Is Your Contracting Biz Ready to Automate and Scale?

Why This Checklist Matters

Look, as a general contractor, you’re juggling a ton. Between managing crews, satisfying clients, and ensuring work quality, who’s got time for anything else? But here’s the thing, automation isn’t just for techies—it’s your new best friend.

By automating your operations, you can free up time to focus on what matters—growing your business. A 2023 study found that the average residential contractor loses 27% of inbound leads due to slow response. And one missed call a day could lead to over $109,500 a year in lost revenue.

This checklist will help you figure out if your business is truly ready for automation. We’ll cover everything from mindset shifts to advanced strategies.

Before You Start: Prerequisites and Mindset Shift

First things first, before diving into automation, make sure you and your team are ready for a change. Automation requires a shift in how you think about your business processes.

Consider this a chance to streamline and improve efficiency. It’s not just about replacing human tasks with machines, but about enhancing what you already do.

Streamlining Lead Response

Speed-to-lead is crucial for closing more jobs. If you're not responding quickly, you're losing out. That's a fact.

A slow response can cost you clients. Here's a quick framework to sharpen up your lead response.

1. 1Set up automated email responses for initial inquiries
2. 2Implement a chatbot for instant website engagement
3. 3Use a CRM to track and manage leads efficiently

Scheduling Without the Headaches

Tired of the back-and-forth trying to schedule jobs? Automate it. Scheduling is one area where automation shines, cutting down on miscommunication and errors.

Let automation handle the grunt work so you can focus on the actual builds.

Automating Review Requests

Reviews are gold for contractors. They build trust and bring in new clients. But getting them manually? That's a slog.

An automated review request system can increase your Google reviews by 2-4x in 90 days.

Communication and Follow-Up Automation

Keeping clients in the loop is critical, but it’s also time-consuming. Let automation do the heavy lifting.

You can maintain quality communication without spending hours each day on emails.

1. 1Create automated email sequences for project updates
2. 2Set up templates for common client interactions
3. 3Automate follow-ups for unpaid invoices

Documenting and Workflow Automation

Documentation is often overlooked, but it’s essential for smooth operations. Automate it to ensure consistency and accuracy.

From contracts to progress reports, automate your documentation to save time.

Advanced Moves: Going Beyond the Basics

Once you’ve nailed the basics, it's time to dive deeper. Advanced automation can really boost your efficiency if you’re ready.

Think about how data and analytics can drive your next steps.

• Use analytics to track project timelines and identify delays
• Implement AI for predictive maintenance on machinery
• Explore integration of IoT devices for real-time site monitoring

Measuring Success: KPIs and Metrics

How do you know if automation is working for you? Simple. Measure it. Keep an eye on these key metrics to gauge success.

Want Us to Build This For You?

Feeling overwhelmed? No worries, automating your business doesn’t have to be a solo journey. We’re here to help.

Let’s hop on a call and figure out if this makes sense for your business. Schedule a free 30-minute strategy call, and we'll chat about the best path forward for your operations.