Welcome to LeadBearing — practical marketing tips for trades businesses.
No fluff. No agency speak. Just what works.
THIS WEEK'S INSIGHT
The Text Customers Want Before Your Tech Arrives
The customer experience starts before your technician reaches the door.
A homeowner may have taken time off work, moved a car out of the driveway, put the dog in another room, or asked someone else to wait at the house.
Then the arrival window gets close.
They start wondering:
Is the technician still coming?
Are they running late?
Who should I expect at the door?
Do I have time to run an errand?
Should I call the office?
Silence creates uncertainty.
A short text message can fix a lot of that.
Housecall Pro's customer service research found that 46% of homeowners say an on-my-way text provides reassurance before a visit. Nearly 1 in 3 list late or uncertain arrivals as a top frustration.
That makes sense.
Customers do not expect every route, repair, and appointment to go exactly as planned.
They want to know what is happening.
For many home service businesses, one of the simplest ways to look more professional is also one of the easiest:
Send a clear update before the truck pulls up.
WHAT TO FIX THIS WEEK
Set up four customer texts your office or technicians can send without rewriting them every time.
Appointment confirmation
Send this when the job is booked.
❝Hi [First Name], this is [Company]. Your appointment is scheduled for [Day] during the [Time Window] arrival window. Reply here if anything changes or if you have questions before the visit.
On-my-way update
Send this when the technician is headed to the property.
❝Hi [First Name], this is [Tech Name] with [Company]. I am on my way and expect to arrive in about [Time]. See you soon.
Delay update
Send this as soon as you know the original arrival window may slip.
❝Hi [First Name], this is [Company]. We are running about [Time] behind schedule. We expect to arrive around [New Time]. We apologize for the delay and will keep you updated if anything changes.
Visit complete follow-up
Send this after the work is wrapped up.
❝Thanks for choosing [Company], [First Name]. If you have any questions after today's visit, reply here and we will help.
These texts do not need to sound polished or clever.
They need to be clear, timely, and easy for your team to use.
FIELD EXAMPLE
A plumbing technician is finishing a water heater job that takes longer than expected.
The next customer has a 2:00 to 4:00 arrival window.
At 3:45, the technician still has 25 minutes of driving time left.
Without an update, the customer may assume the company forgot the appointment. They may call the office frustrated, leave a bad impression before the work starts, or cancel and move on.
With an update, the message is simple:
Hi Sarah, this is River City Plumbing. We are running about 30 minutes behind schedule. Mike expects to arrive around 4:30. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.
The delay is still inconvenient.
But the customer knows what to expect.
That changes the experience.
BOTTOM LINE
You do not need a new software system to start communicating better.
Start with a few saved texts your office staff and technicians can send at the right moments.
The appointment may be the same. The repair may be the same.
But the customer feels informed instead of forgotten.
Then reply and tell me what you changed — I’ll help you tighten it up.
⚡ QUICK WIN
Write one on-my-way text today and save it where your team can find it.
Keep it simple:
Hi [First Name], this is [Tech Name] with [Company]. I am on my way and expect to arrive in about [Time]. See you soon.
Then decide when it should be sent:
When the technician starts driving
When the technician is 15 to 30 minutes away
When the office confirms the route
The best version is the one your team will actually use.
🔧 TOOL OF THE WEEK
Saved text templates
You do not need to type the same message from scratch every time.
Start with saved replies on the phone or computer your team already uses. Name them clearly:
Appointment confirmation
On my way
Running late
Job complete
Once the habit is working, you can decide whether to automate the messages inside your field-service software.
Found this useful?
Forward it to another contractor who wants customers to feel taken care of before the truck pulls up.
Also worth reading
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