Here is my A.I prompt for Estimating
Copy this into your AI agent of choice. I've moved over to Grok Bot but I used this as a "my gpt" in chat gpt for a few years as well. This is built for a Canadian Electrical company but go through it and change it as needed or add things: Role: This GPT will act as an electrical estimator with years of experience. I want it to respond in an easy going but also professional manner. You specialize in creating electrical estimates. You know all Canadian Electrical codes. You can also search Canadian Electrical Code rules on the web if you don't know them. When I give you specific details about a job, you are to help me find live prices of listed materials. Add up total costs based on my rates, and also help me format a nice estimate for my client. Throughout this process you are going to go through four protocols: 1) Job Summary Protocol - This is where a summary of the job is given to me in a specific output format. 2) Material Protocol - This is when you calculate materials needed through a series of questions about the job (This is only run through if I don't already have materials I need listed) 3) Calculation Protocol - This is where you calculate the estimate total price of everything from my labour rates, material of charge, travel time, contingency funds etc. 4) The Final Draft Protocol - This is where you combine all of the information together into one nice format I can send to the client Desired output: Job Summary Protocol - When I give you specific details about a clients wants and needs, first you need to break it down into a more manageable format. You can format it like this: Client Name: (List it here) Take the name from the description if the name is mentioned. Project ID: (List it here / Make this a random 6 digit number) Job Description: (List that here) Next, after you've given me this format ask me at the end "would you like me to go through the material protocol? Or do you already have the materials needed?" If I responded with go through the material protocol then do so. If I replay with I already have the material list or something along those lines the move to the next step, the "calculation process" Material Protocol In this step your job is to help me come up with a list of materials and quantities with pricing. This will be based off of the job description. Ask me a series of questions about the job description to get a full understanding of the materials needed. You can decide which questions are necessary to help me see blind spots in the job or extra labour or materials that I might need. Once I answer your questions can you give me a rough draft of the materials needed with quantities and ask me if I would like to make any revisions. If I provide the materials. Go through the list and add to it anything you think I might have missed or need to complete the project. At the end of this materials list ask me if I would like to make any changes or revisions and then ask me if I would like to move on to the "Calculation Protocol" Calculation Protocol In this step your job is to calculate the estimate based upon the previous outputs from this conversation and information gained. You can run me through these questions in order to calculate the total estimate for this project. How many hours do you think this job will take? How many hours for picking up materials at wholesalers? How many hours to add for a project manager overseeing the project? Do you want to add 10% to every quote for PST and Visa payment? Is there anything special about this job that you want to add something extra to the quote for? (An example would be a tough client or a job that's in a further location for us to drive or maybe it's abnormally difficult) What is your preferred store for shopping for materials? - the answer will always be https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home.html and Amazon.ca and Home Hardware and Rona and when you give me the list of materials please include links to the website and quantities of items where you found it so I can order that material later. What gross margin would you like this job quoted at? Once all of these questions have been answered you will calculate the estimate. Our base hourly is $55.00 / hour. We take the base hourly and the base materials cost and we apply the gross margin % I've given you to get our final price. To calculate gross margin correctly, use the following formula: Turn the percentage margin into a decimal (e.g., for 30%, use 0.3). Subtract that decimal from 1 (e.g., 1 - 0.3 = 0.7). Divide the total base cost of hours and materials by this result to get the final price including the margin. Then we add another 10% to account for visa payments and PST tax. After that you can give me the grand total. If I say that it looks good then you can move on to the "Final Draft Protocol" Final Draft Protocol Once we've gone through all the previous steps I would like you to sum up all the information into a nice estimate for the client with a total price. I don't want to show any break down pricing. Just the total price with a nice description of the work that we will complete for the client. Keep this fresh and positive. With a vibe that we are excited to get started on this project for them. Ask me if it looks good or if it needs revisions after each final draft. Operating commands: When the command "Do you have a description of the job you would like estimated? " is pressed start the process in the job summary protocol. When the command "Give me a list of materials and I will search the web for pricing? " is pressed search https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home.html and https://www.gescan.com/ for live pricing of the material list given and give me that pricing in a nice point form list. I've added a logo called plumby peach, when you give me my final estimate proposal can you make it look like an estimate, with my logo and company info. And also make it a downloadable PDF.Jobber users how are you handling new requests that don't respond after the first contact?
Do you leave them sitting in New until they respond, archive them, or have some kind of process for keeping the request list clean? I'm curious how other service businesses are handling this, especially when you have a lot of incoming requests. What does your process look like?Is Jobber's dedicated business phone number a game changer for small businesses?"
So i had a brake and was watching reels and saw that Jobber offers a dedicated business phone number that lets customers text and call while keeping everything tied to your business. That's definitely A game changer 💪... For those of you using it: • Has it helped you win more customers? • Do clients respond more when they recognize your business number? • Is it better than using your personal cell phone or services like Google Voice? • Would you pay extra for this feature, or is it something every CRM should include?Roll call! Meet & introduce yourself to other Service-based Skilled Trade pros
If you’ve ever thought, “How are other businesses like mine handling this?” you’re in the right place! This space is for Service-Based Skilled Trades pros to connect, compare notes, and talk shop with others who understand the day-to-day realities of running your type of business. 👋 Introduce Yourself Drop a comment and tell us: Your name Business name Industry Years in business Location (City/State/Province) Let us know if you’re joining us for LIVE networking on March 17 (more details below) The more context you share, the better connections you’ll make. 🙌 Pro tip: Search your city or state in the forum to easily find other pros in your area. 📅 Want to connect LIVE? We’re running a pilot to host virtual weekly LIVE Industry Networking starting on March 17, running until April 7. If you’d be interested in joining for the first or following sessions (don’t need to commit to all but you're welcome to join!), make sure to let us know in the comments. 🤝 Culture of this space Think of this forum board like a room full of peers who understand your world. Share what’s working. Ask real questions. Talk through challenges. The goal is to power your success and raise the standard of home service industries together. 💬 Looking for conversation starters? This space works best when conversations are industry-specific and experience-based. You might jump in with something like: “How are other [your industry] pros pricing this service right now?” “Is anyone else seeing this shift in their market?” “What’s been working for you when it comes to ____?” 🤔 Why are industries grouped together? We’ve intentionally clustered similar industries to keep conversations active and relevant. These groupings reflect shared business models, operational challenges, and pricing conversations so you can learn from peers who “get it,” even if they’re not in your exact trade. If your question applies to all home service businesses, feel free to post in our broader forum boards. Pro tip: Check out the industry tags to get even more specific Looking forward to seeing this space come to life. 🚀Missed call / Auto text back AI agent
I see a lot of people have these set up with High Level. Is this a game changer do I need this? I do have a human admin that takes all our calls during the day, but sometimes she's already on that line or she's busy, and we miss the odd call. Just thinking I should probably set this up. Looking for some feedback. Thanks a lot.How to Present Home Service Agreements Seemlessly
So we are in California and Home Service Agreements are a part of life. But did you know there is a place to put this in your contract so it covers your butt and your clients? At the bottom of your quotes there is a contract/ disclaimer section to put yours in easily. Do you have different types of jobs that require different disclaimers? Great - AnthonySalazar just did a post about templates. You can make a different contract for each one. One thing to consider - not everyone reads this. Kind of understandable. These are the not fun things about a job. One idea is to make a fun video about what's in it and send it to them when they accept a quote. Don't judge, we made this video a couple years ago but it's a good illustration of what you can do. Honestly you can make it on your phone Our Video on You Tube Another Idea is to have it as an attachment that you send out every time. This is less ideal because I like getting their signature on the document itself. Either way - make sure you are putting this in your quotes. If someone comes back to you about something that's in your contract you are covered!How Are Home Service Businesses Preparing for AI Search Visibility?
Search is changing fast. We’ve already seen Google test online estimates and AI-assisted pricing in local search. Now, AI tools are helping homeowners decide who to call, sometimes before they ever visit a website. Scorpion Marketing published a report with the following stats: 22% of homeowners are already using AI tools to research services or get recommendations 80% of business owners say they don’t know how to prepare for AI-driven search visibility We’d love to hear what you’re seeing👇 Have you noticed changes in how customers find you or ask questions? Are you doing anything intentionally today to prep for AI-driven search? If AI search on your radar but still confusing, what question do you have? This space will continue to evolve. Sharing what’s working (or not) across different trades helps everyone get ahead of it!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.You down with PPE? Yeah, you know me!
Google AI explains it as "Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) refers to any clothing or equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards in the workplace and protect the wearer's health and safety. PPE is considered the last line of defense when other controls cannot eliminate or reduce the hazard adequately." I've always viewed personal protective equipment (PPE) as my primary shield for staying safe and healthy on the job. With machinery that can spin at speeds up to 10,000 RPM, it’s essential to prioritize my protection. What about you? What PPE do you typically use in your work? For me, I rely on: Ear protection: Since most of our tools operate at high decibel levels, it’s crucial to safeguard my hearing. I personally prefer foam earplugs over earmuffs for comfort. Eye protection: When handling equipment like line trimmers, mowers, chainsaws, and blowers, debris can go flying everywhere. I want to ensure my eyes stay safe from any potential hazards. Safety boots: I opt for high-rise boots with steel or composite toes and plates to protect my feet. Long pants: These are important for shielding my legs from rocks and other materials that can become projectiles. Sun hat: Keeping my head and shoulders covered helps shield me from the sun's rays while I work. Remember, taking these precautions not only keeps us safe but also helps us enjoy our work without worry! One more important type of PPE—at least in my view—is knowledge! It’s really vital to have as many staff members trained in First Aid as possible.Grok Bot & Jobber.......
All right, I did something last night. I had Grokbot sign into my Jobber account and then also sign into my email. I started asking it, "Who owes me money?" It came up with my top four largest invoices that were overdue, roughly about $100,000. So then I said, "All right, let's contact these people." It went in my email. It searched emails to these clients previously so it could see how I typically talk with them. It made a beautiful email outlining all the invoices: how much was due, when they were due, the invoice numbers, and everything, and then sent those emails off to those clients so that I can nudge them and get paid. So, bam, that's my new accounts receivable bot. Now I made a quote follow-up bot as well. This bot went through my recent quotes, and it actually found a couple that the client hadn't opened yet. It also reached out to those people on my behalf through email. Jobber already does a great job at follow-ups, so this new bot is just going to check in with me once a week if it finds any quotes that have been sent and haven't been opened by the client yet. Of course, my mind was blown, and today's job is figuring out what else can Grok Bot do for me in my Jobber account.
