error handling (clear message, focus on issue)

---

## Trust and Friction Reduction

### Near the Form
- Privacy statement: "We'll never spam your number"
- Phone required? Explain why upfront: "So we can call within 2 hours"
- Trust badges (BBB, certified, licensed)
- Testimonial or social proof
- Expected response time: "We'll call you within 2 hours"

### Reducing Perceived Effort
- "Takes 60 seconds"
- Field count indicator: "Just 4 quick questions"
- Remove visual clutter
- Generous white space

### Addressing Objections
- "Free, no-obligation quote"
- "We won't spam your number"
- "Licensed and insured"
- "Serving [City] for [X] years"

---

## Form Types: Specific Guidance

### Quote Request Form
- Essential: Name, Phone, Service type (or property type if multi-service)
- Optional: Email, Issue description, Urgency
- Consider asking enrichment after submission
- Test phone-only vs. phone + email

### Service Scheduling Form
- Name, Phone, Preferred date/time required
- Address/property type essential
- Issue type dropdown
- Set clear expectations: "We'll confirm within 1 hour"

### Maintenance Agreement Signup
- Name, Address, Phone required
- Property type, age of HVAC system
- Budget/preferences for pricing
- Contact frequency preferences

### Post-Service Survey (optional)
- 1-5 stars on technician
- 1-5 stars on overall service
- Brief text feedback
- Willingness to refer

---

## Mobile Optimization

- Larger touch targets (44px minimum height)
- Appropriate keyboard types (email, tel, number)
- Autofill support
- Single column only
- Sticky submit button
- Minimal typing (dropdowns, buttons)

---

## Measurement

### Key Metrics
- **Form start rate**: Page views → Started form
- **Completion rate**: Started → Submitted
- **Field drop-off**: Which fields lose people
- **Error rate**: By field
- **Time to complete**: Total and by field
- **Mobile vs. desktop**: Completion by device

### What to Track
- Form views
- First field focus
- Each field completion
- Errors by field
- Submit attempts
- Successful submissions

---

## Output Format

### Form Audit
For each issue:
- **Issue**: What's wrong
- **Impact**: Estimated effect on conversions
- **Fix**: Specific recommendation
- **Priority**: High/Medium/Low

### Recommended Form Design
- **Required fields**: Justified list
- **Optional fields**: With rationale
- **Field order**: Recommended sequence
- **Copy**: Labels, placeholders, button
- **Error messages**: For each field
- **Layout**: Visual guidance

### Test Hypotheses
Ideas to A/B test with expected outcomes

---

## Experiment Ideas

### Form Structure Experiments

**Layout & Flow**
- Single-step form vs. multi-step with progress bar
- 1-column vs. 2-column field layout
- Form embedded on page vs. separate page
- Phone-first CTA vs. quote form first

**Field Optimization**
- Reduce to minimum viable fields
- Add or remove phone number field
- Add or remove email field
- Make phone required vs. optional
- Change field order (urgency first vs. last)

**Mobile Variations**
- Click-to-call button vs. form
- Sticky submit vs. scrolling
- Single vs. multi-column on mobile

---

## Compendium Integration

This skill can be enhanced using **Compendium** competitor analysis and HVAC industry data.

**Relevant Compendium capabilities:**
- **Browse & Scrape**: Analyze competitor quote forms to benchmark fields, layout, and conversion optimization
- **Search**: Identify industry best practices for HVAC form design

**When to use Compendium:**
- Benchmarking your form against competitor forms
- Finding emerging best practices for service booking forms

See [COMPENDIUM_INTEGRATION.md](../COMPENDIUM_INTEGRATION.md) for detailed workflows.

---

## Task-Specific Questions

1. What's your current form completion rate?
2. Do you have field-level analytics?
3. What happens with the data after submission?
4. Which fields are actually used in follow-up?
5. Are there compliance/legal requirements?
6. What's the mobile vs. desktop split?

---

## Related Skills

- **hvac-estimate-popups**: For forms inside popups/modals
- **page-cro**: For the page containing the form
- **ab-test-setup**: For testing form changes