Short answer: A contractor lead intake script should capture the caller’s name, best callback number, service need, and the next useful detail—usually location or urgency. End by stating what happens next. For JobLock, a complete Catch requires the name, callback number, and service need; address and urgency are useful enrichment when offered.
The practical rule
Ask enough to make the next conversation useful, not enough to conduct the entire estimate. The owner should receive a clean handoff and still control the quote, booking, and response.
What six questions should a contractor ask?
Use the questions in this order. Start with the human part of the call, then gather the minimum information needed to route or return it.
“Who am I speaking with?”
Use the caller’s name in the rest of the conversation. A name also gives the owner a clear first word for the callback.
“What is the best number to reach you?”
Repeat the number back. Do not assume caller ID is the right callback number, especially when a spouse, tenant, or property manager is calling.
“What do you need help with?”
Let the caller describe the problem in their own words before you force it into a service category. Record the service need as the caller said it.
“Where is the work located?”
Capture the service address or at least the city and neighborhood when the business needs that information to confirm its service area.
“How urgent is it, and when do you need help?”
For a leak, no cooling, or an electrical safety concern, urgency changes the owner’s next action. Do not promise an arrival time unless the owner has authorized one.
“Is there anything else the owner should know before calling you back?”
Give the caller room to add access notes, a gate code, a property manager, or a preferred contact window. Then explain the next step plainly.
What is the word-for-word live call script?
Keep the greeting natural and move through the six questions without sounding like a form.
Copy-and-use script
“Thanks for calling [Business Name]. This is [Name]. Who am I speaking with?”
“Thanks, [Caller Name]. What do you need help with?”
“What is the best number to reach you?”
“Where is the work located?”
“How urgent is the problem, and when do you need help?”
“Is there anything else the owner should know before calling you back?”
“I’ll pass that along. The owner will review the details and follow up using the number you gave me. We are not confirming a price or arrival time on this call.”
Adjust the final sentence to match the business’s real process. If the owner answers personally, the owner can replace the handoff language with the actual next step.
Which extra prompt fits each trade?
The core script should stay stable. Add one trade-specific prompt only when it changes the owner’s next decision.
| Trade | Useful follow-up | Do not promise |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | “Is water actively leaking, and can you shut it off?” | A same-day arrival or a diagnosis before seeing the job |
| HVAC | “Is the home without heating or cooling right now?” | A repair price or parts availability |
| Electrical | “Is there smoke, heat, sparking, or a tripped breaker?” | Safety clearance or an emergency response time |
| Cleaning | “How often would you want service, and what is the property type?” | A final recurring price before scope is reviewed |
What should happen when you miss the call?
The missed-call path should collect the same minimum information as the live script. A text that only says “Sorry we missed you—call back” makes the owner start from zero.
Google Local Services Ads supports both call and message leads, so keep the intake fields consistent across phone calls, forms, and messages. Google’s lead-management guidance also gives businesses a lead inbox for reviewing and responding to those contacts.
With JobLock Catch, the owner’s phone rings first. If the owner misses it, the AI backup can ask for the caller’s name, callback number, and service need, then send the completed handoff after the AI call. The owner still decides whether to call, quote, schedule, or decline.
What should the owner receive?
The handoff should be short enough to read between jobs and complete enough to make the callback specific.
Owner handoff template
New lead — [Caller Name]
Callback: [Number]
Need: [Caller’s description]
Location: [Address or city, if captured]
Urgency: [Now / today / this week / unknown]
Next step: [Owner callback / owner review / not a fit]
Do not fill missing fields with guesses. “Address not captured” is more trustworthy than an invented location, and “urgency unknown” is better than a false emergency label.
What should the script avoid?
- Too many questions: Do not make a first contact feel like an insurance form.
- Unapproved promises: Do not guarantee a price, appointment, arrival time, or service area without the owner’s rules.
- Vague callbacks: Say what happens next, but do not promise a response time the business cannot keep.
- Duplicate work: Pass the caller’s own words to the owner so the caller does not have to start over.
- Missing consent boundaries: Only send marketing or automated follow-up messages when the business has the required consent and process.
Frequently asked questions
What information should a contractor capture on every lead?
Capture the caller’s name, a callback number, and what service they need. Add the address, urgency, timing, and access details when the caller offers them or the owner needs them for the next step.
How many questions should a contractor ask on the first call?
Ask only what is needed to identify the caller, understand the request, and set the next step. A short, consistent script is more useful than a long questionnaire that delays the handoff.
What should an AI answering service collect?
The AI should collect the business’s defined minimum fields, repeat the callback number, and avoid making promises about pricing, booking, arrival times, or service availability unless the owner has explicitly authorized those statements.
What happens when the owner misses the call?
A missed-call path should capture the same minimum fields as a live call and deliver them to the owner. JobLock Catch requires the caller’s name, callback number, and service need for a complete Catch.