Being booked out for weeks—or even months—while leads continue to roll in may seem like a good problem to have. After all, high demand is a good indication that your Business is doing something right. However, if incoming leads are not handled properly, you can end up with a serious, and potentially long-term, problem.
Ignoring calls, responding slowly, or giving vague answers about scheduling can damage your reputation and cost you future work. That’s why it’s imperative to manage demand professionally.
Respond Quickly
One of the biggest mistakes contractors make when they’re busy is delaying or ignoring new inquiries. Remember, the inquiring homeowner has no idea your schedule is full. Failure to respond is likely to put your Company on the “never call again and say bad things about them on social media” list. An ironic result, given the cause.
You should respond to these leads as quickly as you would when your workflow is running normally. That is, within 24 hours (or less). After thanking the homeowner for contacting you, clearly explain your current scheduling concerns. Be honest and specific about the potential timeline. Despite your desire to be positive, do not overpromise.
Capture Every Lead
Even if you are over capacity when a lead comes in, it’s important to capture as much information as possible from each homeowner and add them to your prospect list. This enables you to follow up professionally and stay in touch once your schedule returns to normal.
The challenge is deciding how to meet the homeowner’s needs while maximizing the benefits for your Business. Understanding how closely each new lead fits in with your core services may help you determine the best course of action. If the project is a good fit, you can attempt to keep it in-house. In many cases, however, the required schedule or project type makes a referral the appropriate choice.
Creating and Managing a Wait List
To keep quality projects in your Business, consider creating a formalized wait list for homeowners who are comfortable putting their project on hold. While this solution is far better than simply saying, “call us back later,” you must be serious about setting expectations, managing the list and maintaining communications.
Refer with Care
Sending a potential Customer to a competitor can be worrisome. It can also be a valuable way to establish goodwill and strengthen your reputation. The best way to proceed is to build a vetted "referral network" of trusted, complementary providers. Developing a formal referral agreement is a good way to pass leads (both ways) while ensuring quality control to protect your reputation.
Seek Long-Term Solutions
If an overburdened schedule becomes a consistent concern, it may signal the need to examine, and perhaps change, certain aspects of how you manage your Business.
You may be able to take on more work by improving efficiency. Spend time observing and reviewing daily operations, both in the office and in the field. Determine if there are processes that can be streamlined. Ask your team for suggestions and reward the best ones.
Technology can be a source of significant productivity and efficiency improvements. Solutions such as CRM and project management software can help you handle scheduling, client communications, tracking, and more. There are many other advanced programs and systems available to support Business management and onsite work. It’s worth spending time researching the latest tech. For example, an integrated financing solution is a surprisingly simple way to improve your operational efficiency while also improving your Customer’s experience.
Review your Pricing Model
Consistent excess demand may signal the need to review your pricing model. The key word here is “consistent.” Revising your pricing model may enable you to prioritize more lucrative jobs, at the expense of less profitable work.
It’s Only a Good Problem if you Handle It Correctly
Being booked solid is only a good problem if it’s handled professionally. Clear communication and tools like financing help protect your reputation and build a strong pipeline. If done right, you can stay in demand for new and repeat Customers alike.
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