How Quote Templates Changed Our Speed-to-Lead
One of the simplest things we did in Jobber was build out quote templates for the services we sell most often. Before that, every quote took a little more thought than it should have. What service are they asking for? Which line items do I need? What wording should I use? Did I include the same details I included on the last quote? None of those things are difficult, but they create friction. Once we built templates around our normal services, sending a quote became much faster and more consistent. That matters because speed-to-lead matters. If someone requests a quote from you and three other companies, the business that gets back to them quickly with something clear and professional already has an advantage. Templates also helped us standardize what the customer sees. Pricing, scope, expectations, and options aren't being recreated from scratch every time. We can still customize when the job requires it, but the repetitive part is already done. It’s one of those small Jobber features that doesn’t sound exciting, but over hundreds of quotes it adds up to a lot of saved time. Do you have templates built for most of what you sell, or are you still building quotes individually?
How To Handle Online Booking Without Clients Choosing Unavailable Times?
We have always struggled with allowing our clients to book their services online, as they pick days/times that don't work for our crews. But then expect us to uphold what they picked. We would love to be able to have our client's self-book as that way most of the work is done for us (job created, information from client is in there, they know it's in the system). What do other irrigation companies do? Do they use the online booking system?The Customer Notes That Protect Our Technicians
One of the simplest ways we use Jobber is also one of the most important. Customer notes and instructions on jobs. We document things like: gate instructions and what side of the house the gate is on How many dogs they have dogs that need to be secured aggressive dog history property quirks access issues areas to avoid anything that could affect how the technician enters or completes the job If multiple people need to receive the "On The Way" message That information matters a lot more once the owner isn’t the one servicing every property. I’ve had situations where employees were put in unsafe environments because a customer didn’t properly secure a dog. I’ve also been bitten myself. So I don’t want safety information living in someone’s memory or buried in a text thread. If a technician is going to a property, they should be able to open the job and know what they’re walking into before they ever open the gate. That protects the employee, the customer, and the business. What do other owners document in customer notes that your team absolutely needs before arriving on site?When High-Maintenance Customers Cost More Than They Pay
I’ve had customers who looked perfectly fine when I only looked at the monthly revenue. Then I looked at everything surrounding the account. Extra calls. Special scheduling. Repeated exceptions. More office time. More technician questions. More follow-up after the visit. That changes the math. A customer can pay a decent rate and still be a poor fit if the account constantly pulls attention away from the rest of the business. I’ve gotten better about watching for that earlier instead of waiting until I’m frustrated with the relationship. Sometimes a clearer boundary fixes it or the price needs to change. And sometimes I’d rather free up the capacity for a customer who fits the way we operate. Have you ever looked at a customer and realized the revenue wasn’t worth everything that came with it?How Would You Handle a Customer Trying To Blame You For Another Person's Work?
So here's the situation - we had a customer we did a handyman punch list for. She previously had some really bad work done at her house and we were fixing their mistakes. Almost 10 month later - She claims that we installed a cooktop using silicone however my guys take very diligent notes and pictures and I have no record of that installation happening. I double checked with the guys and they didn't do it. Something like that would have taken some time and they would have remembered. Honestly I don't mind losing her as a client because she's wasted a lot of my time having my quote jobs she didn't end up doing but how do you tell someone she's mistaken when she is very sure we did it. I thought about sending her screen shots of our time stamped notes but I can't tell if she lying or not. What would you do?The Jobber Automations I’d Set Up Earlier
If I were starting over, I’d automate the boring follow-up work much sooner. A few that have made a real difference for us: quote follow-ups invoice reminders automatically archiving old quotes email marketing automations after a job has been closed for X period of time and they have not signed up for recurring work Early on, I spent too much time manually chasing things that should have been handled by the system. The bigger benefit wasn’t just saving time. It made the customer experience more consistent because follow-up didn’t depend on me remembering who needed a reminder that day. I still think automation needs oversight. I learned that the hard way when a messaging issue contributed to our only 1-star Google review. But used well, it takes repetitive admin off your plate and keeps leads and invoices from slipping through the cracks. What’s one Jobber automation you wish you had set up sooner?What ai/automated workflows do you use for your home service business?
I want to better implement AI into my landscaping business out in Arizona. What workflows do you use to better help everything run smoothly or save time? Here's what I have going so far: Field crew uses ChatGPT or Claude to troubleshoot issues I use it for rough calculations of the material and time it will take for the job writing specific contracts for customers Handling mistakes on projects when it comes to client communication Training manuals and internal SOP creation Captions and storyboards for social media posts Ad copy for marketing Financial analyzation for profit and growth Finding gaps in my business for course correctionWhat do customers think about Jobber's AI receptionist?
We are considering jobbers AI Receptionist for our busy firewood sales & Service business. My husband is hesitant to use it because our main customer base is rural, conservative minded individuals that are more likely to be distrustful of AI. I also take a lot of time to connect with my customers & explain why we are different or better than other options. Part of what customers love about us is that we are a family business and we work hard to build connections and relationships. I feel like ai is everywhere now and people are used to it but I do have people tell me often how nice it is to talk to a person. On the other hand I do miss a lot of calls and don’t want to miss opportunities. Has anyone heard feedback from customers on whether they like it or not?How Fast Do You Pick Up a Phone Call or Call Someone Back After a Missed Call?
Curious how everyone here handles this, because a new Jobber survey of recent homebuyers turned up a stat that stuck with me: 15% had to follow up repeatedly just to get a response from a contractor 9% never heard back at all Losing potential business due to something that is not a pricing problem or a skill problem should be a wake up call. In a world where 75% of new homeowners hire a pro within their first two years of buying, being the one who calls back first might be the easiest job you win all week! So, what's your business standard? Do you answer within a certain time frame or let it go to voicemail and call back same day? Are there systems set up so nothing slips through the cracks? 👉 Recent Homebuyer Report: It's got homeowner quotes on what made them trust (or ditch) a contractor, plus a breakdown of how each generation actually finds a pro.
Best way to handle inbound calls to company line?
Curious yalls thoughts. Looking to not just grow, looking to scale and improve / continue to implement systems. Currently have myself, 1 outside sales rep, and field labor crew (fence install company) current process: customer calls into company # (my cell phone). I try to answer as if it were an office line to answer asap. From that, I confirm I can Text them, I then send a request form via jobber that has basic info / few questions to answer. If / when they fill it out, I add to the schedule for a confirmed day / time to quote on site. etc…… I feel this part is a lot of back and forth, and until I have an in house admin office worker that can answer these calls the first ring - I won’t be able to truly grow / stay efficient. (If I’m tied up, I don’t like calling them back 2 hours later, etc) but also - I love having them fill out the form bc the way I have questions on it, it turns it from a warm lead, to a warmer lead. Any way to streamline this, get more efficient, improve this current process? ANY thoughts or advice - real thankful.
