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Goal
Respond to every new lead within 2 business hours during the day, and by the next morning if it comes in overnight. The faster the first response, the higher the close rate.
Steps
- Acknowledge fast. Send a short reply within 2 hours. Even if you can't quote yet, let them know you saw it and when you'll get back with details.
- Use the Nextdoor script. Pull from the message scripts library. Pick the right variant: handyman, contractor, or landlord/PM-search.
- Add to CRM immediately. Even before they respond. Create the contact, set Lead Source, mark Status = Active. Log the first activity.
- Ask for what you need. If photos or measurements are needed for a quote, ask in the first message — don't make them go back and forth.
- Set a follow-up date. If they don't reply within 48 hours, log a follow-up activity in the CRM with a "Pending" status and Next Action Date.
Why it matters
Lead response time is the #1 predictor of close rate in service businesses. A response inside 2 hours is 7x more likely to convert than one inside 24 hours.
Standard First Message
Hey [Name], saw your post — I'm Derrick with Koehler Home Services here in New Braunfels. Happy to help with this one. Send me a few photos or a bit more detail and I'll get you a quote. Text 210-446-9745 or check out koehlerhomeservices.com. Thanks for considering local!
Checklist
First 24 hours
- Reply within 2 hours (or by next morning if after hours)
- Add contact to CRM
- Log first activity
- Ask for photos / details / measurements
- Set follow-up date if no response in 48 hrs
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When to use which tool
- Lightning Fix ($50) — Single small task, under 30 min, no parts trip. Garbage disposal reset, mounting a TV bracket, replacing a doorknob.
- Half Day ($250) — Multi-task or 2–4 hours of work. Use Estimator for material list if parts are involved.
- Full Day ($450) — 8 hours or one larger project. Always use Estimator with line items.
- Custom Project Quote — Anything over a day, anything with subs, anything insurance/foundation/structural. Build with Estimator + custom markup.
Steps to build a quote
- Open the Estimator from the Hub
- Fill in client info from CRM (copy/paste — we keep the source of truth in CRM)
- Add line items: labor first, materials second
- For subcontracted work: add as "sub" category, apply markup percentage (default 15%, adjust by job)
- Review totals, generate PDF
- Send PDF via email or text within 1 business day of site visit
- Update job in CRM with Stage = "Estimate Sent" and Probability = 0.6
No-Warranty Disclaimers
For cosmetic work tied to foundation issues or structural risk, ALWAYS include the no-warranty disclaimer. We don't warrant cosmetic patches over moving substrates.
Pricing principles
- Time honestly. If a job will take 6 hours, quote a Full Day. Don't undercut.
- Mark up subs transparently. 15% standard, 20% on coordination-heavy jobs.
- Materials at retail. We don't make money on materials; we make it on labor and PM. Pass through retail with no markup unless agreed otherwise.
- Legacy customers get legacy prices. Kelli, Tracy, Cathy stay at their grandfathered Full Day rate of $300. Note in CRM.
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Standard cadence
- Day 1: Initial response and first quote (if possible)
- Day 3: First follow-up if no response — short check-in, no pressure
- Day 7: Second follow-up — offer to revise quote or answer questions
- Day 14: Final follow-up — let them know we'll close their file but they can re-engage anytime
- Day 21: Mark as Lost in CRM with reason
Always log it
Every follow-up gets logged in the CRM as an Activity with Next Action Date. The dashboard surfaces overdue follow-ups so nothing falls through.
Sample follow-up message
Hey [Name], just circling back on the [job description] quote. Want me to revise anything or answer questions? No rush either way.
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15 minutes before arrival
- Text the customer: "On my way, ETA [time]."
- Confirm address in CRM is correct
- Review job description and any photos
On arrival
First 5 minutes
- Park considerately — don't block driveways or mailboxes
- Knock and announce yourself by name and company
- Wear the Koehler shirt or branded apparel
- Bring iPad with the work order open
- Greet pets first if they come to the door — earn trust early
- Confirm scope verbally before starting
- Photo: take a "before" shot for documentation
Setup
- Lay drop cloth in the work area
- Move/cover any nearby furniture or belongings
- Confirm where the closest outlet, water shutoff, and breaker box are
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Before calling the customer over
- Clean up — drop cloth folded, materials hauled out, work area swept
- Take "after" photos for the CRM
- Test everything yourself — flush the toilet, switch the light, open the door
- If anything's not perfect, fix it before they see it
The walkthrough
- Walk them through the work, point by point
- Demonstrate function (test it together)
- Explain anything they should know — caulk cure time, paint cure time, care instructions
- Ask: "Is there anything else you noticed while I was here?"
- Mention referrals: "If you know someone who needs help, I'd appreciate the introduction."
Why we walkthrough
Walkthroughs prevent callbacks. If something's wrong, we catch it now while the truck is still in the driveway. Also: a customer who watches you stand behind your work is a customer who refers you.
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Standard flow
- End of walkthrough: "Alright, I'll send the invoice over now — Square will text you the link."
- Generate invoice in Square on the spot, send while standing there
- Most customers pay before you leave — easy and quick
- Update CRM job: Stage = Paid, Actual Invoice = amount
If they want to pay later
- Net 7 default — invoice today, due in 7 days
- Net 15 for repeat customers and PM partners
- Send Square link, follow up at day 5 if not paid
Big jobs over $1,000
Always take 50% deposit before starting. Document in CRM activity. Balance due on completion.
Red flags
New customer + insists on paying after work + no deposit + larger job = caution. Use deposit as a filter, not a rule. If they push back hard on a deposit, walk away.
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Daily rules
- Every new lead → contact in CRM same day. Even if you don't know if they'll book.
- Every conversation → activity logged. Text, call, email, site visit. Two clicks.
- Every quote sent → job created with Stage = Estimate Sent.
- Every job booked → update Stage and add Expected Close Date.
- Every paid job → Actual Invoice filled in, Stage = Paid.
Weekly rules
- Review Dashboard every Monday morning
- Clear all overdue follow-ups (do them or mark Lost)
- Export backup every Sunday night
Why this matters
The CRM is only as good as what's in it. Five minutes of discipline per day saves hours of "where did that customer's number go?" later. The dashboard tells you the truth about your business — but only if the data is current.
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Open the CRM Dashboard and check
- Last week's revenue — Did we hit target?
- Pipeline value — Is there enough booked + quoted to cover next 2 weeks?
- Overdue follow-ups — Clear them all today.
- Effective hourly rate — Is it at $75 or higher? If not, why?
- Lead sources — Where did this week's new contacts come from? Double down on what's working.
Action items
- Schedule any overdue follow-ups
- Send any quotes that are sitting in draft
- Confirm scheduled jobs for the week
- Order any materials you'll need
- Export CRM backup
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What she handles
- Nextdoor lead-finding and tagging Derrick on relevant posts
- Home Refresh services (when assigned in Square)
- Light cleaning, organization, linen changes
- Small repairs and light painting
- Communication with the customer during a Home Refresh visit
What Derrick handles
- All quoting and pricing decisions
- Customer communication for new leads and quotes
- All handyman / repair / project work
- CRM data entry (for now)
- Scheduling and dispatch
How we hand off
- Djemilah finds a relevant Nextdoor post → tags Derrick in comments
- Derrick replies using the script, takes the lead
- If it converts to a Home Refresh job, Derrick assigns Djemilah in Square backend
- Djemilah gets the booking notification, knows the address, time, and scope
Communication
Djemilah and Derrick check in by text once a day during a job week. Anything urgent goes by phone, not text.
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Home Refresh — Half ($250)
Up to 4 hours, focused on light interior refresh:
- Light cleaning of common areas (dusting, surface wipe-down, vacuuming)
- Linen changes and bed-making
- Organization of one room or area
- Small repairs (loose handles, doorstops, picture hanging)
- Light touch-up painting (single wall or trim section, customer-supplied paint)
Home Refresh — Full ($450)
Up to 8 hours, deeper service:
- Everything in Half
- Full-home light cleaning
- Multi-room organization
- Multiple small repairs
- Touch-up painting in multiple areas
- Closet/pantry organization
What's NOT included
- Deep cleaning (carpets, ovens, baseboards) — refer to a cleaning service
- Major painting projects — this is handyman work, quoted separately
- Plumbing or electrical repairs — Derrick only
- Outdoor work — quoted separately
Quality standard
Customer should walk in and feel a clear lift in the home. Not just clean — refreshed. That's the bar.
