Overview
The company was spending $2,500/month on Google Ads but losing qualified leads who waited 20–40 minutes for a response — long enough to call a competitor.
Primary Constraints
- — Owner and staff unavailable to respond during active service calls
- — No existing CRM or lead management system
- — Leads arriving from three separate sources: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and website contact form
How We Solved It
Lead Source Unification
Connected all three inbound lead sources — Google Ads lead forms, Facebook lead ads, and website contact form — into a single n8n pipeline so no lead entered through an unmonitored channel.
60-Second SMS Build
Built a conversational AI SMS sequence that acknowledges the lead by name, references their specific issue type, and asks one qualifying question to assess urgency and service fit.
Three-Touch Follow-Up
Configured automatic follow-ups at 5 minutes, 30 minutes, and 2 hours for leads who do not respond to the initial message, with varied phrasing to improve reply rates across the sequence.
Booking Handoff
Qualified leads are offered available technician slots and booked directly into Google Calendar through the SMS conversation, requiring a single confirmation reply.
Architecture
New form submissions trigger a webhook that fires an n8n workflow in real time. The workflow sends a personalized SMS via Twilio and initiates a Claude-powered conversational sequence. Leads who qualify based on their responses are offered available slots and booked directly into Google Calendar. Non-responsive contacts enter a timed three-touch follow-up queue. All lead interactions are logged with response rates and booking outcomes tracked for monthly performance review.
Methodology & Stack
Workflow automation layer connecting all lead sources, AI SMS logic, follow-up sequencing, and calendar booking into a single pipeline.
SMS delivery infrastructure for outbound lead outreach and two-way conversational follow-up.
Conversational AI layer handling dynamic SMS qualification sequences tailored to each lead's stated issue and urgency level.
Appointment destination for qualified leads who confirm a booking slot through the SMS conversation.
The Results
Within the first week of deployment, average response time to new leads dropped from 20–40 minutes to under 60 seconds. Leads who previously went cold while waiting for a callback were receiving a personalized message and a qualifying question before they had time to open a competitor's website. The three-touch follow-up sequence captured leads who ignored the first message — a segment that had been completely lost under the previous manual process. Many of these leads responded to the second or third message after cooling down from the initial missed window. The owner now opens his calendar each morning to find appointments already confirmed from the night before. He described the system as running completely in the background — the pipeline handles intake, qualification, and booking with no daily input from him or his staff.
- Response time to new leads reduced from 20–40 minutes to under 60 seconds.
- Three-touch follow-up sequence recovers non-responsive leads without manual action.
- Leads from all three ad sources unified into a single pipeline with no coverage gaps.
- Zero manual follow-up required from owner or staff after initial setup.
- Booking confirmations arriving in calendar before the next business day for after-hours submissions.
Lessons Learned
The first message must reference the lead's specific issue — generic acknowledgments get ignored, while specific responses get replies within minutes.
The second and third follow-up messages recover a meaningful percentage of leads who did not respond initially — single-touch outreach leaves significant bookings on the table.
Unifying all lead sources into one pipeline from day one is essential — any channel left unconnected becomes a blind spot that grows over time.
Security & Compliance
Customer contact information is processed within the automation pipeline and stored only in the company's designated calendar and CRM. No lead data is retained in third-party systems beyond what the automation requires to function. SMS communications include opt-out instructions in compliance with TCPA requirements.
Out of Scope
Job pricing, dispatch logistics, and technician assignment remain manual. The AI qualifies and books leads but does not commit to cost estimates, timelines, or service scope.
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