# NZ Leads - Yelp and Thumbtack Auto Responder plus AI Voice Agent for Home Service Businesses > NZ Leads (a brand of Auto-Respond) is an AI auto responder for Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram DMs and Google Local Services Ads, with an optional AI voice agent that calls new leads instantly and answers the business phone 24/7. Built for home service businesses and the marketing agencies that run their leads. Flat per-source pricing ($99/month for Yelp, $99/month for Thumbtack), no per-lead fees, no lead caps, no contracts, 7-day free trial. NZ Leads is built for home service businesses (HVAC, roofing, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, landscaping, garage doors, construction, moving) and the marketing agencies that manage their lead generation. When a lead arrives from a connected source, the first reply is created instantly, in under 2 seconds. For Yelp, the AI creates a job-specific response for every inquiry (Request a Quote, inbox messages) built from the business's services, price ranges and availability. For Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram and Google Local Services Ads, the AI replies instantly. The optional voice agent can call the lead instantly to qualify the job and book an appointment into the calendar. Setup takes under 2 minutes: connect the lead source, add services, price ranges and service area, and turn it on. Follow-up runs on a configurable cadence (for example Day 1, Day 3, Day 7) and stops the moment the customer replies or books. ## Key facts (last verified 2026-10-04) - First reply: instant, under 2 seconds from the moment the lead arrives, on every supported source. Not "under 60 seconds" or "within minutes". - Replies are AI-written for each job from the customer's request plus the business's own services, price ranges and availability. Not fixed templates. - Pricing is flat per connected source ($99/month Yelp, $99/month Thumbtack, $49/month Facebook Messenger, $19/month Facebook Lead Ads, $49/month Google Local Services Ads, $49/month Instagram DMs). No per-lead fees, no lead caps, no setup fees, no contracts, no extra per-platform surcharges. - The voice agent handles both outbound calls to new leads and inbound calls 24/7: $10/month per number plus $1/minute. - Setup takes under 2 minutes; live the same day. - Not supported: Angi, HomeAdvisor, Nextdoor, Porch, Houzz, Bark, Networx. - Yelp itself has no automatic reply for quote requests (only manual quick-reply buttons); Thumbtack sells its own first-message service, Front Desk. Auto-Respond is an independent AI alternative for both. ## Main pages NZ Leads is a brand of Auto-Respond. The canonical product pages, guides and documentation live on auto-respond.com. - [Yelp Auto Responder guide](https://auto-respond.com/blog/yelp-auto-responder/): How a Yelp auto responder works, what a good first reply contains, setup, pricing ($99/month) - [Thumbtack Auto Responder](https://auto-respond.com/thumbtack-auto-responder/): Instant first reply and follow-up for Thumbtack leads, $99/month - [Google Local Services Ads auto responder](https://auto-respond.com/blog/lsa-auto-responder/): Instant reply to Google LSA message leads - [Facebook Auto Responder](https://auto-respond.com/facebook-auto-responder/): Messenger and Lead Ads auto reply - [Instagram Auto Responder](https://auto-respond.com/instagram-auto-responder/): Instant DM replies and follow-up - [Missed Call Text Back](https://auto-respond.com/missed-call-text-back/): Text a caller back automatically when a call is missed - [AI Voice Agent](https://auto-respond.com/ai-voice-agent/): Instant outbound calls to new leads, qualification and booking - [AI Receptionist](https://auto-respond.com/ai-receptionist/): 24/7 inbound call answering for service businesses - [AI Answering Service](https://auto-respond.com/ai-answering-service/): Calls and texts answered, qualified and booked - [Lead Response Automation](https://auto-respond.com/lead-response-automation/): Speed-to-lead automation across every supported source ## Supported lead sources - Yelp (Request a Quote leads and the follow-up messages in those conversations) - Thumbtack - Facebook Messenger - Facebook Lead Ads - Instagram DMs - Google Local Services Ads Not supported: Angi, HomeAdvisor, Nextdoor, Porch, Houzz, Bark, Networx. ## Key features - AI first reply built from the business's own services, price ranges and availability - Multi-touch follow-up that stops when the customer replies or books - Optional AI voice agent: instant outbound callback to new leads, 24/7 inbound answering, call forwarding, batch campaign calling - Calendar booking that follows the business's availability and scheduling rules, with driving-time estimates between job addresses - Escalation to a human with the full conversation when the AI cannot answer - Lead dashboard with direct reply, team members with role-based permissions - CRM and tool integrations: HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro, Monday, Salesforce, SmartMoving, FieldPulse, Slack, Zapier, Telegram ## Pricing Flat per-source pricing. 7-day free trial for eligible first-time customers. No contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps, no setup fees. | Source | Price | |---|---| | Yelp | $99/month | | Thumbtack | $99/month | | Facebook Messenger | $49/month | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19/month | | Google Local Services Ads | $49/month | | Instagram DMs | $49/month | | Voice agent phone number | $10/month | | Voice agent minutes | $1/minute of talk time (inbound and outbound) | ## Documentation - [Getting Started](https://auto-respond.com/docs/get-started/): Setup guide, adding sources, key concepts - [Messaging Settings](https://auto-respond.com/docs/messaging-settings/): AI assistant, welcome messages, follow-ups, timing - [Voice Agent](https://auto-respond.com/docs/voice-agent/): Outbound calling, inbound handling, batch campaigns, call forwarding, knowledge base - [Leads Page](https://auto-respond.com/docs/leads/): Messages, communication, memos - [Analytics and Reporting](https://auto-respond.com/docs/analytics-reporting/): Charts and reports - [Integrations](https://auto-respond.com/docs/integrations/): CRM systems and communication tools - [Team Management](https://auto-respond.com/docs/team-management/): Multi-user access and permissions - [Pricing](https://auto-respond.com/docs/pricing/): Pricing and billing details ## Guides (selected) - [Yelp Request a Quote auto reply](https://auto-respond.com/blog/yelp-request-a-quote-auto-reply/): Answering Request a Quote leads fast - [Speed to lead on Yelp and Thumbtack](https://auto-respond.com/blog/speed-to-lead-yelp-thumbtack/): Why the first useful reply wins the job - [How much Thumbtack charges for leads](https://auto-respond.com/blog/thumbtack-cost-per-lead-2026/): Thumbtack lead pricing explained - [Thumbtack voice agent](https://auto-respond.com/blog/thumbtack-voice-agent-call-leads/): Calling Thumbtack leads automatically - [AI lead response for all platforms](https://auto-respond.com/blog/ai-lead-response-all-platforms/): Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook and Google in one inbox - [AI call list dialer](https://auto-respond.com/blog/ai-call-list-dialer/): Calling past customers and cold leads - [Roofing voice agent](https://auto-respond.com/blog/roofing-voice-agent/): Calling and booking roofing leads - [Cleaning business leads](https://auto-respond.com/blog/cleaning-business-yelp-thumbtack-leads/): Why speed wins on Yelp and Thumbtack ## Contact - Website: https://nzleads.com/ - App: https://app.nzleads.com/ - Email: support@nzleads.com - Phone: +1 (818) 293-0298 # Detailed Content ## Blog Posts ### After-Hours Lead Capture: Stop Losing Leads to Nights and Weekends **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/after-hours-lead-capture/ A large share of service business leads arrive after hours. Here's how AI lead capture responds instantly, books jobs overnight, and fills your Monday calendar. After-Hours Lead Capture: Stop Losing Leads to Nights and Weekends After-hours lead capture means every inquiry that arrives on evenings, weekends, or holidays gets an answer right away instead of waiting until Monday. With NZ Leads, the AI replies in under 2 seconds around the clock, asks qualifying questions, and books the job into your calendar, so Monday starts with booked appointments instead of a cold inbox. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. A large share of leads for service businesses arrive outside of 8 AM to 5 PM weekday hours. Evenings, weekends, holidays. Almost none of those leads get a reply within 5 minutes. Most don't get a reply until Monday morning, by which point the customer has already hired someone else. Losing leads every night and weekend? Try NZ Leads free and start responding to every after-hours inquiry in under 2 seconds. When Do Service Business Leads Actually Come In? A large share arrive outside the hours you're working. Customers reach out when they notice a problem or have a free moment - and that's usually evenings and weekends, not the middle of a weekday. Think about your own week: how many inquiries land after 5 PM, on a Saturday afternoon, or late on a Sunday night when you're already off the clock? Every one of those is a lead arriving when nobody is answering. The exact split varies by trade and market, but for most service businesses a meaningful chunk of demand shows up when the phone is unattended. What Happens to Leads That Sit Until Monday A lead that sits 36+ hours converts at a fraction of the rate of one answered in 5 minutes. Here's a typical weekend for a service business without automation: 1. Friday 6:42 PM - Customer messages about a broken AC. No reply. 2. Saturday 7:15 AM - Water heater inquiry on Thumbtack. No reply. 3. Sunday 3:30 PM - Cleaning quote request. No reply. 4. Monday 8:15 AM - You open your inbox to 8 messages. The AC customer hired someone Saturday. The water heater customer called a competitor who picked up. The cleaning customer booked someone Sunday. Three jobs lost. Not because of price or quality. Because nobody responded. Even leads that do wait until Monday are harder to close. A 36-hour response time tells the customer you're slow. That doubt follows you through the rest of the sales process. How AI After-Hours Lead Capture Responds Instantly NZ Leads runs 24/7. Same response quality at 11 PM on Saturday as 10 AM on Tuesday. - Friday 6:42 PM - AC message arrives. AI responds in under 2 seconds, asks diagnostic questions, books a Saturday 10 AM appointment. - Saturday 7:15 AM - Water heater inquiry. AI responds in under 2 seconds, triages the emergency, proposes a same-day slot. Alert sent to on-call tech. - Sunday 3:30 PM - Cleaning request. AI responds in under 2 seconds, qualifies, quotes, books Tuesday morning. Monday morning, you show up to three booked appointments already in your calendar. No inbox to dig through. After-Hours Emergency Calls: Where AI Pays for Itself Fastest Emergency jobs (burst pipes, HVAC failures, gas leaks) often pay a premium over standard rates. They go to whoever answers first. Without AI, these calls hit voicemail. The homeowner hangs up and tries the next number. With AI voice answering, the call gets picked up in under 2 seconds. The AI walks the customer through immediate safety steps, sends an SMS to your on-call tech, and gives the customer the emergency contact number. It works like a round-the-clock AI answering service that never sends a caller to voicemail. Job secured while your competitors are asleep. Weekend Ads + Instant AI Response = Lower Competition Your competitors are mostly offline on weekends. Their Yelp messages pile up. Their Facebook leads go cold. If you run ads Friday evening through Sunday with NZ Leads handling responses, you're competing against businesses that won't reply until Monday. Same under-2-second response time, day or night. Higher weekend ad budgets combined with instant response can capture leads your competitors never even see. How to Track After-Hours Lead Revenue Most businesses are surprised by how much of their booked revenue traces back to leads that arrived outside business hours. NZ Leads shows you leads received by time of day, response times by hour, booking rates by time window, and revenue tied to after-hours inquiries. Once you see your own numbers, the value of 24/7 coverage is obvious. If you want to stop losing nights and weekends, set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see how many leads you're currently missing. Related reading: - How to Respond to Leads While on the Job - AI Voice Agent for Service Businesses - Speed to Lead: Yelp and Thumbtack Response Time Data --- ### AI Appointment Setter: How It Calls, Texts and Books Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-appointment-setter/ An AI appointment setter contacts new leads the instant they arrive, qualifies the job and books it in your calendar. Lead sources, booking, cost, setup. AI Appointment Setter for Service Businesses An AI appointment setter is software that contacts a new lead the moment it arrives, by text, platform message or phone call, asks the questions that qualify the job, and books it into the calendar you connect. For a service business, a quote request from Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook or Google Local Services Ads becomes a scheduled visit while you stay on the job. With NZ Leads, the first reply to a new lead is created in under 2 seconds, a voice callback starts instantly when the lead has a callable number, and bookings land in Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro or Open Schedule. Losing quote requests while you work? Start a 7-day free trial and connect your first lead source in under 2 minutes. What does an AI appointment setter do, and what does it not do? An appointment setter, human or AI, has one job: turn a new enquiry into a booked time. Here is that job step by step, and how the AI handles each step in NZ Leads: | Step | A human setter | The AI | |---|---|---| | First contact | Calls or messages back when free | Creates the first reply in under 2 seconds; calls instantly when there is a callable number | | Qualify | Asks what, where and when | Asks your service question and required details; turns down services you do not provide | | Answer questions | From memory or a price sheet | From your business facts and documents, quoting prices only as your pricing settings allow | | Book | Checks the calendar and writes it in | Offers open times from your connected calendar and creates the appointment | | Hand off | Passes notes to the owner or tech | Logs each call with recording, transcript and summary; transfers a live call when your criteria are met | | Follow up | When someone remembers | Runs a sequence such as Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7 that stops the moment the customer replies or books | What it does not do: - It does not find leads. It works the supported sources below plus calls to your agent's number; other lead marketplaces are not covered. - It does not promise a booking. An instant callback is a response time, not a guarantee that the lead answers or books. - It does not pose as a person. Every outbound call opens with "Hi, this is [agent name], AI Assistant from [your business]." That line cannot be switched off. - It does not make up prices. It quotes only what your pricing settings allow; on calls it can offer a free on-site estimate instead. - It does not talk over you. When you reply manually in a lead's thread, the AI conversation stops. How does AI appointment setting put the job on your calendar? Booking is what separates an appointment setter from an auto-reply. Once the customer agrees to a visit, the same sequence runs on a call or in a chat: 1. It offers real times from the calendar you connected. With Open Schedule, it follows your written scheduling rules and checks the jobs already booked. 2. It collects what your crew needs. By default: name, service address and phone number. Add fields such as email, ZIP code, time window or gate code. It asks one at a time and skips what it already has from the lead. 3. It creates the appointment in your calendar, or as a Job on a calendar inside NZ Leads with Open Schedule. 4. It reads the time back so the customer knows the visit is set, and on calls the call log records the booking. Which calendars can an AI appointment setter book into? | Option | Where the appointment lands | What you enter | Fits a business that | |---|---|---|---| | Cal.com | Your Cal.com event type | API key, Event Type ID, timezone | already takes bookings through Cal.com | | FieldPulse | Your FieldPulse schedule | API key, Company ID, timezone | runs its jobs in FieldPulse | | GoHighLevel | An existing GoHighLevel calendar | API key, Calendar ID, Location ID | uses GoHighLevel as its CRM | | Housecall Pro | Your Housecall Pro schedule | API key, timezone | dispatches through Housecall Pro | | Open Schedule | A Jobs calendar inside NZ Leads | Written scheduling rules, no outside account | keeps no online calendar today | Click Validate Connection before saving: otherwise a dead key shows up only when a real customer tries to book. Each lead source can use its own calendar. CRM connections such as HubSpot or ServiceTitan are separate: they receive the lead and the call summary, while the options above hold the booking. Field-by-field setup is in the scheduling integrations docs. Can it respect hours, service area and drive time? Yes, within the rules you write. Scheduling instructions can include service-area, geographic and travel-time rules such as "only book the east side on Thursdays". With Open Schedule, the AI reads the jobs already booked and their addresses before it offers a time; when addresses are available it compares locations and estimates driving time, which is an estimate, not a live traffic reading. With an outside calendar, also match the integration's timezone to the calendar's own, or open slots appear at the wrong hours. Which leads trigger the AI appointment setter? Every supported source starts it, but the first contact, and when a call is possible, depend on the source: | Lead source | First contact | When the AI can call | Price | |---|---|---|---| | Yelp Request a Quote | The AI creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds | Once the customer chooses to share a phone number on Yelp | $99/month per Yelp source | | Thumbtack | Replies instantly in the Thumbtack conversation | When the customer shares a number in the conversation | $99/month per Thumbtack source | | Facebook Lead Ads | No chat on a lead form; optional confirmation by phone, text or email | Instantly, since the form usually includes a phone number | $19/month | | Google Local Services Ads | Replies instantly in the lead's message thread | Instantly when the lead carries a phone number, which Google usually includes | $49/month | | Facebook Messenger | Replies instantly in Messenger | Only after the customer types a number in the chat | $49/month | | Instagram DMs | Replies instantly in the DM | Only after the customer types a number in the chat | $49/month per Instagram source | | Voice agent (calls for any source above) | Places and answers the calls | Whenever a condition above is met | $10/month per phone number + $1/minute of talk time | Calls that come to you count too: an answering agent picks up calls to its number or your forwarded business line and books them into your calendar. To text back missed calls instead, see missed call text back; for handling every source from one account, see lead response automation. Can an AI appointment setter book by phone and by text? Yes. Point the chat scheduling and the voice agent's scheduling at the same calendar, and a job booked in a chat and one booked on a call land in the same place. - By text or platform message. On the lead's own channel, and on SMS if you turn on SMS messaging, set the channel to AI Assistant, choose Short conversation (up to five messages) or Long conversation (up to ten), and enable scheduling. In "Only welcome message" mode the AI creates the first reply and stops, so it never reaches the booking. - By phone. A calling agent dials each new lead with a callable number; an answering agent books inbound callers. Both check the calendar during the call. Calls suit urgent work (a leak, no heat) and form leads who expect the phone to ring; text suits customers who started in a chat without sharing a number. Outbound calls follow your call schedule, so a lead that arrives at 2 a.m. is called when your window opens, while the written reply is created right away. When nobody picks up, the agent leaves your voicemail message and logs the call as missed, and on chat channels your follow-up sequence keeps the thread alive. AI vs a human appointment setter: which fits your business? AI fits high-volume home-service leads where the questions repeat and the first business to respond has the edge. A person still wins on complex, high-ticket jobs. You can also run both: AI for first contact and routine bookings, your team for the rest. | Criterion | AI appointment setter | Human appointment setter | |---|---|---| | Hours covered | Every hour you allow; outbound calls follow your call schedule | The hours someone is scheduled to work | | First contact | Reply created in under 2 seconds; callback starts instantly | When they are free | | Cost | $19 to $99/month per channel, plus $10/month per phone number and $1 per minute of talk time for calls | Wages for every hour covered, plus hiring, training and cover for time off | | Consistency | Asks your required questions every time; quotes only the prices you allow | Varies with workload and experience | | Judgment | Follows your rules; transfers when your criteria are met | Reads the situation, negotiates, handles unusual requests | Speed is where the gap shows. In the MIT Lead Response Management Study by Dr. James Oldroyd, waiting from 5 to 30 minutes made a lead 100x less likely to be contacted and 21x less likely to be qualified (MIT study). A person is the better choice when: - The price depends on a site visit and a conversation, as with large remodels or commercial bids with several decision makers. Let the AI book the visit, not sell the job. - The caller asks for a human. Set transfer criteria; on a warm transfer the agent briefs your team privately first. - It is a complaint or a warranty claim. Existing customers with a problem belong with your team. To judge it on your own numbers, run it on one source for a month and track pickup rate, booked jobs and cost per booked job. Voices, call transfer and the other calling features are on the AI voice agent page. Is it legal for AI to call and text your leads? It can be, when the person has agreed to be contacted and you can show how. On February 8, 2024 the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Declaratory Ruling recognizing calls made with AI-generated voices as "artificial" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. That holds AI calls to the same standards as prerecorded calls, including prior express written consent before telemarketing robocalls (FCC release). The working rule: contact people who reached out to you about a job, keep the record of how they did, and stop the moment they ask. NZ Leads builds that in: - Spoken opt-outs end the call. "Stop calling" puts the number on your suppression list, and calls already planned to it are canceled. - Text opt-outs cover calls too. A reply of STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL or UNSUBSCRIBE blocks texts and calls to that number. - The suppression list is checked before every call and text, and each attempt and opt-out is stored with its lead source. - Texting needs US carrier registration, approved before any text goes out: $20 one-time when a new registration or review fee is required, $2/month while active, plus per-message carrier fees. This is general information, not legal advice: consent depends on the lead source, the purpose of the contact and state law, so check with your attorney before turning on automatic calls. How do you set up an AI appointment setter? 1. Connect your lead sources on the Sources page by signing in to each platform; connecting a source takes under 2 minutes. 2. Write your business facts: services, service area, hours, the prices or ranges you will quote, and the services you do not provide. A source's chat channels share them; give the voice agent the same details in its knowledge base. 3. Choose where bookings land, for the chat channels and the voice agent: pick a calendar, validate the connection, match the timezone, and add any fields your crew needs beyond name, address and phone. 4. Turn on booking in chats: AI Assistant, Short or Long conversation, scheduling enabled. 5. Turn on booking by phone: create a calling agent, connect your sources, set its call schedule and voicemail message, and add a transfer number for live handoffs. 6. Test it as a customer: send a test lead with your own phone number, book a slot, and check your calendar and the call log. Three settings cause most missed bookings: a timezone that does not match the calendar, an API key or ID from a different account, and a chat channel left on "Only welcome message". More pitfalls are in voice agent setup mistakes; every price is on the pricing page. Frequently asked questions Can an AI appointment setter book into Google Calendar or Outlook? Not directly in NZ Leads. The AI appointment setter books into Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro or Open Schedule. If your schedule lives in Google Calendar or Outlook, Cal.com is one route: its app store lists both calendars, and the AI books against the Cal.com event type you connect. How much does an AI appointment setter cost? With NZ Leads you pay for each lead source you connect, $19 to $99 per month per channel, and for calls $10/month per phone number plus $1 per minute of talk time, each completed call rounded up to the next whole minute. There is a 7-day free trial, no contract, no setup fee and no per-lead fee. What is the difference between an AI appointment setter and a customer service representative? An appointment setter works new leads: first contact, qualifying the job and booking a time. A customer service representative mostly helps existing customers with questions, changes and problems. An AI appointment setter covers the first role; when an existing customer calls, an answering agent can take the call and transfer it to your team when your transfer criteria are met. Can an AI appointment setter reschedule or cancel a booking? In text conversations, yes, for calendar integrations that support it: the AI appointment setter checks availability again and updates the booking. Anything your rules do not cover is better left to your team, and a manual reply from you in the thread stops the AI conversation so you can take over. Put your next lead on the calendar Connect one lead source and one calendar, send yourself a test lead, and watch the booking land. Start a 7-day free trial or email support@nzleads.com with questions about connecting your calendar. --- ### AI Auto-Responder vs Virtual Assistant for Yelp and Thumbtack Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-auto-responder-vs-virtual-assistant-yelp-thumbtack/ Compare an AI auto-responder with a virtual assistant for Yelp and Thumbtack using real costs, response coverage, handoffs, and booked-job outcomes. AI auto-responder vs virtual assistant for Yelp and Thumbtack leads An AI auto-responder and a virtual assistant solve different parts of the same problem. Automation can monitor configured workflows around the clock and create a consistent first response. A good virtual assistant can exercise judgment when a request is unusual, negotiate details, and adapt outside a scripted path. There is no honest universal claim that one is 10 times faster or 20 times cheaper. The right choice depends on your lead channels, volume, staff coverage, hourly cost, voice usage, and how often a person must take over. Comparing response options? Try NZ Leads free and measure it against your current Yelp and Thumbtack process. Calculate AI and Virtual Assistant Cost From Your Own Numbers For NZ Leads, the current marketplace-channel price is $99 per month for Yelp and $99 per month for Thumbtack. Optional voice costs $10 per month per phone number plus $1 per billable minute. Your activated channels and voice usage determine the software total. A virtual assistant's cost depends on the agreed hourly rate, scheduled hours, minimums, management time, and any after-hours coverage. Do not turn an advertised hourly rate into a made-up cost per lead. Use these formulas: Include owner or manager time for configuration, QA, training, and handoffs in the matching total. Compare the same date range, services, and lead sources. Side-by-Side Workflow Comparison | Factor | AI auto-responder | Virtual assistant | |---|---|---| | Coverage | Configured automation can operate 24/7 | Depends on contracted shifts and availability | | First response | Uses approved services, prices, and rules | Uses training, documentation, and personal judgment | | Yelp workflow | Creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds | Writes replies within assigned hours | | Thumbtack workflow | Replies instantly with a message built from your services and prices | Can work in the assigned account workflow | | Exceptions | Should flag work outside configured rules | Can investigate and adapt within granted authority | | Voice | Optional inbound and outbound AI voice workflow | Depends on the assistant's role and phone setup | | Management | Requires configuration, QA, and escalation rules | Requires hiring, training, scheduling, and QA | The table describes operating models, not guaranteed results. Test the actual workflow before moving all lead handling to either option. What Response Speed Evidence Really Says Long delays can reduce the chance of starting a conversation, but broad lead-response studies do not prove a fixed conversion lift for your Yelp or Thumbtack account. Yelp's current tips for pros encourage replying promptly, addressing the request details, and giving clear next steps. That supports a prompt, useful reply. It does not support the claim that the first responder always wins or that reply speed determines organic Yelp ranking. Thumbtack lead economics are also account-specific. Use the current max lead price, expected range, budget controls, and billing history in your pro account. Our Thumbtack lead cost guide explains how to calculate cost per qualified lead and booked job without relying on fabricated national averages. Choose a Virtual Assistant When Judgment Is the Main Work A virtual assistant may be the better first choice when: 1. most requests need a custom scope before even a price range is useful; 2. the conversation frequently involves access, safety, legal, insurance, or scheduling exceptions; 3. customers switch channels and expect a person to reconcile the history; 4. the role includes work beyond lead response, such as dispatch coordination or document collection; 5. your team has not yet documented services, prices, boundaries, and escalation rules. Do not automate a process that the business cannot explain consistently. Choose Automation When the Rules Are Clear An AI-assisted workflow may fit when: - the same qualification questions appear repeatedly; - service areas, approved prices or ranges, and handoff conditions are documented; - leads arrive outside staffed hours; - the team wants every inquiry to get a consistent, job-specific first response; - volume changes enough that fixed shifts leave gaps or idle time. For Yelp, see the Yelp auto responder guide. For Thumbtack, see the Thumbtack auto responder workflow. A Hybrid Workflow Is Often the Most Practical You do not have to choose one system for the whole conversation. A controlled hybrid can work like this: 1. automation detects the inquiry and creates a response from configured facts; 2. routine qualification continues inside configured boundaries; 3. a person takes over for custom quotes, negotiation, unusual scope, or sensitive details; 4. the business audits errors, handoffs, customer replies, estimates, and bookings. This arrangement only saves work when ownership is clear. Define who owns handoffs, what triggers them, and how quickly the person must respond. Bottom Line Choose from measured operating evidence, not a headline multiplier. Compare total monthly cost, median first-response time, handoff rate, qualified leads, booked jobs, and cost per booked job over a complete test window. Try NZ Leads free and keep the option that improves your real workflow without adding factual errors or missed handoffs. --- ### AI Call List Dialer for Service Businesses: Auto-Call Old Leads and Past Customers **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-call-list-dialer/ An AI call list dialer calls your past customers and old leads automatically, follows your script, and books jobs. $10/month per number plus $1/minute. AI Call List Dialer: Auto-Call Old Leads and Past Customers An AI call list dialer automatically calls a list of past customers or old leads for you. You upload a CSV, set the script, calling hours, and daily cap, and the AI works through every contact, follows your script, handles objections, and books appointments into your calendar, at $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. You have a spreadsheet of past customers and dead leads sitting in your CRM. Calling them manually takes weeks. Most businesses never get around to it, and that list keeps collecting dust. An AI call list dialer puts an AI voice agent to work through your entire list automatically, following a script you set and booking appointments while you run your business. Want to turn old leads into booked jobs automatically? Try NZ Leads free and launch your first calling campaign in minutes. How Does an AI Call List Dialer Work? You upload a CSV with names and phone numbers. You set the script, calling hours, and daily volume. The AI calls each contact, follows your script, handles objections, and books appointments directly into your calendar. Here's the setup: 1. Upload your contact list (CSV or spreadsheet) 2. Write your call script (what to say, what to offer, what to ask) 3. Set the schedule (days, hours, daily cap) 4. Launch the campaign 5. Review results: who answered, who booked, who needs follow-up You set it up once. The AI does the rest. What Kind of Revenue Can a Call List Campaign Generate? Past customers already know your business, so a warm re-engagement list usually responds better than a cold prospect list. Revenue depends on your list quality, your offer, and your average job value, so estimate it from your own numbers: Campaign revenue = contacts who answer x share who book x average job value Your first campaign shows you who answered and who booked. Use those real rates to size the next one. Best Campaigns to Run With an AI Dialer Seasonal maintenance. HVAC pre-summer tune-ups, plumbing pre-winter checks, landscaping season openers. Call last year's customers before they book with someone else. Dead lead follow-up. People who requested quotes but never booked. Some of these leads reactivate when you call them back with a personalized follow-up. Win-back campaigns. Customers who haven't used your service in 12+ months. A returning-customer offer gets them back on the schedule. Referral asks. Call happy past customers and ask if they know anyone who needs your service. Pair it with a referral credit. What Can You Control in a Campaign? Everything. The AI dialer is fully configurable: - Script: Opening line, offer, questions, objection handling, booking flow - Schedule: Days, calling hours, daily volume cap, delay between attempts - Voicemail: Leave a personalized message or skip. Send a follow-up text after - Retries: Number of attempts before marking a contact as unresponsive - Booking: Let the AI book directly or collect interest for your review How Much Does AI Calling Cost? Campaigns run on the AI voice agent: $10/month per phone number plus $1/minute of talk time. Call length depends on your script, how many contacts pick up, and how many calls end in voicemail. Quick estimate with example numbers: 500 contacts x 2 attempts x 2 minutes = 2,000 minutes = $2,000, plus $10/month for the number. At a $250 average job, 9 bookings ($2,250) cover that cost. Swap in your own call length, booking rate, and job value to check the math for your list. Stop Letting Old Leads Sit in a Spreadsheet Every month you don't call your past customers, a competitor might. An AI dialer turns a dormant list into booked jobs without you picking up the phone. Try NZ Leads free and launch your first call list campaign today. --- ### AI Chatbot for Leads: Reply, Qualify and Book Instantly **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-chatbot-for-leads/ AI chatbot for leads cuts response time to under 2 seconds and can pay for itself with a single recovered booking. See the speed-to-lead ROI math. AI Chatbot for Leads: Reply, Qualify and Book Instantly An AI chatbot for leads creates a relevant reply to every inbound inquiry in under 2 seconds, asks qualifying questions, and books the appointment, day or night. It recovers leads that would otherwise sit in a queue or go to voicemail, and a single recovered booking can cover the monthly cost. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Every minute a lead waits costs you money. The business that responds first usually wins the job. An AI chatbot creates a reply in under 2 seconds, recovers missed calls, and can pay for itself with a single booked job. Losing leads to slow replies? Try NZ Leads free and recover your first missed lead today. Where Does an AI Chatbot for Leads Answer? A lead chatbot works where your leads already write to you. With NZ Leads that means the inboxes of the platforms you pay for leads on, each connected as its own source: | Lead source | What the chatbot does | |---|---| | Yelp (including Request a Quote) | Creates a job-specific response for every inquiry in under 2 seconds | | Thumbtack | Replies instantly, asks your qualifying questions, offers a booking | | Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs | Replies instantly to new messages, day or night | | Google Local Services Ads | Replies instantly to LSA message leads | | Facebook Lead Ads | Form fills, not chats: an optional confirmation message, an instant AI call when a phone number is given, and the CRM handoff | Two limits worth knowing before you buy. It does not add a chat widget to your own website; it works inside the platforms where your leads already message you. And it covers only the sources above; other lead marketplaces are not connected. What Does an AI Chatbot for Leads Cost vs What It Recovers? The ROI of a chatbot comes down to speed and consistency. A manual workflow misses leads after hours, replies late when you are on a job, and lets paid leads go cold. An AI chatbot creates a reply to every inquiry in under 2 seconds, around the clock, for a flat monthly fee. | Metric | Manual Response | AI Chatbot | |---|---|---| | Average reply time | 47 minutes | under 2 seconds | | Coverage | Business hours only | 24/7 | | Every lead gets a reply | No | Yes | | Cost | Your time | $99/month per marketplace channel | A single recovered booking can cover the monthly cost. Your actual numbers depend on your trade, lead volume, and average job value: compare one month's fee with the value of one booked job in your trade. How Does Speed-to-Lead Drive the ROI? Reply time is the single biggest conversion lever in service business lead response, and it is backed by named research: - Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Lead Response Management Study, 2007). - Contacting within 1 hour makes you ~7x more likely to qualify the lead than an hour later (Harvard Business Review, 2011). The chatbot creates its reply instantly, so you capture the front of that curve on every lead instead of the tail. What Should the Chatbot Say in Its First Reply? Speed only helps if the first message gives the customer a reason to keep talking. A useful first reply does four things: 1. Names the job they asked about, so they know it was read, not a form letter. 2. Confirms you cover their area, or says plainly that you do not. 3. Asks one or two questions you need to quote, not a questionnaire. 4. Offers a next step: a time slot, a call, or a price range for the job. An illustrative first reply for a water heater inquiry: "Thanks for reaching out about your water heater. We cover your zip code and can usually help with leaks like this. Is the leak coming from the top connections or the bottom of the tank, and roughly how old is the unit? If it suits you, I can hold a visit for tomorrow morning." The chatbot builds that reply from what you load into it: your services, price ranges, service area and booking rules. The more specific those are, the more specific every reply gets. How Does an AI Chatbot Recover a Missed Call? A homeowner calls your business line while you are on a roof. The phone rings out and goes to voicemail. Here is what happens next with missed call text back and the voice agent turned on: | Step | When | What Happens | |---|---|---| | 1. Missed call detected | Right away | Phone system flags the unanswered call | | 2. SMS text-back fires | Under 2 seconds | "Sorry we missed you, what do you need?" | | 3. Customer replies | When they read it | "AC stopped, need someone tonight" | | 4. AI chatbot qualifies | Instantly | Asks unit age, outdoor temp, address | | 5. Voice agent calls back | Instantly | $10/month per number + $1/min voice agent dials | | 6. Appointment booked | During the call | Slot confirmed, calendar synced | This flow catches the lead while their intent is still hot, instead of letting the call die in voicemail until the next morning. Texting leads by SMS needs carrier registration first; see missed call text back for Yelp and Thumbtack for the full setup. How Does an AI Chatbot for Leads Compare to a Receptionist? | Factor | Part-Time Receptionist | AI Chatbot | |---|---|---| | Monthly cost | Wages for scheduled hours | Flat monthly fee per channel | | Hours covered | 20 to 30 per week | 24/7 | | Channels covered | Phone only | Yelp, Thumbtack, FB, IG, LSA | | Reply speed (text) | 30 to 90 minutes | Under 2 seconds | | Reply speed (voice missed call) | Hours later | Under 2 second SMS, instant callback | | Vacation coverage | None | Always on | The chatbot replaces the marketplace and missed-call response, acting as an AI answering service that never sleeps. Hire a person for in-home estimates and complex customer service. How Do You Deploy an AI Chatbot for Leads the Same Day? 1. Sign up and connect Yelp. In Sources, click Add Yelp, sign in with the Yelp account that manages your business and approve access. Activate the locations you want handled. 2. Paste your service list with price ranges. Top 10 services, min and max price each. 3. Set qualifying questions per service type. Two or three per service. 4. Connect your calendar for live booking. Google Calendar or Cal.com. 5. Send a test inquiry, then go live. Real leads start getting handled the same day. Setup takes under 2 minutes. Adding Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram or Google LSA is the same flow, one source at a time. Frequently Asked Questions What is an AI chatbot for leads? An AI chatbot for leads is a tool that handles every inbound inquiry instantly. It reads the message, creates a relevant reply, asks qualifying questions, and books the appointment. The point is missed-call recovery: every lead that would have sat in a queue or gone to voicemail now gets handled the moment it arrives, even at 11pm on a Saturday. How fast does an AI chatbot reply to a lead? Under 2 seconds across every channel. The reply is created the instant the lead lands, day or night. Manual response, by contrast, commonly averages 47 minutes or more, with a long tail of leads waiting hours. What is the ROI of an AI chatbot for leads? It is driven by speed-to-lead. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and the chatbot creates an instant reply to leads you already paid for, so a single recovered booking can cover the monthly cost. Pricing starts at $99/month per marketplace channel. Does an AI chatbot replace a receptionist? For first-touch lead response on Yelp, Thumbtack and Facebook, yes. The chatbot writes the first response, qualifies, books and syncs to your CRM faster and more consistently than a human receptionist. For complex customer service, scheduling exceptions, billing disputes and inbound phone calls that need a real human voice, you still want a person. Most service businesses use the chatbot for marketplace inboxes and a part-time receptionist or owner for phones. Can I deploy an AI chatbot for leads the same day? Yes. A solo operator can sign up, paste their service list, set qualifying questions, connect a calendar and go live on Yelp in under 2 minutes. Adding Thumbtack and Facebook is just as quick. Same-day deploy is standard. How does the AI chatbot handle missed phone calls? Two layers. First, an SMS text-back fires in under 2 seconds after any missed call: "Sorry we missed you, what do you need?" Second, an AI voice agent at $10/month per number + $1/minute can call the lead back if they prefer voice. Catching a lead while their intent is still hot beats a next-day voicemail callback, which usually goes nowhere. What does an AI chatbot for leads cost? Pricing is per source. Yelp $99/month, Thumbtack $99/month, Google Local Services Ads $49/month, Facebook Messenger $49/month, Facebook Lead Ads $19/month, Instagram DMs $49/month, voice agent $10/month per number + $1/minute of talk time. No contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps, no setup costs. 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime. Will the AI chatbot break my Yelp Responds Quickly badge? No. The chatbot creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, including nights and weekends. Yelp does not publish a guaranteed badge threshold, so track the response-time metric on your Yelp for Business profile. Recover Your First Missed Lead Today Try NZ Leads free and verify that the first Yelp inquiry produces a useful, job-specific response in under 2 seconds. Comparing tools first? Our guide to the best lead response software for contractors covers what to check, and choosing the best AI answering service covers the phone side. --- ### AI Lead Qualification and Routing for Service Businesses **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-lead-qualification-routing/ AI lead qualification scores each lead on intent and urgency, then routes it instantly: callback, booking link, follow-up, or decline. Talk only to real jobs. AI lead qualification and routing for service businesses AI lead qualification reads every incoming lead, scores it on intent and urgency, and routes it instantly: emergencies get an instant callback, ready-to-book leads get availability and a booking link, price shoppers get a range and follow-up, and spam or out-of-area requests get a polite decline. You only spend your time on real jobs. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Say you get 40 leads a week and only some of them are real jobs. The rest are spam, price shoppers, or out-of-area requests. Without AI qualification, you spend equal time on all 40. The real ones wait in line behind the junk. Stop wasting hours on dead-end leads. Try NZ Leads free and let AI score, sort, and route every lead before it hits your phone. How does AI lead qualification work? AI reads each incoming lead, scores it on intent and urgency, then routes it automatically. No human touches a lead until it's qualified. | Step | What happens | Time | |------|-------------|------| | Lead arrives | Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram, or phone call | 0 sec | | AI reads context | Parses service needed, location, urgency signals, time of day | Instant | | AI scores and categorizes | Sorts into emergency, high-intent, price shopper, or out-of-scope | Instant | | AI routes | Triggers callback, offers booking link, starts follow-up, or archives | Instant | Every lead scored and acted on instantly. By contrast, in an audit of 2,241 U.S. companies, the average response time was 42 hours (Harvard Business Review, 2011). What are the lead qualification categories? Four buckets. Each gets different treatment. - Emergency / same-day. "Water is flooding my basement." AI triggers an instant callback or live transfer. These are the leads where speed matters most. - High-intent / ready to book. "Can you inspect our roof next week?" AI's reply offers availability and a booking link while the customer is still ready to book. - Price shoppers / early stage. "How much does a mini split cost?" AI's reply gives a helpful range and offers an on-site estimate. Automated follow-up runs at day 2 and day 5. - Out-of-scope or spam. Wrong area, wrong service, not a real inquiry. AI creates a polite decline and skips your notification. You only hear about leads worth your time. Does lead routing actually save time? Yes. Qualification without routing is just a score in a database. Routing is what saves hours and closes jobs. For a service business with 2-3 techs, routing looks like this: - Emergency leads go straight to the on-call tech's phone via voice AI or live transfer - Booking-ready leads land in your CRM with details pre-filled. Office manager just confirms. - Follow-up leads enter an automated 7-day sequence. No one touches it. - Out-of-scope leads get archived with a reason for later review Works with most CRMs and field service platforms. Leads hit the right pipeline stage automatically. No copy-pasting. No manual data entry. What ROI does AI lead qualification deliver? The return shows up in where your time goes. Here is what changes: | Metric | Before AI | After AI | |--------|-----------|----------| | Response time (high-priority) | Often hours | Instant | | Junk leads reaching you | All of them | Filtered out by your rules | | Follow-up completion | Depends on who remembers | Every lead that goes quiet gets the configured follow-up | | Time on dead leads | Manual sorting every week | Out-of-scope leads handled automatically | If you pay per lead on Google LSA or Facebook, every junk lead costs you twice: once for the lead and again for the time you spend sorting it. Plug in your own lead cost, junk rate, and time per lead to see what qualification is worth to you. How does qualification work across different platforms? One qualification engine handles every source. The delivery method adapts to the platform. - Yelp and Thumbtack: Qualified via text conversation - Google LSA and Facebook: Triggers an outbound AI call instantly - Inbound calls: Handled live by the voice agent Same rules everywhere. No separate workflows per channel. One setup, every platform covered. Try AI lead qualification on your real leads Setup takes under 2 minutes, and you can be live the same day. You set your services, service area, hours, and routing rules. AI handles everything else. Try NZ Leads free and run a test with your actual lead flow. See how many hours you get back in the first week. --- ### Multi-Platform AI Lead Response for Yelp, Thumbtack and More **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-lead-response-all-platforms/ Multi-platform AI lead response: a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds, plus instant replies on Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, and Google LSA. Multi-platform AI lead response for Yelp, Thumbtack and more Multi-platform AI lead response means one AI system covers every lead source you use from a single setup. Yelp inquiries get a job-specific response created in under 2 seconds, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, and Google LSA leads get an instant reply, and every conversation syncs to your CRM, with a voice agent that can follow up by phone when enabled. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Speed matters on every lead source. NZ Leads creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds and replies instantly on Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, and Google LSA. Losing Yelp and Thumbtack leads to slow workflows? Try NZ Leads free and create specific responses in under 2 seconds. How Does NZ Leads Work for Yelp and Thumbtack Leads? A new lead comes in. NZ Leads creates a personalized response in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. A voice agent can also follow up by phone when enabled. Everything syncs to your CRM automatically. Your team can monitor conversations and step in whenever needed. | Platform | What NZ Leads Does | |----------|----------------------| | Yelp | Job-specific response created in under 2 seconds, voice call, CRM sync | | Thumbtack | Instant text reply, AI follow-up chat, voice call, CRM sync | | Facebook / Instagram | Messenger reply, Lead Ad response, voice call, CRM sync | | Google LSA | Outbound AI call instantly, SMS follow-up | Can AI text my leads from Google and Thumbtack? Yes. Google Local Services Ads and Thumbtack are both connected sources, so NZ Leads replies to those leads on the platform itself in under 2 seconds. To also reach the customer by text message, turn on SMS Messaging for the source: the AI then holds a two-way text conversation from a dedicated business number, alongside the platform thread, once your one-time US carrier registration is approved. Whether a text can go out depends on whether the platform gives you the customer's phone number: | Lead source | Reply on the platform | Phone number for a text or call | |---|---|---| | Google Local Services Ads | Instant reply to messages | Usually included with the lead | | Thumbtack | Instant reply | When the customer shares it in the conversation | | Yelp | Job-specific response created in under 2 seconds | When the customer chooses to share it on Yelp | | Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs | Instant reply that asks for contact details | Only after the customer gives it in the chat | | Facebook Lead Ads | No chat: the form submission is captured | On the form, when the form asks for it | The supported sources are Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram DMs and Google Local Services Ads. Lead marketplaces outside that list are not connected, so check the list against where your leads come from before you sign up. Phone calls are covered separately by the AI voice agent. How does one AI keep every platform's conversations straight? Each connected account is its own source with its own settings: the AI instructions, your pricing, the services you do not provide, reference files and scheduling rules. A business with two Yelp locations gets two sources, which can carry different service areas, prices and CRM destinations. Within a source, the platform thread and the SMS conversation draw on the same business information, while reply length and follow-up limits are set per channel, because a quick chat and a quote request do not call for the same reply. However many sources you connect, every conversation lands on one Leads page. Two rules stop the channels from tripping over each other. When a customer replies on any channel, the platform thread or a text, scheduled follow-ups stop on both. And when you or a teammate reply manually in a thread, the AI conversation for that lead stops, so a person and the AI never answer the same customer at once. Why Does a Fast Reply Win More Jobs on Yelp and Thumbtack? Speed is the single biggest factor in lead conversion for service businesses. Here's what the research shows: - Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007) - Thumbtack charges per lead. A slow reply means you paid for nothing - Contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it (~60x vs waiting a day) (HBR, 2011) Most of your competitors take hours. Responding in under 2 seconds puts you first in line for nearly every job. What Does AI Voice Calling Do for Service Businesses? NZ Leads has three voice modes. Outbound calling rings new leads the instant a form comes in or message. Inbound answering picks up customer calls in under 2 seconds, covering after-hours and overflow. Batch campaigns let you call a list of past customers or cold leads over 1-5 days. | Voice Mode | Use Case | Response Time | |-----------|----------|--------------| | Outbound | Call new Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook leads | Instantly | | Inbound | Answer customer calls 24/7 | Under 2 seconds | | Batch campaigns | Re-engage old leads, seasonal promos | Scheduled over days | Which CRMs Integrate with NZ Leads? Every lead, conversation, and booked appointment syncs to your CRM automatically. No manual entry. | CRM type | Integration | |-----|------------| | Flat-rate all-in-one marketing CRM | Native two-way sync | | Field service management platform (per-tech pricing) | Native, auto job creation | | Trade-specific dispatch CRM (flat monthly fee) | Customer + job sync | | Per-seat enterprise sales CRM | Lead creation | | Zapier | Connections to other apps | | Webhook | Custom integration to any system | What Does NZ Leads Cost? | Feature | Price | |---------|-------| | Yelp / Thumbtack auto-response (per platform) | $99/month | | Facebook Messenger | $49/month | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19/month | | Google Local Services Ads | $49/month | | Instagram DMs | $49/month | | AI voice agent (inbound or outbound) | $10/month per number + $1/minute of talk time | | Batch call campaigns | $1/minute | | CRM integrations | Included | No contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps, no setup fees. Start with a 7-day free trial. When faster response means you book jobs your competitors lost to slow replies, a single recovered job can cover the month. Start Responding to Leads Automatically Setup takes under 2 minutes. Connect your first lead source, configure your business info and response style, plug in your CRM, and go live. Leads start getting instant replies the same day. For the setup of each platform on its own, see the Thumbtack auto responder, the Yelp auto responder guide, the Facebook auto responder and the Google LSA auto responder guide. For how a single trade runs it, read lead automation for cleaning businesses. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more jobs you close when every lead gets a reply in under 2 seconds. --- ### AI Lead Response vs Answering Service: Cost and Speed **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-lead-response-vs-answering-service/ AI lead response vs an answering service for contractors: what each one costs, how fast each one replies, and which leads each one is built to handle. AI Lead Response vs Answering Service: Cost, Speed, and Conversion Compared Comparing AI lead response vs answering service, the AI option is faster and usually costs a fraction as much: AI lead response tools reply in under 2 seconds across text, voice, and marketplace messages for flat per-channel fees with no contracts. A traditional answering service is usually phone only, commonly adds per-minute overage, and often charges extra for after-hours coverage. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. If you're paying for an answering service every month and still losing leads, you're not alone. Most answering services take 30-90 seconds to pick up and follow a generic script. AI lead response tools reply in under 2 seconds, across text, voice, and marketplace messages, for a fraction of the cost. If you're weighing the switch, this pairs well with our guide to choosing the best AI answering service. Tired of overpaying for slow lead responses? Try NZ Leads free and see how instant AI replies compare to your current setup. How Much Does an Answering Service Cost vs AI Lead Response? AI lead response usually costs a fraction of a traditional answering service. Here's how the pricing models compare: | | Answering Service | AI Lead Response (NZ Leads) | |---|---|---| | Monthly cost | Monthly plan, often with a minimum | Flat per channel: Yelp $99, Thumbtack $99, Facebook Messenger $49, Facebook Lead Ads $19, Google LSA $49, Instagram DMs $49 | | Per-minute/per-lead fees | Per-minute overage is common | No per-lead fees, no lead caps; voice is $10/mo per number + $1/min | | After-hours coverage | Often costs extra | Included | | Multi-channel (text, web, voice) | Usually phone only | Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, Google LSA, and voice | | Setup time | 1-2 weeks | Under 2 minutes | | Contract | Often a minimum term | No contracts | To compare for your business, add up your answering service's monthly plan, overage minutes, and after-hours fees. Then add up the flat per-channel fees for the sources you would activate, plus voice minutes. How Fast Does AI Respond to Leads Compared to an Answering Service? AI responds in under 2 seconds. Answering services average 30-90 seconds on phone calls, and most don't handle text leads at all. Speed matters because waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007). Every second counts. | Response Channel | Answering Service | AI Lead Response | |---|---|---| | Phone call | 30-90 sec pickup | Under 2 sec (voice AI) | | Text/SMS | Not offered | Under 2 sec | | Yelp/Thumbtack | Not offered | Instant | | Facebook leads | Not offered | Instant | Answering services only cover one channel. If your leads come from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and your website, you need a person monitoring each one, or you need AI handling them all. Do Answering Services Convert Leads Better Than AI? No. AI lead response tools tend to convert more leads than answering services because they reply faster and cover every channel, not just the phone. Three reasons: 1. Speed wins. The first business to respond usually gets the job, and AI is always first. Contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour longer (HBR, 2011). 2. Consistency. Answering services have turnover. New operators don't know your business. AI follows your script every time. 3. Multi-channel. An answering service only catches phone calls. AI catches every lead source. That alone widens your response coverage. The exception: complex commercial quotes or high-value jobs where a prospect expects a detailed conversation upfront. For those, AI qualifies the lead and routes it to you with full context. You handle the close. When Should You Use an Answering Service Instead of AI? An answering service still makes sense in a few cases: - You need live dispatch for emergency service calls (water damage, locksmith) where a human must make routing decisions in real time - Your customers are primarily elderly and strongly prefer speaking to a person before booking - You handle complex intake that requires back-and-forth judgment calls (insurance adjusters, legal intake) For standard service business leads, like someone requesting a quote for HVAC repair, roof inspection, or house cleaning, an AI answering service handles the response, qualification, and booking faster and cheaper. How to Switch from an Answering Service to AI Lead Response Setup takes under 2 minutes. Here's how to switch: 1. Connect your lead sources to NZ Leads. Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram, and phone all plug in. 2. Set your response script. Tell the AI what to say, what questions to ask, and when to route to you. 3. Run both in parallel for a week. Keep your answering service active while AI handles new leads. Compare conversion rates side by side. 4. Cancel the answering service once you see the data. You can see the difference in response coverage right away, because AI catches leads that the answering service was missing entirely, like text messages and marketplace inquiries. If you want to test the difference yourself, set up NZ Leads free and run it alongside your current answering service for a week. The numbers will speak for themselves. --- ### AI Receptionist Cost and AI Answering Service Pricing (2026) **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-receptionist-cost-pricing-2026/ AI receptionist cost in 2026: $19-$99/month per lead channel plus $10/month per voice number and $1 per minute. What an AI answering service costs and what to ask. AI Receptionist Cost and Pricing 2026 AI receptionist cost in 2026 depends on the pricing model: per-channel AI runs $19-$99/month per channel plus $10/month per voice number and $1/minute of talk time, bundled enterprise suites charge a higher flat monthly fee, and per-minute answering services vary with call minutes. Per-channel pricing is the most cost-effective for service businesses running one or two lead sources. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. What an AI receptionist costs in 2026 depends on whether you pay per channel (Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook each priced separately) or buy a bundled enterprise suite. Here's what each model actually costs and what you get. Want to skip the research? Try NZ Leads free and get AI voice callbacks for every lead, starting today. How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost Per Month? AI receptionist pricing falls into three models. Your monthly cost depends on which channels you activate and whether you bundle. | Pricing Model | Monthly Cost | What's Included | Best For | |---|---|---|---| | Per-channel AI (NZ Leads) | $19-$99/mo per channel + $10/mo per voice number + $1/min talk | Yelp $99, Thumbtack $99, FB Messenger $49, FB Lead Ads $19, Google LSA $49, Instagram DMs $49. Unlimited messaging on each activated channel. | Service businesses running 1-3 lead sources | | Bundled enterprise suite | Higher flat monthly fee | Reviews, webchat, payments, multi-seat CRM, reporting bundled together. Often requires a long-term contract. | Multi-location operations using the full feature stack | | Per-minute answering service | Varies with call minutes | Per-minute billing, often with a monthly minimum. | Overflow and after-hours only | Per-channel pricing is the most cost-effective for service businesses running one or two lead sources. You only pay for the channels you actually use. How Much Does an AI Answering Service Cost? An AI answering service is billed on the phone side of the same equation: a monthly fee for the phone number plus the minutes the AI spends on calls. With NZ Leads, that is $10/month per voice number and $1 per minute of talk time, inbound and outbound calls alike, with no setup fee and no contract. The number that decides your bill is minutes, not calls. Two businesses with the same call count can pay very different amounts if one has 1-minute "are you open?" calls and the other has long quoting calls. How call minutes are counted - Per call, rounded up. Each completed call is rounded up to the next whole minute, so a 90-second call counts as 2 minutes. - Inbound and outbound count the same. The AI answering your line and the AI calling a new lead back are both billed as talk time. - The number is a separate monthly line. Each voice number is $10/month, billed apart from the minutes. Worked example: pricing your own call volume At $1/min of talk time, a 1-3 min call is $1-$3. A business taking 200 calls a month at 1-3 minutes each pays $210-$610 voice all-in, which is the $10/month number plus 200 to 600 minutes. To price your own month, skip the averages and use your records: 1. Pull last month's call log from your phone provider and count the answered and missed calls. 2. Note the typical length of a real booking call versus a quick question. 3. Multiply calls by minutes, rounding each call up to a whole minute. 4. Add $10/month for each voice number you will run. 5. Add the lead channels you want answered in writing (Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, Google LSA) at their flat monthly price. That total is your real AI answering service cost. Compare it with a quote for the same calls, not with a headline monthly price. What Drives AI Receptionist Pricing Up or Down? Most of the difference between two quotes comes from a handful of line items. Ask about each one before you sign anything. | Cost driver | Why it changes the bill | How NZ Leads handles it | |---|---|---| | Minute rounding | Rounding every call up to a block of minutes inflates short calls | Each call rounds up to the next whole minute | | Included minutes and overage | A bundle of minutes can go unused, or run over at a higher rate | No bundle: $1 per minute of talk time | | Per-lead or per-call fees | The bill grows with every lead, including the ones that never book | No per-lead fees, no lead caps | | Setup and contract terms | Setup fees and annual terms raise the cost of leaving | No setup fees, no contracts | | Seats | Per-user pricing grows with your office team | Team access with no per-seat charge | | Text channels | Many services price phone answering only | Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram and Google LSA are flat per-channel fees | If a provider will not tell you how it rounds minutes or what happens past an included bundle, assume the headline price is the floor, not the bill. AI Receptionist vs Human Receptionist Cost A full-time human receptionist means a full salary every month, before benefits, training, sick days, and turnover. An AI receptionist handles inbound calls and lead responses for flat per-channel fees plus voice minutes, depending on how many channels you activate. That's a fraction of a full-time salary. The real difference goes beyond price. A human receptionist works 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. An AI receptionist works 24/7/365. No breaks, no holidays, no missed calls at 9pm on a Saturday when a Yelp lead comes in. For service businesses, after-hours leads are often the most urgent. A homeowner searching for a plumber at 10pm isn't browsing. They need someone now. An AI receptionist calls back instantly while competitors don't respond until Monday morning. If you are weighing an AI tool against a staffed answering service rather than an employee, our comparison of AI lead response vs an answering service walks through what each one does with a call. What's Included in AI Receptionist Pricing? Not all AI receptionists include the same features. Here's what to look for: 1. Voice callbacks - Does the AI actually call leads back, or just send texts? A callback lets you qualify the lead while the need is fresh. 2. Multi-platform support - Can it create a job-specific response for leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, and Facebook? Or just phone calls? 3. Lead qualification - Does the AI ask qualifying questions (budget, timeline, service needed) before routing to you? 4. Appointment booking - Can it book directly to your calendar without you touching anything? 5. After-hours coverage - Does pricing include 24/7 operation, or do nights and weekends cost extra? Some bundled suites charge a high flat fee and lock you into features you never touch. Per-channel pricing lets you activate just Yelp ($99) and voice ($10/mo + $1/min), skipping the bundle entirely. Which AI Receptionist Pricing Model Fits Your Business? One lead source (Yelp only): Per-channel. You'll spend $99/month for Yelp messaging plus voice usage. No bundled features you'll never use. Two to three lead sources (Yelp + Thumbtack + voice): Per-channel. Activate $99 + $99 + $10/mo voice number + voice minutes. Still cheaper than most bundles. Multi-location running the full reputation/webchat/payments stack: Compare bundled enterprise suites. At full feature use, a bundle's higher fee can make sense. The math is simple. List the channels you actually run, sum the per-channel fees, and compare to a bundled-suite quote. Many small businesses using AI receptionists run one or two channels, making per-channel pricing the clear winner. If you are still weighing options, our guide to choosing an AI answering service walks through how pricing model and channel coverage should drive the decision. How NZ Leads AI Receptionist Pricing Works NZ Leads uses per-channel pricing. Yelp $99/month, Thumbtack $99/month, Facebook Messenger $49/month, Facebook Lead Ads $19/month, Google Local Services Ads $49/month, Instagram DMs $49/month. Voice agent: $10/month for the dedicated number plus $1/minute of talk time. No setup fees, no contracts, 7-day free trial. Instagram DMs are a separate $49/month source. Every channel includes the same core features, with no feature tiers: AI first replies, qualification, booking, follow-ups and CRM handoff. The full table, including how trials and proration work, is on the pricing docs page. Your AI receptionist picks up leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram. It calls back instantly, qualifies the lead, and books the appointment. All for a fraction of what a human receptionist or flat-rate AI answering service costs. Frequently Asked Questions How much does an AI answering service cost per minute? With NZ Leads, AI phone answering is $1 per minute of talk time, for inbound and outbound calls alike, plus $10/month for each voice number. Each completed call is rounded up to the next whole minute, so a 90-second call is billed as 2 minutes. Is an AI receptionist cheaper than a human answering service? Usually, for a service business with short calls and leads arriving at all hours, because you pay for the minutes the AI is actually on the phone instead of staffed hours. The way to know for your business is to price your own last month: count the calls, multiply by the average length, and compare that figure with a quote for the same calls. Are there setup fees or contracts? Not on NZ Leads source subscriptions: no setup fees, no contracts, no per-lead fees and no lead caps. Optional add-ons show their own charges before you turn them on, and each voice number is a separate $10/month line. What is the cheapest way to start with an AI receptionist? Start with the one channel that brings most of your leads. With NZ Leads each lead channel is a flat $19-$99/month, and voice answering alone is $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time. Add channels only when the first one pays for itself. Is there a free trial? Yes. A 7-day free trial applies to eligible first-time customers when the order summary shows it. Checkout still collects a payment method, so check the order summary for the trial and the first charge date before you confirm. Try NZ Leads free and see what AI receptionist pricing looks like for your actual lead volume. --- ### AI Receptionist for Electricians **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-receptionist-electricians/ AI receptionist for electricians answers calls, qualifies emergency jobs, and books appointments 24/7. Stop losing leads to voicemail. AI Receptionist for Electricians An AI receptionist for electricians answers every inbound call instantly, 24/7, asks qualifying questions such as whether a panel is sparking or the power is out, and books an emergency dispatch or a standard appointment on your calendar. Calls it cannot handle transfer to your cell or on-call technician under fallback rules you set. Electricians lose a lot of inbound leads to voicemail. You are on a job site, hands in a panel, and cannot pick up. By the time you call back, the homeowner already booked someone else. An AI receptionist answers every call instantly, qualifies the job, and books it on your calendar. Losing electrical leads to voicemail? Try NZ Leads free and start answering every call in under 2 seconds. Why Electricians Lose More Leads Than Other Trades Electrical work demands full attention. You cannot pause mid-wire to answer a phone call. But homeowners calling about a tripped breaker or flickering lights want help now, not a callback in 2 hours. Speed is the whole game. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it (HBR, 2011). The decay is steep because electrical problems feel urgent to homeowners even when they are not emergencies - so the electrician who picks up first usually books the job. How an AI Receptionist Works for Electrical Contractors 1. Homeowner calls your business number. The AI answers instantly with a greeting customized to your company name. 2. AI qualifies the job. It asks what the issue is (panel upgrade, outlet install, emergency repair), confirms the service area, and checks if the caller is the homeowner or a property manager. 3. Emergency triage. If the caller describes sparking, burning smell, or a full outage, the AI flags it as emergency and either dispatches immediately or transfers to your cell. 4. Books the appointment. For standard jobs, the AI checks your calendar, offers available slots, and books it. The customer gets a confirmation text. You get a notification. 5. Sends follow-up. A text with your company name, appointment details, and a reminder goes to the homeowner automatically. The whole interaction happens in one call. No hold music. No voicemail. AI Receptionist Cost vs Live Answering Service for Electricians | Feature | Live Answering Service | AI Receptionist | |---|---|---| | Monthly cost | Per-minute billing, often with a minimum | $10/mo per number + $1/min | | Monthly minimum | Common | None | | After-hours coverage | Extra charge | Included | | Appointment booking | Manual relay (delayed) | Instant, automated | | Emergency triage | Basic script | Custom rules you define | | Setup time | 3-5 business days | Same day | Say a solo electrician handles 100 calls a month at about 90 seconds each: that is billed as 200 minutes (each call rounds up to 2), or about $210 a month including the number. Compare that to an answering service's monthly minimum plus per-minute charges. And it books jobs faster because there is no human relay delay. What Electrical Jobs the AI Handles Best The AI is strongest on high-volume, repeatable call types: - Emergency calls (panel sparking, power outage, exposed wiring) - triage and dispatch - Outlet and switch installs - qualify, price-range, book - Panel upgrades - qualify amperage needs, schedule estimate - Ceiling fan installs - confirm fixture type, book slot - EV charger installs - confirm electrical panel capacity, schedule assessment - Inspection requests - book directly to your calendar Complex commercial bids or multi-phase projects get transferred to you. The AI knows the difference because you define the routing rules. After-Hours Electrical Lead Capture A large share of residential electrical leads arrive after 5pm or on weekends. These are homeowners who just got home, noticed a problem, and started calling. Without after-hours coverage, those calls go to voicemail. With a 24/7 AI answering service, they get answered, qualified, and booked before the homeowner moves to the next Google result. No extra marketing spend, same lead volume - you just stop losing the calls you were already missing. Frequently Asked Questions How does an AI receptionist handle electrical emergency calls? The AI answers instantly, asks qualifying questions (panel sparking, power outage, exposed wiring), determines urgency, and either books an emergency dispatch or schedules a standard appointment. It follows your custom triage rules so high-priority calls always get flagged. Can an AI receptionist book appointments on my calendar? Yes. It connects to Google Calendar, field service calendars, or any system with an API. When a homeowner calls, the AI checks open slots, books the job, and sends confirmation texts to both you and the customer automatically. What happens if the AI cannot answer a question? It transfers the call to your cell or on-call technician. You set the fallback rules. Complex commercial bids or panel upgrade consultations get routed to you directly. Does it work after hours and on weekends? It runs 24/7/365. A large share of residential electrical leads come in after 5pm or on weekends - homeowners who just got home and noticed a problem. Without after-hours coverage, those leads call the next electrician on the list. How much does an AI receptionist cost compared to a live answering service? Live answering services typically bill per minute, often with a monthly minimum. The AI voice agent runs $10 per month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time, with no monthly minimum. For example, 100 calls a month at about 90 seconds each is billed as 200 minutes (each call rounds up to 2), or about $210 a month including the number. Compare that to your answering service quote, including its minimum. How long does setup take? Setup takes under 2 minutes, and you can be live the same day. You provide your service area, pricing structure, emergency triage rules, and calendar access. The AI is configured and taking calls the same day. --- Stop losing electrical leads to voicemail. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more jobs you book when every call gets answered. Related: AI Receptionist for Roofing Contractors · AI Receptionist for Plumbing Services · After-Hours Lead Capture --- ### AI Receptionist for Small Business: What It Does and Costs **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-receptionist-for-small-business/ AI receptionist for small business sets up in under 2 minutes and goes live the same day. Operational walkthrough, missed-call recovery flow, and the cost math. AI Receptionist for Small Business An AI receptionist for small business answers your calls and handles your messaging sources in one workflow, texts back every missed call in under 2 seconds, qualifies the customer, and books the job into your calendar. A typical small-business stack, voice agent plus Yelp, costs $109/month plus $1 per voice minute. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. You can set up an AI receptionist for your small business in under 2 minutes. By dinner, it is answering every call, following up on every missed one, and booking jobs into your calendar. Deploy by tonight. Try NZ Leads free and start recovering missed calls today. What Does an AI Receptionist Do for a Small Business? It does the job a front-desk person would do if you could keep one on the phone all day: it picks up, works out what the caller needs, answers from your own business information, and then either books the job or gets the call to you with the details attached. Unlike one person, it is never away from the phone, including while you are on a job. Here is how the calls a small service business gets in a normal week are handled. | The call | What the AI receptionist does | |---|---| | A new customer asks what a job costs | Answers from the services and price ranges you entered. You decide whether it quotes prices at all. | | A customer is ready to book | Offers open times from your calendar, collects the details you require, and books the appointment. | | An urgent problem ("water is coming through the ceiling") | Follows your transfer rules, for example "transfer any water damage or gas leak", and puts the caller through to your phone. | | A caller insists on speaking to a person | Offers to help first, then transfers the call if your rules allow it, or takes a message. | | A call outside the hours you set | Answers around the clock by default, or plays your voicemail message outside the call hours you choose. | | A Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, or Google LSA lead | Handled in the same system: a job-specific Yelp response is created in under 2 seconds, and the other channels get an instant reply. | Everything it says comes from what you configure: your services, prices, service area, scheduling rules, and the instructions you write. Every call is logged with a recording, a transcript, and a short summary, so you can check exactly what was said. How Fast Can You Set Up an AI Receptionist? A typical same-day rollout looks like this. | Step | Action | Result | |---|---|---| | 1 | Sign up | Account live | | 2 | Forward business phone line | Missed calls now route to AI | | 3 | Configure voice greeting + SMS text-back | Templates ready | | 4 | Paste service list with price ranges | LLM ready to quote | | 5 | Connect Yelp via OAuth | Inbox monitored | | 6 | Sync Google Calendar | Live booking enabled | | 7 | Test call + test Yelp inquiry | Both book successfully | | 8 | Go live | Real leads start hitting | | Same day | First real missed call comes in | Text-back and callback start the recovery | Setup takes under 2 minutes. Once it is live, every recovered booking is revenue you would otherwise have lost to voicemail. What Happens When You Miss a Call? Tuesday 7:14pm. You are on a roof. Phone rings. Goes to voicemail. 1. 0:00 - Missed call detected. Phone forward fires the event. 2. Under 2 seconds - SMS text-back sent. "Sorry we missed you, what do you need?" 3. 1:34 - Customer replies. "AC stopped working, 95 inside, need someone tonight" 4. Instantly - AI qualifies. Confirms address, asks unit age, urgency tier 5. Instantly - Voice agent dials customer back. $10/mo per number + $1/min 6. During the call - Appointment booked. 9pm same-night slot, calendar synced 7. The moment it books - You get SMS with booking details You finish the roof job, check your phone, see a booked $420 emergency call. Will Callers Know They Are Talking to an AI? Yes, whenever they ask, and on every callback it says so up front. The agent never claims to be a person, the owner, or one of your employees. When a caller asks whether it is an AI or whether the call is recorded, it answers directly and honestly, and when it calls a new lead back, its first sentence introduces it as the AI assistant from your business. What you control is how it sounds: the name it uses, the voice, the tone, and the greeting. Keep the greeting short, your business name and one question, because a long greeting makes callers impatient. And give callers a clear way to reach a person on the calls that need one, using the transfer rules described below. What Customers Get From an AI Receptionist What puts callers off is a call that goes nowhere: no answer to their question and no next step. An AI receptionist set up from your business details is built to avoid that. It answers from the services, prices, service area and availability you entered, can offer an open time from your calendar and book the job, and passes the call to your team with the details when a person is needed. A voicemail greeting gives the caller neither an answer nor a booking; the AI voice agent page walks through what the caller hears, step by step. Is an AI Receptionist Worth It for a Small Business? It is worth it when the work you lose to missed calls is worth more than the monthly bill. The quickest way to tell is to count the calls you missed last month and set that against what one booked job is worth to you. The hardest case is a solo operator with no backup. The figures below are a worked illustration, not measured results - plug in your own miss rate, call volume, and close rate to see your numbers. | Metric | No Recovery | AI Receptionist | |---|---|---| | Calls per month | 40 | 40 | | Missed calls | 20 | 20 | | Calls recovered by SMS + callback | 0 | Some of the 20 | | Jobs booked from recovered calls | 0 | Each one is revenue you would have lost | | Average job value | $400 | $400 | | AI cost (voice + Yelp) | $0 | $109 + voice minutes | Even a single recovered booking can cover the full month of tool cost. Peak-Season Operational Stress Test The hardest moment for an HVAC company is a single 90-degree afternoon when calls spike all at once. When dozens of calls land in the same hour, many go to voicemail and most of those callers move on to the next contractor. The AI voice agent answers every call instantly, 24/7, qualifies each caller, and books the jobs it can. Because voice is billed at $1/minute, even a heavy spike hour costs a small fraction of the revenue those booked jobs bring in. The HVAC peak-season guide walks through that day in detail. How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost for a Small Business? Per source, no contracts. | Item | Monthly Cost | |---|---| | Voice agent for phone calls | $10/month per number + $1/min | | Yelp | $99 | | Thumbtack | $99 | | Google Local Services Ads | $49 | | Facebook Messenger | $49 | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19 | | Instagram DMs | $49 | | Setup, support, config changes | Free | Example small-business stack (phone + Yelp): $109/month plus voice minutes. Part-time human receptionist: wages for their scheduled hours, phone only. An AI answering service covers every channel around the clock for a small fraction of that. Voice is the part of the bill that moves with your call volume. Each call is billed by talk time and rounded up to the next whole minute, so your monthly voice cost is $10 a month per number plus $1 for every billed minute. Count last month's calls, multiply by the length of a typical call, and you have a realistic estimate before you start. The AI receptionist cost and pricing guide sets the common pricing models side by side. Is There a Free AI Receptionist for Small Business? Hold a free option to the same test as a paid one: does it answer from your prices, book into your calendar, and get urgent calls to you? If it can only take a message, it is a voicemail box with a new name. NZ Leads offers a 7-day free trial, so you can run it on your real calls and leads before you pay. What Can't an AI Receptionist Do? An AI receptionist is only as good as the information behind it. Know its limits before you rely on it: - It does not know what you have not told it. Answers come from your services, prices, and instructions. A service you never listed or a price you never entered is something it cannot quote, so keep the list current. - It is not the right voice for every call. Custom quotes, technical troubleshooting, and billing disputes are better handled by you. Send them to a person with transfer rules, or let the agent take a message with the full context. - It cannot see the job. It collects the address and the details you ask for, but sizing up the work is still your call. - Travel time is an estimate. When job addresses are available, it can estimate driving time between jobs before offering a slot. It does not follow live traffic. - It works the hours you give it. If you set call hours, calls outside them go to your voicemail message. Leave the default and it answers around the clock. To decide which calls reach you, write transfer criteria in plain words, such as "transfer if the caller mentions a gas leak or water damage". A transfer can be cold, straight through to your phone, or warm, where the agent briefs you privately first and then connects the caller. How Do You Set Up an AI Receptionist and Keep Your Number? You keep your existing business number. Most businesses forward unanswered calls to the agent's number, so your phone still rings first and only the calls you cannot take reach the AI receptionist. 1. Sign up and forward your business phone line. After 4 rings. 2. Configure the voice agent greeting and the SMS text-back. Under 15 words greeting, default text-back template. 3. Paste your service list with price ranges. Top 10 services, min and max prices. 4. Connect Yelp through OAuth and sync your calendar. Yelp URL, Google Calendar. 5. Run a test call and a test Yelp inquiry, then go live. Confirm both book successfully. On many US landlines and VoIP lines, no-answer forwarding is a carrier code, commonly \92 to turn it on and \93 to turn it off, set to 3 to 4 rings. Codes vary by carrier, so check yours; the call forwarding setup guide lists the common ones. Frequently Asked Questions What does an AI receptionist for small business actually do hour by hour? It answers your calls instantly, 24/7, and handles your messaging sources in the same workflow. For Yelp, it creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Other messaging sources get an instant reply. It also texts back missed calls, books appointments live, and syncs each lead to your CRM. How fast can a small business deploy an AI receptionist? Setup takes under 2 minutes: sign up, connect your phone line and Yelp account, paste your service list with prices and qualifying questions, sync your calendar, run a test call, and go live. Same-day deploy is the norm. How does the AI receptionist recover missed calls? When a call rings out, the platform fires an SMS text-back in under 2 seconds: "Sorry we missed you, what do you need?" The customer replies, the AI qualifies, an optional voice agent calls back at $10/month per number + $1/minute, and the appointment books live. The flow recovers missed calls that would otherwise go straight to a competitor. What is the ROI of an AI receptionist for a small service business? The return comes from recovering calls you would otherwise lose. As an illustration only: a small business with 40 calls a month and a $400 average job pays $109/month plus voice minutes for a voice + Yelp stack. If recovering even a handful of otherwise-missed calls books one extra job, the tool has paid for itself for the month. Your real numbers depend on your miss rate, call volume, and close rate. Does the AI receptionist work for solo operators? Yes, this is where it shines hardest. Solo operators have the highest miss rate because there is no backup when you are on a job. The AI handles every channel while you work, so calls that used to go to voicemail get answered, qualified, and booked. The extra jobs come from leads you simply could not get to before. What does an AI receptionist cost for a small business? Pricing is per source: voice agent $10/month per number + $1/minute of talk time, Yelp $99/month, Thumbtack $99/month, Google Local Services Ads $49/month, Facebook Messenger $49/month, Facebook Lead Ads $19/month, Instagram DMs $49/month. Example small business stack: voice agent + Yelp = $109/month plus $1 per voice minute. Compare that to a part-time receptionist, who only covers phone during their shift. Can the AI receptionist handle peak-season call spikes? It answers every call instantly, day or night, so a busy afternoon does not send callers to voicemail. Since voice is billed at $1/minute, even a heavy call hour costs a fraction of the revenue those booked jobs represent. Does the AI receptionist need integration with my existing tools? Optional. The receptionist works standalone with email and SMS notifications. If you already have a CRM, calendar, or field service platform, native integrations or Zapier handle the sync. Many small businesses start standalone and add a CRM later. Is AI replacing receptionists? In a small trade business without a front desk, an AI receptionist replaces voicemail, not a person: calls that used to ring out get answered, and the caller can book a time. Where you have a receptionist, it covers the overflow and after-hours calls they cannot take and passes your team the details of each one. Deploy by Tonight Try NZ Leads free and have your AI receptionist live in under 2 minutes. Still comparing options? The guide to the best AI receptionist for a small business has a ten-point checklist to run during any free trial. --- ### AI Receptionist for Plumbers and Plumbing Services **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-receptionist-plumber/ An AI receptionist for plumbers and plumbing services answers every call instantly, triages emergencies, and books jobs 24/7. Setup takes under 2 minutes. AI Receptionist for Plumbers: Stop Losing Jobs to Missed Calls An AI receptionist for plumbers answers every call instantly, 24/7, triages emergencies such as burst pipes and sewage backups, and books the appointment on your calendar. Evening, late-night, and weekend calls that used to hit voicemail get answered and booked instead of going to the next plumber, and setup takes under 2 minutes. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. A customer with a burst pipe at 7 PM calls the first plumber they find. If nobody answers, they call the next one. A large share of plumbing calls come after hours, and many go unanswered. That's leads going straight to a competitor. Stop losing plumbing jobs to voicemail. Try NZ Leads free and answer every call in under 2 seconds, 24/7. How much do missed calls cost plumbers? More than most trades. Plumbing work is urgent by nature. A flooded basement, a dead water heater, a sewage backup. Customers call, and if you don't pick up, they move on immediately. Calls come in around the clock: business hours, evenings, late nights, and weekends. Business-hours calls have the best chance of reaching someone. Evening, late-night, and weekend calls are the ones most likely to hit voicemail. The highest-value calls (evenings, weekends, emergencies) are the ones you miss most. Emergency jobs are often among your biggest tickets. Multiply your average emergency job value by the emergency calls you miss each month to see what you're leaving on the table. What does an AI receptionist do on a plumbing call? It answers instantly, asks the right diagnostic questions, and books the appointment. Your tech gets a full job brief before they show up. A typical call goes like this: the customer says their water heater stopped working. The AI asks whether it's gas or electric, how old it is, and what they've already tried. Based on the answers, it offers same-day or next-morning slots. Customer picks a time, confirms the address, and the tech gets notified with full details. By the time your plumber arrives, they already know: - Type of issue and diagnostic indicators - Equipment brand and age (if relevant) - Whether the problem is getting worse - Access details (gate codes, dogs, unit number) - What the homeowner has already tried No long intake conversation on-site. Your tech can start working immediately. How does it handle real plumbing emergencies? The AI triages by severity and acts accordingly. Active emergencies (flooding, gas smell, sewage backup): flags the call as emergency, sends an immediate SMS to your on-call tech, walks the customer through shutting off the water main, and books the fastest available slot. Same-day urgent (no hot water, running toilet, slow drain): books same-day or next-morning and collects diagnostic details so your tech arrives prepared. Routine work (fixture replacement, water heater service, inspections): books the next available slot based on customer preference and captures the full job scope. Does it work with plumbing CRM software? Yes. Every call the AI books flows directly into your existing system: | CRM type | What syncs | |---|---| | Flat-rate all-in-one CRM (unlimited users) | Contact, pipeline, and automation trigger | | Per-seat enterprise CRM | Customer and job creation via webhook, full lead record with call notes | | Field service management platform (per-tech pricing) | Customer + job, auto-assigned to tech | | Lightweight dispatch tool | Customer profile and job booking | | Google Calendar | Appointment sync | No manual data entry. The booking goes from the AI call into your dispatch queue automatically. Does it cover leads beyond phone calls? It works as one AI answering service across phone and supported messaging sources. Phone calls use the AI voice agent. For Yelp messages, the AI creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds. Other messaging sources get an instant reply. One setup handles all of it. A plumbing call at 10 PM gets the same response quality as a Yelp message at 2 PM. Answering service for plumbers: AI receptionist or live answering service? Both answer the phone when you cannot. The difference is who picks up, how your rules are applied, and what you get back after the call. Use this table to compare an AI receptionist with any live plumbing answering service you are quoting. | | AI receptionist (NZ Leads) | Live answering service | |---|---|---| | Who picks up | The AI voice agent, 24/7 | An operator, when one is free | | What the caller hears | An AI assistant that says it is AI and follows your greeting and questions | A person reading the script you gave the service | | Emergencies | Your written triage and transfer rules, applied the same way on every call | The operator's judgement plus your instructions | | Booking | Straight into your calendar when scheduling is connected | Ask whether they book or take a message for a callback | | After the call | Recording, transcript, AI summary and the details collected, in Call Logs | Ask what each service sends you | | Cost | $10 a month per number plus $1 a minute of talk time | Ask for the monthly plan, the per-minute or per-call rate, and any after-hours surcharge | A live service is the better fit when your callers expect a human voice and hang up on anything automated, or when most calls need judgement a script cannot hold, such as insurance work or large commercial accounts. Many plumbers combine the two: AI voice agents for plumbers answer every call and book routine work, and calls that meet your transfer rules (a gas smell, active flooding, a caller who insists on a person) go to your on-call phone as a warm transfer, so the tech hears a short summary before the customer is connected. How do you set up an AI receptionist for a plumbing business? 1. Choose how calls reach it. Keep your business number and forward calls to the agent's number: when nobody answers (the most common setup), when the line is busy, or all the time after hours. The call forwarding guide lists the common carrier codes. 2. Write down what a dispatcher knows. Services you do and do not offer, your service area, any trip charge or emergency fee you quote, and the questions to ask for each job type (gas or electric water heater, age of the unit, where the water is coming from). 3. Set the emergency rules. Name the situations that go straight to a person and the number to transfer to. "Transfer if the caller mentions a gas smell, a sewage backup or water coming through a ceiling" is specific enough for the agent to follow. 4. Connect your calendar or field service software so the agent offers only open slots and the booking lands where your techs already look. 5. Call it yourself. Play a customer with a burst pipe, then one asking for a quote on a faucet swap. Read both transcripts in Call Logs and tighten the instructions wherever an answer was vague. What does an AI receptionist cost for plumbers? - Voice receptionist: $10/month per phone number plus $1/minute of call time - Example monthly cost: 60 calls at 3 minutes each = 180 minutes = $180, plus $10/month for the number - Yelp/Thumbtack text auto-response: $99/month each - Google Local Services Ads, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs: $49/month each - Facebook Lead Ads: $19/month Plug in your own call volume and call length. One converted emergency call can cover a month of voice minutes. If you want to see how this works for your plumbing business, try NZ Leads free and set it up in under 2 minutes. Common Questions About an AI Receptionist for Plumbing Services Will customers know they're talking to an AI? Yes. The NZ Leads agent introduces itself as an AI assistant for your business and answers honestly if a caller asks whether it is AI. The voice still sounds like a trained intake person - natural pacing, no robotic delivery - so callers get a clear answer and a smooth conversation instead of a robotic menu. Can it dispatch to my on-call tech for emergencies? Yes. Define your on-call rotation (or pull from your CRM), and the AI sends an SMS or call to the right tech the moment it tags a call as an active emergency. Dispatch to your on-call tech is immediate, the moment the customer hangs up. Does it handle Spanish-speaking customers? Yes. The receptionist supports English, Spanish, and 30+ other languages. Customers in California, Texas, Florida, and the Southwest particularly benefit, because Spanish-speaking callers can be served in their own language instead of hanging up. What happens during calls the AI can't handle? It transfers. Set the rules: complex commercial work, insurance claims, jobs above a price ceiling, or any call where the customer asks for a person - the AI hands the call to your dispatch line or a specific staff member. The customer doesn't get stuck. Can it follow up on quotes that didn't book? Yes. Any call that ends without a booking goes into a follow-up queue. The AI sends a text within 24 hours referencing the actual conversation ("Hi John, you called yesterday about the water heater quote - still want me to lock in Friday?"). How does it handle Google Local Service Ads (LSA) calls? The receptionist can use the supported Google LSA lead event to qualify the request and offer a booking step. See the LSA auto responder guide for the source-specific workflow. If you want to see how this works for your plumbing business, try NZ Leads free and set it up in under 2 minutes. Related reading: - AI voice agent for plumbing emergency calls - Plumber auto response for Yelp and Thumbtack - HVAC AI receptionist: peak season guide - Missed call text back for contractors - AI voice agents for service businesses - After-hours lead capture - Speed to lead: Yelp and Thumbtack response time data --- ### AI Receptionist for Roofing Contractors **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-receptionist-roofing-contractors/ AI receptionist for roofing contractors answers calls, qualifies storm damage leads, and books inspections 24/7. Stop losing jobs to voicemail. AI Receptionist for Roofing Contractors An AI receptionist for roofing contractors picks up every call instantly, 24/7, asks about roof age, damage type, and insurance status, and books the inspection directly on your calendar. It escalates active leaks to your on-call crew and sends you a clean summary before you show up. A roofing lead that hits voicemail is a roofing lead that calls your competitor. Storm damage homeowners contact several contractors and go with whoever answers first. An AI receptionist picks up every call instantly, creates a job-specific response for every message in under 2 seconds, qualifies the job, and books the inspection while you are still on the roof. Losing roofing leads to missed calls? Try NZ Leads free and answer every call instantly, 24/7. Why Roofing Contractors Lose Leads to Voicemail Roofing has a unique problem: lead volume is unpredictable and spiky. A hailstorm hits Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning your phone is ringing nonstop. You are already on three roofs. Your office manager is overwhelmed. Leads go to voicemail. Those homeowners call the next contractor on Google. Three patterns drive most lost roofing leads: - Storm surges. Call volume spikes sharply after severe weather. No human team can absorb that overnight. - On the roof. You cannot answer a phone while replacing shingles at 25 feet. Calls stack up through the workday. - After hours. A large share of roofing inquiries arrive evenings and weekends. Homeowners discover a leak at 9 PM and want someone on it by morning. Every missed call during a storm surge is a high-ticket roofing job walking to a faster competitor. What an AI Receptionist Handles for Roofing Companies An AI receptionist for roofers is not voicemail with a script. It runs a real qualifying conversation and takes action. 1. Answers every call instantly and creates a job-specific response for every message in under 2 seconds. Phone, Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram. Zero hold time. 2. Qualifies the lead. Asks about damage type (missing shingles, active leak, storm damage), roof age, square footage estimate, and whether an insurance claim is open. 3. Triages emergencies. Active interior leak with water damage gets escalated to your on-call crew or emergency slot. Standard replacement estimate gets scheduled normally. 4. Books the inspection directly into your calendar with address, damage photos if the homeowner sends them, and access notes. 5. Sends you a job summary so you arrive knowing what you are walking into, not cold-calling a stranger. 6. Follows up automatically. If the homeowner does not confirm, the AI sends a reminder text. No lead falls through the cracks. For more on how voice agents handle the callback process, see our guide on AI voice agents for roofing contractors. Storm Season: Where AI Pays for Itself Here is the operational difference roofing owners care about. | Metric | Without AI Receptionist | With AI Receptionist | |--------|------------------------|---------------------| | Average response time | 2-4 hours (callback queue) | Under 2 seconds | | After-hours leads captured | Few (voicemail) | Every lead (24/7 live response) | The speed gap is what wins jobs. Contacting a lead within an hour makes you roughly 7x more likely to have a meaningful conversation than waiting even an hour longer (Harvard Business Review, 2011), and waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT - Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007). The difference is not more leads. It is answering the ones you already pay for. AI Receptionist Pricing for Roofing Contractors Roofing call volume is seasonal. Paying a flat monthly fee year-round for an answering service means you overpay in slow months and get overwhelmed in peak months anyway. A usage-based AI answering service flexes with the season instead. | Pricing Model | Monthly Cost | |--------------|-------------| | NZ Leads AI voice agent | $10/month per number + $1/minute of talk time | | Flat-rate answering service | Fixed monthly fee | | Full-time receptionist | Full salary | Usage-based voice pricing means a quiet January costs less than the weeks after a March hailstorm. Text channels are flat monthly with no per-lead fees: Yelp $99, Thumbtack $99, Facebook Messenger $49, Facebook Lead Ads $19, Google Local Services Ads $49, and Instagram DMs $49. For a deeper look at pricing models, see our AI receptionist cost breakdown. How Roofing Lead Follow-Up Changes With AI Speed matters more in roofing than almost any other trade. Storm damage homeowners are anxious. They want confirmation that someone is coming. The research is blunt: waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead - and 100x less likely to reach it (MIT - Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007), and contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting longer (HBR, 2011). The AI does not just answer the first call. It handles the full follow-up sequence: - Confirmation text with appointment details - Day-before reminder - Re-engagement if the homeowner goes quiet - Insurance documentation reminder if a claim is open This is where most roofing contractors lose jobs they already won on the first call. The homeowner gets distracted, forgets, or picks someone who followed up faster. For more on this pattern, see roofing lead follow-up data. Frequently Asked Questions What does an AI receptionist do for a roofing contractor? It answers every inbound call instantly and creates a job-specific response for every message in under 2 seconds, 24/7. It asks qualifying questions like roof age, damage type, and insurance status, then books an inspection directly on your calendar. You get a clean summary before you show up. Can an AI receptionist handle storm damage lead surges? It answers every call instantly, day or night, so a busy storm week does not send callers to voicemail. How much does an AI receptionist cost for a roofing company? The NZ Leads voice agent is $10/month per phone number plus $1 per minute of talk time. Text channels are flat monthly: Yelp $99, Thumbtack $99, Facebook Messenger $49, Facebook Lead Ads $19, Google Local Services Ads $49, and Instagram DMs $49. No setup fees, no contracts, no per-lead fees, and a 7-day free trial. Does the AI work with Yelp, Thumbtack, and Google LSA leads? Yes. It monitors Yelp messages, Thumbtack inquiries, Google LSA calls, Facebook lead ads, and Instagram DMs from a single system. The AI creates a job-specific response for every inquiry, on every platform, in under 2 seconds. Can the AI receptionist tell the difference between a leak and a full replacement inquiry? Yes. It asks targeted questions about active leaks, interior water damage, missing shingles, and whether an insurance claim is open. Emergency leak calls get escalated to your on-call crew. Replacement estimates get scheduled into your pipeline. Will homeowners know they are talking to an AI? Most will not notice. The voice agent uses natural conversation flow, asks relevant roofing questions, and handles follow-ups like a trained receptionist. Homeowners care about getting help fast, not who picks up. --- Stop losing roofing jobs to voicemail and slow callbacks. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more inspections you book when every call gets answered instantly. --- ### AI Voice Agent for Business: Calls, Costs, and Setup **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-voice-agent-for-service-businesses/ An AI voice agent for business costs $10/month per number + $1/min, rounded up per call. See how the cost works and why one booked job covers the month. AI Voice Agent for Service Businesses An AI voice agent for business is software that handles phone calls for you: it answers inbound calls, calls new leads back the instant they arrive, asks the qualifying questions, and books the job into your calendar. For a service business it costs $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time, with no contracts and a 7-day free trial. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. The pricing is simple: $10/month per number + $1/minute of talk time. The math is simpler: one recovered call covers the whole month. Deploy by tonight. Want voice on your phone line by morning? Try NZ Leads free and run your first test call in minutes. What Does an AI Voice Agent Do for a Business? A business uses an AI voice agent in three ways, and each one is its own agent type. This guide is mostly about the first two. | Agent type | What it does | Typical use | |---|---|---| | Answering agent | Takes inbound calls to your business: answers questions from your own information, quotes from your price list, and books appointments. | Calls you miss while on a job, after hours, or while you are on another call. | | Calling agent | Calls each new lead from a connected source the instant the lead is created, for example a Facebook Lead Ads form or a Google Local Services Ads lead. | Reaching a form or marketplace lead while they are still looking. | | Batch calling agent | Runs an outbound campaign to a list, personalized for each person on it. | Campaigns to a list you supply, such as maintenance reminders. | A Yelp lead gets a callback only once the customer shares a phone number on Yelp; until then, the conversation stays in Yelp's messages. What happens on every call | Step | Action | |---|---| | 1. Picks up | Instantly, every call | | 2. Greets | Under 15 words, business name and first name | | 3. Listens | Real-time transcription | | 4. Quotes | Pulls pricing from your service list | | 5. Books | Live calendar slot, real time | | 6. Confirms | SMS to customer, notification to you | | 7. Records | Full audio + transcript to CRM | A 90-to-180-second call, a couple of dollars in talk time, one booked job. How Much Does an AI Voice Agent Cost for a Business? What the agent actually costs. | Item | Cost | |---|---| | Base | $10/month per number | | Per minute of talk time | $1/minute (rounded up to the next whole minute per call) | | Setup, support, config changes | Free | | Recording, transcript, CRM sync | Included | A call that runs 90 to 180 seconds is billed as 2 to 3 minutes, or $2 to $3 in talk time. No contracts, no minimums, 7-day free trial. Per-call economics A single call costs about the price of a coffee, and a booked service job is worth hundreds. That gap is why the math works for solo operators: even one booked job from a call you would otherwise have missed pays for far more than a month of talk time. | Item | Example Value (use your own numbers) | |---|---| | Call duration | 90 to 180 seconds | | Talk-time cost per call | $2 to $3 | | Service job value | $300 to $500 | The agent answers calls you would have missed, so the upside is the work you were losing to voicemail. Break-even by average job value One booked job covers the month. The higher your average job value, the faster a single recovered call pays for the agent. | Average Job Value | What One Booking Covers | |---|---| | $200 | Multiple months of typical talk-time cost | | $400 | A full month and then some | | $800 | Well over a month | | $2,000+ | Many months from a single call | The first recovered call can cover the cost the same day. Is an AI Voice Agent Worth It for a Service Business? Solo operators miss calls because they are on the truck, under the sink, or driving. Those missed calls are the leak. Acting as an always-on AI answering service, the voice agent answers every one of them, including after hours and during volume spikes, and qualifies the job before the customer moves on to the next business. Research on speed-to-lead is consistent: contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour later, and roughly 60x more likely than 24+ hours (HBR, 2011). Separately, MIT found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (Oldroyd, 2007). An instant AI pickup sits at the top of that curve on every call; a missed call sits at the bottom. It is less of a fit when you rarely miss a call, or when most of your calls are long technical conversations that only you can have. In that case, start with the answering agent on overflow only and look at what it caught after a month. Which Calls Should the AI Handle, and Which Should Reach You? Let the agent take the routine calls and decide in writing which ones come to you. Transfer rules are plain sentences, and the agent transfers only when one of them is met. | Call | Let the AI handle it | Send it to a person | |---|---|---| | Price question on a listed service | Yes, from your price ranges | | | Booking or rescheduling | Yes, into open calendar slots | | | Gas leak, water damage, or another safety emergency | | Yes: write it as a transfer rule | | Custom quote, technical troubleshooting, billing dispute | | Yes, or a structured message with the full context | | Caller who insists on a manager after the agent offers to help | | Yes, if your rules allow it | A transfer can be cold, where the caller goes straight to your number, or warm, where the agent first briefs the person who picks up and then connects the caller. With transfers switched off, the agent offers to help directly and, if the caller insists, takes a message with their contact details. Every call, transferred or not, lands in your call log with a recording, a transcript, and a short summary that says whether a human follow-up is needed. The call transfer guide shows each setting. How Does an AI Voice Agent Sound to Your Customers? You choose a name, a voice, and a tone, and you can preview each voice before you commit. The agent never claims to be human: on an outbound call its first sentence introduces it as an AI assistant from your business, and on any call it answers honestly when someone asks whether it is an AI or whether the call is recorded. Two settings make the biggest difference to how callers react. A short greeting keeps the caller talking instead of waiting. And on callbacks, a verified caller ID lets the agent show your real business number instead of an unfamiliar one, so the lead recognizes who is calling. How Do You Set Up an AI Voice Agent? 1. Sign up and forward your business phone line. After 4 rings. 2. Configure the greeting under 15 words. Business name + first name + question. 3. Paste your service list with price ranges. Min and max per service. 4. Sync your calendar for live booking. Google Calendar or Cal.com. 5. Run a test call and go live. Tweak tone, flip live. Same-day deploy is the norm. Pick the forwarding rule that matches how your phone is answered today: - A team that answers most calls: forward on no answer after 3 to 4 rings, so only the calls nobody picks up reach the agent. - One person who is often on another call: combine forward-when-busy with forward-on-no-answer. - After-hours or out-of-office cover only: forward every call for those hours. Frequently Asked Questions How much does an AI voice agent cost per call? Pricing is $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time, rounded up to the next whole minute per call. A call that runs 90 to 180 seconds is billed as 2 to 3 minutes, or $2 to $3 in talk time. There are no setup fees, no contracts, and no minimums, plus a 7-day free trial. What is the ROI of an AI voice agent? The agent answers and qualifies calls you would otherwise miss while on a job, so the value is the booked work you were losing to voicemail. At $10/month per number plus $1/minute, a single recovered job at typical service-business value covers the cost for the month. The exact return depends on your call volume, average job value, and how many calls you currently miss. How fast does an AI voice agent pick up the phone? Instantly. The agent answers on every call, including 3am Saturday. A human receptionist misses calls during peak windows and after hours. Can the AI voice agent be deployed in under 24 hours? Yes, same day. Setup takes minutes: sign up, configure the greeting and service list, sync your calendar, and run a test call to confirm it works. You can be taking real calls the same day you sign up. Does the AI voice agent recover missed calls? Yes. When a call rings out (you missed it), the platform fires an SMS text-back in under 2 seconds and an optional voice agent callback. Instead of a voicemail the customer never returns, the conversation continues automatically and books the job. What is the break-even on an AI voice agent? One booked job. If your average job is worth a few hundred dollars, a single recovered call can cover a full month of voice agent cost. Everything beyond that first recovered job is upside on top of your existing baseline. How does the AI voice agent handle complex calls? For straightforward calls (booking, pricing, scheduling), the AI closes the call directly. For complex calls (custom quotes, technical troubleshooting, billing disputes), the agent takes a structured message with full context and texts you the summary so you can step in informed. Does the AI voice agent work for emergency trades? Best fit. Emergency trades like plumbing leaks, HVAC outages, locksmith and roof leak response benefit most because customers are ready to book the first business that picks up. Research on speed-to-lead shows contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify a lead (HBR, 2011), and an instant pickup beats every manual response window. Take Real Calls by Tonight Try NZ Leads free and put the voice agent on your phone line in minutes. For the missed-call recovery flow, see missed call text back for Yelp and Thumbtack leads. If you are still deciding between a person and software, the comparison of a receptionist vs an AI voice agent covers the trade-offs. --- ### AI Voice Agent for HVAC Emergency Calls **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-voice-agent-hvac-emergency-calls/ AI voice agent answers HVAC emergency calls instantly, books jobs 24/7. See setup, cost, and speed-to-lead research for HVAC contractors. AI Voice Agent for HVAC Emergency Calls An AI voice agent for HVAC emergency calls picks up every call instantly, 24/7, qualifies the issue (furnace failure, no-cool call, refrigerant leak), confirms the service area, and books the dispatch on your calendar. Calls that need a person go to your on-call technician under escalation rules you set, at $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. A furnace dies at 11pm. The homeowner calls three HVAC companies. Two go to voicemail. Your AI voice agent picks up instantly, qualifies the emergency, and books the dispatch before the homeowner finishes their coffee. Losing emergency calls to voicemail after hours? Try NZ Leads free and answer every HVAC emergency instantly, 24/7. Why HVAC Emergency Calls Need Instant Pickup HVAC emergencies don't wait for business hours. A large share of emergency HVAC calls arrive after 6pm or on weekends. A broken furnace in January or a dead AC in July means the homeowner is calling right now and booking whoever answers first. The research backs this up. Contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour longer (HBR, 2011), and the gap is even steeper inside the first few minutes. Emergency calls are more extreme still. A homeowner with no heat at midnight isn't comparison shopping. They're booking the first company that picks up. Voicemail loses these calls. Traditional answering services put callers on hold. An AI voice agent picks up instantly and handles the call end to end. How the AI Voice Agent Handles an HVAC Emergency Call Here's what happens when a homeowner calls your HVAC business after hours: 1. AI answers instantly. No hold music, no phone tree. The caller hears a professional greeting with your company name. 2. Qualifies the emergency. The agent asks what's happening (no heat, no AC, water leak from unit, gas smell) and confirms the service address is in your coverage area. 3. Checks availability and books. The agent references your calendar and scheduling rules. Emergency slots get booked immediately. Non-urgent requests get scheduled for the next available window. 4. Sends dispatch notification. Your on-call tech gets a text with the job details: address, issue description, and customer phone number. 5. Confirms with the homeowner. The caller gets a text confirmation with the technician's ETA and your company info. Every step happens on the same call. What Does an AI Voice Agent Cost for HVAC Contractors? | Cost Factor | AI Voice Agent | Traditional Answering Service | In-house After-Hours Staff | |---|---|---|---| | Per-minute cost | $1, rounded up to the next whole minute per call | Per-minute or per-call plan rates | Hourly wages | | Monthly base | $10/month per number | Monthly minimum | Salary/on-call pay | | Example emergency call cost | $2 - $3 (2-3 min call) | Varies by plan | Varies | | 24/7 coverage | Yes | Yes (with upcharges) | Expensive | | Books appointments | Yes, automatically | Message-taking only | Yes | Say you handle 40 to 60 emergency calls a month at 2 to 3 minutes each: that works out to roughly $90 to $190/month with the AI voice agent ($10/month for the number plus talk time). A traditional answering service often charges a monthly minimum, and many only take messages. They don't book. An AI answering service qualifies the emergency and books the dispatch on the same call. HVAC Emergency Scenarios the AI Voice Agent Handles The agent is configured with your specific services, pricing ranges, and coverage area. Common scenarios it handles without human involvement: - No heat / no AC - qualifies the unit type, age, and last service date. Books emergency dispatch. - Refrigerant leak - flags as priority, books same-day, texts the tech immediately. - Thermostat failure - determines if it's a thermostat issue or a system issue. Schedules accordingly. - Water leak from HVAC unit - marks urgent, dispatches with plumber coordination note if needed. - Gas smell near furnace - instructs caller to leave the home and call 911 first, then books follow-up service. For calls outside your expertise (electrical, plumbing-only), the agent politely declines and can refer to a partner if you've set one up. Setup Takes Minutes, Not Weeks You don't need IT staff or a month of onboarding. Here's the setup: 1. Upload your service list and pricing ranges 2. Set your service area (zip codes or radius) 3. Connect your calendar (Google Calendar or a supported scheduling integration) 4. Set escalation rules (when to transfer to a live tech vs. handle automatically) 5. Forward your after-hours calls to your NZ Leads number Most HVAC contractors go live the same day. The AI voice agent handles your direct phone calls, and the same system covers leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, and Facebook. The takeaway: contractors who move after-hours calls from voicemail to an always-on voice agent book more of the emergencies that were already coming in. The calls were never the problem. They were just going to voicemail. Frequently Asked Questions How fast does an AI voice agent answer HVAC emergency calls? The AI voice agent picks up inbound calls instantly and makes outbound callbacks instantly. This is consistent 24/7 including nights, weekends, and holidays. No hold music, no voicemail, no missed emergencies. Can an AI voice agent handle after-hours HVAC emergencies? Yes. The voice agent runs 24/7 with no staffing gaps. A large share of HVAC emergency calls come after 6pm or on weekends. The AI answers instantly, qualifies the issue, confirms the service area, and books the dispatch. No human needs to be awake. What does an AI voice agent cost for HVAC contractors? The voice agent is $10/month per phone number plus $1/minute of talk time, rounded up to the next whole minute per call. If an HVAC emergency call lasts 2 to 3 minutes, it runs about $2 to $3 in talk time. Compare that to traditional answering services with monthly minimums that only take a message. Does the AI voice agent know HVAC terminology? You configure the agent with your service list, pricing ranges, and service area. It handles common HVAC scenarios like no-cool calls, furnace failures, refrigerant leaks, and thermostat issues. You can update the knowledge base anytime without coding. Can the AI voice agent dispatch HVAC technicians directly? The agent can book appointments on your calendar, send dispatch notifications via text or email, and push job details to your field service software through Zapier or Make. It does not physically dispatch but triggers your existing workflow automatically. What happens if the AI cannot handle a complex HVAC call? The agent follows escalation rules you set. It can transfer the call to an on-call technician, take a detailed message with callback priority, or text you a summary with the caller info. You control what gets escalated and what gets handled automatically. --- Stop losing emergency calls to voicemail. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more HVAC emergencies you book when every call gets answered instantly. --- ### AI Voice Agent for Plumbing Emergency Calls **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/ai-voice-agent-plumbing-emergency-calls/ AI voice agent answers plumbing emergency calls 24/7, instantly. Books or dispatches the job before the customer dials the next plumber. Live the same day. AI Voice Agent for Plumbing Emergency Calls An AI voice agent for plumbing emergency calls answers every call instantly, 24/7, collects the problem type, address, and urgency, and either books the job into your calendar or sends a priority alert to your on-call plumber. Burst pipes and sewer backups at 11pm get answered and booked instead of going to voicemail and the next plumber. A burst pipe at 11pm. The customer calls three plumbers and books whoever picks up first. If your phone goes to voicemail, you lose the job in the time it takes them to dial the next number. An AI voice agent answers every plumbing emergency call instantly, 24/7, and books or dispatches the job before that happens. Losing emergency plumbing jobs to voicemail? Try NZ Leads free and answer every call instantly, day or night. Why Plumbing Emergencies Are the Highest-Converting Calls You Miss Emergency plumbing calls convert at a much higher rate when answered immediately than when returned from voicemail, because emergency callers don't wait - they call the next plumber. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead - and 100x less likely to reach it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007); contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting longer (HBR, 2011). A large share of plumbing emergency calls arrive after 6pm or on weekends - the exact hours most plumbing businesses miss entirely. The math is simple: every missed emergency call is real money walking to a competitor. Even recovering a few of them a month with instant answering pays for the service many times over - run the numbers on your own call volume. How the AI Voice Agent Handles a Plumbing Emergency Call Here's what happens when a customer calls at 11pm about a burst pipe: 1. Call answered in under 2 seconds. No rings, no voicemail, no hold music. 2. Agent identifies the emergency. Asks what's happening, the address, and whether there's active flooding. 3. Quotes a price range from your service list. "Burst pipe repair typically runs $250 to $600 depending on access." 4. Books or dispatches instantly. Either books directly into your calendar or sends a priority SMS and email to your on-call plumber with full details. 5. Sends confirmation to the customer. Text message with appointment time, your business name, and what to do while waiting. A 90-120 second call like this is billed as 2 minutes: $2 in talk time. The customer never knows they talked to AI. They just know your business answered when the pipe burst. Plumbing Emergency AI vs. Traditional Answering Services | Feature | AI Voice Agent | Traditional Answering Service | Voicemail | |---|---|---|---| | Answer speed | Under 2 seconds | 15-45 seconds | N/A (missed) | | Available 24/7 | Yes | Depends on plan | Yes, but no one answers | | Books appointments | Yes, live on call | Takes message only | No | | Knows your pricing | Yes, quotes ranges | No | No | | Cost per call | $1/minute of talk time | Per-call or per-minute plan fees | Free (but loses the job) | | Emergency dispatch | Auto-SMS to on-call | Calls you to relay | No | How to Set Up an AI Voice Agent for Plumbing Emergency Calls Setup takes minutes, and you can go live the same day. 1. Sign up and set call forwarding. Forward unanswered calls (after 3-4 rings) to your NZ Leads number. Calls you answer still ring you first. 2. Add your plumbing services and price ranges. List every service: emergency drain clearing $175-$450, water heater replacement $1,200-$2,800, burst pipe repair $250-$600. The agent quotes from these live. 3. Configure emergency routing rules. Auto-book into your calendar, send priority SMS to your on-call plumber, or live-transfer to your cell for active flooding. 4. Sync your calendar. Google Calendar or Cal.com. Set business hours, travel buffer, and on-call windows for after-hours. 5. Run a test call and go live. Call from a second phone, test a burst pipe scenario at 11pm. Review the recording, tweak the greeting, then flip live. You're now answering every plumbing call 24/7. What Does an AI Voice Agent Cost for Plumbers? $10/month base + $1/minute of talk time, rounded up to the next whole minute per call. | Monthly call volume | Average talk time | Estimated monthly cost | |---|---|---| | 20 emergency calls | ~90-120 sec each | $50 | | 40 emergency calls | ~90-120 sec each | $90 | | 80 emergency calls | ~90-120 sec each | $170 | Cost = $10/month per number plus $1/minute, with each 90-120 second call billed as 2 minutes. A single recovered emergency job can cover months of voice agent cost. Run the numbers against your own call volume and average ticket to see where you break even. Unlike a message-taking answering service, this works as an AI answering service that books the job on the call instead of relaying a message. Frequently Asked Questions How fast does an AI voice agent answer plumbing emergency calls? Under 2 seconds. The agent picks up before the second ring on every call, including 2am Sunday. No hold time, no voicemail, no missed calls. Why do AI-answered plumbing emergency calls convert better than voicemail callbacks? Emergency callers book the first business that picks up. A burst pipe at 11pm will not wait for a callback, so a call answered instantly converts far better than one returned from voicemail an hour later. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead - and 100x less likely to reach it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting longer (HBR, 2011). Can the AI voice agent dispatch emergency plumbing jobs after hours? Yes. The agent collects the problem type, address, and urgency level. It books directly into your calendar or sends a priority SMS and email to your on-call plumber. You set the rules: auto-book emergencies, hold non-urgent for morning, or live-transfer to your cell for anything involving flooding. How much does an AI voice agent cost for a plumbing business? Base fee is $10/month plus $1/minute of talk time, rounded up to the next whole minute per call. A plumbing emergency call that runs 90-120 seconds is billed as 2 minutes ($2), so your monthly total depends on your call volume. One emergency job can cover months of cost. Does the AI voice agent know plumbing terminology? You configure a service list with descriptions and price ranges. The agent uses that list to discuss burst pipes, sewer backups, water heater failures, frozen pipes, and any other service you offer. It quotes from your price ranges and asks qualifying questions you define, like whether there's active flooding. How long does it take to set up an AI voice agent for plumbing? Minutes. Sign up, forward unanswered calls to the platform number, paste your service list with prices, sync your calendar, and run a test call. You can go live the same day you sign up. --- If you're losing emergency calls to voicemail, try NZ Leads free and see what happens when every plumbing call gets answered in under 2 seconds. --- ### How to Automatically Reply to Thumbtack Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/auto-reply-thumbtack-leads/ How to automatically reply to Thumbtack leads: what Thumbtack offers natively, where it stops, and how to set up an AI reply that goes out in under 2 seconds. How to Automatically Reply to Thumbtack Leads How to automatically reply to Thumbtack leads: connect your Thumbtack Pro account to a tool that uses Thumbtack's official messaging API, then write the first message it should send. Thumbtack's own AI drafts and quick replies still wait for you to tap Send. NZ Leads replies to every supported Thumbtack lead in under 2 seconds, then follows up on your schedule until the customer replies or books. Thumbtack also sells Front Desk, a paid service that sends your first message for you. Below: each option Thumbtack gives you, which leads to automate and which to keep, the setup steps, and what a good first reply says. Paying for Thumbtack leads you answer hours later? Start a 7-day free trial and connect your Thumbtack Pro account in under 2 minutes. What Thumbtack gives you to reply faster Thumbtack has several built-in ways to shorten your reply time. Only one of them sends a message without you, and it is a paid service. | Option | What it does | Sends without you? | |---|---|---| | Notifications | The Thumbtack Pro app alerts you by push or text when a customer reaches out | No | | AI reply draft | When you tap Reply on a new lead, Thumbtack prepares a message from the customer's request | No, you edit it and tap Send | | Quick replies | Up to 100 saved messages, each under 500 characters, that you insert and personalize | No | | Front Desk | Thumbtack's automated lead response service sends the first message you customized every time you get a lead | Yes, as a monthly subscription | | Partner integrations | Linked business tools receive your Thumbtack leads; a few also send and receive messages | Only with 2-way messaging | | Pro integrations API | Real-time message webhooks and an endpoint that posts a message inside a lead | Yes, for connected tools | Two details matter when you compare these. First, Front Desk is set up on a phone call with Thumbtack's team, changes to your messages go through a request form, and Thumbtack states that Front Desk does not call customers. Second, Thumbtack splits partner tools into 1-way messaging (you see the message in the partner tool but answer in Thumbtack) and 2-way messaging (you send and receive from the partner tool). An automatic reply needs the 2-way kind. Sources: Thumbtack Help Center, How to respond to leads, How to use quick replies, What is Front Desk?, partner platforms, and the Thumbtack Messages API, checked October 2026. Why a fast reply matters on Thumbtack On Thumbtack the money is spent before you type a word. A lead that matches your job preferences is charged automatically when it arrives, so every slow reply is a paid lead at risk. Thumbtack ties speed to visibility too. Its help center says your response rate affects your rank in customers' search results, and that acting on every lead, even one you turn down, counts toward your response time. Its messaging guide asks pros to aim for a reply inside four hours between 8am and 8pm local time, and adds that sooner is better. Watch for the Only picked you label: that customer has not contacted any other pro yet. Outside Thumbtack, the research points the same way. Harvard Business Review's 2011 study of online leads found that contacting a lead within the first hour made it about 7x more likely to qualify than contacting it an hour later (HBR, "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads"). More on how speed turns into hires is in our guide to improving your Thumbtack win rate. How to respond to Thumbtack leads faster without new software Before you add a tool, tighten what Thumbtack already gives you. These steps cost nothing: 1. Turn on notifications you will see. In the Pro app go to Profile, the gear icon, then Notifications. Send text notifications to the phone you carry on jobs. 2. Open the For you tab first. Leads there came to you and are already paid for. Opportunities can wait. 3. Save quick replies for your main job types. Keep each one under 500 characters. In the app you can tap and hold a sent message and save it as a template. 4. Use the AI draft as a starting point. Fix the schedule or price line before you send it. 5. Decline what you cannot do. Tap Can't do it so the customer keeps looking. It still counts as acting on the lead. 6. Tighten your job preferences. Every match is charged, so only match the work you want. These habits shorten the gap, but each one still needs a person to see the alert and tap Send. When you are on a ladder or under a sink, that person is not available. How to set up an automatic reply to Thumbtack leads With NZ Leads, the connection runs through Thumbtack's own sign-in, so you approve access on Thumbtack and your password is never shared. 1. Add the source. In NZ Leads, open Sources and click Add Thumbtack. 2. Authorize on Thumbtack. Sign in with your Thumbtack Pro credentials and approve access to read inquiries and send replies for your Pro account. You return with the source marked Active. One Thumbtack Pro account is one source. 3. Give the AI your business facts. List your services, the area you cover, the price ranges you are willing to quote and the questions you need answered before a visit. The reply combines these with the customer's request, including the service category they picked on Thumbtack. 4. Choose AI or predefined messages. The AI assistant writes a job-specific reply for each lead. Predefined messages send the text you wrote. 5. Set follow-ups and timing. Follow-ups run on your cadence, for example Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7, and stop the moment the customer replies or books. Your business-hours schedule applies to follow-ups only; the first reply is never held back by it. 6. Connect the rest if you want it. Calendar booking, a CRM, team alerts and a voice callback when the lead has a callable number. 7. Read the first conversations. Each lead appears on your Leads page with the full thread, and you can reply by hand at any time. Setup takes under 2 minutes. Field-by-field details are in the Thumbtack source docs. What the first automatic reply should say Thumbtack's own messaging guide gives the pattern: read the request, make it personal, answer what they asked and invite the next step. Its AI draft ends with one simple question. A good automatic reply follows the same shape in a few lines: - Name the job. Repeat the service and the detail the customer gave, so they know a real business read it. - Answer the obvious question when you have a rule for it: if you cover their area, or a price range you approved. - Ask one question that moves toward a visit: photos, the address, or the best time. - Offer the next step: an estimate slot or a call. Here is a template written for illustration, for a water heater request: > Hi [first name], thanks for the details on the leaking water heater. We cover your ZIP code. Is the tank gas or electric, and about how old is it? With that I can offer you an inspection time. Avoid three habits: quoting a price you never approved, sending the same paragraph to every job category, and asking for five things at once. What happens after the first reply The first message only opens the door. Here is what a connected workflow does next: - The customer answers: the AI keeps the conversation going inside your rules, asks your qualifying questions and offers a time when scheduling is on. Follow-ups stop. - The customer goes quiet: follow-ups go out on your schedule and stop on a reply or a booking. - A callable number is available and voice is on: the voice agent can call the lead instantly. See how the Thumbtack voice agent handles that call. - You want to step in: reply from the Leads page. A setting decides whether follow-ups continue after your own message. Which Thumbtack leads to automate, and which to keep Not every Thumbtack job type needs an automatic first message. Thumbtack's help center describes three: | Type | How it reaches you | Automatic reply? | |---|---|---| | Leads (For you tab) | The customer chose you; the lead is charged when it arrives | Yes, this is where speed pays | | Opportunities | Customers who contacted other pros; you choose which to quote, and you pay only if the customer responds | Keep these for yourself and use Thumbtack's quote templates | | Preset jobs | Pre-scheduled jobs you claim; a share of the job price is the fee | No message race; claim the ones that fit | What it costs to reply automatically - NZ Leads: $99/month per connected Thumbtack source, with a 7-day free trial. No contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps and no setup fees. The voice callback is optional: $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time. - Front Desk: a monthly subscription with two plans. Thumbtack lists the price range on its Front Desk help page and picks the plan with you on a call. - Your Thumbtack leads are billed separately by Thumbtack. See how much Thumbtack charges for leads. For what NZ Leads does on Thumbtack and how it compares with Front Desk, see the Thumbtack auto responder page. Frequently asked questions Does Thumbtack have an automatic reply feature? Thumbtack's automatic option is Front Desk, a paid monthly service that sends your first message to every new lead. The free tools in the Pro app, the AI reply draft and quick replies, prepare a message faster, but you still review it and tap Send. Can I connect an auto responder to my Thumbtack account? Yes. Thumbtack has a developer API for pro integrations and a partner program, and a connected tool works only after the account holder signs in on Thumbtack and approves access. NZ Leads connects through that authorization flow, and your Thumbtack password is never shared with it. Will replying automatically improve my Thumbtack ranking? Thumbtack says your response rate affects your rank in search results and that acting on each lead counts toward your response time. An instant reply helps that measure, but no tool can promise a higher position. Can an automatic reply quote prices on Thumbtack? Only the price ranges you give it. Without approved ranges, the reply asks for the details needed to quote and offers an estimate or a call instead of a number. Does the automatic reply work at night and on weekends? Yes. The first reply goes out whenever the lead arrives, day or night. Follow-ups respect the business-hours schedule you set, so customers are not messaged in the middle of the night unless you allow it. What happens when the customer answers the automatic reply? Scheduled follow-ups stop the moment the customer replies or books. The AI continues the conversation within your instructions, and the full thread stays on your Leads page so you can step in at any time. Start with your next Thumbtack lead Connect one Thumbtack Pro account, keep Opportunities for your own quotes, and let the first reply go out the instant the lead lands. Start a 7-day free trial, or email support@nzleads.com with questions about your setup. --- ### Automated Lead Follow-Up for Home Service Businesses **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/automated-lead-follow-up/ Automated lead follow-up sends timed messages to every quiet lead and stops the moment they book. See how it works and how to set it up in under 2 minutes. Automated Lead Follow-Up for Home Service Businesses Automated lead follow-up sends timed, context-aware messages to every lead that goes quiet after the first reply, spaced across hours and days, and stops automatically when the lead books or declines. With NZ Leads, every lead from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram gets the same consistent follow-up whether you're on a ladder or asleep. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Most service jobs take several follow-ups before the customer books. Yet most contractors send one reply and stop. That gap between first contact and booked job is where you're losing the most revenue. Losing jobs because leads go cold after the first reply? Try NZ Leads free and automate follow-ups that turn quiet leads into booked work. Why One Reply Isn't Enough to Book the Job The first response gets the customer's attention. Follow-up is what closes the deal. But most contractors stop after one message because they're busy doing actual work. Most leads that eventually book are not reached on the first try - they need several touches before they reply, whether by text or an AI voice agent callback. Stop at one and you walk away from most of the leads you could still win. The problem isn't knowing this. It's doing it consistently when you're on a job site all day. How AI Follow-Up Sequences Work With NZ Leads NZ Leads creates timed follow-ups automatically based on where each lead is in the conversation. Not generic "just checking in" blasts. Context-aware replies that reference what the customer actually asked about. Here's the sequence: 1. Job-specific first response created instantly for leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram 2. Tracks the conversation and whether the lead replied 3. Creates timed follow-ups if the lead goes quiet, spaced across hours and days 4. Matches the message to the lead source, service type, and conversation history 5. Stops automatically when the lead books, declines, or finishes the sequence Every lead gets the same consistent follow-up whether you're on a ladder or asleep. No leads fall through the cracks because you got busy. What Automated Follow-Up Costs vs What It Saves A single missed job costs more than months of automation. Here's how the three approaches compare: | Approach | Monthly Cost | Leads Followed Up | |---|---|---| | Manual (you or office staff) | $0 direct, hours of your time | Only the ones you remember | | Hired receptionist or VA | Monthly wages | Most, when they're on shift | | NZ Leads AI follow-up | Fraction of VA cost | Every lead, every time | If your average job is worth $500-2,000, booking even a couple of extra jobs a month from consistent follow-up covers the cost many times over. How to Set Up Follow-Up Automation in Under 2 Minutes No technical setup required: 1. Connect your lead sources (Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram) 2. Set your follow-up timing (recommended: 1 hour, 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days) 3. Let the AI generate follow-up messages matched to your business 4. Turn it on The system starts working on your next incoming lead. You can adjust messages anytime or leave the defaults running. Stop Losing Jobs to Forgotten Follow-Ups Every lead you don't follow up with is a job you're handing to the contractor who does. Set up automated follow-up at NZ Leads and start booking more jobs from the leads you already pay for. --- ### Automated Phone Calls With AI Voice Agents: How They Work **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/automated-phone-calls-ai-voice-agents/ Automated phone calls with AI voice agents: instant pickup 24/7, natural conversation, lead qualification, and booking. See how they work and what they cost. Automated phone calls with AI voice agents: how they actually work in 2026 Automated phone calls with AI voice agents work like a trained receptionist on your phone number: the agent answers instantly, holds a natural conversation, qualifies the caller, and books the appointment into your calendar or hands off to a human. The same agent can run outbound call lists for follow-ups, missed calls, and no-shows, billed on talk time per minute. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide and Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Picture a clinic that sends most after-hours callers to voicemail. Put an AI voice agent on those calls and they can turn into booked appointments. The phone line does not change. The receptionist does not change. An AI voice agent picks up the calls instead. Automated phone calls used to mean robotic IVR menus and "press 1 for sales." That model is dead. Modern voice agents speak in natural sentences, listen for intent, pull live data from your calendar or CRM, and either close the loop or hand off to a human. Below is how the current generation of AI call handling actually works, what it costs, and where it fits. Want every call answered instantly? Try NZ Leads free and turn missed calls into booked jobs. What is an AI voice agent for automated calls? An AI voice agent is software that answers a phone number, holds a conversation, and takes action. It runs on a stack of three things: a telephony layer that connects the call, a speech model that turns audio into text and back again (ElevenLabs and OpenAI Realtime are common), and a language model that decides what to say. The result sounds like a person. Callers can interrupt. They can change their mind mid-sentence. They can ask follow-up questions. The agent keeps up because it processes the whole conversation in real time, not in scripted branches. What can automated phone calls actually do today? The list is wider than most people expect. A single voice agent can run all of these on the same number: - Answer inbound calls and book appointments straight into your calendar - Qualify leads (budget, timeline, location) and route only the serious ones to your team - Live-transfer urgent or high-value calls based on rules you set - Take messages and send them as a text or email summary - Confirm appointments the day before and reschedule if needed - Run outbound call lists for follow-ups, missed calls, or no-show recovery - Answer common questions: hours, pricing ranges, service area, what to expect on the visit - Capture caller info even when you cannot pick up, so nothing leaks A roofing company might use one agent for after-hours calls and a second for outbound storm-damage follow-ups. A salon might use the same setup to confirm bookings and fill last-minute cancellations. Same technology, different jobs. How fast does an AI voice agent answer compared to a human? Faster, and the gap matters more than people realize. Most callers who hit voicemail hang up and call the next business on the list. Speed of pickup is the single biggest factor in whether a phone lead becomes a customer. | Setup | Time to answer | Calls answered after hours | |---|---|---| | Single receptionist | 3-6 rings, often missed | None | | Call center | 30 seconds to 2 minutes hold | Limited | | Voicemail | Never (caller leaves message) | None | | AI voice agent | Instant | All | A clinic does not need an AI to replace its receptionist during business hours. It needs one for the hours no human is at the desk. That is where automated call handling pays for itself. Inbound vs. outbound automated calls The same voice agent technology drives both, but the goals are different. Inbound is the obvious one, and it is what people mean by auto voice reception or automated phone answering with AI. Phone rings, agent picks up, conversation happens, action taken. The job is to never let a call go unanswered, which is what an AI answering service handles around the clock. Use cases include after-hours coverage, overflow during busy periods, and full-time reception for solo operators. Outbound is where automation gets interesting for sales teams. The agent calls a list (cold leads, missed inquiries, expired quotes, no-shows) and runs a real conversation. It can confirm interest, book a callback, or hand a warm prospect to a closer. A real estate brokerage could run a nightly outbound batch on the day's portal leads. The agent works through the list, books interested buyers into showings, and the human team starts the next morning with a fuller calendar. How much do automated phone calls cost? Pricing has shifted in 2026 from "per seat" subscriptions to pay-per-minute models that match how the underlying tech is billed. Expect: - Per minute usage: billed on talk time - Setup: free on self-serve platforms; custom builds may charge for prompts and integrations - Phone number: a small monthly fee per number - Monthly minimum: Often zero on usage-based plans NZ Leads publishes its voice price: $10/month per phone number plus $1 per minute of talk time, with no setup fees, no contracts, and a 7-day free trial. Say you take 50 calls a month at 2 minutes each: that is 100 minutes, or $110 for the month including the number. One booked job at $400 covers it. Slow months cost less. Minutes count the same for inbound and outbound calls, and each completed call is rounded up to the next whole minute. For every line item that moves a voice bill, see AI receptionist cost and pricing. Compare that to a virtual receptionist service that bills a flat monthly fee whether the phone rings or not, and the math is hard to ignore. Will the caller know it is automated? They should, and with NZ Leads they do. On outbound calls the agent's first sentence introduces it as an AI assistant from your business, a rule that cannot be switched off; the default inbound greeting does the same; and on any call it answers honestly if asked whether it is AI. Being upfront costs little, because the bar for most callers is "did I get a useful answer fast." Modern voices use natural pauses, filler words like "let me check that for you," and human-sounding intonation. The conversational lag is short enough that the exchange feels like a normal phone call. Where it falls down: highly emotional calls (complaints, complex disputes), unusual edge cases the agent was not trained on, or callers who insist on a human. A well-built agent flags those and transfers immediately. It does not pretend. Can it integrate with my existing tools? Yes. Most agents connect over standard APIs to: - Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, or Cal.com for booking - HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Jobber, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan for CRM and field service - Slack, email, SMS for human handoff and notifications - Zapier or Make for everything else NZ Leads ships with ready-made CRM connectors, plus Zapier for everything else, so you do not write code. Connect your calendar, paste your services and pricing, and the agent is live the same day. What tools let AI agents handle both SMS and voice calls? Look for one platform where the text side and the phone side share the same business details, instead of a chatbot from one vendor and a voice bot from another. With two tools you set up your prices, service area and booking rules twice, and a customer who texts and then calls can get two different answers. In NZ Leads the two sides work like this: | Lead arrives as | What the AI does | How fast | |---|---|---| | A message on Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Instagram or Google LSA | Creates the first reply, asks qualifying questions, offers a booking | Under 2 seconds | | A new lead with a phone number from a connected source | A calling agent dials the lead and runs the same qualifying conversation by voice | Instant | | An inbound call to your business number | The voice agent answers, quotes from your knowledge base, books or transfers | Instant pickup | | A call you could not take | Missed call text back texts the caller so they can explain the job | Automatic, with the SMS Messaging add-on | Texting your leads by SMS needs carrier registration before the first text goes out, so start that registration before you rely on texting. If the text side is what you need first, see how an AI chatbot for leads handles marketplace messages. Common mistakes when setting up automated call handling Teams that fail with voice agents almost always make one of these errors. Skip them: - Loading the agent with too many goals. Pick the top three (book appointment, qualify lead, take message) and master those before adding more. - Using stock voices that sound robotic. Spend the extra few cents per minute on a premium voice. It changes call outcomes. - No human escalation path. Always route certain keywords (lawyer, refund, complaint, manager) straight to a person. - Skipping the test calls. Make 20 real calls yourself before going live. Listen for awkward turns, then refine the prompt. - Forgetting outbound compliance. Outbound calls in the US must respect TCPA rules and call windows. Build that into your dialer logic. For a deeper walkthrough see voice agent setup mistakes and our no-code voice agent setup guide. Which businesses get the most out of automated phone calls? Any business where missed calls equal lost money. The clearest wins: - Home services: Plumbers, HVAC techs, electricians, roofers, locksmiths. They are on a job site, not at a desk. - Medical and dental clinics: High call volume, after-hours scheduling, prescription requests. - Real estate: Lead intake, showing bookings, follow-up on portal inquiries. - Salons and spas: Booking, rescheduling, gift card questions. - Legal and accounting: Initial intake screening, appointment booking. - E-commerce and SaaS: Tier-1 support, refund triage, callback scheduling. If your team is small and your phone is busy, this is the highest-leverage automation you can deploy this quarter. Frequently asked questions How quickly can I set up an AI voice agent? Setup takes minutes on a no-code platform, and you can be live the same day. Connect a phone number, paste your services and hours, test a few calls, and turn it on. Custom integrations or specialized prompts can take longer. Do automated phone calls work in my industry? If your industry uses a phone, yes. Voice agents are running today in home services, healthcare, legal, real estate, salons, automotive, fitness, and more. The technology is industry-agnostic. What changes is the script. Can the AI handle multiple languages? Yes. Modern voice agents support many languages with native-sounding voices. You can route by caller selection or detect language automatically. What happens if the AI does not understand a caller? It asks a clarifying question. If it still cannot help after a couple of tries, it transfers to a human or takes a detailed message. Good agents are designed to fail gracefully, not guess. Is this the same as a chatbot? No. Chatbots handle text. Voice agents handle live phone conversations with real-time speech. The technology under the hood is similar (large language models) but the interface and constraints are very different. How do I measure if it is working? Track answer rate (calls picked up vs. missed), booking rate (calls that turn into appointments), and call duration. Most platforms log every call with a transcript and recording so you can review and improve. --- Ready to stop missing calls? Try NZ Leads free and have your phone answered, qualified, and booked around the clock. --- ### Best AI Answering Service in 2026: A Buyer's Guide **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/best-ai-answering-service/ The best AI answering service replies in under 2 seconds across voice and text, qualifies the lead, and books it. This buyer's guide shows how to choose. Best AI Answering Service in 2026: How to Choose (Buyer's Guide) The best AI answering service for a service business answers every call and lead message the moment it arrives, asks the qualifying questions your office would ask, books the job into your calendar, and publishes its prices. No single brand is best for every business, so score each option on speed, voice and text coverage, booking, reliability, and cost per channel. Search "best AI answering service" and you get a wall of listicles that all crown a different winner, usually whoever pays the highest affiliate commission. So this guide does something different. Instead of handing you a name, it hands you the evaluation framework the best buyers actually use, so you can score any option against what matters: how fast it replies, whether it covers both voice and text, whether it qualifies and books, and what it really costs. By the end you'll know which type fits your trade, the red flags that signal a weak one, and where NZ Leads lands on the same scorecard. Want to skip the comparison shopping? Try NZ Leads free and reply to every lead in under 2 seconds, across voice and text, starting today. What Makes the Best AI Answering Service Different From the Rest? Most "AI answering services" do one thing well and stop there. A voice-only bot answers the phone but ignores your Yelp and Thumbtack leads. A text autoresponder fires a canned "Thanks, we'll be in touch" and calls it a day. The best AI answering services close the loop: they catch the lead on whatever channel it arrives, create an instant response, ask the right qualifying questions, and book the job on your calendar. The dividing line is speed plus follow-through. Speed is the lever the research keeps pointing at. A Harvard Business Review study, "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads," found that firms contacting a lead within an hour were about seven times more likely to have a real conversation with a decision maker than those who waited just an hour longer. The MIT Lead Response Management Study (Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007) found that letting response time slip from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead. An answering service that replies in under 2 seconds sits on the right side of both findings. One that "gets back to leads within the hour" has already lost most of the advantage. The AI Answering Service Evaluation Framework Score any service you're considering against these capabilities. The best AI answering services check every box; the weak ones quietly fail two or three and hope you don't notice until after you've signed. | Capability | What the best do | Why it matters | |---|---|---| | Response speed | First reply instant, under 2 seconds | Speed-to-lead is the single biggest conversion lever (HBR, MIT) | | Voice + text coverage | Both, across supported channels | Leads arrive by call, Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram | | Lead qualification | Asks trade-specific questions before routing | A booked tire-kicker wastes the same hour as a closed job | | Lead-source integration | Pulls from Yelp, Thumbtack, LSA, Facebook, Instagram | One inbox beats checking six apps | | CRM sync | Lead and transcript flow into your CRM | No re-typing, nothing falls through the cracks | | After-hours coverage | 24/7/365 at no extra charge | A large share of service leads land nights and weekends | | Setup time | Live in under 2 minutes | Long onboarding means more leads handled the old way | | Pricing transparency | Flat, published, no per-lead fees | Per-lead billing punishes you for winning | Print this. When a salesperson can't give a straight answer on any row, that row is a no. Comparing the Main Approaches to AI Answering There are roughly four ways to handle inbound leads automatically, and each trades cost for capability differently. The right pick depends on how many channels you run and whether you need real qualification or just a warm acknowledgement. | Approach | Typical cost | Speed | Voice + text | Books appointments | |---|---|---|---|---| | Human answering service | Quote or plan-based | Varies by provider | Usually voice only | Varies by plan | | Voice-only AI bot | Varies by provider | Instant on calls | Voice only | Limited | | DIY webhook stack | Tooling + your time | Depends on your build | Whatever you wire up | Only if you build it | | AI answering platform (NZ Leads) | From $19/mo by channel | Under 2 seconds | Both | Yes | Human answering services put a person on the phone. Pricing, booking, and after-hours coverage vary by provider, and they usually do not monitor marketplace messages. The Yelp lead at 10pm may still sit unread. Voice-only AI bots answer calls instantly and cheaply, which is great until you remember most marketplace and form leads never call. They text-message you first. A voice bot has nothing to say to a Thumbtack request. DIY webhook stacks (something like Twilio for telephony wired to a scripting layer and a CRM) give you total control and can be cheap on paper. In practice you're now the integrator, the QA team, and the on-call engineer the night a webhook silently fails. Fine if you have a developer to spare. Most service businesses don't. AI answering platforms combine instant response, booking, and multi-channel reach in one tool. They make the most sense when leads arrive through both calls and marketplace messages. How We'd Evaluate an AI Answering Service (Methodology) If we were buying one tomorrow, here's the test we'd run, in order. Each step kills options fast so you don't waste a trial on something that was never going to fit. 1. Send it an authorized test lead. Time how long it takes for a job-specific response to be created. The best services create one in under 2 seconds on Yelp and every other lead source. 2. Read the reply. Does it reference the actual request, or is it a template? "Thanks for reaching out about your kitchen remodel in Boise" beats "Thanks, we'll be in touch" every time. 3. Check the questions. A good service asks what a good intake person would: scope, timeline, location, budget range. If it never qualifies, you'll be calling back tire-kickers yourself. 4. Confirm the booking path. Did it offer a time and put it on a calendar, or hand the lead back to you to schedule? Booking is where conversion happens. 5. Test after hours. Submit a lead at 11pm Saturday. Same speed and quality, or did it go quiet? After-hours is exactly where the best services earn their keep. 6. Read the pricing page, not the sales call. Flat and published, or per-lead, with a setup fee and a 12-month lock-in buried in the contract? Run those six on any shortlist and the field narrows quickly. Best AI Answering Service by Trade and Use Case There's no single "best" because the right fit depends on what a lost lead costs you and how your customers reach out. HVAC and plumbing. These run on emergencies and after-hours volume. A no-heat call at midnight goes to whoever answers first. You want instant voice pickup plus instant text on marketplace leads, with emergency routing rules. See how this works for HVAC and plumbing emergency calls. Legal and medical intake. High value per client, and the questions matter more than raw speed. The best fit qualifies carefully (matter type, urgency, conflict basics) and routes clean, complete intakes to your team. Consistency and accurate capture beat a fast but sloppy reply. Real estate. Buyer and seller leads go cold in minutes and the competition is fierce. Instant text-back with a couple of qualifying questions (timeline, area, pre-approval) keeps you in the running while other agents are still listening to voicemail. Home services (cleaning, landscaping, electrical, roofing). Leads arrive through Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram, and the phone. Multi-channel coverage matters here because a voice-only service cannot answer marketplace messages. An AI receptionist for small business that handles those supported sources in one place is the right shape. General contractors and remodelers. Higher-ticket jobs where the qualifying questions matter as much as the speed: scope, square footage, materials, timeline, and rough budget. The best fit captures all of that before any of your sales time is spent, so the estimates that reach your calendar are pre-qualified instead of tire-kickers. The dedicated AI answering service for contractors page walks through that flow end to end, and the best lead response software for contractors roundup compares the main tools on price, speed, and platform coverage. If you're weighing an AI tool against hiring out the phones, the AI lead response vs answering service breakdown goes deeper on that specific trade-off. Cheapest vs. Best: What Is the Most Affordable AI Answering Service? "Cheapest" and "best" rarely name the same product, and the gap is worth understanding before you shortlist on price alone. Here's how the 2026 market breaks down by what you pay and what you get back. - Free AI answering services. A genuinely free tier almost always means a bare autoresponder: it fires one canned acknowledgement and stops. No voice, no qualifying, no booking. It's free because it skips the part that books jobs. Treat "free" as a demo, not a plan. - Voice-only bots. A reasonable fit if every lead calls you. Marketplace leads start as messages, and a voice-only bot has nothing to say to a Thumbtack request. - Per-channel AI platforms (from $19/month per channel). You switch on only the channels you sell on and pay a flat rate for each, so the bill tracks your business instead of your call volume. - Human answering services. Pricing and capabilities vary. Most are phone-first, so confirm whether booking, after-hours coverage, and marketplace messages are included. The most affordable real answering service is the one priced per channel with no per-lead fees, because a per-lead model quietly bills you more every time your marketing works. NZ Leads channels start at $19/month for Facebook Lead Ads and $49/month each for Facebook Messenger, Google Local Services Ads, and Instagram DMs, with Yelp and Thumbtack at $99/month each and the voice agent at $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. A 7-day free trial lets you test it on real leads before you pay anything. Cheapest-on-paper and best-value are different questions; price the option that books the most jobs per dollar, not the one with the lowest sticker. How Should You Read AI Answering Service Reviews? Reviews help, but only if you read past the star rating. A five-star review that says "great service" tells you nothing about whether the AI books jobs. Here's what to weight and what to discount. - Look for specifics on speed. A review that mentions the AI replying instantly, or catching a lead at 11pm, is describing the feature that actually wins jobs. Vague praise isn't evidence. - Look for booking, not just answering. "It answered every call" is a low bar. "It booked the estimate while I was on a roof" is the outcome you're paying for. - Check whether the reviewer runs your channels. A glowing review from a phone-only shop says little about how a service handles your Yelp and Thumbtack leads. - Weight recent reviews on current capability. AI answering changed fast; a two-year-old review describes a different product. Sort by newest. - Discount the listicle "reviews." A ranking site that earns a commission on every signup is an ad, not a review. Score the service against the framework above instead. When you find a service worth a look, run it through the six-step test in the methodology section yourself. One trial on your own leads beats fifty strangers' star ratings. Which AI Answering Service Is the Most Reliable? The most reliable AI answering service is the one that handles an 11pm Saturday call, and a question it cannot answer, the same way it handles a quiet Tuesday morning. Reliability is not a rating you can read off a review site; it is something you test in a trial, on your own number and your own lead sources. | Reliability test | How to run it | What a reliable service does | |---|---|---| | Off-hours consistency | Repeat the same test call at night and on a weekend. | Same greeting, same questions, same booking offer as a weekday call. | | A question it cannot answer | Ask about a service you do not offer, or demand a manager. | Takes a message or transfers the call by rules you set, instead of guessing a price. | | Audit trail | Open the log after each test call. | A recording, a transcript, and a short summary for every call. | | Honest identity | Ask "Am I talking to a real person?" | Says it is an AI assistant; never claims to be human. | | Every lead source | Send a test lead through each channel you pay for. | Each one gets a response, not only the phone. | On these tests, NZ Leads's voice agent logs every call with its recording, transcript, and summary, and transfers calls cold or warm using criteria you write; with transfer switched off it takes a message instead. When a caller asks, it says it is an AI, and on a callback its first sentence introduces it as an AI assistant. Red Flags to Avoid When Choosing The weakest services share a few tells. Spot these before you commit. - "Responds within minutes" framed as fast. Minutes is slow. The MIT data is brutal on the 5-to-30-minute gap. If instant isn't on the table, the core benefit isn't either. - Per-lead pricing with no cap. This bills you more the better your marketing performs. Flat per-channel pricing aligns the service with your growth instead of taxing it. - Voice-only, sold as full coverage. Ask point-blank: does it reply to Yelp and Thumbtack messages? If the answer is "you forward those to us," that's a no. - No transcript or human takeover. You should be able to read every conversation and jump in mid-chat. A black box you can't audit or override is a liability. - Long onboarding. "Implementation in 4 to 6 weeks" means six weeks of leads handled the old, slow way. The best services are live the same day. - Vague qualification. If it can't tell you what questions it asks for your trade, it's an acknowledgement bot, not an answering service. Where NZ Leads Lands on the Scorecard Run NZ Leads through the framework above and here's how it scores. It supports Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, and Instagram. For Yelp, it creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Pricing is flat and published: Yelp $99/month, Thumbtack $99/month, Facebook Messenger $49/month, Facebook Lead Ads $19/month, Google Local Services Ads $49/month, Instagram DMs $49/month, and the voice agent at $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. No contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps, no setup fees, and a 7-day free trial. Setup takes under 2 minutes. That combination, instant speed plus real booking plus multi-channel reach at flat pricing, is what the best AI answering services have in common and what the weak ones are missing. For the full menu of channels, see the AI answering service overview, the AI receptionist guide, and the lead response automation breakdown. If marketplace leads are your bread and butter, the Thumbtack auto-responder page shows the flow end to end, and the AI receptionist cost and pricing guide lays out every pricing model side by side. Ready to test it against your own leads? Try NZ Leads free and submit a real lead on a real channel. Watch how fast the job-specific response is created. Frequently Asked Questions What is the best AI answering service? The best AI answering service is the one that replies to every lead in under 2 seconds across both voice and text, qualifies the lead with trade-specific questions, and books it on your calendar without a human. There's no single winner for every business; the right pick depends on your trade and channels. Score candidates on speed, coverage, qualification, and flat pricing. What are the best AI answering services for small businesses? For small service businesses, the best AI answering services pull leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and the phone into one place, create an instant, job-specific response for each one, and book appointments. Voice-only bots and human phone services miss most marketplace leads. Look for flat per-channel pricing with no per-lead fees so cost stays predictable as you grow. What are the top rated AI answering services compared on? Top rated AI answering services are compared on response speed, voice plus text coverage, lead qualification, lead-source integration, CRM sync, after-hours availability, setup time, and pricing transparency. Listicle rankings often reflect affiliate payouts rather than capability, so score each option yourself against those criteria instead of trusting a single crowned "winner." How do AI answering services work? AI answering services connect to your lead sources and the phone, then create a response the instant a lead arrives. The AI references the actual request, asks qualifying questions, and offers a booking time, syncing everything to your CRM. The best ones run on both voice and text 24/7, so a Yelp message at midnight gets the same instant handling as a daytime call. How fast should an AI answering service respond? As close to instant as possible. The MIT Lead Response Management Study found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead, and Harvard Business Review found contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to reach a decision maker. The best services reply in under 2 seconds, which beats every manual baseline. How much do AI answering services cost? AI answering service pricing varies by channel, usage, and whether a human handles the call. NZ Leads publishes each price: $19/month for Facebook Lead Ads, $49/month for Facebook Messenger, $99/month for Yelp or Thumbtack, $49/month for Google Local Services Ads, $49/month for Instagram DMs, and $10/month per voice number plus $1/minute of talk time. Every channel includes a 7-day free trial. Are AI answering services better than human answering services? For most small service businesses, yes, for routine intake and booking. AI answers in under 2 seconds on every channel, not just the phone, and costs a fraction of a human service. Human services still help with genuinely complex calls. The strongest setup uses AI for the bulk of intake and keeps a person available for edge cases. What is the cheapest AI answering service? The cheapest option that still books jobs is a per-channel AI platform, where you pay a flat rate only for the channels you use and nothing per lead. NZ Leads channels start at $19/month for Facebook Lead Ads and $49/month each for Facebook Messenger, Google Local Services Ads, and Instagram DMs, with Yelp and Thumbtack at $99/month each, plus a 7-day free trial. Per-lead pricing can look cheaper at first but cost more as your lead volume grows. Is there a free AI answering service? Free AI answering services are almost always bare autoresponders that send one canned reply and stop, with no voice, qualifying, or booking. They work as a demo but won't book jobs. The closest thing to free with real capability is a trial: NZ Leads offers a 7-day free trial so you can test instant voice and text answering on your own leads before paying. What is the best AI answering service for 2026? For 2026 the strongest AI answering services reply in under 2 seconds across both voice and text, qualify the lead with trade-specific questions, book on your calendar, and price per channel with no per-lead fees. The market moved fast, so weight recent reviews and capabilities over older ones. Score any 2026 shortlist on speed, voice-plus-text coverage, booking, and flat pricing rather than trusting a single crowned "winner." --- ### Best AI Receptionist for Yelp Leads: 5-Point Checklist **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/best-ai-receptionist-yelp-leads/ How to pick the best AI receptionist for Yelp leads: a 5-point checklist on job-specific responses, quote controls, handoff and pricing ($99/month for Yelp). Best AI Receptionist for Yelp Leads The best AI receptionist for Yelp leads is the one that creates an accurate, job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry without inventing prices or promising outcomes. Compare tools on five things: job-specific responses, configured quote controls, a clear handoff path to your team, useful next steps, and coverage you can audit. This is part of our complete AI receptionist guide for service businesses. Yelp's Request a Quote flow can share a request with multiple businesses. A useful reply therefore needs more than speed: it should address the customer's job, set a clear next step, and stay inside the services, prices, and rules your business has configured. Speed still matters: contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour longer (Harvard Business Review, 2011). That is a reason to shorten the workflow, not a guarantee that the fastest reply wins. Need a more consistent Yelp workflow? Try NZ Leads free and get a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds. What to Look for in a Yelp AI Receptionist The best fit is the tool that creates accurate, job-specific responses without inventing prices or promising outcomes. Check these five areas: 1. Job-specific responses. The reply should use the customer's actual request, not a generic acknowledgement. 2. Configured quote controls. It may use your configured prices or ranges, but it should flag custom work instead of guessing a final price. 3. A clear handoff path. Your team should be able to take over when the request involves unusual scope, safety, access, legal details, or negotiation. 4. Useful next steps. The workflow should ask only the questions needed to confirm fit and move the customer toward a call, estimate, or available appointment. 5. Coverage you can audit. Check what happens after hours, how exceptions are surfaced, and whether the team can see every conversation and handoff. Compare the Workflow, Not Just the Headline Price Published monthly prices are only one part of the cost. Compare the actual channel setup, voice usage, and the work required when a request needs your team to take over. | Question | Why it matters | NZ Leads today | |---|---|---| | How is Yelp priced? | A bundled suite can include tools you do not use | $99 per month for the Yelp channel | | Is voice included? | Voice often has a separate usage cost | Optional voice is $10 per month per number plus $1 per billable minute | | Does it use your business facts? | A fast invented quote creates risk | Responses use configured services, prices, ranges, and rules | | Can your team take over? | Complex or sensitive requests need judgment | The team can take over when a request falls outside the configured scope | | How fast is the Yelp response? | A slow reply can lose a customer who is comparing businesses | A job-specific response is created in under 2 seconds | For another vendor, replace the last column with its current written terms and a live product test. Do not rely on an old comparison page or an unsourced industry average. How NZ Leads Handles a Yelp Inquiry The practical Yelp workflow is: 1. A Yelp request enters the configured lead-response workflow. 2. NZ Leads uses the inquiry plus your configured services, price ranges, and availability to create a job-specific response in under 2 seconds. 3. The conversation can ask qualifying questions and offer an appropriate next step. 4. The team takes over when the request falls outside the configured scope or needs a binding final quote. Configured AI voice calls can operate around the clock for inbound and outbound business conversations. Voice is a separate workflow, and it should only be used when phone contact is available and the business's settings permit it. When Automation Helps Most An AI Yelp auto responder is worth testing when: - requests wait in the inbox while the team is on a job; - after-hours inquiries sit unanswered until the next business day; - staff repeatedly type the same service-area, availability, or estimate questions; - quote guardrails already exist but are applied inconsistently; - the owner needs a reliable handoff when a request becomes unusual. It is not a substitute for resolving vague prices, an inaccurate service list, or unclear escalation rules. Fix those inputs first. What to Measure During a Trial Record a baseline before changing the workflow. Compare the same service and market over a complete test window: - median time from request arrival to the first Yelp response; - percentage of inquiries handed off to the team; - percentage that fall outside the configured service area or quote rules; - customer reply rate, estimates scheduled, and booked jobs; - cost per qualified lead and cost per booked job. Do not treat one fast reply or one booking as proof. Continue only if the workflow saves team time or improves qualified outcomes without increasing factual errors or unsafe handoffs. Bottom Line The best AI receptionist for Yelp is not the one with the biggest speed or savings claim. It is the one that creates a useful, accurate response, keeps quotes inside configured boundaries, and makes handoff to your team easy when the request needs judgment. Review the full Yelp auto responder workflow or try NZ Leads free with your own baseline and stop rule. --- ### Best AI Receptionist for Small Business: What to Compare **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/best-ai-receptionist/ Find the best AI receptionist for your service business: four pricing models compared on cost, answer speed, lead sources, and which ones book appointments. Best AI Receptionist The best AI receptionist for a service business answers every call instantly, qualifies the lead, and books the appointment without human involvement. Most options handle the first step; few handle all three. NZ Leads does all three on per-channel pricing: $10/month per phone number plus $1/minute of voice, flat fees per text channel, and setup in under 2 minutes. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. Picking the wrong AI receptionist costs you months of setup time and leads that slip through the cracks. Here's how the top options compare for service businesses that need calls answered, leads qualified, and appointments booked automatically. Want to skip the comparison and try the fastest option? Start NZ Leads and have an AI receptionist answering your calls in under 2 minutes. AI Receptionist Pricing Models Compared: Features, Cost, and Speed There are four service models out there. They aren't really the same product - each one bills differently and handles leads differently. Here's how they stack up against per-channel AI (what NZ Leads does). | Feature | NZ Leads (per-channel AI) | Flat-rate hybrid (human + AI, included minutes) | Legacy human answering service | Bundled enterprise suite | |---|---|---|---|---| | How you pay | $10/mo phone number + $1/min voice; $99/mo flat per text channel (Yelp, Thumbtack); $49/mo FB Messenger; $19/mo FB Lead Ads; $49/mo Google LSA; $49/mo Instagram DMs | Flat monthly fee for a set number of included calls; you pay the full fee even in a slow month | Monthly fee for included calls, plus per-minute overage | Flat monthly fee with annual contract; reviews, webchat, payments lumped in | | Answer speed | Instant | 3-4 rings | 3-4 rings (human pickup) | 2-3 rings | | 24/7 availability | Yes | Yes (with after-hours add-on) | Business hours only unless you upgrade | Yes | | Lead qualification | AI-driven, custom scripts | Human + AI hybrid reading from a script | Human only, generic script | AI-driven, generic script | | Appointment booking | Automatic, real-time | Manual handoff back to you | Manual handoff back to you | Automatic | | Multi-platform leads | Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram | Phone + web chat | Phone only | Phone + website | | CRM integration | Most CRMs and field service platforms | Limited CRM support | Limited | Limited | | Setup time | Under 2 minutes | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days | 30-60 minutes | The trap with bundled plans: if your month is slow, or if you only use the messaging piece of a reputation/webchat/payments bundle, you still pay full freight. Per-channel pricing scales to what you actually run. What Makes the Best AI Receptionist for Service Businesses? The best AI receptionist does three things: answers every call instantly, qualifies the lead, and books the appointment without human involvement. Most options on the market handle step one. Few handle all three. For contractors, plumbers, HVAC techs, and roofers, speed matters more than anything. In the MIT Lead Response Management Study (Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007), a business that waited 30 minutes instead of 5 to respond was 100x less likely to contact the lead and 21x less likely to qualify it. Your AI receptionist needs to answer before the customer moves on to the next business. What Should a Small Business Look for in an AI Receptionist? Look for an AI receptionist that is live the same day, answers after hours, responds instantly, covers every lead channel you pay for, books into your real calendar, answers from your own business information, passes the right calls to a person, prices on usage you can check, writes leads into your CRM, and keeps recordings you can review. Run the ten checks below during a free trial, before you commit. | What to check | How to test it on a trial | Red flag | |---|---|---| | 1. Live the same day | Sign up in the morning and place a test call that afternoon. | A multi-week onboarding, or a wait for an "implementation call". | | 2. After-hours coverage | Call at night and on a weekend. The answer should match a weekday call. | A separate, weaker after-hours script or an after-hours surcharge. | | 3. Instant response | Submit a test lead and call your own number. Note when the first reply arrives and whether the pauses on the call feel natural. | Demos built on pre-recorded audio, or no way to test it live. | | 4. Every lead channel | List the channels you pay for (calls, Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, Google LSA) and connect each one. | Phone-only coverage, or channels "on the roadmap". | | 5. Real calendar booking | Ask for a specific day and time on a test call. It should offer that slot or open alternatives from your calendar. | "Someone will get back to you to schedule." | | 6. Answers from your business | Ask a price question, a service-area question, and an emergency question that only your information can answer. | Invented prices, or nowhere to enter your services and rules. | | 7. Escalation to a person | Say one of your transfer triggers on a test call and check that the call reaches your phone. | Only "press 0", or no way to decide which calls go to a human. | | 8. Pricing you can check | Price your real monthly minutes and channels, then compare that total with a flat plan's fee. | "Contact sales", setup fees, or minimum terms. | | 9. CRM handoff | Finish a test call and look for the new record and its notes in your CRM. | A nightly CSV export, or typing leads in by hand. | | 10. Recordings and reporting | Open the call log. Each call should have a recording, a transcript, and an outcome. | A call count with nothing behind it to review. | Against that list, NZ Leads sets up in under 2 minutes and can be live the same day. The voice agent answers inbound calls around the clock and can call a new lead back instantly; text replies on supported channels are created in under 2 seconds. It covers Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram DMs, and Google Local Services Ads. Answers come from the services, pricing, service area, and instructions you enter, and the calendar offers times from your configured availability. Call transfer can be cold or warm, using criteria you write. Enabled workflows create or update the customer record in a connected CRM, and every call keeps its recording, transcript, and outcome. The agent always introduces itself as an AI assistant. To see what this costs at your own call volume, read the AI receptionist cost and pricing guide. How NZ Leads AI Receptionist Works 1. Lead comes in from any supported channel: phone call, Yelp message, Thumbtack request, Google LSA inquiry, Facebook ad, or Instagram DM 2. AI handles it instantly with a natural voice conversation, or creates a job-specific text response in under 2 seconds 3. Qualifies the lead by asking about the job type, timeline, budget, and location 4. Books the appointment directly into your calendar or CRM 5. Sends you a summary with all lead details so you know exactly what's waiting Here's an example scenario: a homeowner submits a Yelp request for HVAC repair at 9:47 PM. Your AI receptionist calls them back instantly, confirms the issue, checks your availability, and books a morning appointment. You wake up to a qualified job on your calendar. The homeowner never called your competitor because they already got an answer. AI Receptionist vs Human Answering Service | | AI Receptionist (NZ Leads) | Human Answering Service | |---|---|---| | Cost per call | $1/min of talk time (a 1-3 min call is $1-$3) | Per-call or per-minute plan rates | | Availability | 24/7/365, no holidays | Varies, staffing gaps | | Consistency | Same script every time | Depends on the operator | | Booking ability | Instant, automated | Requires callback | | Monthly cost (example: 200 calls at 1-3 min) | $210-$610 voice all-in | Monthly plan fee (still just message-taking) | A human answering service still can't book appointments in real time. They take a message, you call back later, and by then the lead has already hired someone else. Which AI Receptionist Should You Pick? If you run a service business and get leads from multiple platforms, NZ Leads is the best fit. It's the only option that handles phone calls, Yelp messages, Thumbtack requests, Google LSA, and Facebook leads in one system. If you only need phone answering and prefer a human touch, a traditional answering service is a solid choice at a higher price point. Legacy human receptionist services work for businesses with standard hours that want live operators. For most contractors and service businesses, the deciding factors are speed (how fast leads get answered), automation (does it book without you), and cost (per-channel vs bundled enterprise suite). The same trade-offs apply when you compare AI answering services, since the underlying AI answering service is what actually fields the calls. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see how many more leads you close when every call gets answered instantly. --- ### Best AI Voice Agent for Service Businesses (2026) **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/best-ai-voice-agent/ Compare AI voice agent types by pricing, speed, and lead sources. Find the best AI voice agent for your service business. Best AI Voice Agent The best AI voice agent calls leads back instantly, qualifies them without sounding robotic, and books jobs on your calendar, with pricing that tracks your actual usage. For most service businesses running one or two channels, that means a per-channel agent at $10/month per phone number plus $1/minute of voice, rather than a per-minute plan with a monthly minimum or a bundled suite. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. Many AI voice agents charge a large monthly fee or minimum whether you use them or not. The best one for your business depends on call volume, lead sources, and how fast callbacks happen. Want to test an AI voice agent on your real leads? Try NZ Leads free and get callbacks instantly. What Makes the Best AI Voice Agent The best AI voice agent does three things: calls leads back fast, qualifies them without sounding robotic, and books jobs on your calendar. Response speed matters most. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it (HBR, 2011). If your voice agent takes 2+ minutes to dial, you're losing the speed advantage you're paying for. 3 Types of AI Voice Agents Compared Not all AI voice agents work the same way. Here's how the three main pricing models stack up: | Feature | Legacy Per-Minute Agent | Bundled Enterprise Suite | Per-Channel Agent (NZ Leads) | |---|---|---|---| | Pricing | Per-minute rate plus a monthly minimum | Flat monthly fee with annual contract | $10/mo phone number + $1/min voice; $19-$99/mo per text channel | | Response Speed | 30-120 seconds | 30-120 seconds | Instantly | | Variable cost | Hits minimum even on slow months | Full bundle every month | Voice scales with usage; text channel is flat | | Best For | High, predictable phone volume | Multi-location ops using full reputation/webchat/payments stack | Service businesses running one or two channels | | Setup | Phone system integration | Full onboarding, 1-2 weeks | Connect lead sources, go live in minutes | | Lead Sources | Phone calls only | Phone + bundled webchat | Voice plus Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads | The biggest difference: per-minute legacy agents and bundled suites both lock you into fees that don't track to actual usage. Per-channel pricing scales with what you turn on. How Fast Should an AI Voice Agent Call Back Instantly. That's where conversion rates peak. Here's what the public research shows: 1. 5 to 30 minutes: you become 21x less likely to qualify the lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and you're competing with the businesses that already responded 3. Over an hour: responding within an hour keeps you ~7x more likely to qualify the lead than waiting longer (HBR, 2011) 4. 24+ hours: the lead has almost certainly booked someone else Any AI voice agent worth using should make outbound calls instantly. If a provider can't tell you their average callback time, that's a red flag. What to Look for in an AI Voice Agent 1. Instant callback speed - the single biggest factor in lead conversion 2. Multi-platform lead ingestion - connects to Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, not just your phone line 3. Natural conversation flow - asks qualifying questions instead of reading a rigid script 4. Calendar booking - qualifies and schedules the appointment in one call 5. Per-channel pricing - activate only the channels you run, no bundled-suite minimum 6. CRM sync - lead details, call recordings, and outcomes pushed to your existing tools Best AI Voice Agent for Plumbers, HVAC, Roofers, and Electricians For service businesses, the best AI voice agent connects directly to the platforms where leads come from. NZ Leads pulls leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram. When a lead comes in, the AI voice agent calls back instantly, qualifies the job, and books it on your calendar. Voice is metered at $1/minute of actual talk time plus $10/month for the dedicated phone number. Example scenario: A homeowner submits a Yelp request for HVAC repair at 8:47 PM. Your phone is off. NZ Leads picks up the lead instantly, calls the homeowner, confirms they need a repair, and books a morning slot. You wake up to a confirmed appointment. Compare that to checking Yelp the next morning and finding out the homeowner already hired someone who responded last night. AI Voice Agent Pricing: What You'll Pay | Pricing Model | Monthly Cost | What You Get | |---|---|---| | Legacy per-minute | Per-minute rate plus monthly minimum | Hits minimum even on slow months | | Bundled enterprise suite | Flat monthly fee | Reviews, webchat, payments lumped in | | Per-channel (NZ Leads) | $10/mo number + $1/min voice; add text channels at $19-$99/mo each | Voice scales with usage; activate only the text channels you run | For a service business running voice plus one text channel, per-channel pricing is that channel's flat monthly price plus $10/month per number and $1/minute of talk time, instead of a bundled-suite fee for features you don't use. See our full AI answering service comparison for more detail on pricing models. Try the Best AI Voice Agent The fastest way to know if an AI voice agent works for your business: run it on real leads. Try NZ Leads and see how many more leads you close when every inquiry gets a callback instantly. --- ### Best Lead Response Software for Contractors in 2026 **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/best-lead-response-software-contractors/ Compare the best lead response software for contractors on speed, lead sources, AI qualification, CRM sync, and pricing. Setup takes under 2 minutes. Best Lead Response Software for Contractors in 2026 The best lead response software for contractors creates a job-specific response to every lead instantly, works across every lead source you use (Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram), qualifies leads before they reach you, and syncs with your CRM. NZ Leads covers all four with flat per-channel pricing, no per-lead fees, and setup in under 2 minutes. Most contractors lose a large share of their leads because they don't respond fast enough. The fix isn't hiring more office staff. It's picking the right lead response software that creates a job-specific response for every lead, across every platform, instantly. This guide covers what to look for, how the main options compare, what they cost, and the questions to ask before you choose. For how the product side works end to end, see lead response automation. Want to see how fast AI can handle your leads? Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, and Facebook lead in under 2 seconds, set up in under 2 minutes. What Makes Good Lead Response Software for Contractors? The software that wins you more jobs does three things: responds instantly, works across all your lead sources, and qualifies leads before they reach you. Everything else is a nice-to-have. Here's what to look for: - Instant response time. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007). Instant is even better. - Multi-platform support. Your leads come from Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, and Instagram. Your tool needs to cover all of them. - AI qualification. Not every lead is worth your time. Good software filters out tire-kickers before you pick up the phone. - CRM integration. If it doesn't sync with your existing system (most CRMs or field service platforms), you'll end up with two systems and double the work. What AI Tools Help Contractors Respond to Leads Faster? "Lead response software" covers several different tools, and each one fixes a different leak. Most contractors need two or three of them, working from the same business details. | Tool | What it fixes | What to check before you buy | |---|---|---| | AI auto-responder for marketplace leads | Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook and Instagram messages waiting while you are on a job | Which platforms connect directly, and whether replies use your real services, prices and service area | | AI voice callback | Leads who left a phone number and expect a call | How fast it dials, whether it says it is AI, what it costs per minute | | AI phone answering | Calls that ring out while you are on a roof or under a sink | Whether it can book, transfer urgent calls, and take a message | | Missed call text back | Callers who hang up instead of leaving a voicemail | Carrier registration for texting, and what the first text says | | Automated follow-up | Leads who go quiet after the first reply | Whether follow-ups stop the moment the customer replies or books | | CRM sync and team alerts | Leads retyped by hand, or nobody knowing a lead arrived | Your CRM on the connector list, and alerts in the app your team already uses | If the text side is your biggest gap, start with an AI chatbot for leads on your busiest marketplace. If missed calls are the problem, start with the voice side. What Should an Automated Lead Follow-Up System for Contractors Do? The first reply wins attention; follow-up wins the leads who were busy, comparing quotes, or waiting on a spouse. A good automated follow-up system for contractors does four things: 1. Runs on a schedule you set, for example Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7 after the first reply, on the same channel the lead used. 2. Stops the moment the customer replies or books, so nobody gets chased after they already said yes. 3. Handles your own replies sensibly. Decide whether a manual "got it, I'll call you" message should pause the sequence or let it keep running. 4. Says something new each time: a question about the job, an opening on your schedule, a reminder of what you need to quote it. In NZ Leads, follow-ups are set per source, can be fixed messages or written by the AI from the conversation so far, and auto-stop on reply or booking. Facebook Lead Ads are the exception: they are one-time form fills with no chat, so they get the instant callback and CRM handoff instead. Our guide to automated lead follow-up covers the cadence in detail. How Do You Choose a Lead Response System? Ask every vendor the same questions and compare the answers side by side: - Which of my lead sources connect directly? List every platform you pay for leads on and check each one. - What happens on the phone? Text-only tools leave phone leads and missed calls to you. - How is it priced? Per-lead fees grow with your volume; flat per-source pricing does not. - Can I control what it says? You should be able to set services, prices, service area and booking rules, and change them anytime. - What happens when I reply myself? The tool should step back cleanly instead of talking over you. - Does it fit my CRM? Check the connector, not just the logo on the website. - Can I test it on my own leads? A trial on your real inquiries tells you more than a demo. Lead Response Software Comparison: Features, Pricing, and Speed | Feature | NZ Leads | Generic Autoresponders | Virtual Receptionist | DIY (Manual) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Response time | Instant | 1-5 minutes | 30-90 seconds | 15 min - 3 hours | | Works after hours | Yes | Yes | Limited | No | | Multi-platform (Yelp, Thumbtack, LSA, Facebook) | Yes | Usually 1-2 platforms | No | Yes (manual) | | AI lead qualification | Yes | No | Basic | You do it | | Voice AI for inbound calls | Yes | No | Human answer | You answer | | CRM integrations | Most CRMs and field service platforms | Limited | Limited | Manual entry | | Pricing model | Flat per channel, no per-lead fees | Monthly subscription | Monthly fee by call volume | Your time | | Setup time | Under 2 minutes | 15-30 minutes | 1-2 days | N/A | How Much Does Lead Response Software Cost? Most contractors overpay for lead response because they pick monthly subscription tools and don't use half the features. Here's how costs break down: - NZ Leads: Per-channel pricing. $99/month flat for unlimited Yelp message handling, $99/month for Thumbtack, $49/month for Facebook Messenger, $19/month for Facebook Lead Ads, $49/month for Google Local Services Ads, $49/month for Instagram DMs. Voice agent: $10/month for the dedicated phone number plus $1/minute of actual talk time. Activate only what you run - usually cheaper than bundled enterprise suites. - Bundled enterprise suites: Flat monthly fees with annual contracts. Reviews, webchat, and payments lumped in whether you use them or not. - Virtual receptionist services: Monthly fees that rise with call volume. Human-powered, so limited hours and scaling gets expensive fast. An AI answering service covers the same inbound calls 24/7 without the per-hour overhead. - Doing it yourself: Free in dollars, expensive in lost jobs. Every minute you spend answering leads is a minute you're not on a job site. Which Contractors Get the Best ROI from Lead Response Software? Contractors with high lead volume and tight competition see the biggest returns. If you're in HVAC, plumbing, roofing, or electrical, you're competing against several other businesses for the same lead. The one who responds first usually wins, which is why an AI voice agent that picks up every call instantly pays off fastest in these trades. Where it pays off: - HVAC contractors absorb peak-season demand spikes that would otherwise overflow to voicemail. - Roofing companies that automate follow-up win storm-damage leads that go cold within hours. - Plumbers using AI receptionists capture after-hours emergency calls that used to go to voicemail. If you're getting more than 20 leads a month and your close rate feels low, your response time is probably the bottleneck. How to Set Up AI Lead Response in Under 2 Minutes 1. Connect your lead sources (Yelp, Thumbtack, Google LSA, Facebook, Instagram). 2. Set your response preferences: tone, business details, services offered. 3. Turn it on. The AI creates a personalized reply for every new lead instantly. 4. Qualified leads get routed to you with context. Tire-kickers get filtered out. No code. No long onboarding calls. No contracts. Frequently Asked Questions What is a lead response system? A lead response system is software that answers new leads for you the moment they arrive: it creates the first reply to a message, calls the lead back or answers the call, asks qualifying questions, books the job and passes the details to your CRM. The best ones cover every lead source you pay for, not just one inbox. How fast should a contractor respond to a new lead? As fast as you can, ideally before the customer contacts anyone else. The MIT Lead Response Management Study found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead, and Harvard Business Review found that contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later. Software closes that gap: NZ Leads creates the first reply in under 2 seconds and calls back instantly. Does lead response software work with my CRM? Check the connector list before you buy. NZ Leads connects directly to HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, LeadConnector (GoHighLevel), Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, SmartMoving, Salesforce and Monday.com, and covers other tools through Zapier or a REST webhook. Is there lead response software without per-lead fees? Yes. NZ Leads charges a flat monthly price per connected lead source, with no per-lead fees, no lead caps, no setup fees and no contracts. Voice is $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time. Stop Losing Leads to Slow Responses Every lead that waits more than 5 minutes for a reply is halfway to your competitor. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more jobs you book when every lead gets an instant, personalized response. --- ### Lead Automation for Cleaning Businesses on Yelp and Thumbtack **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/cleaning-business-yelp-thumbtack-leads/ Lead automation for cleaning businesses creates a job-specific response to every Yelp and Thumbtack lead in under 2 seconds, 24/7, so you book more jobs. Lead automation for cleaning businesses: book more Yelp and Thumbtack jobs Lead automation for cleaning businesses means every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry gets a job-specific response in under 2 seconds, 24/7, built from your services, pricing, and availability. NZ Leads connects to both accounts, asks the questions cleaning customers need answered, such as square footage and bedrooms, and gives a clear next step while the customer is still comparing quotes. A homeowner posts a cleaning request on Yelp or Thumbtack and gets several quotes within minutes. The first business to reply books the job. Everyone else loses money on a lead they already paid for. Most cleaning companies take 2 to 4 hours to respond. By then, the customer has already hired someone. Tired of losing cleaning leads to faster competitors? Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds. How fast do cleaning businesses need to reply on Yelp and Thumbtack? Within 5 minutes, and sooner is better. The MIT Lead Response Management Study found that a business that waits 30 minutes instead of 5 is 100 times less likely to reach the lead and 21 times less likely to qualify it (Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007). Harvard Business Review found that a lead contacted within the first hour is about 7 times more likely to qualify than one contacted an hour later (HBR, 2011). Cleaning customers compare several businesses at once. They pick whoever answers first with clear info about availability and pricing. That puts a cleaning owner in a bind: the hours when leads arrive are the hours you are on a job with gloves on, driving between houses, or asleep. Automation does not make you a better cleaner. It makes sure the first answer goes out while the customer is still looking at their phone. What details arrive with a Yelp or Thumbtack cleaning lead? Both platforms pass the request into NZ Leads with the details the customer already entered, so the first reply can build on them instead of asking again. | Detail | Yelp | Thumbtack | |---|---|---| | Customer name | Yes | Yes | | What they need | Project or job name, plus the survey answers they filled in | Service category and job description | | Where | Postal code or service location | Postal code or service location | | When | Availability status and dates | The availability they selected | | Photos or files | Project attachments | Documents or images they uploaded | | Phone number | When the customer chooses to share it on Yelp | When the customer shares it in the conversation | What usually is not there yet is the information you need to price a clean: the size of the home (bedrooms, bathrooms or square footage), standard, deep or move-out clean, one time or recurring, pets, and whether you bring the supplies. A good first reply asks for the one or two of those that matter most to your quote, and leaves the rest for the conversation. What should the first reply to a cleaning lead say? Four parts, in this order. Keep it short enough to read on a phone screen. 1. Confirm the job in the customer's words. "A move-out clean for a 2-bedroom apartment" tells them a person-quality answer arrived, not a form letter. 2. Ask what you need to quote. One or two questions, never a questionnaire. Size of the home and type of clean are usually enough to give a range. 3. Give a price range, if you share one. Customers on Thumbtack and Yelp are comparing quotes; a range from your own price sheet keeps you in the comparison. 4. Offer a next step. Two open time windows, or a short call, so the customer has something to say yes to. Example: a customer requests a move-out cleaning quote on Yelp. NZ Leads writes a reply in under 2 seconds that confirms you do move-out cleans, asks about square footage and bedrooms, and notes your next open slot. Not a canned "thanks for reaching out" message. A real response that addresses what the customer asked, mentions your availability, and gives a clear next step. On Thumbtack the same kind of reply goes out to the customer instantly. Can lead automation quote cleaning prices? Only the prices you give it. NZ Leads has a Pricing field for the ranges, starting prices or per-unit rates you are happy to share early. When that field is empty, the AI does not quote a number and deflects pricing questions, so you can keep pricing for the phone if you prefer. For a full price sheet (by home size, deep clean add-ons, move-out rates, recurring discounts), upload it to the AI's reference library along with your FAQ and service-area list; it accepts up to 3 files per source. Anything you do not do, such as post-construction cleanup or carpet shampooing, goes in the "Services not Providing" field: the AI declines those requests politely and does not chase them with follow-ups. It learns your business over time, matching your voice and handling the specific questions cleaning customers ask (square footage pricing, supplies included, pet surcharges, cancellation policies). How do you turn one-time cleaning leads into recurring clients? Ask about frequency in the first reply. A customer asking for a one-time deep clean is often open to a regular schedule, and the first conversation is the cheapest moment to offer it. NZ Leads identifies recurring service requests (weekly cleaning, biweekly, monthly) and prioritizes them with detailed follow-up about your packages and pricing tiers. Recurring customers are the highest-value leads a cleaning business gets. To make that work, write your recurring offer into the AI instructions: which frequencies you offer, how recurring pricing compares with a one-time clean, and whether a first deep clean is required before a regular schedule starts. The AI then mentions it when the request fits, instead of every customer hearing the same pitch. What happens after hours, and when a customer stops replying? A large share of cleaning leads on Yelp come in evenings and weekends. If you don't respond until morning, those leads are gone. NZ Leads runs 24/7 and handles seasonal spikes too. Spring cleaning season and holidays won't mean lost leads just because you're booked solid and can't check your phone. When a customer reads the first reply and goes quiet, follow-ups take over. You set the sequence (for example Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7) and it stops the moment the customer replies or books, so nobody is chased after saying yes. Follow-ups also respect the weekly schedule you set, so a 10 PM inquiry gets its first answer right away while the next nudge waits for the hours you allow. When you want to take a conversation over yourself, reply in the thread on the Leads page. The AI conversation for that lead stops, so you and the AI never talk over each other. The follow-up guide covers how to write a sequence that adds something new each time instead of repeating "just checking in". What is lead automation worth to a cleaning business? The win comes from converting leads you already pay for with a job-specific response created in under 2 seconds, every time. Here is an illustrative hypothetical at 40 monthly leads and a $200 average job - your real numbers depend on your market, pricing, and lead quality: | Metric | Without NZ Leads | With NZ Leads | |---|---|---| | Monthly leads (Yelp + Thumbtack) | 40 | 40 | | Response time | Hours | Under 2 seconds | | Reply built from your services, pricing, and availability | Sometimes | Every lead | | Coverage | When you check your phone | 24/7 | The lead spend doesn't change. Speed and consistency do - and on a paid lead, recovering even a few extra bookings a month covers the cost several times over. To check this on your own numbers, compare two things before and after you switch it on: how many Yelp and Thumbtack leads turned into a booked clean, and what you spent on those leads. The Thumbtack cost per lead guide shows how to work out your real cost per booked job. How to set up lead automation for your cleaning business Cleaning company lead automation is the same setup for a one-person service and a business with several crews: each Yelp location and each Thumbtack Pro account is its own source with its own instructions. Setup takes under 2 minutes: 1. Connect your Yelp and Thumbtack accounts 2. Add your services, general pricing, and availability 3. NZ Leads starts creating job-specific responses for new leads right away Before you rely on it, read the first few conversations on your Leads page and add anything the AI should have known to your instructions. Pricing is flat per source: $99 a month for each connected Yelp location and $99 a month for Thumbtack, with no per-lead fees, no contracts and a 7-day free trial. For how each platform works on its own, see the Thumbtack auto responder and the Yelp auto responder guide. Running Facebook, Instagram or Google Local Services Ads too? Lead response automation covers every supported channel in one inbox, and the landscaping lead automation guide shows the same setup for a seasonal trade. Stop watching leads go to whoever checks their phone first. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more Yelp and Thumbtack leads turn into booked jobs. --- ### Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack Without Zapier (Under 2-Minute Setup) **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/connect-facebook-lead-ads-to-slack-without-zapier/ Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack without Zapier: one native connection posts every lead to your channel and replies to the lead in under 2 seconds. Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack Without Zapier You can connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack without Zapier by authorizing your ad account once through a native Meta integration. Every form submission then posts to your Slack channel automatically, and the lead gets a reply in under 2 seconds. No per-task fees, no webhook code, nothing to maintain. Want every Facebook lead in Slack and answered instantly? Try NZ Leads free and connect your ad account in under 2 minutes. How to Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack Without Zapier The fastest path is one native connection: authorize Facebook, pick a Slack channel, done. Five steps: 1. Connect your Facebook ad account. In NZ Leads, open Integrations and click Connect Facebook. Meta's OAuth flow handles the authorization. This replaces the webhook setup, the token exchange, and the leadgen API subscription. 2. Pick your lead forms. Field mapping is automatic. Name, phone, email, and custom questions are captured on every submission. 3. Add your Slack channel. Paste a Slack incoming webhook URL or authorize Slack directly, then pick the channel your team watches. 4. Set up the auto-reply. Add your services, service area, and tone. The AI texts the lead back in under 2 seconds and can call them back instantly. 5. Go live and test. Submit a test lead. The reply fires in under 2 seconds, then the Slack message lands with the lead's details and a qualification summary. Setup takes under 2 minutes on the NZ Leads side. Creating the Slack webhook adds a few clicks in Slack's admin panel. Instagram Lead Ads on the same ad account are included automatically, since both run through Meta's API. Why Skip Zapier for Facebook Lead Ads? Because per-task pricing punishes lead volume, and DIY webhooks break silently. Here is how the three approaches compare: | | DIY webhook (Meta API) | Per-task automation tool | Native response layer (NZ Leads) | |---|---|---|---| | Monthly cost | $0 + developer time | Paid plan past the free tier | $19 flat | | Per-lead cost | None | Every lead burns tasks | None, no lead caps | | Setup | Hours of API work | ~30 min of zap building | Under 2 minutes | | When Meta changes its API | You debug it | Zap errors until you fix it | Maintained for you | | Replies to the lead | No | No | Text in under 2 seconds, instant voice callback | The failure mode nobody warns you about: Meta leadgen webhook subscriptions can drop silently after a page token expires or a page admin changes. Nothing errors. Leads just stop appearing in Slack. Running this connection for service businesses, the pattern we see is that nobody notices until someone asks why the leads channel went quiet. A flat $19/month with no task metering means you never do math on whether a busy ad week will push you into the next pricing tier. If you also want leads routed to your CRM and Google Sheets, the full Facebook lead routing guide covers that whole stack. A Slack Notification Is Not a Lead Response Getting the lead into Slack solves visibility, not speed. The lead is still waiting for a human to see the message and act. The research is blunt. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead (MIT, Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007). Responding within 1 hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later, yet across 2,241 audited companies the average response took 42 hours and 23% never replied (HBR, 2011). A Slack ping does not close that gap. A reply does. Here is what the full flow looks like with NZ Leads on a real lead: 1. Someone taps your roof repair ad at 9:14pm and submits the pre-filled form. 2. The AI texts them in under 2 seconds, referencing your business and the service they asked about. 3. The voice agent calls them back instantly, asks about timeline and scope, and offers to book the estimate. 4. The Slack message posts to leads with their name, phone, campaign, and the AI's qualification notes. Your team wakes up to a booked estimate and a transcript, not a cold form fill from last night. That response layer is the difference between routing leads and converting them, and the same connection covers Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs too. Bottom Line: Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack Without Zapier You do not need Zapier, webhook code, or per-task fees to get Facebook leads into Slack. One native connection posts every lead to your channel and, more importantly, replies to the lead by text in under 2 seconds with an instant voice callback behind it. Per-task tools charge a monthly plan past their free tier and only move data. NZ Leads costs $19/month flat for Facebook Lead Ads, sets up in under 2 minutes, and answers the lead before a competitor does. Connect the ad account, pick a channel, and test it with one form submission. Frequently Asked Questions Can I connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack without Zapier? Yes. There are three ways: a DIY webhook built on Meta's leadgen API, a per-task automation tool, or a native connection like NZ Leads that authorizes your ad account once through Meta OAuth and posts every lead to Slack automatically. The native route needs no code and no per-task fees, and it also replies to the lead in under 2 seconds, which the other two methods never do. How do I send Facebook leads to Slack for free? Build it yourself with Meta's leadgen webhook and a Slack incoming webhook. You subscribe to the leadgen event, exchange the lead ID for the full field data with a second API call, then POST the result to Slack. It costs nothing but needs a developer, a server, and ongoing maintenance, because the subscription breaks silently after Meta API and token changes. Why do Facebook Lead Ads Slack integrations break? The usual causes are expired Facebook page access tokens, Meta API version deprecations, and leadgen webhook subscriptions that drop silently after a page admin change. Nothing errors visibly, leads just stop arriving in Slack. Running this connection for service businesses, the pattern we see is that nobody notices until someone asks why the leads channel went quiet for a week. How much does a Facebook Lead Ads to Slack integration cost? A DIY webhook is free plus developer time. Per-task automation tools move to a paid monthly plan once you pass their free tier, and every lead burns tasks. NZ Leads connects Facebook Lead Ads for $19/month flat with no per-lead fees, no task limits, and a 7-day free trial, and it includes the under-2-second auto-reply to the lead. What does the Slack notification include? Each Slack message includes the lead's name, phone number, email, the service they asked about, the source campaign, and a summary of the AI's first exchange with the lead, including qualification notes. That is richer than a raw form dump, because by the time the message posts, the lead has already received a reply. Does this work for Instagram Lead Ads too? Yes. Instagram Lead Ads run through the same Meta ad account and the same leadgen API as Facebook. When you connect your ad account in NZ Leads, Instagram lead forms on that account are covered automatically, with the same Slack notification and the same under-2-second auto-reply to the lead. Try NZ Leads free for 7 days and see every Facebook lead hit Slack already answered, qualified, and ready to book. --- ### Lead Automation for Electrical Contractors: Instant Response **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/electrical-contractor-lead-automation/ Lead automation for electrical contractors: AI creates a job-specific response to every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds. See examples and routing. Lead Automation for Electrical Contractors: Respond to Every Inquiry Instantly Lead automation for electrical contractors means AI handles every new Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry the moment it arrives: it creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds and routes the lead by job type, so panel upgrades, commercial work and emergency outages each reach the right person. Setup takes under 2 minutes. Electricians lose more leads to slow responses than to bad reviews. A customer asking about a panel upgrade or emergency outage is often comparing several contractors at the same time. The one who responds first books the job. Many electricians take over 2 hours to reply on Yelp. That's a lost customer. Stop losing electrical leads to slow replies. Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds. Why do electricians lose so many leads to slow replies? Electrical work creates a specific response problem. Customers don't know if their issue is a quick fix or a major panel upgrade. They ask vague questions. Without a fast, knowledgeable reply, they either panic or move on. Three things make electrical leads harder to handle manually: 1. Permit confusion. "Do I need a permit for this?" is the most common electrician question. A clear, fast answer builds trust. Silence loses the customer. 2. Commercial vs. residential routing. A message about commercial wiring needs to go to a different person than a residential outlet problem. Without routing, leads pile up. 3. Emergency urgency. "Half my house has no power" needs a response in minutes, not hours. These are high-value jobs that go to whoever answers first. What does lead automation write for electrical inquiries? NZ Leads creates knowledgeable responses that match what a senior electrician would say. Two typical inquiries show the pattern: Panel upgrade inquiry on Yelp: Customer: "I have a 100-amp panel and want to add a hot tub and EV charger. Do I need to upgrade?" AI response (instant): Confirms they'll exceed 100-amp capacity, recommends 200-amp upgrade, mentions licensing and permits, and proposes two appointment times for a free panel assessment. Emergency outage on Yelp: Customer: "Half my house has no power. Circuits are out." AI response (instant): Gives immediate troubleshooting steps (check breaker positions), explains possible causes, and offers same-day emergency availability with address request. Both responses demonstrate technical knowledge, reduce customer anxiety, and move directly to booking. What should an electrician tell the AI before it answers leads? The replies are only as specific as the business information behind them. Before you switch it on, write down what your office would tell a new hire: - Work you do and do not take. Panel upgrades, EV chargers, generators, rewiring, lighting, commercial tenant work. List what you turn down (low-voltage, solar, jobs under your minimum) in the "Services not Providing" field: the AI declines those politely and stops following up. - How you handle permits. Whether you pull permits for the work you quote and who arranges the inspection. The AI repeats your answer instead of guessing at local code. - The safety line for emergencies. Write the exact wording you want a customer to get for sparks, a burning smell or a hot panel, so the AI uses your words and does not improvise advice. - Pricing you share up front. A service call fee or a range for common jobs, if you quote them. With the Pricing field left empty, the AI keeps price questions for your estimate. - Service area and hours. The towns or ZIP codes you cover and when you book same-day work. Then run a test inquiry for each job type in the routing table below and read the replies on your Leads page before the first real lead arrives. How does lead response automation for electricians route each job? NZ Leads routes each inquiry to the right person based on job type. Setup takes under 2 minutes. | Job Type | Routed To | |----------|-----------| | Residential service call | General team | | Panel upgrade or EV charger | Senior electrician | | Commercial inquiry | Commercial estimator | | Emergency (no power, sparks, burning smell) | On-call tech with instant alert | | New construction or remodel | Estimator with next-day callback | No manual sorting. Every lead hits the right person automatically. What changes when an electrical contractor automates lead response? | Metric | Before | After | |--------|--------|-------| | Average response time | 2.5 hours | Instant | | Leads lost to no response | High | Near zero | | Response rate | Inconsistent | Every inquiry | | Weekly time on message management | 6+ hours | Near zero | The biggest factor is response speed. The research is consistent: waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify a lead than waiting an hour later (HBR, 2011). Why does the first reply matter so much on Thumbtack? Thumbtack is high-value for electricians because jobs tend to be bigger (panels, service upgrades, commercial work) and customers compare multiple contractors simultaneously. With NZ Leads, the typical Thumbtack flow looks like this: 1. Customer submits: "Need electrical inspection and some outlet work" 2. AI responds instantly with qualification questions 3. Customer is already in a conversation while other electricians are just seeing the notification 4. Appointment proposed and confirmed before competitors respond The first electrician to start a real conversation often wins the quote. Does replying faster help an electrician on Yelp? Yelp rewards businesses that respond quickly and consistently. With NZ Leads running, the AI creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds. The Yelp response quality score guide explains what Yelp measures. Many electrical leads arrive as phone calls rather than messages. If calls go to voicemail while you are on a job, the AI receptionist for electricians covers the phone side with the same business information. Pricing is flat per source: $99 a month for each Yelp location and $99 a month for Thumbtack; Google Local Services Ads, Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs are $49 a month each; Facebook Lead Ads is $19 a month; and the voice agent is $10 a month per number plus $1 a minute of talk time. There are no per-lead fees and no contracts, and a 7-day free trial applies. If you want to see how this works for your electrical business, try NZ Leads free and run a test with your real Yelp and Thumbtack leads. Related: - Lead Response Automation - AI Receptionist for Plumbers - Lead Automation for Landscaping Businesses - Speed to Lead: Yelp and Thumbtack Response Time Data - AI Lead Qualification and Routing --- ### Facebook and Instagram Auto Reply After Hours **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/facebook-instagram-auto-reply-after-hours/ Facebook and Instagram auto reply after hours: what Meta's free away message and instant reply do, where they stop, and how AI answers every chat instantly. How to Set Up Facebook and Instagram Auto Reply After Hours Facebook and Instagram auto reply after hours works in one of two ways. Meta's free automations send one fixed message: an away message during the hours you set as closed, or an instant reply to new chats. An AI auto responder such as NZ Leads replies to each Messenger message and Instagram DM instantly, answers the customer's questions and offers a time when scheduling is on. This guide covers both: how to set up Meta's tools properly, where they stop, and what changes when an AI handles the night shift. Losing night messages to whoever answers first? Start a 7-day free trial and connect Messenger and Instagram in under 2 minutes. Facebook automated responses for business: what Meta gives you free Meta Business Suite has three automations that matter after hours. All three are free, and each sends a message you wrote in advance. | Automation | When it sends | What to know | |---|---|---| | Away message | To people who message your Page while its messaging status is Away. You can schedule Away to match your business hours, or switch to Away by hand for up to 12 hours | Messages received while you are away are not counted in your response rate or response time | | Instant reply | As your Page's first response to a new message | Not sent while your Page is set to Away, and not counted in your response rate or response time | | Frequently asked questions (Instagram) | Up to four questions shown when someone starts a chat with your business or creator account, each with an optional automated answer | If a person taps a question, the message lands in your Requests and you accept it before you can reply | When your Instagram professional account is connected to your Facebook Page, its DMs show up in the Page inbox, and each automation asks which channel it applies to. Sources: Meta Help Center, Create an away message, Turn instant replies on or off, Set your Page's messaging status to away, Manage Instagram messages from your Page's inbox, and Instagram Help, Frequently asked questions on Instagram chats, checked October 2026. How to set up an away message for nights and weekends Meta's steps, in short: 1. On Facebook, click your profile photo, choose See all profiles and switch into your Page. 2. Open Messenger at the top right, then Automations. 3. Open Away message. The first time it sits under Suggested for you; after that, under Your automations. 4. Pick the channel, then under When this happens choose the hours you are away. 5. Write the message and click Save changes. To go away on the spot, click Available at the top right of the inbox and switch it to Away. What a useful away message says An away message that only says you are closed wastes the night. A better one gets the customer to send what you need, so the morning reply can be a quote instead of a question: - When you will reply, as a real time. - What to send now: the job, the address or ZIP code, a photo, and the best number to reach them. - What to do if it is urgent, if you take emergency calls. A template written for illustration: > Thanks for messaging [business name]. We're closed for the night and reply from 7am. To get your quote faster, send the job, your ZIP code, a photo and the best number to reach you. For an emergency, call [your number]. Where Meta's free automations stop An away message is better than silence, but it is still one fixed message. After hours that leaves four gaps: - No second answer. When the customer replies "do you cover my area?" or "how soon can you come?", nothing answers until you do. - One or the other. Instant replies are not sent while your Page is away, so a night chat gets the away message only. - No contact details. Facebook and Instagram do not share a customer's phone number or email; someone has to ask for them in the chat. - The window closes. For tools that message through Meta's platform, the standard messaging window lasts 24 hours after most customer actions (up to 7 days after someone messages you from a Click-to-Messenger or Click-to-Direct ad). Outside it, a business can only message in specific cases Meta defines, such as the Human Agent tag, which allows manual replies within a separate 7-day period. A Friday-night message that waits for Monday has missed the standard window. Source for the window and tags: Meta for Developers, Messenger Platform policy overview, checked October 2026. How an AI auto responder handles a message at night Here is how one late message plays out once Messenger or Instagram is connected to NZ Leads. The example is illustrative: 1. A homeowner sends a DM at 10pm asking if you install ceiling fans and how soon you could come out. 2. The AI replies in under 2 seconds with your service and service-area details, and asks the questions you set, for example how many fans, the ceiling height and the ZIP code. 3. The customer answers, and the AI keeps going. It asks for the best phone number, because Instagram does not pass it on, and offers open times from your calendar when scheduling is on. 4. If the customer stops replying, follow-ups go out on your cadence, for example Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7, and stop the moment they reply or book. Follow-ups respect your business-hours schedule; the first reply never waits for it. 5. In the morning the whole thread is on your Leads page, and it can be pushed to your CRM or a team alert. More on why the first reply after hours decides so many jobs is in our guide to after-hours lead capture. Instagram DM automation: what to check before you connect Meta sets the rules for which accounts a tool can answer for. Check these first: - Instagram must be a Business or Creator account linked to a Facebook Page. Personal accounts cannot be connected; switch the account type in the Instagram app. - You need message permission on the Page. Sign in with a Facebook account that is an admin, or has messaging rights, on that Page. - Each Page and each Instagram account is its own source, with its own messaging settings and its own billing line. - Meta expires access tokens from time to time. If messages stop arriving, reconnect the source. - Say it is automated where the law requires it. Meta's policy asks automated chats to disclose this where legally required (at the start, after a long gap, and when a chat moves from a person back to automation) and recommends it as good practice everywhere. One line in your first message covers it. The full requirements are in the Instagram source docs. How to set up Facebook and Instagram auto reply with NZ Leads 1. Add the source. In NZ Leads, open Sources and click Add Facebook Messenger or Add Instagram. 2. Approve access on Facebook. Sign in with the account that manages your Page and grant permission to read and send messages. Your password is never shared. 3. Pick the Pages and Instagram accounts you want answered. Each one becomes a source. 4. Write your business facts once. Services, the area you cover, the price ranges you are willing to quote and the questions you need answered. Choose the AI assistant or predefined messages. 5. Set the timing. Pick your time zone and the hours follow-ups may go out. 6. Switch off Meta's own away message and instant reply for each channel NZ Leads answers, so customers do not get two first messages. Setup takes under 2 minutes. What it costs - Meta's away message, instant reply and FAQ answers: free. - NZ Leads for Facebook Messenger: $49/month per connected Page. - NZ Leads for Instagram: $49/month per connected Instagram account. Messenger is billed separately even when both come through the same Meta connection. - Facebook Lead Ads is its own channel at $19/month. For form leads, see Facebook Lead Ads auto reply for contractors. - Other channels: Yelp $99/month, Thumbtack $99/month and Google Local Services Ads $49/month. The optional voice agent is $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. Every plan includes a 7-day free trial, with no contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps and no setup fees. Channel details are on the Facebook auto responder and Instagram auto responder pages. Frequently asked questions Do away messages count toward my Facebook response time? No. Meta says away messages, and messages received while your Page is set to away, are not included in your Page's response rate or response time. Instant replies are left out of those numbers too, so neither automation improves them. Can I use Meta's away message and an AI auto responder together? You can, but a customer who writes at night may then get two first messages. Turn off the away message and the instant reply for each channel the AI answers, and keep them only on channels you have not connected. Is there an Instagram away message? Meta's automations ask which channel each one applies to, and Instagram DMs appear in your Page inbox once your Instagram professional account is connected to the Page. Check which channels that menu lists for your account. Inside the Instagram app, business and creator accounts can also set up to four frequently asked questions with automated answers. Do I have to tell customers the reply is automated? Meta's messaging policy says automated chats must disclose that the person is talking to an automated service where the law requires it, and it recommends doing so as good practice even where it does not. One short line in the first message covers it. Does the after-hours auto reply also cover Facebook Lead Ads? Facebook Lead Ads is a separate channel at $19/month. A lead form is not a chat, so it is its own source: each submission is captured, can be pushed to your CRM, and can trigger an automated confirmation by text, email or phone. Answer tonight's messages tonight Set a useful away message today if you do nothing else. When you want every Messenger and Instagram chat answered and qualified while you sleep, start a 7-day free trial or email support@nzleads.com with questions about connecting your Page. --- ### Facebook Lead Ads Auto Reply for Contractors **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/facebook-lead-ads-contractors/ Facebook lead ads auto reply for contractors: confirm every lead by text or email, have the AI voice agent call when a phone is given, and send it to your CRM. Facebook Lead Ads for Contractors: Auto-Reply Instantly A Facebook lead ads auto reply for contractors contacts every form submission the instant it lands: NZ Leads sends an optional confirmation by text or email and, with the Voice Agent add-on, places an instant AI voice call when a phone number is included. On that call the AI answers common questions and offers to book an appointment, and the lead goes to your CRM, with setup in under 2 minutes. Facebook Lead Ads generate cheap contractor leads because the form is pre-filled and takes two taps. That's also why most of them go cold. The customer submitted your form, went back to scrolling, and forgot about you within minutes. Speed is everything here. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 100x less likely to even reach the lead and 21x less likely to qualify it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). Most contractors respond the next day - long after the lead has gone cold. Want to auto-respond to every Facebook lead instantly? Try NZ Leads free and connect your Facebook Page in under 2 minutes. Why Do Facebook Lead Ads Go Cold So Fast? Facebook pre-fills the form with the user's name, email, and phone. They tap "Submit" without thinking hard about it. That's great for volume, terrible for intent. Before long, many of those leads don't remember which ad they clicked. By the next morning, they've either hired someone who called first or lost interest entirely. The fix isn't better ads. It's faster follow-up. Why Response Speed Decides Whether a Facebook Lead Converts Response speed is the single biggest factor in whether a Facebook lead converts. The public research is consistent: - 5 to 30 minutes: you become 100x less likely to contact the lead and 21x less likely to qualify it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). - Within the first hour: a Lead Ads form is a one-time submission with no chat thread, so the prospect only hears from your company when you call, text or email. Reaching them within an hour keeps you ~7x more likely to qualify the lead than an hour later, and ~60x more likely than waiting 24+ hours (HBR, 2011). The pattern is the same across every study: the contractor who replies first usually wins the lead, and the odds fall off a cliff after the first few minutes. How Auto-Response Works for Facebook Lead Ads NZ Leads connects to your Facebook Page through the Meta API. When someone submits your lead form, here's what happens: 1. Lead data hits NZ Leads in real time 2. An optional confirmation you write goes out by text or email 3. If a phone number is included and the Voice Agent add-on is set to call new leads, an AI voice call goes out instantly 4. On that call, the AI answers common questions and offers to book an appointment 5. Lead data syncs to your CRM automatically, and your team gets an alert by SMS, Slack, Telegram or email Time from form submission to first contact: instant. Facebook + Instagram Leads in One Setup Instagram runs on the same Meta platform. Instagram lead ads belong to the Facebook Page that runs them, so one NZ Leads Lead Ads connection covers: - Facebook Lead Ad forms - Instagram Lead Ad forms You don't need separate tools or configurations for the forms. Connect once, and lead forms from both platforms arrive in the same source. Facebook Messenger inquiries and Instagram DMs are two-way chats, so they connect as separate sources at $49/month each. How Much Do Contractors Gain from Instant Facebook Lead Response? The math is straightforward. You're already paying for the leads - the only variable is how many you actually reach and book. A contractor on next-day follow-up connects with a small fraction of their leads; switching to instant AI response means you reach far more of them while they still remember submitting the form. Here's a clearly illustrative example: if you spend $1,200/month on Facebook Lead Ads and instant response lets you book even a handful of extra jobs you'd otherwise lose to a faster competitor, that's pure upside on spend you've already committed. Plug your own ad budget, average job value, and current booking rate into the math - the gain comes entirely from not letting the leads you paid for go cold. Combine Facebook, Yelp, and Google LSA Leads in One Dashboard Most contractors don't just run Facebook ads. You may also have leads coming from Yelp, Google LSA, Thumbtack, and your website. NZ Leads handles your Facebook, Yelp, Google LSA and Thumbtack leads in one place with source tracking. One setup, one dashboard, flat per-channel pricing. No juggling between platforms. If you want faster follow-up on your Facebook leads without hiring someone to sit by the phone, try NZ Leads free and set it up in under 2 minutes. --- ### Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets Sync Guide **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/facebook-lead-ads-google-sheets-sync/ Sync Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets automatically: connect your Page, add a Zap that logs every lead as a row, and confirm the lead in under 2 seconds. Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets Sync Guide You can sync Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets automatically by connecting your Facebook Page to NZ Leads once and adding a Zap that writes each new lead as a spreadsheet row. The lead can get a confirmation in under 2 seconds. This matters more than it sounds, because Meta deletes lead data 90 days after submission. Want every Facebook lead logged in Sheets and answered instantly? Try NZ Leads free and connect your Facebook Page in under 2 minutes. How to Sync Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets Automatically The automatic route has two parts: NZ Leads captures every lead from your Facebook Page, and a Zap on your Zapier account writes it to the sheet. Five steps: 1. Connect your Facebook Page. In NZ Leads, open Sources and click Add Facebook Lead Ads. Meta's OAuth flow handles the authorization. No webhook code, no token exchange, no leadgen API subscription. 2. Activate your Pages. Each Page you activate becomes its own source. Field mapping is automatic. Name, phone, email, and custom questions are captured on every submission. 3. Connect Google Sheets through Zapier. On the source's Integrations tab, open the Zapier card, paste your Zapier API key, validate it, and turn on Enable. Then build a Zap with NZ Leads as the trigger and a new Google Sheets row as the action. Each lead becomes a new row. 4. Turn on the confirmation. On the Contact Info tab, write the message the lead gets when their phone number or email arrives. It goes out in under 2 seconds, and a Calling Agent in Voice Agent (an add-on billed per number and per minute) can call them back instantly. 5. Go live and test. Submit a test lead. The confirmation fires in under 2 seconds, then the row appears with the lead's details the next time your Zap checks for new leads. Setup in NZ Leads takes under 2 minutes; the Zap itself runs on your Zapier account, which checks for new leads on a schedule. Instagram Lead Ads that run on the same Facebook Page arrive in the same source, so they reach the same sheet. Prefer no Zapier at all? Click Export CSV on the NZ Leads analytics page. It downloads the leads for the date range and sources you pick, and the file opens directly in Google Sheets. It is a manual step, so re-run it whenever you want a fresh copy. If you also want the same leads posted to Slack and your CRM, the Slack setup guide and the full lead routing stack guide cover those paths. Why Not Just Download the CSV From Ads Manager? Because Meta deletes lead form data 90 days after submission, and manual exports mean every lead waits for you to remember. Miss an cycle and the contact info from the gap can be gone for good. When we onboard service businesses that run Facebook Lead Ads, we keep seeing the same pattern: the spreadsheet is current on Monday and stale by Thursday, and the leads from the gap never got a reply at all. Here is how the three sync methods compare: | | Manual CSV | Per-task automation tool | NZ Leads plus a Zap | |---|---|---|---| | Monthly cost | Free + your time every week | Paid plan past the free tier | $19 flat for the Lead Ads source, plus your Zapier plan | | Per-lead cost | None | Every lead burns tasks | None from NZ Leads, no lead caps | | Sync speed | Whenever you download | Near real time while the task runs | Captured instantly, in the sheet when the Zap checks | | Lead data after 90 days | Gone unless you exported | Kept if the task never failed | Every lead already captured in NZ Leads | | Replies to the lead | No | No | Confirmation in under 2 seconds, instant voice callback with the Voice Agent add-on | The Lead Ads source is a flat $19/month with no per-lead fees, so a busy ad week never pushes that bill into a higher tier. The Sheets step runs on your own Zapier account, under your Zapier plan. A Google Sheets Row Is Not a Lead Response Logging the lead solves record keeping, not speed. The person who submitted your form is still waiting for someone to see the row and act. The research is blunt. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify the lead (MIT, Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007). In HBR's audit of 2,241 companies (2011), the average response took 42 hours and 23% never replied, even though responding within 1 hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later. A spreadsheet row does not close that gap. A reply does. Here is the full flow with NZ Leads on a real lead: 1. Someone taps your ad at 9:14pm and submits the pre-filled form. 2. NZ Leads sends them your confirmation message in under 2 seconds. 3. If you run a Calling Agent, it calls them back instantly within your call hours, asks about the job, and can book it when a scheduling integration is connected. 4. Your Zap adds the new row to your spreadsheet with their name, phone, email, and inquiry. You start the morning with the lead already answered, the row in your sheet, and the call transcript in Call Logs if your Calling Agent reached them, not a cold form fill from last night. That response layer is the difference between logging leads and converting them, and the contractor guide to Facebook Lead Ads covers the reply side in more depth. Bottom Line: Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets You do not need webhook code or weekly CSV downloads to get Facebook leads into Google Sheets. Connect your Facebook Page to NZ Leads and one Zap writes every lead to your spreadsheet, the lead is copied out of Meta before the 90-day deletion, and the lead gets a confirmation in under 2 seconds with an instant voice callback available through the Voice Agent add-on. A per-task tool on its own charges a monthly plan past its free tier and only moves data. NZ Leads costs $19/month flat for Facebook Lead Ads, sets up in under 2 minutes, and answers the lead before a competitor does. Connect the Page, build the Zap, and test it with one form submission. Frequently Asked Questions How do I sync Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets automatically? Authorize your Facebook Page once through a Meta integration, then add a Zap that appends each lead to a Google spreadsheet. Every lead form submission becomes a new row the next time the Zap checks for new leads: timestamp, name, phone, email, postal code, and the inquiry. NZ Leads also sends the lead a confirmation in under 2 seconds, which no or sync tool does on its own. Does Facebook delete lead form data? Yes. Meta stores lead form submissions for 90 days, then deletes them. If you have not downloaded the CSV or synced the lead to an external destination like Google Sheets or a CRM within that window, the contact information is gone. An automatic connection removes that risk because every lead is copied out of Meta the moment it is submitted. Can I Facebook leads to Google Sheets for free? Yes, two ways. You can download a CSV from Ads Manager and paste it into your sheet manually, or build a connector with Meta's leadgen webhook plus the Google Sheets API. The CSV route costs your time every week and leads sit unanswered between exports. The DIY route is free but needs a developer and breaks silently after Meta API and token changes. If your leads already come into NZ Leads, its Export CSV button downloads them in a file that opens directly in Google Sheets. How much does a Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets integration cost? Manual CSV exports are free plus your time. Per-task automation tools move to a paid monthly plan once you pass their free tier, and every lead burns tasks. NZ Leads connects Facebook Lead Ads for $19/month flat with no per-lead fees, no lead caps, and a 7-day free trial, and it includes the under-2-second confirmation to the lead. The Google Sheets step runs as a Zap on your own Zapier account, so your Zapier plan applies to it. What data lands in each Google Sheets row? Whatever your Zap maps from the fields NZ Leads makes available: first and last name, phone number, email, postal code, the source name (when Include source name is on), the inquiry, and the timestamp. Answers to your custom form questions are captured on the lead inside NZ Leads. With the confirmation turned on, by the time the row is written, the lead has already received a reply. Does this work for Instagram Lead Ads too? Yes. Instagram Lead Ads run through the same Meta ad account and the same leadgen API as Facebook. When you connect the Facebook Page behind those ads in NZ Leads, its Instagram lead form submissions arrive in the same source, reach the same spreadsheet through your Zap, and get the same under-2-second confirmation. Try NZ Leads free for 7 days and see every Facebook lead land in your spreadsheet already answered and ready to book. --- ### Facebook Lead Ads to LeadConnector, Slack and Google Sheets **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/facebook-lead-ads-leadconnector-slack-integration/ Send Facebook Lead Ads to LeadConnector (GoHighLevel) and Slack with no webhook code, log them to Google Sheets, and reply to every lead in under 2 seconds. Send Facebook Lead Ads to LeadConnector, Slack and Google Sheets To send Facebook Lead Ads to LeadConnector automatically, connect your Facebook Page through Meta's API so every form submission becomes a LeadConnector contact the moment it is submitted, then pass it on to a Slack alert and a Google Sheets row. NZ Leads connects Facebook, LeadConnector and Slack without webhook code, logs to Sheets through its Zapier integration, and replies to the lead in under 2 seconds. That last part is what most "integration" guides miss. Routing the data is the easy half. If the lead lands in Slack but nobody calls for two hours, you still lose the job. You're running Facebook Lead Ads. Leads come in. They sit in Meta's lead center until someone on your team checks, copies the info into the CRM, and maybe posts a note in Slack. By then the person submitted the form hours ago and already called a competitor. The MIT Lead Response Management Study found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007). Harvard Business Review's audit of 2,241 companies found that contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it versus an hour later (HBR, 2011). For paid-ad leads specifically, the window is even tighter because the form auto-fills and the person barely paused their scroll to submit it. You have minutes, not hours. This guide covers two paths: wiring it up manually with webhooks and Zapier, or skipping the plumbing entirely. Want leads from Facebook ads auto-responded to in under 2 seconds? Try NZ Leads free and connect your Facebook Page in under 2 minutes. How Does a Meta Ads Manager Lead Reach Your CRM, Slack and Google Sheets? Whether the lead comes from Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, or a Google Ads lead form, the routing is the same idea. Here's what each piece does in this flow: Facebook Lead Ads (and Google Ads lead forms) generate the lead. Someone sees your ad, taps the pre-filled form, submits. Meta or Google stores the lead data (name, email, phone, any custom questions you added). Pulling it out of Meta Ads Manager or Google Ads by hand is the slow part this whole setup is meant to kill. LeadConnector is your CRM. It stores the contact record, tracks pipeline stage, and manages follow-up sequences. This is where the lead lives long-term. Slack is your team notification layer. When you send leads to Slack automatically, your sales channel gets a message with the lead's name, phone number, service interest, and source the moment the form is submitted. Your team sees it instantly without logging into the CRM. Google Sheets / Google Docs is your reporting layer. Every lead gets a row: timestamp, name, contact info, source campaign, and disposition. This is what you pull up in weekly meetings or send to a client if you're running ads for someone else. The data flow looks like this: | Step | From | To | What Moves | |------|------|----|------------| | 1 | Facebook Lead Ad | LeadConnector | Contact record (name, phone, email, form answers) | | 2 | LeadConnector | Slack | Notification with lead details | | 3 | LeadConnector | Google Sheets | Row with full lead data for reporting | Simple in theory. The execution is where things get time-consuming. How Do You Connect Facebook Lead Ads Manually With Webhooks and Zapier? Facebook lead ads to your CRM For a Facebook lead ads CRM integration, LeadConnector (and most GoHighLevel-based CRMs) supports a native Facebook integration through Meta's API. You connect your Facebook Page, authorize ad account access, and map your lead form fields to CRM contact fields. This part is straightforward if you've done it before. Google Ads lead forms work the same way: connect the Google account, authorize the lead-form extension, map the fields. If the native integration isn't working for your setup (it breaks occasionally after Meta API updates), the fallback is a webhook. You set up a webhook URL in LeadConnector, register it as the lead destination in Facebook's developer console, and parse the incoming JSON payload. The webhook payload from Facebook looks roughly like this: You need to subscribe to the webhook event, verify the callback URL, and handle the token exchange to actually retrieve the lead data (Facebook sends a lead ID, not the full data, so you make a second API call to pull the fields). It's doable, but it's not a 10-minute project. Connect your CRM to Slack Once the lead is in your CRM, you need to push a notification to Slack. To connect Facebook lead ads to Slack this way, LeadConnector supports outbound webhooks on contact creation. You configure a workflow trigger that fires when a new contact is created with a Facebook (or Google Ads) source tag, and set the action to POST to a Slack incoming webhook URL. The Slack webhook URL comes from creating a Slack App (or using Slack's legacy incoming webhooks). The payload you send looks like: If you want formatted messages with blocks and buttons, the payload gets more involved. Most teams start with plain text and never upgrade it. For the Slack leg on its own, see how to connect Facebook Lead Ads to Slack without Zapier. CRM to Google Sheets This is where Zapier or Make usually enters the picture for a Facebook lead ads Google Sheets setup. LeadConnector doesn't have a native Google Sheets integration. You create a Zap: - Trigger: New Contact in LeadConnector (filtered by source) - Action: Create Row in Google Sheets Map the fields, test it, turn it on. The Zapier free tier caps your monthly tasks. If you're running any real volume of Facebook ads, you'll hit a paid tier, priced by how many zaps and tasks you need. Make (formerly Integromat) does the same thing at a slightly lower price point, but the interface has a steeper learning curve. What This Stack Actually Costs | Component | Monthly Cost | |-----------|-------------| | Facebook Lead Ads | Your ad budget (separate) | | LeadConnector CRM | Your CRM subscription | | Zapier (Sheets integration) | Paid plan past the free tier | | Slack | Free tier works | | Google Sheets | Free | | Your time maintaining it | 2-4 hrs/month when things break | Total for the integration layer alone: a paid automation plan plus maintenance time. That doesn't include the CRM cost, which you're paying regardless. The bigger cost isn't the subscription. It's the 2am Slack message telling you a Zapier webhook failed and you lost 6 hours of leads. What Does a Manual Integration Still Miss? Here's what happens with a perfectly configured Facebook-to-LeadConnector-to-Slack stack: 1. Lead submits form at 2:47 PM 2. Lead hits LeadConnector at 2:47 PM 3. Slack notification fires at 2:48 PM 4. Your team sees the notification at... whenever they see it 5. Someone calls the lead at... whenever someone gets around to it The integration worked perfectly. The data moved. The notification fired. But nobody actually responded to the lead. The person who filled out your form went back to scrolling Facebook. They'll see two more ads for the same service in the next 10 minutes. If one of those businesses calls them first, you're done. This is the gap that every webhook-and-Zapier setup has. It moves data between systems, but it doesn't talk to the customer. The lead sits in your CRM, tagged and logged, while the actual human waits for a call that might come in 2 hours or might come tomorrow morning. Response time data consistently shows that the first business to make contact usually wins the job. A Slack notification is a step in the right direction, but it's still dependent on a human seeing it and acting on it immediately. How Does NZ Leads Handle the Full Flow? NZ Leads connects directly to your Facebook Pages through the Meta API. Each Page running Lead Ads becomes its own source, and when someone submits your lead form the system doesn't just log it and send a notification. It responds. Here's the sequence: 1. Lead submits a Facebook ad form - data hits NZ Leads in real time 2. A confirmation text goes out in under 2 seconds when you turn on the confirmation message for the source 3. The AI voice agent calls the lead instantly if a phone number is included and a calling agent is set up 4. The AI qualifies the lead on the call - asks about timeline, budget, scope, and answers common questions using your service details and pricing 5. The lead syncs to LeadConnector as a contact with tags and a note, matched on phone number so existing contacts are updated, not duplicated 6. A Slack message posts to the channel you picked, with the lead's name, phone, email, zip code and form answers, and later updates land in the same thread 7. A Google Sheets row is added by a Zap that uses NZ Leads as its trigger, if you want the spreadsheet log One setup replaces the Facebook webhook configuration, the Slack webhook setup, and the manual follow-up. And it adds the part that actually matters: a real-time response to the lead before they move on. Instagram Lead Ads arrive through the same Page connection. Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs connect from the same account as separate sources, so one dashboard handles all four. What Does Each Setup Cost? | | Manual Stack | NZ Leads | |---|---|---| | CRM integration | Included in LeadConnector | Included (OAuth connection) | | Slack notifications | DIY webhook setup | Included (OAuth connection) | | Google Sheets logging | Zapier paid plan | Zapier integration (Zapier's own plan applies) or CSV | | Auto-response to lead | Not included | Text in under 2s, voice instantly | | Lead qualification | Manual (your team's time) | AI-handled on the call | | Maintenance time | 2-4 hrs/month | No webhook code to maintain | | Total integration cost | Automation plan + time | $19/mo for Facebook Lead Ads, voice agent $10/mo per number + $1/min | The manual stack can look cheap if you only count the Zapier subscription. But it doesn't respond to the lead. You're paying for data routing, not lead conversion. NZ Leads replaces the webhook layer, adds automated lead response, and handles qualification and routing that would otherwise require a person sitting by the phone. It's the same lead response layer whether the lead comes from a paid ad or a marketplace. If you're paying for Facebook ads, run the ROI math with your own numbers: multiply the extra jobs faster response could book each month by your average job value, and compare that to the subscription. How Do You Set Up Facebook Lead Ads With NZ Leads? Getting your Facebook leads flowing through NZ Leads with CRM sync and Slack notifications takes just minutes. Step 1: Connect your Facebook Pages. In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Facebook Lead Ads. Sign in to Facebook, approve Lead Ads access, and activate each Page whose form submissions you want captured. Your Facebook password is never shared; only a secure access token comes back. Step 2: Turn on the confirmation message. On the source's Contact Info tab, switch on the confirmation message for phone and email so every lead hears from you the moment the form arrives. Step 3: Set up the voice callback. In Voice Agent, create a Calling Agent for your business, assign it a number with outbound calling on, add your services, prices and voicemail message. From then on it calls every new lead with a phone number the instant the lead is created. Step 4: Connect LeadConnector. On the source's Integrations tab, open the CRM sub-tab, choose LeadConnector (Recommended), click Connect and approve on GoHighLevel. Pick Company if you are an agency writing into several sub-accounts, or a single Location. Step 5: Connect Slack. On the Messengers sub-tab, click Connect on the Slack card, approve in Slack, pick the channel, and click Validate Connection to post a test message. Step 6 (optional): Log to Google Sheets. Turn on the Zapier card, then build a Zap on Zapier with NZ Leads as the trigger and "Create Spreadsheet Row" in Google Sheets as the action. That's it. The next Facebook lead form submission triggers the full flow: confirmation text in under 2 seconds, an instant AI call, then CRM sync and the Slack alert. If you only need the spreadsheet, the Facebook Lead Ads to Google Sheets guide covers that path on its own. What About Your Existing LeadConnector Setup? If you already have LeadConnector workflows, automations, and pipelines configured, NZ Leads doesn't replace any of that. It sits in front of it. NZ Leads handles the first response and the callback, then pushes the lead into LeadConnector with tags and a note carrying the source and the original form answers. Your pipeline stages, tags, and automated sequences continue to work exactly as they did before. You can run both systems in parallel. If you keep your existing Facebook-to-LeadConnector integration as a direct backup, turn on "Create only for new leads" so a contact that already exists in LeadConnector is left alone instead of updated twice. For teams already using a multi-platform automation stack, adding NZ Leads to the Facebook leg is the same process. It connects to each lead source independently, so the same setup also powers a Thumbtack auto-responder, Yelp, and Google LSA from one place. Frequently Asked Questions How do I send Facebook lead ads to Slack? Two ways. Manually, you connect Facebook lead ads to your CRM through Meta's API, then add an outbound webhook on the CRM that POSTs to a Slack incoming webhook URL when a new contact is created. Or you connect your Facebook Page once in NZ Leads and turn on its Slack integration, which signs in to Slack with OAuth and posts every new lead into the channel you pick, with the name, phone, email, zip code and the form answers. No webhook code is needed. Can I route Google ads leads to a CRM automatically? Yes. Google Ads lead forms expose lead data through Google's API the same way Meta does for Facebook. Connect the Google account, authorize the lead-form extension, and map the fields to your CRM. NZ Leads works on the Facebook side: it connects your Facebook Pages, so Facebook and Instagram Lead Ads land in your CRM and Slack without you touching a spreadsheet. It does not connect Google Ads lead forms. Does this replace LeadConnector? No. LeadConnector is your CRM for managing contacts, pipelines, and marketing automation. NZ Leads is the response layer that sits between the lead source and your CRM. It handles the instant response, the callback and the data routing. LeadConnector handles everything after that. Can I keep my existing LeadConnector setup? Yes. NZ Leads pushes each lead into LeadConnector as a contact through an OAuth connection, with tags and a note carrying the source and the original form answers. Your existing workflows, pipeline stages, tags, and automations stay in place. If the contact already exists, it is matched on phone number and updated instead of duplicated. What does the Slack notification include? Each new lead posts a message with the lead's name, phone, email, zip code and the original inquiry or form answers, optionally tagged with the source name. Later updates on the same lead post as replies in that message's thread, so the history stays in one place. Can I log Facebook leads to Google Sheets without Zapier? Not with NZ Leads alone: it has no direct Google Sheets connector. You can the lead list as a CSV that opens in Google Sheets, or use its Zapier integration, where one Zap with NZ Leads as the trigger appends a row to your sheet for every new lead. Zapier's own plan limits apply to that Zap. Does this work with Instagram Lead Ads too? Yes. Facebook and Instagram lead ads both run through Meta's API. When you connect your Facebook Page in NZ Leads, Instagram lead ads that run through that Page are included automatically. Same auto-response, same CRM sync, same Slack notifications. What if the lead doesn't answer the AI's call? If the call goes to voicemail, the voice agent leaves the voicemail message you wrote. An unanswered call is logged as missed with the rest of the call log, and the lead is already in your CRM and your Slack channel, so your team can follow up by hand. Can I customize what gets posted to Slack? You choose the Slack channel for each source, public or private, and whether the source name is added to the message. Slack can also fire at a specific moment, for example only once a phone number or email is captured, from the source's Contact Info settings. --- Ready to stop building integrations and start converting leads? Try NZ Leads free and connect your Facebook Pages in under 2 minutes. One setup sends every lead to Slack and your CRM, replaces the webhook plumbing, and calls the lead back before they scroll past the next ad. --- ### Facebook Lead Voice Agent Callback: Call Leads Instantly **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/facebook-voice-agent-call-leads/ A Facebook lead voice agent callback calls every new form lead instantly, qualifies the job and books it. $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. Facebook Lead Voice Agent Callback: Call Leads Automatically and Instantly A Facebook lead voice agent callback is an AI phone call placed to every new Facebook lead the instant they submit your form: the AI introduces your business by name, qualifies the job, location and urgency, and books the appointment. The call summary and recording go to your CRM and phone, and setup takes under 2 minutes. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. Facebook leads go cold fast. Many service businesses take 4+ hours to respond. By then, the customer has already called your competitor. An AI voice agent calls your Facebook leads the moment they submit a form. No manual dialing. No delays. Just an instant outbound call that qualifies and books. Tired of losing Facebook leads to slow follow-up? Try NZ Leads free and start calling every lead instantly. How Does a Facebook Voice Agent Work? The AI places an outbound call to every new Facebook lead instantly after form submission. Here's the sequence: 1. Lead submits a Facebook Lead Ad form or sends a Messenger DM 2. NZ Leads receives the lead data via Facebook's API 3. AI calls the customer's phone, introduces your business by name 4. AI qualifies the lead (job type, location, urgency, timeline) 5. AI books the appointment or schedules an estimate 6. Call summary and recording go to your CRM and phone Your part: check your phone later and see the booking confirmation. Facebook Lead Response: Text vs. Voice Agent Call Voice calls outperform text follow-ups on nearly every metric that matters for service businesses. | Metric | Text Follow-Up | Voice Agent Call | |---|---|---| | Customer engagement | Passive | Active, real-time | | Qualification time | Multiple messages over hours | One short call | | Acts on intent | After the lead has cooled | While it's still hot | | Time to book | Hours | Can book on the first call | The difference comes down to intent timing. Facebook leads filled out a form because they want something right now. A phone call acts on that intent before it fades. Best Facebook Ad Types for AI Voice Follow-Up Not every campaign benefits equally. These produce the strongest results with an instant voice callback: - Storm damage roofing ads. Speed wins the job. First call gets the inspection. - Seasonal HVAC tune-up ads. High volume, fast decision cycles. Book them before they shop around. - Home cleaning acquisition ads. Customers compare several options. First call wins. - Garage door repair ads. Often emergencies. A real call provides immediate reassurance. - Remodeling lead ads. Higher-ticket jobs where a quick consultation call locks in the estimate. What Happens When the Lead Doesn't Answer? The voice agent doesn't just try once. NZ Leads combines voice with multi-channel follow-up: 1. Lead submits Facebook form. Voice agent calls immediately. 2. No answer. AI sends a personalized text and Messenger follow-up. 3. Customer replies to text or Messenger. AI chat continues the conversation. 4. Still no conversion. Automated nurture sequence fires on days 3, 7, and 14. No lead gets dropped because they missed one call. Facebook Voice Agent ROI for Service Businesses The math works because you're not generating more leads - you're converting the ones you already paid for by calling them the instant they submit. Speed is the lever: waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead - and 100x less likely to reach it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). The voice agent runs at $10/month per number plus $1/minute, so compare that against the value of a single booked job in your business. Start Calling Your Facebook Leads Today Setup takes under 2 minutes. Connect your Facebook Business Page, configure the voice agent script, and it starts working on the next lead that comes in. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more jobs you book when every lead gets an instant call. --- ### GoHighLevel "Company ID" vs "Location ID": The Difference Explained (With Examples) **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/gohighlevel-company-id-vs-location-id/ Company ID is the agency, Location ID is the sub-account. Here is exactly when to use each in GoHighLevel API calls, webhooks, and OAuth scopes. GoHighLevel "Company ID" vs "Location ID": the difference explained GoHighLevel Company ID vs Location ID, the short answer: Company ID identifies the agency (the top-level account that owns sub-accounts). Location ID identifies a single sub-account underneath that agency. They are not interchangeable, and using the wrong one is the most common reason a GoHighLevel API call returns 401, 403, or empty data. This guide is for developers wiring up integrations against the GoHighLevel API or building marketplace apps. It explains what each ID is, where to find it, and which one your endpoint actually needs. Building a lead automation flow on top of GoHighLevel? Try NZ Leads free and let it handle the inbound replies while GoHighLevel handles the pipeline. The structure GoHighLevel uses GoHighLevel is built around a two-tier hierarchy: - Company (also called Agency): The top-level account. One per agency. Owns billing, branding, and every sub-account beneath it. - Location (also called Sub-Account): A single client workspace. One per business the agency manages. Holds contacts, conversations, calendars, pipelines, and workflows for that one business. Every API resource lives at one of these two levels. A workflow lives in a Location. A snapshot template lives at the Company level. Knowing which level the resource lives at tells you which ID the endpoint expects. What does the Company ID look like? A company ID is an alphanumeric string, for example: You will see it referenced as in API responses and OAuth payloads. In the GoHighLevel UI it is sometimes labeled "Agency ID" under Settings -> Company. What does the Location ID look like? Same shape, different scope: In the UI it lives under each sub-account at Settings -> Business Profile, or in the URL when you are inside a sub-account: . When does the API need Company ID vs Location ID? The rule of thumb: | If you are working with... | Use this ID | |---|---| | Contacts, conversations, opportunities | Location ID | | Calendars, appointments, workflows | Location ID | | Custom fields, custom values, tags on a sub-account | Location ID | | Pipeline stages, forms, surveys for one client | Location ID | | Snapshots, agency users, agency-wide settings | Company ID | | Creating new sub-accounts | Company ID | | Marketplace app installs at the agency level | Company ID | | OAuth tokens with scope | Company ID | | OAuth tokens with scope | Location ID | A useful mental model: if the data belongs to one client business, you need Location ID. If the data belongs to the agency that manages many businesses, you need Company ID. Common mistakes (and the error you will see) These are the failures we see most often when integrating with GoHighLevel: - Using Company ID on a Location-scoped endpoint. The API returns 403 Forbidden or an empty array. Switch to the correct Location ID. - Using Location ID with an Agency OAuth token. The token does not have permission for that location. Either use a Location-scoped token or call the endpoint to mint one for the specific Location. - Caching the wrong ID after sub-account switching. When your app supports multiple agencies, store the Company ID and Location ID together for each authenticated session. Do not assume the last one used is still valid. - Confusing with . A user belongs to one or more locations but has its own ID. They are not the same. OAuth: which ID does my token cover? When you complete the OAuth flow GoHighLevel returns a token plus a field of either or . The token is scoped to that level. If you start with a Company-level token and need to act on a specific Location, exchange it via: This returns a Location-scoped token you can use against any Location endpoint for that sub-account. Webhooks: which ID is in the payload? Webhook payloads include both when relevant. A new contact webhook from a sub-account looks like: When routing webhook events on your side, key on if the event belongs to a single client, and on for agency-level events like sub-account creation. How to find each ID without writing code - Company ID: Log in as agency admin -> Settings -> Company -> the ID is in the URL or shown on the page. - Location ID: Switch into the sub-account -> the URL contains . Or call with an Agency token to list all locations and their IDs. Frequently asked questions Can I use the Company ID for a Location API call? No. Location-scoped endpoints (contacts, conversations, calendars, opportunities) require a Location ID. Sending a Company ID returns 403 or empty results. Are Company ID and Agency ID the same thing? Yes. GoHighLevel uses both terms in different parts of the documentation but they refer to the same identifier for the top-level agency account. How do I get a Location token from a Company token? Call with the and in the body. You get back an scoped to that Location. What if I have multiple agencies in one app? Store both IDs per authenticated session. Index your records on so a single user can switch between agencies without ID collisions. Does the Location ID change if I rebrand the sub-account? No. Renaming a sub-account or changing its branding does not change the underlying Location ID. The ID is permanent for the lifetime of the sub-account. Where does this matter for lead automation? Anywhere you push leads into GoHighLevel from an external source. NZ Leads, for example, sends qualified inbound leads into the right sub-account using the Location ID. Sending to the wrong ID puts the lead in the wrong workspace or rejects it outright. --- Building lead handling on top of GoHighLevel? Try NZ Leads free and let it run the AI replies while GoHighLevel runs the pipeline. --- ### Google Local Services Ads Auto Reply Setup **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/google-local-services-ads-auto-reply/ Google Local Services Ads auto reply: what Google offers for LSA leads, what it measures, and how to reply to every lead automatically in under 2 seconds. How to Set Up a Google Local Services Ads Auto Reply Google Local Services Ads has no auto reply setting in its help documentation: the ways Google lists to answer a lead are manual, from the lead inbox or by replying to Google's email or text alert. To reply automatically, connect your LSA account to a tool you authorize with Google sign-in. NZ Leads replies to each new LSA lead in under 2 seconds. Below: the three kinds of LSA leads, what Google measures about your replies, the fastest manual setup, and the steps to automate it. Paying for LSA leads that wait in the inbox? Start a 7-day free trial and connect your Local Services Ads account in under 2 minutes. How Google lets you respond to Local Services leads Local Services Ads sends three kinds of leads, and each one reaches you differently: | Lead type | How it reaches you | How Google lets you answer | |---|---|---| | Phone lead | The customer calls the Google forwarding number on your ad; it rings your business number, and you hear "Call from Google" first | Pick up; Google records these calls in the US and Canada | | Message lead | Google sends you an email, a text alert or both (texts are US only) with the customer's name, ZIP code, job details and phone number | Reply to the alert, type in the lead inbox and click Send, call the number, or decline | | Booking lead | The customer books through your ad if you opted in to booking leads | Review the booked job in the lead inbox | Two details from Google's help center matter for automation. Message replies travel through an anonymized alias, so the customer never sees your email address. And once you respond, a lead moves to your active inbox, which holds leads with a call or message in the past 15 days. Source: Google Local Services Help, Manage leads and jobs, checked October 2026. What Google measures about your replies Speed shows up in three places Google documents: 1. On your ad. With two or more message leads in the last 90 days, Google may show an estimated messaging response time on your ad, from "a few minutes" to "one day". It averages your replies during the business hours you set, or between 7 AM and 9 PM if you set none, and weights recent leads more. 2. In the auction. Google lists your responsiveness to customer inquiries and requests as one input to how likely your ad is to produce a lead, and notes that missed calls may count against it. 3. In profile quality. Average response time sits beside your rating, reviews, images and verification. Google says higher quality profiles may rank higher and pay lower costs per lead. Google's own advice is to respond as soon as leads come in. It also notes that message leads typically cost less than phone leads, and that turning on message and booking leads can bring in more leads at night and on weekends, when you cannot answer the phone. Sources: Manage leads and jobs and About ad rankings, checked October 2026. The fastest way to respond to Google Local Services leads by hand If you are not ready for a tool, set up the manual path so nothing waits: - Send text alerts to the phone you carry. In Profile & budget, choose text alerts and set the number. It does not have to be your business number. Text alerts are US only. - Reply straight from the alert. Google lets you answer a message lead by replying to its email or text, without opening the inbox. - Set your real business hours. The response-time estimate on your ad is measured inside the hours you set, so hours that match when you work keep the number honest. - Turn message leads off, or pause the ad, when you cannot keep up. Both are toggles in Profile & budget; changes can take a few hours to reach Google Search. - Call back missed phone leads quickly. Missed calls may count against your responsiveness. This works while someone is free to look at the phone. The gap is every lead that lands while you are on a job, driving, or asleep. Automate replies to LSA leads in six steps Google's help center does not offer an automatic reply, but the Google Ads API lets authorized tools work with Local Services leads, including a call that appends messages to a lead's conversation (LocalServicesLeadService, checked October 2026). Here is the setup in NZ Leads: 1. Add the source. Open Sources and click Add Google Local Ads. 2. Sign in with Google. Use the Google account that owns or manages your Local Services Ads profile and approve access to read leads and send replies. Your Google password is never shared. 3. Confirm it is active. The LSA account appears on the Sources page with a green Active status. 4. Write your business facts once. Services, the area you cover, approved price ranges, hours and the questions you need answered. Choose AI replies or predefined messages. 5. Decide on the callback. Google usually includes the customer's phone number on the lead, so with the voice agent on, NZ Leads can call the customer back instantly. 6. Set follow-ups. For example Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7, stopping the moment the customer replies or books. Setup takes under 2 minutes. If replies seem to wait, check your messaging settings first: Google has its own messaging rules that can hold replies outside certain windows. More detail is in the Google Local Ads source docs. What the automatic reply does with each lead type - Message leads: the AI uses the service the customer chose and your business facts to answer, asks what is missing, and offers a time when scheduling is on. - Booking leads: the customer already picked a time, so any message should confirm details rather than sell. - Phone leads: a text cannot answer a ringing phone. If you forward unanswered calls to an AI voice agent, it can pick up, collect the details and book. Google notes that with call forwarding or VoIP on your business number you may not hear the "Call from Google" message, so tell your team where those calls come from. See the AI voice agent for inbound answering and callbacks. For what a first LSA reply should say and how the responder treats price questions, see our LSA auto responder guide. What it costs - Google: you pay for the leads your ads produce, as you do today. - NZ Leads for Google Local Services Ads: $49/month, with a 7-day free trial, no contracts, no per-lead fees, no lead caps and no setup fees. - Voice callback (optional): $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time. If you also buy leads on Yelp or Thumbtack, one account can handle all of them with the same business facts; see AI lead response across all platforms and the lead response automation page. One exception: if you advertise through a partner affiliate, Google says its lead-inbox guidance does not apply to you, so check with that partner how leads reach you first. Frequently asked questions Does Google Local Services Ads have an auto reply setting? Not in Google's help documentation. Google lists manual ways to answer a lead: reply to its email or text alert, reply or call from the lead inbox, or decline the request. Replying automatically takes a tool you connect to your account with Google sign-in. What information does an LSA message lead include? Google says the customer's name, ZIP code, job details and phone number are shared with the provider when a customer sends a message. Your replies travel through an anonymized alias, so Google does not show your email address to the customer. Does an auto reply help with LSA phone leads too? Phone leads ring your business number through a Google forwarding number, so a text reply does not answer them. For calls you miss, an AI voice agent on forwarded calls, or an instant callback to the lead's number, covers the gap. Google notes that missed calls may count against your responsiveness. Will replying automatically lower my LSA cost per lead? Google does not promise that. It says responsiveness and average response time are inputs to ranking and profile quality, and that higher quality profiles may rank higher and pay lower costs per lead. A faster reply supports those inputs; the outcome is not guaranteed. Can I still answer some LSA leads myself? Yes. Every conversation stays on your Leads page, where you can reply by hand at any time, and you decide whether automatic follow-ups continue after your own message. Answer your next LSA lead first Set text alerts today so no lead waits unseen. When you want every LSA lead answered in under 2 seconds, day or night, start a 7-day free trial or email support@nzleads.com with questions about connecting your account. --- ### Housecall Pro Thumbtack Integration: How It Works in 2026 **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/housecall-pro-thumbtack-integration/ Housecall Pro Thumbtack integration: turn on Thumbtack under Job Partners in Housecall Pro to get leads and messages. What it covers and how to reply instantly. Housecall Pro Thumbtack integration: how it works in 2026 Yes, there is a Housecall Pro Thumbtack integration: Thumbtack lists Housecall Pro as a partner that connects your leads and messages, with 2-way messaging, so new Thumbtack leads arrive in Housecall Pro's Job Inbox and you can answer customers from there. You switch it on inside Housecall Pro. It moves the conversation; someone still has to answer it fast. This guide covers how to turn the integration on, what it brings into Housecall Pro, where leads still slip through, and how to add an instant first reply and callback without breaking your Housecall Pro workflow. Paying for Thumbtack leads that sit unanswered in an inbox? Try NZ Leads free and give every Thumbtack lead a reply in under 2 seconds, then hand it to Housecall Pro. > Independent integration notice: NZ Leads is a separate service. The Thumbtack name identifies a compatible third-party connection. A supported account connects only after its account holder authorizes the API flow. Does Housecall Pro have a native Thumbtack integration? Yes. Thumbtack's help center lists Housecall Pro among its partner platforms and describes it as connecting "with your leads and messages". Thumbtack splits partners into 1-way messaging (you see messages in the partner tool but reply on Thumbtack) and 2-way messaging (you send and receive from the partner tool), and names Housecall Pro among the few partners with 2-way messaging (Thumbtack help: partner platforms, checked October 2026). Earlier versions of this guide said there was no native connection. That is out of date: the connection is switched on from inside Housecall Pro, not from a Thumbtack app listing. How do you connect Thumbtack to Housecall Pro? Thumbtack's own instructions for the Housecall Pro connection are: 1. Log in to Housecall Pro. 2. Open the app store (top right, next to settings) and select Job Inbox. 3. Under Job Partners, turn on the Thumbtack toggle. 4. Click Inbox (top left), then Job Inbox in the list on the left. 5. Select Thumbtack from the channels shown and click Sign in. 6. Sign in to your Thumbtack Pro account, then click Return to Housecall Pro. Once it is connected, you can manage the integration from the Apps tab of your Thumbtack account. Menu names can move as either product updates its interface, so treat Thumbtack's help page as the reference if a step looks different. What does the integration do, and what does it leave to you? The connection solves the copy-paste problem: the lead and its messages show up in Housecall Pro instead of living only in Thumbtack's inbox. It does not decide who answers, how fast, or what the first message says. That part still depends on whoever is watching the Job Inbox. | Task | Native Housecall Pro connection | What still needs a person or a tool | |---|---|---| | New Thumbtack lead appears in Housecall Pro | Yes, in the Job Inbox | Nothing | | Read and answer Thumbtack messages from Housecall Pro | Yes, 2-way messaging | Someone has to write the reply | | First reply while you are on a job or after hours | Not described by Thumbtack | An auto-responder or a staffed inbox | | Calling the customer back | Not described by Thumbtack | You, or an AI voice agent | | Turning the lead into a scheduled job | Your team, inside Housecall Pro | Booking rules and a calendar | In a typical day the person watching that inbox is on a roof, under a sink, or driving between jobs. Thumbtack charges for a direct lead the moment it arrives, so a lead that waits is money already spent. That gap between "the lead is in Housecall Pro" and "the customer heard from us" is where jobs are lost. How do you reply to Thumbtack leads instantly and still use Housecall Pro? Add a response layer in front of Housecall Pro. For supported accounts, NZ Leads connects to the account holder's Thumbtack Pro account through the authorized API flow and handles the first minutes of every lead. Here is the workflow: 1. The account holder authorizes the supported Thumbtack API connection in NZ Leads (Sources, Add Thumbtack, sign in to Thumbtack). The password is never shared; only a secure access token comes back. 2. A new Thumbtack lead arrives with the service category, job description, location and the availability the customer picked. 3. The AI creates a job-specific reply in under 2 seconds, built from your services, prices and service area. 4. If the customer shares a phone number and a calling agent is set up, the AI voice agent calls them back instantly. 5. The AI asks two or three qualifying questions tuned to your trade, and can book the appointment against your Housecall Pro schedule. 6. The lead is written into Housecall Pro as a customer, with a job, notes and estimate line items once enough detail is collected. 7. Housecall Pro takes over for dispatch, invoicing, and payment. You no longer have a Thumbtack workflow and a Housecall Pro workflow. You have one pipeline. See how the platform side works in the Thumbtack auto responder breakdown, and how the same handoff works with other field service tools in Thumbtack CRM integration. What data should flow where A working Housecall Pro Thumbtack integration is not just "lead in, lead out." Think about each direction. From Thumbtack into Housecall Pro: - Customer name and contact details. - Service requested (mapped to a Housecall Pro job type). - Customer's free-text description of the problem. - Address or service area. - Answers to qualifying questions the AI asked (number of rooms, square footage, urgency). - A timestamp and source tag so reporting can attribute revenue to Thumbtack. The NZ Leads Housecall Pro connection carries first and last name, email, mobile number, company when given, address, and notes with the inquiry details, and it matches existing customers on phone and email so returning customers are not duplicated. From Housecall Pro back toward the conversation: Housecall Pro is not treated as a direct writer into Thumbtack by NZ Leads. Outbound Thumbtack messages from NZ Leads remain within the account holder's authorized connection. Use a consistent source label in Housecall Pro so your own reports can compare lead spend with booked revenue. How do you connect NZ Leads to Housecall Pro? 1. In Housecall Pro, generate an API token in your company settings. 2. In NZ Leads, open the Thumbtack source, then Messaging Settings, Integrations, and the Housecall Pro card. 3. Click Connect, paste the token, save, and click Validate Connection. 4. Choose your options: create the customer only once a phone or email is captured, skip customers who already exist, and add the source name to the notes. 5. Turn on Enable. Nothing is sent to Housecall Pro until you do. Booking against your Housecall Pro calendar is set up separately, in the AI assistant and voice agent scheduling settings. Pitfalls to watch for A few things break common Housecall Pro Thumbtack integration attempts: - Duplicate customer records. If you also collect web form leads, the same customer can land twice. Match on phone number before creating a new Housecall Pro customer. - Wrong job type mapping. Thumbtack categories are broader than Housecall Pro service items. Decide upfront how "general handyman" maps to your specific job templates. - Missing source tag. If you forget to tag the lead source, your end-of-month ROI report on Thumbtack spend will be useless. - Replying twice. If automation and a team member both reply, the customer sees a messy thread. Configure clear handoff and stop conditions for the authorized connection. - Service area mismatches. Thumbtack will sometimes deliver leads just outside your area. Have the AI confirm the address before pushing anything into Housecall Pro. Why an AI layer beats a pure data integration A lead in your CRM is not a booked job. A lead that got an instant, intelligent reply, was qualified, and was booked into your schedule is a booked job. The integration that matters is the one that handles the conversation, not just the record. That is the case for putting an AI auto-responder for Thumbtack in front of Housecall Pro: the native connection keeps your inbox in one place, and the auto-responder makes sure the first answer goes out while the customer is still choosing. For the numbers behind that, see Speed to lead on Yelp and Thumbtack and the math on Thumbtack cost per lead in 2026. FAQ Does Housecall Pro have a native Thumbtack integration? Yes. Thumbtack lists Housecall Pro as a partner that connects your leads and messages with 2-way messaging. You turn it on in Housecall Pro: app store, Job Inbox, then the Thumbtack toggle under Job Partners, and sign in to Thumbtack. Can I connect Thumbtack to Housecall Pro with Zapier? You do not need to: the native Job Inbox connection brings Thumbtack leads into Housecall Pro. Do not treat email parsing as authorization to automate a Thumbtack account. Use only a supported account connection, then send permitted lead data to Housecall Pro through the CRM workflow you configure. What is the fastest way to get Thumbtack leads into Housecall Pro? For the record itself, the native Job Inbox connection. For the customer, the fastest path is an auto-responder: authorize the Thumbtack API connection in NZ Leads, which creates a reply in under 2 seconds, and connect Housecall Pro for the customer and job handoff. Will integrating Thumbtack with Housecall Pro reduce my Thumbtack lead cost? The integration does not change the lead price shown in your Thumbtack account and does not guarantee a conversion-rate change. Measure your own spend, qualified conversations, and booked jobs to calculate the effective cost per booked job. Can I track Thumbtack ROI inside Housecall Pro? Yes, if you tag every Thumbtack-sourced customer in Housecall Pro with a consistent source label. Then you can pull a Housecall Pro report by source and compare it against your Thumbtack Promote spend for the same period. Bottom line Housecall Pro and Thumbtack connect natively through Housecall Pro's Job Inbox, so the lead and its messages no longer need copying by hand. What the connection does not do is answer the customer while you are on a job. For supported accounts, add an account-holder-authorized Thumbtack API connection in NZ Leads for the instant reply and callback, and a separately configured Housecall Pro handoff for the customer and job. Try NZ Leads free and review the available connection flow for your account. --- ### How to Generate Leads on Yelp in 2026: 11 Practical Tactics **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/how-to-generate-leads-on-yelp/ How to generate leads on Yelp: 11 tactics covering your profile, photos, reviews, Request a Quote, Yelp Ads, job-specific replies and cost per booked job. How to generate leads on Yelp in 2026: 11 practical tactics Here is how to generate leads on Yelp: keep your verified business page accurate, describe the services you actually provide with real photos, configure Request a Quote for the jobs you want, give every inquiry a fast, job-specific reply, and judge each change by booked jobs rather than inquiry volume. The 11 tactics below cover each step, including Yelp Ads and Yelp's review policy. Yelp can put a local service business in front of customers who are actively comparing providers. Results still depend on your category, market, profile, offer, budget, and response process. Use the checklist below, then judge each change from your own Yelp for Business data. How do you set up a Yelp page that generates leads? Three basics decide whether the right customers contact you at all: the page itself, how you describe your work, and the photos that show it. 1. Claim and verify the right business page Confirm that your business name, address or service area, phone number, hours, website, and primary category are accurate. Do not create a second page for the same location just to target another keyword. 2. Describe the services you actually provide Use plain language for the jobs you accept, the areas you cover, and any important limits. Accuracy helps customers decide whether to contact you and reduces inquiries your team cannot serve. 3. Add recent photos of real work Show completed jobs, your team, equipment, and the working environment when you have permission to publish them. Avoid stock images that could misrepresent your business. Track whether profile views turn into website clicks, calls, or messages after the update. How do Yelp reviews affect your leads? Reviews shape whether a customer who finds you decides to get in touch. Yelp sets strict rules on how you may earn them, so the work here is your service and your public replies. 4. Follow Yelp's review policy Do not ask customers to write Yelp reviews and do not offer incentives. Yelp says review solicitation is against its policy. Its official guide explains how to earn Yelp reviews without asking. Focus on a consistent customer experience and use Yelp-approved materials that let customers know your page exists without requesting a review. 5. Respond to reviews professionally Thank customers for useful feedback, address concerns calmly, and avoid sharing private customer details. A thoughtful public response helps future readers understand how your business handles service and problems. Which Yelp features bring in leads? Customers reach you on Yelp through your listed phone and website, Request a Quote messages, and, if you pay for them, Yelp Ads. Set each one up for the jobs you want. 6. Check every available contact path Test the phone number, website link, service-area settings, hours, and any enabled call-to-action. A lead-generation page cannot convert if a primary contact path is wrong or unavailable. 7. Configure Request a Quote for the work you want Review the services, locations, availability, and job preferences in your Yelp for Business account. Exclude work you do not offer. The goal is not maximum inquiry volume; it is more qualified inquiries your team can actually serve. For what a good first reply to a quote request contains, see Yelp Request a Quote auto reply. 8. Evaluate Yelp Ads with booked-job economics Use your live account data rather than a generic CPC or lead-price benchmark. Record spend, qualified inquiries, booked jobs, completed-job revenue, and refunds or credits for one consistent period. Calculate . Set your acceptable limit before changing the budget. Our guide to Yelp advertising ROI walks through the full calculation. How do you turn Yelp inquiries into booked jobs? A lead only counts when it becomes a job. These three tactics cover the reply, the hours nobody is at the desk, and the numbers that tell you what is working. 9. Make every reply job-specific A generic "thanks, call us" message gives the customer nothing to act on. The reply should address the requested service, confirm the area, ask only necessary questions, and offer a next step. A Yelp auto responder can create that kind of job-specific response for every inquiry in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. 10. Plan after-hours coverage Measure when your own Yelp inquiries arrive. If a meaningful share arrives outside staffed hours, those customers are still comparing providers while your team is off the clock. An AI tool that generates a tailored Yelp reply in under 2 seconds covers nights, weekends, and holidays the same way it covers business hours. The after-hours guide for Yelp and Thumbtack shows how that coverage is set up. 11. Measure the complete funnel Review these numbers together each week: - profile views; - website clicks, calls, and messages; - qualified inquiries; - median first-response time; - quotes and booked jobs; - completed-job revenue; - cost per booked job when using ads. Change one meaningful variable at a time. Continue a tactic when the defined funnel metric improves over a complete comparison period. Stop or revise it when the metric misses the limit you set in advance. How NZ Leads supports the response side NZ Leads creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds using the services, prices, and rules you configured. The product does not create Yelp reviews, guarantee rankings, or guarantee more booked jobs. Frequently asked questions How can I generate more Yelp leads without spending more on ads? Start with accurate profile details, service coverage, real work photos, functioning contact paths, and a clear description of the work you accept. Follow Yelp's review policy and measure profile views through qualified inquiries before and after the changes. Should I ask customers for Yelp reviews? No. Yelp says businesses should not ask for Yelp reviews or offer incentives. Deliver a strong customer experience and use Yelp-approved ways to show that your business has a Yelp page. Are Yelp Ads worth it? They are worth testing only when the cost per booked job fits your economics. Use your account's actual spend and bookings, define a limit, and judge the result over a complete billing period. Why am I getting Yelp inquiries but no jobs? Audit a recent sample for service fit, area fit, reply delay, reply quality, quote progression, and follow-up. The bottleneck may be targeting, offer, availability, response workflow, or sales handling. Do not assume speed is the only cause. How fast does a Yelp auto responder create a reply? With NZ Leads, the AI creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Try NZ Leads free to test the response workflow with your own Yelp inquiries. Measure the result against a baseline and do not treat any conversion outcome as guaranteed. --- ### HVAC AI Receptionist Peak Season **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/hvac-ai-receptionist-peak-season/ HVAC AI receptionist goes live the same day, even mid-summer. Emergency setup, missed-call recovery, peak-week ROI. Live by tomorrow morning. HVAC AI Receptionist Peak Season An HVAC AI receptionist answers every inbound call instantly, qualifies the problem and books the job, so overflow and after-hours calls during a heat wave stop going to voicemail. Setup takes under 2 minutes, so you can go live the same day, even mid-summer. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. A heat wave hit yesterday. The phone is exploding. Your dispatcher is buried. You miss call after call and lose emergency revenue every afternoon. Deploy the AI receptionist tonight and recover every missed call by tomorrow morning. Live before tomorrow's heat hits. Try NZ Leads free and have the AI taking emergency calls the same day. Same-Day Mid-Summer Deploy Timeline How an emergency mid-July deploy goes during a heat wave. | Step | Action | Result | |---|---|---| | 1 | Sign up | Account live | | 2 | Forward business phone line | Missed calls now route to AI | | 3 | Paste HVAC service list with peak pricing tiers | LLM ready to quote | | 4 | Set technician capacity caps and dispatch upcharge | Booking guardrails live | | 5 | Sync technician calendar with peak buffers | Live booking enabled | | 6 | Test call | AI answers and books | | 7 | Go live | Real heat-wave calls hitting | | Same day | First real AI-recovered emergency | Emergency dispatch booked | You can be taking real calls the same day, so the recovery starts during the same heat wave that prompted the deploy. Missed-HVAC-Call Recovery: The Heat-Wave Flow Friday 3:47pm, 102F outside, customer's AC just died. You and your dispatcher are buried. 1. Customer calls, line busy. Manual would lose this lead. 2. SMS text-back fires in under 2 seconds. "Sorry we missed you, what is the issue?" 3. Customer replies. "AC dead, 95 inside, need someone tonight" 4. AI qualifies. Confirms address, system age, urgency tier 5. Voice agent dials customer back instantly. $10/mo per number + $1/min 6. 8pm same-night emergency slot booked. Dispatch fee $199 accepted 7. You get SMS with booking, address, emergency job locked You finish the current job, check your phone, and see a recovered emergency that would otherwise have gone to voicemail and then to a competitor. Peak-Week Value: 4-Tech HVAC Operation During a heat wave, a buried dispatcher misses a large share of inbound calls. The AI answers every one, so the value is the emergency jobs you stop losing to voicemail. The numbers below are an illustrative example, not measured results, to show how the math works. | Metric | Manual (buried dispatcher) | AI Receptionist | |---|---|---| | Total inbound calls (week) | High | High | | Calls answered | A fraction | Every call | | Voice + Yelp cost | $0 | $10/month per number + $1/min talk time, plus $99/month Yelp | Compare your voice usage against the value of even one recovered emergency job, using your own call volume and average job value. Heat-Wave Call Spikes When a heat wave drives a spike of calls into a single hour, a buried front desk sends many of them to voicemail. The AI answers every call instantly, day or night, and qualifies the caller. Talk time is billed at $1 per billable minute, so a heavy hour costs the same per-minute rate as a quiet one. After-Hours HVAC Call Coverage A large share of HVAC peak-season calls arrive in the evening, exactly when a human-staffed competitor has closed the office. | Time Window | Manual Pickup | AI Pickup | |---|---|---| | 8am to 5pm | Partial | Every call | | 5pm to 9pm | Low | Every call | | 9pm to 11pm | Very low | Every call | | Overnight | None | Every call | After hours is where the AI receptionist earns its cost: the customer has no AC and books the first business that picks up. What an HVAC AI Receptionist Costs in Peak Month The flat parts of the bill are fixed; voice usage scales with how much you talk. | Item | Peak Month Cost | |---|---| | Voice agent | $10/month per number + $1/minute | | Yelp source | $99 | | Thumbtack source | $99 | | Google Local Services Ads | $49 | | Facebook Messenger | $49 | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19 | | Instagram DMs | $49 | | Setup, support, config changes | Free | | Recording, transcript, CRM sync | Included | No contracts, no setup fees, 7-day free trial. Compare to a flat-rate answering service that bills more in summer and just takes messages instead of booking - an AI answering service books the job on the same call. HVAC answering service vs AI receptionist If your HVAC answering service only takes messages, the alternative that books jobs is an AI receptionist. It answers the call, asks your qualifying questions, checks the availability set in its calendar and books the appointment, then hands your team the details. The homeowner with a dead AC hangs up with a time instead of a callback promise. | What you compare | Message-taking answering service | AI receptionist (NZ Leads voice agent) | |---|---|---| | Who answers | An operator at the answering company, working from the script you sent | The voice agent on your forwarded line, working from your services, price ranges and service area | | What a no-cool caller gets | A message taken and a promise that someone will call back | Answers to their questions and a booked appointment when scheduling is on | | Booking | Left to your dispatcher once the message is read | During the call, in the built-in calendar or a connected scheduler (Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro) | | Calls that need a technician | Passed on as a message or by the operator, per your instructions | Passed to your on-call tech when your transfer rules say so, with a private briefing first on a warm transfer | | Hours | The provider's staffed hours and plan | 24/7, or only the hours you choose | | What you get afterwards | The message | A call log with the recording, transcript, AI summary and any appointment booked | | Cost model | Set by each provider; ask how calls, minutes and summer volume are counted | $10 a month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time, inbound and outbound | Switching does not have to happen in one day. Forward the calls your office misses to the AI first and compare a peak week of booked jobs against the messages the answering service used to leave you. For the general comparison outside HVAC, see the after-hours answering service options. How to Deploy and Go Live the Same Day 1. Sign up and forward your business phone line. After 4 rings. 2. Paste HVAC service list with peak-season pricing tiers. Emergency dispatch, tune-up, refrigerant. 3. Set technician capacity caps and same-day emergency upcharge. 8 to 10 jobs per tech, $199 dispatch. 4. Sync calendar with peak-season buffers and 6pm cutoff. 30-min buffer, lunch block. 5. Run a test call and go live. The AI answers instantly and books the slot. Frequently Asked Questions Can I deploy an HVAC AI receptionist mid-summer during peak season? Yes. Setup takes minutes, and you can be taking real calls the same day during the same heat wave that prompted the deploy. How does the missed-HVAC-call recovery flow work during a heat wave? Under-2-second SMS text-back, the AI qualifies, then an optional voice callback continues the conversation instead of leaving a voicemail. What is the peak-week value of an HVAC AI receptionist? The AI answers every call a buried dispatcher misses, so compare your voice usage against the value of the emergency jobs you stop losing. How does the AI handle a busy call hour during a hot afternoon? It answers every call instantly, day or night, so a busy afternoon does not send callers to voicemail. Talk time is $1/minute. Will the HVAC AI receptionist handle emergency dispatch upcharges correctly? Yes. Quotes the upcharge upfront, customer accepts before the slot locks, which reduces no-shows and disputes. What does an HVAC AI receptionist cost during a peak month? $10/month per number + $1/minute of talk time for voice. Text channels: Yelp $99, Thumbtack $99, Google Local Services Ads $49, Facebook Messenger $49, Facebook Lead Ads $19, Instagram DMs $49 per month. No setup fees or contracts. Does the HVAC AI receptionist recover after-hours calls? Every after-hours call, instantly, when the customer has no AC and books the first business that picks up. What if my technicians are too busy to take all the AI-booked jobs? Capacity caps per tech per day. Overflow gets a next-day slot offer so the customer stays with you instead of calling a competitor. Is there an AI answering service for HVAC companies? Yes. An AI answering service for HVAC answers your calls, gathers the job details, and books or transfers the job using your services, prices and service area. NZ Leads's voice agent costs $10 a month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time, inbound and outbound. Live Before Tomorrow's Heat Hits Try NZ Leads free and have the AI taking emergency calls the same day. For multi-channel HVAC coverage, see ai receptionist for small business. --- ### Instagram Auto Reply: How to Set It Up Three Ways **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/instagram-auto-reply/ Instagram auto reply setup, step by step: FAQ responses in the app, Meta Business Suite automations and keyword triggers, and AI replies that answer each DM. Instagram Auto Reply: How to Set It Up Three Ways An Instagram auto reply is a message your professional account sends automatically when someone DMs you, so nobody waits in silence. You can set one up three ways: automated answers to frequently asked questions in the Instagram app, inbox automations in Meta Business Suite, or a connected tool that reads each message and answers it. Personal accounts cannot use any of them. The first two are built into Instagram and Meta Business Suite and send text you write in advance. They are enough for a greeting, an away notice and answers to a handful of fixed questions. If your DMs are customers asking what a job costs, whether you cover their area and when you can come, a fixed message only acknowledges them. That is the gap an AI auto reply fills, and it is what the Instagram auto responder in NZ Leads is built for. This guide walks through all three options with the exact menus, the limits Meta does not put on the setup screen, and what a first reply should say. The three Instagram auto reply options at a glance | | FAQ responses in the Instagram app | Meta Business Suite automations | AI auto reply (connected tool) | |---|---|---|---| | Where you set it up | Instagram app, Messages, Tools | Meta Business Suite, Inbox, Automations | The tool's dashboard, after you authorize it through Meta | | What triggers a reply | The person taps one of up to four suggested questions | A first message, your away hours, an exact keyword, or a comment with a keyword | Every new message | | What the reply says | The fixed answer you wrote for that question | The fixed text you wrote for that template or keyword | An answer written for that message from your business details | | Typed questions in the customer's own words | Not answered | Answered only on an exact keyword match | Answered | | Qualifying questions, follow-ups, booking | Not included | Not part of these templates | Included when you turn them on | | Best for | A few common questions with one answer each | Greetings, after-hours notices, simple keyword answers | Businesses whose DMs are sales inquiries | What your Instagram account needs before any auto reply works Check these three things first. Most failed setups come down to one of them. 1. A professional account. Instagram's frequently asked questions feature is only available for business and creator accounts. If your account is still personal, switch it to a professional account in the Instagram app. 2. Messages access in Meta Business Suite. When you connect Instagram to Meta Business Suite, Meta asks whether to allow access to Instagram messages. Leave it on, or the inbox automations have nothing to work with. 3. A linked Facebook Page for outside tools. Instagram only lets third-party tools manage DMs on business or creator accounts that are linked to a Facebook Page. If a tool cannot find your account during setup, link the Page in the Instagram app and try again. Option 1: Automated responses to FAQs in the Instagram app This is the simplest Instagram auto reply. You add up to four questions that appear when someone starts a chat with your account, and each question can carry an automated response. When a person taps a question, they get your prepared answer right away. How to set up FAQ auto replies 1. Open Instagram and tap Messages at the bottom. 2. Open the menu at the top of your messages and tap Tools. 3. Under Tools, tap Frequently asked questions. 4. Turn on the toggle next to Show Questions. 5. Under Questions, tap Add Question, enter the question and its automated response, and tap Save. Repeat step 5 for up to four questions. You can edit or delete them at any time. What FAQ responses will not do They only answer the four questions you wrote, and only when someone taps one. A customer who types "how much for a move-out clean on a two-bedroom?" gets no automatic answer at all. There is a second catch. When someone taps one of your questions, their message goes to your message requests, and you have to accept the request before you can reply yourself. If nobody checks requests after hours, the conversation stops at your automated answer. If you have not set up your own questions, Instagram may show four suggested questions on a business account instead. Review them, because generic retail questions about orders and returns look odd on a plumber's profile. Write the four questions the way customers ask them Pick the questions you answer most often and phrase them in the customer's words, then give an answer that moves the conversation forward. For a cleaning business, that might look like this: - Question: Do you clean in my area? Answer: We clean homes across [your service area]. Send your ZIP code and the type of clean you need, and we will reply with a price range. - Question: Can I book this week? Answer: Most weeks we have openings. Tell us your preferred day and the size of the home, and we will confirm a time. Option 2: Meta Business Suite inbox automations Meta Business Suite gives one inbox for Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, and its automations reply for you across those channels. The templates available on desktop are: - Auto reply (also called instant reply): a greeting when someone messages you for the first time. - Away message: a reply when you are not available. - Frequently asked questions: suggested questions with prepared answers. - Location, contact information and hours: replies to people who ask for those details. - Custom keywords: a reply when a message contains specific keywords. - Comment to message: a direct message to people whose comment on your post contains specific keywords or phrases. - Identify unanswered messages and assign admins: inbox housekeeping rather than replies. How to turn on an automation on desktop 1. Go to Inbox in Meta Business Suite and click Automations. 2. Click Create automation in the top right. 3. Choose the template you want and follow the on-screen steps. 4. Check that the automation shows as on under Status. It can take a few minutes to appear. To build your own rule instead of a template, click Start from scratch, tick the Instagram channel, choose a condition such as "New message received", and add the action Send message. Meta sends custom automations before other automations. How keyword automations behave Keyword automations are where most setups go wrong, because the rules are strict: - They are only available in Meta Business Suite on desktop, not in the mobile app. - Each automation takes up to 5 keywords or phrases, and the same keyword can only be used in one automation. - Keywords are case-sensitive and must match exactly. "Price" and "price" are different keywords, and "pricing" does not match "price". - Meta holds a keyword reply for 15 minutes and sends it only if nobody on your team has answered by then. - If a template automation such as your away message is also triggered, Meta sends the template reply and skips the keyword reply. In practice, list every spelling your customers use ("price", "Price", "pricing", "quote", "how much") and keep one topic per automation. Test each keyword from a second account before you rely on it. Comment to message for posts and Reels Comment to message turns a public comment into a private conversation. Ask people to comment a word such as QUOTE on a post, set that word as the trigger, and Meta sends them a direct message with your price sheet or booking link. Like the other templates, the message is the same for everyone who comments. One more setting to know: if you turn on Meta's own business AI agent, Meta pauses your existing automations, including away messages and instant replies. Option 3: An AI auto reply that answers the actual message An AI auto reply works differently from both built-in options. Instead of matching a tap or a keyword to fixed text, it reads what the customer wrote and answers that message using the business details you give it: your services, price ranges, service area and hours. Here is what that looks like in NZ Leads once Instagram is connected: - The first reply goes out in under 2 seconds, at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., and it answers the question the customer actually asked. - It asks your qualifying questions, such as the service needed, the location and the timing, so you get the job details without typing them yourself. - It offers appointment times when scheduling is on. The calendar checks the availability you configured and follows your scheduling instructions. - It follows up if the customer goes quiet, on a schedule you choose, and stops the moment they reply or book. - It keeps the full conversation on your Leads page and can create or update the customer record in a connected CRM. Instagram does not share a customer's phone number or email, so the AI asks for them in the conversation. The lead's name is their Instagram handle until they tell you more. How to connect Instagram to NZ Leads !NZ Leads Connect Your Account screen with the Meta and Instagram option selected for adding an Instagram business account as a lead source 1. In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Instagram. 2. Sign in through Facebook with the account that manages the Page your Instagram account is linked to, and grant permission to read and send Instagram DMs. Your password is never shared with NZ Leads; Meta returns a secure access token after you approve. 3. Pick the Instagram business account you want answered and activate it. 4. Confirm the source card shows Active, then open Messaging Settings to add your business details, qualifying questions and follow-ups. Full setup takes under 2 minutes once your account is linked to a Facebook Page. The Instagram source guide in our docs covers troubleshooting, such as an account that does not appear during authorization. Run one auto reply, not two If an AI tool answers every DM, switch off the Meta Business Suite auto reply and away message for the same account. Otherwise a customer can receive a canned greeting and a real answer back to back, which reads like two different businesses. Expect one change in the Instagram app too. Message requests you answer through a third-party tool move to your General folder, and at very high volume Instagram may limit its own inbox and ask you to read those conversations in the tool instead. What a good first automated DM does Whichever option you use, the first message decides whether the customer keeps talking. A useful first reply has four parts: 1. Acknowledge the specific request. "Thanks for asking about gutter cleaning" beats "Thanks for your message." 2. Give one useful fact. A price range, your service area or your next opening. 3. Ask one question that moves toward a quote. The ZIP code, the size of the job, or a photo. 4. Say what happens next. When a person will follow up, or how to book now. Compare a weak fixed greeting with a stronger one: - Weak: "Thanks for reaching out! We'll get back to you soon." - Stronger: "Thanks for messaging [your business]. We answer quote requests during [your hours]. To get your price faster, send your ZIP code, the service you need and two photos of the job." A fixed message can only go as far as the stronger version. An AI reply can do all four parts for the exact job the customer described. Keep it honest, too. Where the law requires it, Meta expects automated chats to tell people they are talking to an automated service: at the start of the conversation, after a long gap, and when a chat passes from a person back to automation. The rules Meta applies to automated Instagram messages These limits apply to every option above, including outside tools, because they all send through Meta: - The customer messages first. A business account cannot open a conversation with a stranger through the messaging API. Conversations begin when someone messages you from your feed, a post, a story mention or another entry point. - The standard messaging window. For most customer actions, a business has 24 hours to reply. When someone sends their first message after clicking a click-to-Direct ad, the window can last up to 7 days from that message. - A separate window for people. A human agent tag gives your team a separate 7-day period to reply manually when a conversation needs more time. - New conversations from people who do not follow you land in Requests. Check them, or use a tool that answers them for you. - Use Meta's own tools or apps that connect through Meta's official API. Avoid any service that asks for your Instagram password; an approved connection uses an access token you can revoke. Which Instagram auto reply setup fits your business - A handful of DMs a week, mostly the same questions: FAQ responses in the app, plus a Meta Business Suite away message for nights and weekends. - Campaigns that run on comments: comment to message with one clear keyword per post. - DMs that are quote requests and bookings: an AI auto reply. Service businesses (cleaners, movers, contractors, salons, repair companies) win or lose these customers on speed. In Harvard Business Review's 2011 study of online sales leads, companies that tried to contact a lead within an hour were nearly 7 times as likely to qualify it as those that made contact an hour later. If Instagram is one of several places customers reach you, the same approach works across channels. The Facebook auto responder answers Messenger and Lead Ads, and lead response automation covers every supported source in one place. For the hours your team is offline, our guide to after-hours lead capture shows what to put in place across every channel. Instagram pricing per connected account is listed on our pricing page in the docs. Instagram auto reply FAQ Does Instagram have an automatic reply feature? Yes, for professional accounts. In the Instagram app you can add up to four frequently asked questions, each with an automated response. Meta Business Suite adds an auto reply for first messages, an away message, keyword automations and comment to message automations. Personal accounts have none of these, so switch to a business or creator account first. How do I turn off auto reply on Instagram? It depends on where the auto reply was set up. For FAQ responses, go to your profile, open the menu, tap Business tools and controls, then Frequently asked questions, and switch off Show questions. For Meta Business Suite automations, open Inbox, then Automations, and switch the automation off under Status. For a connected tool, pause or disconnect the Instagram source inside that tool. Can Instagram automatically reply to comments? Yes. The comment to message automation in Meta Business Suite (desktop only) sends a direct message to people whose comment contains keywords or phrases you choose. Apps connected through Meta's Instagram API can also send a private reply to a commenter. Is it allowed to use an auto reply on Instagram? Yes, when it runs through Instagram's own features, Meta Business Suite, or an app that connects through Meta's official messaging API. Meta still sets the rules: the customer has to message you first, replies go out inside Meta's messaging window, and where the law requires it, automated chats must say they are automated. How fast can an Instagram auto reply answer? Meta's auto reply template answers a first message when it arrives. Keyword automations wait 15 minutes and send only if nobody on your team has answered. An AI tool such as NZ Leads sends its first reply in under 2 seconds, at any hour. Can an Instagram auto reply book appointments? Not with the fixed-text tools, which can only send the message you wrote. An AI auto reply can: NZ Leads asks your qualifying questions, checks the availability you configured, offers open times and books the appointment when scheduling is turned on. Want your Instagram DMs answered in under 2 seconds? See how the Instagram auto responder works, or start a 7-day free trial and connect your account. --- ### Lead Automation for Landscaping Businesses: Yelp & Thumbtack **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/landscaping-yelp-thumbtack-auto-response/ Lead automation for landscaping businesses: AI creates a job-specific response to every Yelp and Thumbtack lead in under 2 seconds so you book more jobs. Lead automation for landscaping businesses: book more Yelp and Thumbtack jobs faster Lead automation for landscaping businesses means AI creates a job-specific response to every new Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds, addressing what the customer asked for, mentioning your services and offering a next step such as scheduling an estimate. It keeps working while you're mowing, loading trailers or meeting other clients. A homeowner messages four landscaping companies on Yelp. The first one to reply with a clear answer books the job. The other three never hear back. If you're on a job site when those leads come in, you're one of the three. Losing landscaping leads to slow replies? Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds. How Fast Do Landscaping Companies Need to Reply on Yelp? As fast as possible. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). Many landscaping companies take 3 to 6 hours to reply. By then, the homeowner already booked someone else. On Thumbtack, you paid for that lead. On Yelp, the lead was free but your slow reply killed your response quality score, pushing you lower in search results. What Does NZ Leads Do for Landscaping Businesses? NZ Leads connects to your Yelp and Thumbtack accounts and creates a job-specific response for every new lead in under 2 seconds. Not a generic template. The AI reads what the customer asked for and writes a specific reply that addresses their request, mentions your services, and gives a next step like scheduling an estimate. This runs while you're mowing, loading trailers, or meeting with other clients. What Should the First Reply to a Landscaping Lead Ask? Landscaping requests range from a single lawn cut to a full backyard rebuild, and the customer's first message rarely says which. The first reply should sort that out with one or two questions, not a form: - Type of work. Recurring maintenance (mowing, edging, leaf cleanup) or a one-time project (cleanup, planting, sod, irrigation repair, hardscape). The two are priced and scheduled differently. - Size of the property. Lot size or a rough description ("small front yard, larger back") is usually enough to give a range or decide whether you need to see it. - Photos. Yelp and Thumbtack pass along the photos customers upload, and they appear on the lead, so asking for a picture of the yard often replaces a site visit for small jobs. - Timing. When they want the work started, and for maintenance, how often. Put your answers to the questions customers ask most (minimum job size, whether you haul debris, how you price recurring service) in the AI instructions, and list the work you turn down in the "Services not Providing" field so those requests are declined politely and not chased. Can Landscaping Lead Automation Book Estimates Around Your Route? Yes, when scheduling is enabled. The built-in calendar checks the availability you set and follows your scheduling instructions. When job addresses are available, the AI can compare where the jobs are, estimate the driving time between them, and use that when it picks a slot to offer, so an estimate across town does not land between two jobs on the same street. You can also write service-area and travel rules into the scheduling instructions, such as the ZIP codes you cover on which days, or a gap you need between visits. Treat the driving time as an estimate, not live traffic. Landscaping Lead Response: Manual vs. NZ Leads | Factor | Manual Replies | NZ Leads | |---|---|---| | Average reply time | 3-6 hours | Instant | | After-hours leads covered | Few | Every one | | Conversion rate (Yelp + Thumbtack) | Lower (slow replies lose to faster pros) | Higher (job-specific response in under 2 seconds) | | Monthly cost | Your time | $99/mo per channel + voice usage | | Yelp response quality score | Drops with slow replies | Improves with speed + detail | How Much Revenue Do Landscaping Companies Lose to Slow Replies? The lost revenue is whatever jobs walk to a faster competitor while your leads sit unanswered. You're already paying for those Yelp and Thumbtack leads, so every one you fail to book is sunk cost. Run your own numbers. Say a typical landscaping business gets 40 Yelp and Thumbtack leads a month in peak season at an average job value around $400. Booking even a couple of extra jobs you'd otherwise lose to slow replies is $800 against a single $99/month channel - and that's before recurring maintenance clients and big-ticket projects, where the gap grows fast. Plug in your real lead volume and job value to see what slow replies are costing you. When Do Most Landscaping Leads Come In? A large share of Yelp leads arrive during evenings and weekends. Homeowners browse after dinner, send messages at 9 PM, and expect a reply before bed. If you wait until the next morning, someone else already responded. During peak season (March through May), you might get 15+ leads per week. You physically can't answer all of them between jobs. During winter, every lead matters because volume drops and you can't afford to miss a single one. NZ Leads handles both scenarios. It catches every lead the instant it arrives, qualifies by property size and service type, and books estimates into your open slots. How Much Does NZ Leads Cost for Landscapers? Per-channel pricing. $99/month flat for unlimited Yelp message handling, $99/month flat for unlimited Thumbtack handling. Google Local Services Ads, Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs: $49/month each. Facebook Lead Ads: $19/month. Voice agent: $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time. Activate only the channels you actually run, so a landscaper using only Thumbtack pays $99/month for that channel. No setup fees, no contracts, 7-day free trial. For how each platform works on its own, see the Thumbtack auto responder and the Yelp auto responder guide. If you also get leads from Facebook, Instagram or Google Local Services Ads, lead response automation runs every supported channel from one inbox. Other trades use the same setup: see lead automation for cleaning businesses and lead automation for electrical contractors. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more Yelp and Thumbtack leads turn into booked landscaping jobs. --- ### Lead Response Automation ROI: The Math by Trade **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/lead-response-automation-roi/ What ROI to expect from lead response automation: the same lead spend, replies in under 2 seconds instead of hours, $19 to $99/month per channel. Math by trade. Lead Response Automation ROI: The Math for Service Businesses Lead response automation ROI comes from booking more jobs out of the leads you already pay for: an instant first reply in under 2 seconds replaces the 2-4 hours most service businesses take, while your lead spend stays the same. Automation costs $19 to $99 per month per channel, so recovering even a couple of bookings a month covers it many times over. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Service businesses that automate lead responses book more jobs from the same ad spend. The ROI comes down to one thing: responding instantly instead of hours later. Want to see what faster responses do for your numbers? Try NZ Leads free and start replying to every lead in under 2 seconds. How Much Revenue Does Slow Lead Response Cost? Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later (Harvard Business Review, 2011). Most service businesses respond in 2-4 hours. By then, the customer already booked someone else. Say a plumber loses 3 leads a week to slow replies and pays $40 per lead: that's roughly $500 a month in wasted spend, not counting the lost job revenue. Plug in your own lead cost and volume. What ROI Does Lead Response Automation Deliver? The return comes from converting more of the leads you already pay for, by replying instantly instead of hours later. Here is an illustrative hypothetical for a mid-size HVAC company running 80 leads/month - your real numbers depend on your trade, market, and lead quality: | Metric | Before Automation | After Automation | |--------|------------------|-----------------| | Response time | 2.5 hours | under 2 seconds | | Every lead gets a reply | No | Yes | | Coverage | Business hours | 24/7 | | Monthly lead spend | $3,200 | $3,200 | | Automation cost | $0 | $19-$99/mo per channel | The lead spend doesn't change - speed and consistency do. Because the gains come on leads you already paid for, recovering even a couple of bookings a month covers the tool many times over. Still choosing a tool? The best lead response software for contractors breakdown compares the main options on price and response speed, and the automated lead response guide walks through how the instant replies actually work under the hood. Why Does Automation Improve More Than Just Speed? Speed is the biggest factor, but four other things stack on top of it: 1. After-hours capture. A large share of leads arrive outside business hours. Without automation, they sit until morning. An after-hours lead capture system keeps those leads warm while you sleep. 2. Consistent qualification. AI asks the same qualifying questions every time. Fewer wasted truck rolls on jobs that don't fit. 3. Follow-up that actually happens. Automated multi-touch follow-up recovers leads that would otherwise go cold, and auto-stops the moment the customer replies or books. 4. Multi-platform consistency. Whether leads come from Google LSA, Facebook ads, Yelp, or Thumbtack, every one can use the same configured business rules. The Yelp auto responder and Thumbtack auto responder pages show how each marketplace source is set up. What's the ROI by Trade? The numbers shift based on job values and lead costs. | Trade | Typical Job Size | Impact of Automation | |-------|------------------|---------------------| | Roofing | High-ticket | A few extra booked inspections a month adds up fast at these ticket sizes. Roofing lead follow-up is high-value due to long sales cycles. | | Plumbing | Small repairs to large installs | Emergencies go to whoever answers first, so an AI voice agent that picks up instantly wins the call. AI receptionists for plumbers help you win those urgent calls. | | HVAC | Service calls to system replacements | Seasonal peaks make it impossible to answer every lead manually. AI receptionists during peak season prevent your most expensive leads from slipping. | | Electrical/Cleaning | Lower ticket | Higher volume, lower job value. ROI comes from handling more leads without adding a full-time receptionist. | How Do You Measure Your Own Lead Automation ROI? Track these four numbers for 30 days before and after automating: 1. Average response time from your Yelp, Thumbtack, and CRM timestamps 2. Lead-to-reply rate, how many leads get any response at all 3. Lead-to-booked-job rate, your actual conversion percentage 4. Revenue per lead, total revenue from leads divided by total leads If your average response time is over 5 minutes, you are already past the window the MIT research flags, and these four numbers will show what faster replies are worth. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see the difference instant responses make. --- ### Lead Generation vs Lead Response: Where Contractors Should Spend First **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/lead-response-vs-lead-generation/ Contractors spend thousands on ads but lose leads to slow follow-up. Compare lead generation costs to lead response automation ROI. Lead Generation vs Lead Response: Where Contractors Should Spend First Lead response vs lead generation comes down to this: lead generation brings in more leads, while lead response automation converts more of the leads you already pay for, at a flat $19 to $99 per channel each month with results the same day. For most contractors, fixing response speed comes first. Many service businesses spend thousands of dollars a month on ads and lead platforms. Then they lose a big share of those leads because nobody replies fast enough. Before you spend another dollar generating leads, fix how fast you respond to them. Spending on ads but not closing enough jobs? Try NZ Leads free and start responding to every lead instantly. The Real Cost of Slow Lead Response Here's the math most contractors never run. Say you pay $50 per lead from Google LSA and get 40 leads a month. That's $2,000. If you respond to only 60% within the first hour, you lose roughly 16 leads to competitors who replied faster. At a $3,000 average job value with a 25% close rate, those 16 missed leads cost you $12,000 in potential revenue per month. Swap in your own numbers to see your version. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour later (HBR, 2011). Speed is the single biggest factor in whether you win or lose the job. Lead Generation vs Lead Response: Side-by-Side Comparison | | Lead Generation (More Ads) | Lead Response (Faster Follow-Up) | |---|---|---| | Monthly cost | Often thousands per month | Flat per channel ($19 to $99/month each) | | Time to see results | Weeks to months | Same day | | What it does | Brings in more leads | Converts more of your existing leads | | Pricing model | Cost per click or per lead | Flat monthly fee per channel, no per-lead fees | | Requires your time | Yes (managing ads, adjusting bids) | No (automated) | | Works after hours | Ads run 24/7, but you still miss calls | AI responds 24/7 automatically | | Diminishing returns | CPL increases as you scale | Flat cost no matter how many leads come in | The pattern is consistent across every trade. Spending more on lead generation hits diminishing returns. Your cost per lead climbs as you bid higher or expand your service area. Lead response automation has flat costs, and it works on leads you already paid for. What Happens When You Fix Response Time First Say you're a plumber spending $3,000/month on Google LSA and Yelp. Your average response time is 45 minutes. You set up automated lead response and the AI creates a response for every lead in under 2 seconds. No change in ad budget. No new campaigns. Just faster answers. Every extra job you book from those same leads is added revenue on spend you already committed. Plug in your own lead volume, close rate, and average job value to see what a few extra bookings a month are worth. The data on lead response time consistently shows that the business that responds first has a large edge in winning the job, regardless of pricing or reviews. When to Spend More on Lead Generation Lead generation makes sense once your response system is solid. If you're already doing all of this: - Responding to every lead instantly - Following up automatically when the lead doesn't book - Capturing after-hours leads with AI voice agents or auto-responders - Tracking close rates by source to know which platforms pay off Then increasing ad spend will actually scale your revenue. But until those boxes are checked, you're pouring water into a leaky bucket. When to Invest in Lead Response First Most contractors should start here. If any of these apply, fix response before increasing your ad budget: - Your average response time is over 5 minutes - You miss calls regularly because you're on job sites - You have no after-hours lead capture system - You're paying for leads you never contact - Your close rate on paid leads is lower than it should be With NZ Leads, lead response automation is a flat $19 to $99/month per channel, with no per-lead fees. That's a small line item next to most ad budgets, and every extra job it helps you book comes from leads you already paid for. Fix Response Time First, Then Scale Ads The highest-performing service businesses follow the same pattern. Fix response first, then scale lead generation. Every dollar you spend on ads performs better when your response time is instant. Think of it this way: jobs = leads x close rate. If you book more of the leads you already get, you need fewer new leads to hit the same number of jobs. And every dollar you add to ads after that goes further, because more of the new leads turn into booked jobs. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see what happens to your close rate when every lead gets a reply instantly. --- ### LSA Auto Responder for Google Local Services Ads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/lsa-auto-responder/ An LSA auto responder replies to Google Local Services Ads leads in under 2 seconds, adds an instant voice callback and follows up on Day 1, 3 and 7. LSA Auto Responder An LSA auto responder replies when a new Google Local Services Ads lead reaches your workflow, so the customer does not wait for someone to notice an email or inbox alert. NZ Leads sends the first text reply in under 2 seconds, can place an instant voice callback, and can continue with follow-ups on Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7 until the customer replies or books. Want to test the workflow on your own LSA account? Start a 7-day free trial with no contract, setup fee, per-lead fee, or lead cap. What is an LSA auto responder? An LSA auto responder is software that reacts to a new Google Local Services Ads lead automatically. It uses the service request and the business information you configured to send a relevant first answer, ask a useful qualifying question, or offer the next available step. Google says Local Services Ads can generate phone, message, and booking leads. Google also recommends responding as soon as possible and lists responsiveness and average response time among its ad-ranking inputs. Those are reasons to answer consistently; they are not a promise that any responder will improve rank or bookings on its own. - Google: Manage leads and jobs - Google: About Local Services Ads rankings How does the Google LSA auto responder work? The supported workflow is straightforward: 1. A new Google LSA lead reaches NZ Leads. 2. The first text reply is sent in under 2 seconds using the service details and business rules you configured. 3. The reply can ask for missing details, use an approved price range, or offer a calendar slot. 4. If voice follow-up is enabled, the voice agent can place an instant callback. 5. If the customer stays quiet, the Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7 sequence can continue automatically. 6. Follow-up stops as soon as the customer replies or books. The delivery timestamp from Google and the time the lead reaches NZ Leads are separate. The under-2-second measurement starts when the supported lead event reaches the platform; it does not include delay inside a third-party system that NZ Leads cannot observe. For the measurement boundary, see the response-time methodology. What can the first LSA reply say? The useful first reply is specific to the request. It should acknowledge the job, answer only with information the business supplied, and give the customer one clear next step. For example, a plumbing company can configure the responder to: - recognize that the customer asked about a water-heater leak; - ask whether water is actively leaking; - use the company's real service-area and availability rules; - quote only a configured diagnostic fee or price range; - offer a calendar slot when booking is enabled. If the business has not supplied a price or policy, the responder should ask a question or route the lead instead of inventing an answer. Does response time affect Google LSA ranking? Google says responsiveness to customer inquiries and requests is one factor in the Local Services Ads auction. Google also says profile quality, reviews, bid strategy, relevance, search context, images, verification, and other inputs affect how ads are ordered. That means a fast responder can help maintain one documented input: consistent response. It does not guarantee a position, a lower lead cost, or a specific number of booked jobs. Measure the result in the LSA dashboard instead of treating the automation as proof of an outcome. LSA auto responder vs manual response | Workflow | First response | After-hours coverage | Follow-up | Business information | |---|---|---|---|---| | Manual inbox monitoring | When someone is available | Depends on staffing | Easy to miss | Whatever the responder remembers | | Google notifications alone | Alerts the business | Alerts can still wait | Managed manually | Written by the person replying | | NZ Leads | Under 2 seconds after receipt | 24/7 | Day 1 / 3 / 7; stops on reply or booking | Uses configured services, prices, hours, and booking rules | The difference is consistency. A manual team can write an excellent reply, but only when someone is watching the inbox. Automation applies the same approved business rules to every supported lead event. Can the LSA responder call the lead? Yes, when the optional voice workflow is enabled and the supported lead event contains the information needed for a callback. The voice agent can call instantly, qualify the request, and offer a calendar slot using the instructions you supplied. Voice costs $10 per month for the number plus $1 per minute of talk time. It is optional; the LSA responder can run without it. For the voice workflow, see AI voice agent for service businesses. How long does LSA responder setup take? The NZ Leads configuration takes under 2 minutes: connect the supported source, add the business rules you want the responder to use, and enable the workflow. Third-party account authorization or review can add waiting time outside that configuration window. Before going live, check the service area, hours, price ranges, qualification questions, calendar availability, and handoff rule. The responder should never guess at a business fact you did not provide. Can one account handle LSA, Yelp, and Thumbtack? Yes. NZ Leads supports Google Local Services Ads, Yelp Request a Quote, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram DMs, and inbound voice workflows. The business keeps one set of services, prices, hours, and booking rules across every source. See the lead response automation guide for the cross-channel workflow. Frequently asked questions What is the difference between an LSA responder and an LSA auto responder? There is no practical difference. Both terms describe software that responds automatically to a Google Local Services Ads lead. The important distinction is between a notification that still waits for a person and a workflow that actually sends the first response. How fast does NZ Leads reply to an LSA lead? The first text reply is sent in under 2 seconds after the supported lead event reaches NZ Leads. That measurement excludes any delay before Google or another third party delivers the event to the platform. Will an LSA auto responder guarantee a better ad position? No. Google documents responsiveness and average response time as ranking inputs, but also considers bid strategy, relevance, reviews, profile quality, search context, images, verification, and other factors. A responder helps with consistency; it cannot guarantee rank. Does the responder follow up if the customer stays quiet? Yes. The configured multi-touch sequence can follow up on Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7. It stops when the customer replies or books, so the workflow does not keep messaging an active or completed conversation. Can I use the LSA responder without the voice agent? Yes. Voice callback is optional. The responder can run as a text-first workflow, or you can add the voice agent for $10 per month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time. Is there a free trial? Yes. NZ Leads has a 7-day free trial with no contract, setup fee, per-lead fee, or lead cap. Start with one measurable LSA workflow Connect the supported source, use only approved business facts, and compare response time plus booked-lead outcomes before and after activation. Start a 7-day free trial and test the workflow on your own account. --- ### Yelp and Thumbtack Follow-Up: Why One Reply Is Not Enough **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/marketplace-lead-follow-up-data/ Many marketplace leads need more than one touchpoint to close, yet plenty of pros stop after a single reply. See why follow-up wins Yelp and Thumbtack leads. Yelp and Thumbtack follow-up: why one reply is not enough Yelp and Thumbtack follow-up means contacting a lead again after your first reply, at set intervals such as 1 hour, 24 hours and 72 hours, because customers often message several pros at once and many need more than one touchpoint before they book. An automated sequence keeps working the leads who went quiet and stops the moment the customer replies or books. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Plenty of pros send one reply and stop. Meanwhile, many customers need more than one touchpoint before they book. On Yelp and Thumbtack, where customers often message several pros at once, one reply puts you in the conversation. It doesn't close anything. Paying for Yelp and Thumbtack leads but only replying once? Try NZ Leads free and follow up automatically until the customer books or responds. How many follow-ups does it take to close a marketplace lead? Many Yelp and Thumbtack leads need more than one follow-up before they convert. Here's how each touchpoint pulls its weight: | Follow-Up Timing | What It Does | |---|---| | First reply (instant) | Gets you into the conversation while the lead is still shopping | | 1-hour follow-up | Catches leads who saw your first reply but didn't act yet | | 24-hour follow-up | Re-engages leads who went quiet after comparing pros | | 72-hour follow-up | Recovers leads who were busy or undecided the first two days | A single reply reaches only the leads who happen to respond right away. A multi-touch sequence keeps working the rest, so you book more of the same leads you already paid for. Why Yelp and Thumbtack leads need more follow-ups than other leads Marketplace leads behave differently from referrals or Google search leads for three reasons: 1. Customers contact multiple pros at once. Thumbtack matches customers with several pros. Yelp shows a full list. Your first reply competes with everyone else's first reply. 2. Decision windows are longer than response windows. You need to reply in minutes to get noticed. But the customer might take days to pick someone. One reply and silence means you drop off their list. 3. Many leads aren't ready to commit right away. They need to check schedules, talk to a spouse, or compare prices. A follow-up the next day catches them when they're actually ready. What to say in each follow-up message Bad follow-ups ("Just checking in") hurt more than silence. Each message needs to add something. | Follow-Up | Yelp Lead Example | Thumbtack Lead Example | |---|---|---| | 1st (instant reply) | Confirm availability for their requested service | Quote the job and mention your Thumbtack reviews | | 2nd (1 hour) | Reference a detail from their request | Offer a specific time to come look at the job | | 3rd (24 hours) | Share a relevant before/after or mention your response time | Remind them of the quote and ask if they have questions | The goal: each follow-up feels like a natural continuation, not a sales push. What follow-ups cost you on Thumbtack vs what they earn Thumbtack lead costs vary by trade and market. Consider a hypothetical pro getting 20 leads per month at $40 per lead - $800/month in lead spend, whether you reply once or follow up properly: | Scenario | What you get | |---|---| | Single reply only | You convert the handful of leads ready to book on the spot | | Multi-message follow-up | You also recover the leads who needed a nudge over the next few days | Every extra job you close came from leads you already paid for. At an average job value of $300-500, even a few additional bookings a month add real revenue without spending another dollar on advertising. (Figures here are illustrative, not measured results.) On Yelp, the same logic applies. Each lead has a cost, whether you're running ads or competing for organic visibility. Converting more of them is the cheapest way to grow. How NZ Leads handles follow-ups for Yelp and Thumbtack Doing this manually works when you only get a few leads a week. Beyond that, messages slip through the cracks. You're on a job site, a new lead comes in, you reply once, and by the time you remember to follow up it's been four days. NZ Leads runs timed follow-ups automatically after your instant first reply. Each message references the original request so it reads like a real person wrote it. If the customer replies at any point, the sequence stops and you take over. For pros running 20-30 Thumbtack leads per week or managing a busy Yelp inbox, consistent automated follow-up is the difference between closing the easy bookings and closing more of what you paid for. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more leads you close when every inquiry gets followed up automatically. --- ### Missed Call Text Back for Contractors: How It Works **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/missed-call-text-back-contractors/ Missed call text back for contractors: when you cannot answer, an automatic SMS goes out in under 2 seconds, then AI qualifies the job and books it. Missed Call Text Back for Contractors Missed call text back for contractors sends an automatic SMS in under 2 seconds whenever a call goes unanswered, so the caller gets a reply instead of voicemail while your hands are on the job. When they text back, AI continues the conversation, qualifies the job and books an appointment. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Contractors miss a lot of inbound calls during work hours - you can't answer the phone with both hands on a job. Missed-call text-back sends an automatic SMS instantly so the lead stays warm instead of calling your competitor. Stop losing jobs to missed calls. Try NZ Leads free and text back every missed call instantly. How Does Missed Call Text Back Work? An automatic text goes out the moment a call goes unanswered. Here is what that looks like in practice: 1. It's 2pm. You're on a roof replacing shingles. 2. A homeowner calls your business number. You can't answer. 3. Under 2 seconds later, they get a text: "Hey, sorry I missed your call. I'm with a customer right now. What do you need help with?" 4. The homeowner replies: "I need a roof inspection. Got some storm damage." 5. AI continues the conversation, qualifies the job, and books an appointment for Thursday morning. You climb down from the roof, check your phone, and there's a qualified lead with a time slot already confirmed. No voicemail. No callback tag. Missed Call Text Back vs Voicemail Many callers don't leave a voicemail. They hang up and call the next contractor on the list. Text back changes that dynamic completely. | Feature | Voicemail | Missed Call Text Back | |---------|-----------|----------------------| | Caller engagement | Many hang up without leaving a message | A text gets opened and read | | Average response time | Hours (when you check VM) | under 2 seconds | | Lead follows up with you | Rare | Common - replying to a text is one tap | | Risk of losing the lead | High (caller moves to next contractor) | Low (conversation stays alive) | Texts get read far more reliably than voicemails get returned, and the reply usually comes back fast. Voicemail can't compete with that. Missed Call Text Back Cost Missed call text back tools vary widely in price depending on volume and features. | Plan Type | Monthly Cost | What You Get | |-----------|-------------|--------------| | Basic auto-text only | Varies by tool | Fixed reply, no AI | | AI-powered with qualification | Varies by tool | AI conversation, lead qualifying | | Full automation (NZ Leads) | $10/mo per number + $1/min voice | AI text back + conversation + booking | Compare that to the cost of lost leads. One missed roofing call could be a multi-thousand-dollar job. The tool pays for itself if it saves one lead per month. What Should the Missed Call Text Say? Keep it short. Sound like a person, not a company. Good: "Hey, sorry I missed your call. I'm on a job right now. What do you need help with?" Bad: "Thank you for calling ABC Plumbing. We are currently unavailable. Please leave a message and a representative will contact you within 24-48 business hours." The first one gets replies. The second one gets ignored. NZ Leads customizes the message to match your trade and tone automatically. Does It Work After Hours? Yes. A large share of lead inquiries come in evenings and weekends. Without text back, those calls go to voicemail and many never convert. With NZ Leads, the AI picks up the conversation via text at 9pm on a Saturday, qualifies the lead, and books them into your next available slot. You wake up Monday with a list of scheduled appointments instead of missed call notifications. If you want faster lead response without hiring a receptionist, check out how AI receptionists work for small businesses or how to respond to leads while on the job. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and stop losing jobs every time you can't pick up the phone. --- ### Missed Call Text Back for Yelp and Thumbtack Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/missed-call-text-back-yelp-thumbtack/ Missed call text back for Yelp and Thumbtack leads. Auto-text in under 2 seconds so you never lose a lead to a missed call again. Missed Call Text Back for Yelp and Thumbtack Leads Missed call text back for Yelp and Thumbtack leads sends a personalized SMS in under 2 seconds when a lead calls and you can't pick up, so the customer you paid for stays engaged instead of calling the next business on the list. When the lead replies, AI continues the conversation, qualifies the job and books an appointment, 24/7. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. You pay for every Yelp or Thumbtack lead. When that lead calls and you miss it, they call the next business on the list. A missed-call text-back sends an instant SMS reply so the lead stays engaged instead of moving on. Losing leads to missed calls? Try NZ Leads free and text back every missed call in under 2 seconds. Why Missed Calls Kill Your Yelp and Thumbtack ROI The first business to respond usually wins the job. When you miss a call from a Yelp or Thumbtack lead, you have minutes before they contact a competitor. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 100x less likely to even reach the lead and 21x less likely to qualify it (MIT, 2007). Service businesses routinely miss inbound calls during jobs, drives, or after hours. Here's what a single missed Yelp call costs: | Metric | Value | |--------|-------| | When it happens | On a job, driving, or after hours | | What you've already paid | The full lead fee, whether you answer or not | | The risk | They call the next business on the list | That's money you already spent, gone because you were on a ladder. How Missed Call Text Back Works for Yelp and Thumbtack Leads NZ Leads detects missed calls from your lead platforms and sends a personalized text in under 2 seconds. No manual work. No checking voicemail an hour later. Here's the flow: 1. Yelp or Thumbtack lead calls your business number 2. You miss the call (on a job, driving, after hours) 3. NZ Leads sends an SMS in under 2 seconds: "Hey, sorry I missed your call. I'm with a customer right now. What project can I help you with?" 4. Lead replies with their project details 5. NZ Leads continues the conversation, qualifies the lead, and books an appointment The lead never felt ignored. They got a reply faster than any competitor would call them back. Missed Call Text Back vs AI Voice Agent Callback Missed call text back is the minimum. An AI voice agent takes it further by actually calling the lead back and having a conversation. Here's when to use which: | Feature | Missed Call Text Back | AI Voice Agent Callback | |---------|----------------------|------------------------| | Response time | Under 2 seconds (SMS) | Instantly (phone call) | | Engagement level | Text conversation | Live voice conversation | | Booking capability | Can link to calendar | Books directly on call | | Best for | Simple quote requests | Complex jobs needing qualification | | Impact | Keeps the lead engaged instead of moving on | Closes more complex jobs on the spot | NZ Leads does both. Text back catches the lead instantly. Voice callback closes the deal. What Happens After Hours on Yelp and Thumbtack A large share of marketplace leads come in after 5 PM. If your missed call text back only works during business hours, you're missing many of your opportunities. NZ Leads runs 24/7. A lead calls at 9:47 PM from Thumbtack, you miss it because you're at dinner. In under 2 seconds they get a text. By the time you wake up, the appointment is booked. This pairs directly with after-hours auto-response to cover every possible lead scenario. Setup Takes Under 2 Minutes 1. Connect your business phone number to NZ Leads 2. Set your custom text-back message (or use our tested templates) 3. Choose whether to add AI voice callback on top 4. Turn it on No apps to download. No CRM to configure. Works with your existing Yelp and Thumbtack setup, alongside the full Thumbtack auto responder for inbox replies. Leads from both platforms flow through automatically. The speed to lead data is clear: waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). Missed call text back gets you there without changing how you work. Stop Paying for Leads You Never Reply To Every missed call without a text back is a lead you paid for and handed to a competitor. NZ Leads makes sure that never happens. Try NZ Leads free and start texting back every missed call in under 2 seconds. --- ### Missed Yelp Lead Recovery in 24 Hours **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/missed-yelp-lead-recovery-24-hours/ Missed Yelp lead recovery within 24 hours: AI detects unanswered Yelp messages, calls the lead back, qualifies the job and books it. Set up in under 2 minutes. Missed Yelp Lead Recovery in 24 Hours Missed Yelp lead recovery is how you win back a Yelp lead you never answered, ideally within 24 hours: NZ Leads detects the unanswered message, has an AI voice agent call the lead back, qualifies the project and books the appointment on your calendar. The sooner the callback happens, the better your odds, because lead value decays fast. You paid for that Yelp lead. You missed the message. Now it's sitting in your inbox unanswered while the lead calls your competitor. Missed Yelp lead recovery brings those leads back before they're gone for good. Paying for Yelp leads you never respond to? Try NZ Leads free and recover missed leads with AI voice callbacks. How Many Yelp Leads Go Unanswered? A lot of paid leads never get a first response from the business they contacted, and many more get one far too late to win the job. Across a benchmark of 2,241 U.S. companies, only 37% responded within an hour, 23% never responded at all, and the average response time was 42 hours (Harvard Business Review, 2011). The damage compounds: contacting a lead within an hour makes you roughly 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later. The money you spent on those leads doesn't come back. But the leads themselves are recoverable if you reach them quickly. What Happens When You Recover a Missed Yelp Lead Here's the exact sequence NZ Leads runs: 1. Detection - System watches your Yelp inbox for unanswered messages 2. AI voice callback - After the delay you configure, an AI voice agent calls the lead 3. Qualification - The voice agent confirms the project scope, timeline, and address 4. Booking - If qualified, it books the appointment directly on your calendar 5. Notification - You get a text with the lead details and appointment time The lead went from forgotten inbox message to booked job without you lifting a finger. Missed Yelp Lead Recovery: How the Window Decays Lead value falls off a cliff with every hour you wait. The named research is consistent on the shape of that curve: | Time Since Lead Arrived | What the research says | |------------------------|------------------------| | First minute | Replying instantly puts you first in line - the steepest decay is in the first minutes (MIT - Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007) | | Within 5 minutes | Best case; waiting to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify (MIT, 2007) | | Within 1 hour | ~7x more likely to qualify than an hour later (HBR, 2011) | | 24+ hours | ~60x less likely to qualify than within the first hour (HBR, 2011) | The window is real. After 24 hours, you're fighting a steep drop. But the sooner you reach an unanswered lead, the more revenue you pull back - and that's revenue most businesses leave on the table. Why Voice Callbacks Beat Text for Recovery A text message to a stale lead gets ignored. They've already moved on mentally. A phone call interrupts that pattern. A live voice callback tends to re-engage a stale lead better than another silent text, because it reaches the customer in a real conversation, answers their questions, and pushes toward a booking in a single call. This is different from missed call text back (which handles calls you didn't pick up). Lead recovery targets messages you never replied to at all. How to Set Up Missed Yelp Lead Recovery 1. Connect your Yelp business account to NZ Leads 2. Set your recovery window (how long before an unanswered lead triggers a callback) 3. Configure your AI voice agent script with your business details, services, and availability 4. Set qualification criteria (service area, job types, minimum project size) 5. Link your calendar for automatic booking Setup takes under 2 minutes, so you can be live the same day. No code. No complex integrations. What This Costs vs. What You Recover A single recovered Yelp lead for an HVAC or plumbing job can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars in revenue. If you recover even a few leads per month that would have gone to competitors, the system can pay for itself many times over. Compare that to what you already spent per lead just to get the message in your inbox. The lead acquisition cost is sunk. Recovery is where you get the return. Frequently Asked Questions Can I recover Yelp leads that are days old? Yes, though sooner is far better. Lead value decays fast: contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later, and about 60x more likely than after 24+ hours (Harvard Business Review, 2011). The sweet spot is reaching out within a few hours of the original message, but a same-day callback still beats letting the lead sit cold. How does AI recover a missed Yelp lead? NZ Leads detects unanswered Yelp messages, triggers an AI voice agent to call the lead back, qualifies their project, and books an appointment. The entire sequence fires without you touching anything. Will Yelp penalize me for slow responses? Yelp tracks your average response time and awards a "Responds Quickly" badge to businesses replying within a few hours. Missed leads hurt this metric. Automated recovery keeps your response stats healthy. What if the lead already hired someone else? Some recovered leads will have already booked another business. But many are still deciding, comparing quotes, or had a bad experience with the first responder. That's recoverable revenue sitting in your inbox that costs you nothing extra to reach. Does this work for Request a Quote leads too? Yes. Quote requests, direct messages, and phone call leads from Yelp all funnel through the same recovery workflow. The AI adapts its callback script based on lead type. How fast can I set up missed lead recovery? Setup takes under 2 minutes, so you can go live the same day. Connect your Yelp account, configure your AI voice agent script, set your recovery window, and the system handles the rest. --- Stop leaving money in your Yelp inbox. Try NZ Leads free and start recovering missed leads today. --- ### No-Code Voice Agent Setup in Under 2 Minutes **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/no-code-voice-agent-setup/ No-code voice agent setup: point-and-click forms, no developers or API keys, live the same day. $10/month per number plus $1/minute. No Code Voice Agent Setup No code voice agent setup is done entirely in point-and-click forms, with no developer, no API keys, no contract and no setup fee. Setup takes under 2 minutes, and the AI can take its first real customer call the same day. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. Live the same day. Try NZ Leads free and set up your voice agent in under 2 minutes. Under-2-Minute Deploy Flow How a typical setup unfolds. | Step | Action | Result | |---|---|---| | 1 | Sign up + enter business name + greeting | Account live | | 2 | Paste service list with min and max prices | LLM ready to quote | | 3 | Configure qualifying questions per service | Conversation flow set | | 4 | Sync Google Calendar via OAuth | Live booking enabled | | 5 | Forward phone line + test call | First test books | | 6 | Click go live | Real calls hitting | Operators deploy entirely on their own, with no developer and zero technical background. What You Need Before Signup Five things, all already in your head. | Item | Where It Comes From | |---|---| | Business name + your first name | Already in your head | | Top 10 services with min and max prices | Your price sheet or recent invoices | | Qualifying questions per service | What you already ask on the phone | | Business hours and last-appointment cutoff | Your current schedule | | Google Calendar or Cal.com login | Your existing account | If your prices are already written down, you are ready to start. The 6 Form Sections Six short sections. Auto-save means you can pause and resume. | Section | What It Asks | |---|---| | 1. Business identity | Name, agent name, greeting under 15 words | | 2. Service list | Top 10 services, min and max prices | | 3. Qualifying questions | 2 to 4 per service, checkbox menu | | 4. Calendar sync | OAuth, buffer, lunch block, cutoff | | 5. Phone forward | Set forwarding to platform number after 4 rings | | 6. Test + go live | Call from second phone, verify, flip live | Total: under 2 minutes. No code, no API keys, no developer. Test Call Verification Checklist What you should see during the test call. | Test | Expected Result | |---|---| | Pickup speed | Instant | | Greeting matches your input | Word-for-word | | Service quoted from your list | Min and max range mentioned | | Qualifying question fires | Trade-specific (leak source, system age) | | Calendar slot offered | Real slots from your calendar | | Slot locks on accept | Calendar updates instantly | | SMS confirmation fires | Customer + you receive | If any test fails, the dashboard surfaces the cause and the fix. The fix is usually a single form edit. What an AI-Handled Call Looks Like (Right After Deploy) Customer calls your line at 11:47am, soon after you flipped live. | Turn | What the AI Does | |---|---| | 1 | Answers instantly with your greeting | | 2 | Listens to "I have a leaking water heater, can you come today?" | | 3 | Quotes water heater range $1,200-$2,800 from your list, asks unit age | | 4 | Customer says "8 years old" | | 5 | Offers 2pm or 4pm slot from your calendar | | 6 | Customer picks 2pm | | 7 | Slot locks, SMS confirmation fires | | 8 | Says goodbye | Total call: about a minute of talk time, roughly a dollar in cost, one job locked. In this example, one booked water heater job is worth far more than a month of voice cost. What an AI Voice Agent Costs | Item | Cost | |---|---| | Voice agent (per phone number) | $10/month | | Per-minute talk time | $1/minute (rounded up to the next whole minute per call) | | Setup, support, config edits | Free | | Recording, transcript, CRM sync | Included | Example: 30 calls per month at 90 to 180 seconds each = 60 to 90 billed minutes, or $70 to $100/month including the $10/month number. Edits After Deploy Settings stay editable forever. Expect to fine-tune a few settings in your first week. | Edit | Use Case | |---|---| | Update price range | Service cost changed | | Add new service | Expanded offerings | | Swap voice | Tone preference | | Adjust qualifying question | Better calibration | | Change cutoff time | Schedule change | No redeploy needed. How to Deploy in Under 2 Minutes 1. Sign up and enter business name and agent greeting. Under 15 words. 2. Paste service list with min and max prices. Top 10 services. 3. Configure qualifying questions per service type. Trade-specific checkboxes. 4. Sync Google Calendar or Cal.com via OAuth. Buffer, cutoff. 5. Forward business phone line and run test call. Instant pickup, slot locks. Frequently Asked Questions How fast can I deploy a no-code voice agent? Under 2 minutes start to finish: sign up, fill out the business identity, service list, and pricing forms, sync your calendar, run a test call, and go live with one click. You can take real customer calls the same day. What information do I need to have ready before signing up? Five things, all already in your head or your existing tools. Business name and your first name. Top 10 services with min and max prices. Top qualifying questions per service type. Your business hours and last-appointment cutoff. Your Google Calendar or Cal.com login. Having your price ranges written down before you start makes setup faster. Can I deploy a no-code voice agent without a developer or IT person? Yes, that is the entire point. The deploy flow is point-and-click forms. No code, no API keys, no developer tools. If you can fill out a Yelp profile or post to Facebook, you can deploy the voice agent. Operators with zero technical background set it up entirely on their own. What does the deploy form actually ask for? Six short form sections. Section 1: business name and greeting. Section 2: service list with prices. Section 3: qualifying questions per service. Section 4: calendar sync OAuth. Section 5: phone forward instructions. Section 6: test call and go live. Each section saves automatically, so you can pause and resume if you need to grab a price list mid-setup. How long until my first real customer call hits the AI? As soon as your phone forwarding is active. Setup takes under 2 minutes; a call-forwarding change with your carrier can take a little time to take effect. After that, the next inbound call goes to the AI, so you can be live the same day. What if the test call fails or the AI gives a wrong answer? The dashboard surfaces the failure cause in real time. STT misheard the caller: adjust microphone or input volume. LLM gave the wrong price: tighten the service list. Calendar conflict: reset buffer or cutoff. TTS sounds robotic: pick a different voice from the dropdown. The fix is usually a single form field edit. The AI does not need to be retrained. Can I edit the voice agent after deploy without redoing setup? Yes, all settings are editable in the dashboard. Change greeting, update prices, add a new service, swap voice, adjust qualifying questions. Edits apply without a redeploy. Expect to refine pricing and qualifying questions in the first week based on real call recordings. What does the no-code voice agent cost? Voice agent is $10/month + $1/minute of talk time, rounded up to the next whole minute per call. No setup fee, no contract, no minimums. For example, 30 calls per month at 90 to 180 seconds each is billed as 60 to 90 minutes, or $70 to $100/month including the number. Setup, support, edits and config changes are free. Live the Same Day Try NZ Leads free and run your first test call today. For the speed math, see voice AI and lead conversion speed. --- ### Per-Channel Pricing vs Bundled Suites: Which Saves Service Businesses More **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/pay-per-use-vs-traditional-pricing/ Per-channel pricing vs bundled suites: $99/mo Yelp or Thumbtack, $49/mo Messenger, Instagram or Google LSA, $19/mo Lead Ads. Pay only for the channels you use. Per-Channel Pricing vs Bundled Suites: Which Saves Service Businesses More When you compare per-channel pricing vs bundled suites, per-channel pricing is the cheaper choice for most service businesses running one or two lead sources, because you pay a flat monthly fee only for the channels you turn on, such as $99 for Yelp or $19 for Facebook Lead Ads. A bundled suite wins only when you genuinely use all its tools, from reviews and webchat to payments and multiple seats. Most service businesses pay for software they never use. A solo plumber running Yelp only does not need review management, webchat widgets, or a 5-seat CRM. Yet many enterprise bundles charge as if you do. Per-channel pricing flips that: pay $99/month for Yelp if Yelp is your only source, add Thumbtack at $99/month only when you actually start using it. Want the bill to track the work? Try NZ Leads free for 7 days and pay only for the channels you turn on. How NZ Leads Per-Channel Pricing Works Each lead source is its own line item. Activate only what you use. | Channel | Monthly Cost | What It Covers | |---|---|---| | Yelp | $99/mo | Unlimited Yelp message handling, qualifying, follow-ups | | Thumbtack | $99/mo | Unlimited Thumbtack message handling, qualifying, follow-ups | | Facebook Messenger | $49/mo | Page DMs answered, qualified, booked | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19/mo | Lead Ad form submissions answered instantly | | Google Local Services Ads | $49/mo | LSA lead replies, qualifying, follow-ups | | Instagram DMs | $49/mo | Instagram DMs answered, qualified, booked | | Voice agent (dedicated number) | $10/mo + $1/minute | 24/7 phone answering, qualifying, calendar booking | No setup fees. No per-lead fees. No lead caps. No contracts. Cancel anytime. 7-day free trial. Bundled Suites: What You Are Actually Paying For Enterprise reputation and messaging platforms package features into a single flat fee. | Bundle Type | Bundled Features | |---|---| | Reputation management suite | Reviews, webchat, payments, surveys, reporting | | Messaging + webchat platform | Webchat, SMS, social inbox, CRM seats | | Mid-tier multi-channel suite | Limited messaging, basic auto-reply, single seat | Many solo operators and two-person crews use one or two of those features. Paying the full bundle price for the rest means paying for work you never do. Real Cost Comparison: Solo Yelp Plumber Example: 30 calls/month at about 94 seconds each, Yelp as primary lead source. | Item | Monthly | Annual | |---|---|---| | Yelp | $99 | $1,188 | | Voice agent number | $10 | $120 | | Voice talk time (60 billed minutes) | $60 | $720 | | Total (per-channel) | $169 | $2,028 | Get a quote from any bundled suite and compare its monthly fee x 12, plus any setup fee, against that total. Real Cost Comparison: 4-Tech HVAC Example: Yelp + Thumbtack + Facebook Messenger + voice, 144 calls/month of up to 1 minute each. | Item | Monthly | Annual | |---|---|---| | Yelp + Thumbtack + Facebook Messenger ($99 + $99 + $49) | $247 | $2,964 | | Voice agent number | $10 | $120 | | Voice talk time (144 minutes) | $144 | $1,728 | | Total (per-channel) | $401 | $4,812 | Every line is either a flat channel fee or metered talk time, so you can check the total against any bundled-suite quote line by line. When a Bundled Suite Actually Makes Sense Bundles win when you genuinely run all the bundled tools at once. | You Actually Use | Per-Channel | Bundle | |---|---|---| | Yelp only | Per-channel wins | Overkill | | Yelp + Thumbtack | Per-channel wins | Still overkill | | Yelp + Thumbtack + reviews + webchat + payments | Edge case | Bundle may win | | Multi-location, 5+ seats, full reputation stack | Overpay per source | Bundle wins | For solo operators, two-person crews, and most service businesses running one or two lead sources, per-channel is the cheaper line. Voice Pricing: $10/month + $1/minute The voice agent is the only piece that meters by usage, and that is intentional. Voice talk time has real per-minute infrastructure cost. The base $10/month covers the dedicated phone number; talk time is rounded up to the next whole minute per call at $1/minute. | Example Monthly Calls | Duration Per Call | Billed Minutes | Voice Cost | |---|---|---|---| | 30 (solo, slow) | 94s | 60 | $70 | | 60 (mid-size) | 110s | 120 | $130 | | 100 (busy) | 100s | 200 | $210 | | 200 (peak season) | 95s | 400 | $410 | Linear scaling. No tier jumps, no overage rates. Forecast formula: $10 + (calls x billed minutes per call x $1), where each call rounds up to the next whole minute. What Bundled Suites Charge That NZ Leads Does Not | Cost Item | NZ Leads | Some Bundles | |---|---|---| | Setup fee | $0 | Often charged | | Cancellation penalty | $0 | Common with annual contracts | | Contract length | None | Often annual | | Recording, transcript | Included | Sometimes a paid add-on | | Free trial | 7 days | Not always offered | What you see on the per-channel pricing page is what you pay. How to Decide for Your Business 1. List the lead sources you actually run. Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Google LSA, Instagram, voice. 2. Price each one under NZ Leads per-channel. Yelp $99, Thumbtack $99, Messenger $49, Lead Ads $19, Google LSA $49, Instagram DMs $49, plus voice ($10/mo per number + $1/minute) as needed. 3. Get a quote from any bundled-suite competitor. Note which bundled features you would never use. 4. Calculate 12-month cost under each model. Sum per-channel vs flat bundle x 12. 5. Try the cheaper one. NZ Leads has a 7-day free trial and no contract, so testing it costs nothing if you walk away during the trial. Frequently Asked Questions How does per-channel pricing work for NZ Leads? Yelp $99/mo, Thumbtack $99/mo, Facebook Messenger $49/mo, Facebook Lead Ads $19/mo, Google LSA $49/mo, Instagram DMs $49/mo, voice agent $10/mo + $1/minute. Activate only the channels you use. Why do bundled suites cost so much more for most service businesses? They bundle features (reviews, webchat, payments, multi-seat CRM) into one higher flat fee. Many service businesses use one or two. Per-channel pricing only charges you for what you light up. What does NZ Leads actually cost for a typical Yelp plumber? $169/month in the example: $99 for Yelp, $10/month for the voice number, and $60 of talk time for 30 calls of 94 seconds each (billed as 2 minutes apiece). Are there setup fees, contracts, or cancellation penalties? No. No setup fees, no contracts, cancel anytime. 7-day free trial on top. How do voice minutes work, and how predictable is the bill? $10/month for the phone number, $1/minute talk time rounded up to the next whole minute per call. Forecast: $10 + (calls x billed minutes per call x $1). Linear, no tier jumps. When does a bundled suite actually make sense? Multi-location operations that genuinely use review management, webchat, payments, and multi-seat CRM at once. For solo operators and small crews, per-channel is cheaper. Can I add channels later without re-onboarding? Yes. Each channel is a self-contained line item. Add Thumbtack later for $99/month, FB Messenger for $49/month. No tier upgrade, no contract change. Switch Tonight Try NZ Leads free for 7 days. Activate only the channels you use, cancel anytime, and pick the cheaper invoice in 30 days. --- ### Plumber Auto-Response for Yelp and Thumbtack: Book More Jobs Without Missing Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/plumber-yelp-thumbtack-auto-response/ Plumber auto-response for Yelp and Thumbtack: AI creates a job-specific response to every plumbing lead in under 2 seconds. $99/month per channel, no contracts. Plumber auto-response for Yelp and Thumbtack: book more jobs without missing leads Plumber auto-response for Yelp and Thumbtack means AI creates a job-specific response to every new plumbing inquiry in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges and availability, so an urgent lead is handled while your hands are still under a sink. Pricing is per channel: $99/month each for Yelp and Thumbtack, with no contracts or setup fees. A toilet overflows at 6 AM. The homeowner opens Yelp and messages four plumbers. The one who replies first gets the job. You're under a sink with both hands occupied. You don't see the message until lunch. By then, someone else is already on their way. Plumbing leads on Yelp and Thumbtack are some of the most time-sensitive in home services. If you're not replying in minutes, you're losing jobs you already paid for. Losing plumbing leads to slow replies? Try NZ Leads free: it creates a job-specific response for every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds. Why Do Plumbers Lose So Many Yelp and Thumbtack Leads? Plumbers often reply to Yelp leads hours after they arrive. That's not a lack of effort. It's the nature of the work. You can't stop a soldering joint or pull your phone out of a crawl space to type a reply. Meanwhile, the plumber across town with an office manager replies in 15 minutes and books your lead. Not because they're better at plumbing. Because they answered first. Here's how response time breaks down for plumbing leads: | Response Time | What the Research Shows | What Happens | |---|---|---| | First minute | Replying instantly puts you first in line - the steepest decay is in the first minutes (MIT - Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007) | Homeowner books you before contacting others | | 5 to 30 minutes | 21x less likely to qualify the lead (MIT, 2007) | You're one of several options they're comparing | | 1 hour or more | ~7x drop vs replying within the hour (HBR, 2011) | Many homeowners have already hired someone | | 3 to 5 hours | Lead has gone cold | Lead is gone, money wasted | Hiring a receptionist means paying a full-time salary. That's hard to justify for a 1 to 3 person plumbing shop. Auto-response gives you the same speed advantage without the overhead. How NZ Leads Works for Plumbing Leads NZ Leads connects to your Yelp and Thumbtack accounts and creates a job-specific response for every new lead in under 2 seconds. While you're snaking a drain, the AI writes replies that address what each homeowner asked about. These aren't canned "Thanks for reaching out" templates. The AI reads what the homeowner described and writes a response to that exact request. - Emergency leads (burst pipes, sewer backups, no hot water): the response acknowledges the urgency and asks for their address - Planned project leads (bathroom remodels, water heater replacements, repiping): the response confirms the work type and offers to schedule an estimate - Follow-ups are generated automatically if the homeowner doesn't reply, keeping you top of mind without any effort on your end The homeowner feels like they're talking to someone who understands the situation. You get a booked job waiting for you when you finish your current one. What Happens to Your Plumbing Revenue With Faster Replies? The math is straightforward. Say you get 30 Yelp and Thumbtack leads per month and currently book a handful of them because you're replying hours later. Those are leads you've already paid for. Cut your response time to instant and you reply before competitors do, so you book more of the same leads - every extra job is pure upside on spend you've already committed. Run the numbers on your own lead volume and average job value to see what faster replies are worth. On Yelp, faster responses also improve your Yelp response quality score. A better score means Yelp shows your profile more often in search results. More visibility from the same budget. This is the same instant-reply engine behind our Yelp auto responder and Thumbtack auto responder. Do Automated Follow-Ups Actually Recover Plumbing Leads? Yes. Automated follow-ups are where a lot of plumbers leave money on the table. A homeowner asks about a water heater replacement. You reply instantly. They read it, get distracted, and never respond. Without a follow-up, that lead dies. NZ Leads creates timed follow-ups that bring the conversation back. A check-in the next morning. A direct booking link a few days later. For plumbers, this matters more than most trades because the average job value is high. A single recovered water heater install or repipe job can be worth thousands of dollars. One follow-up that works pays for months of the service. How Much Does NZ Leads Cost for Plumbers? You pay per channel you activate, not a flat bundled fee. Yelp $99/month, Thumbtack $99/month, Google Local Services Ads $49/month, Facebook Messenger $49/month, Facebook Lead Ads $19/month, Instagram DMs $49/month, voice agent $10/month per number plus $1/minute talk time. Activate only what you run, no contracts, no setup fees, 7-day free trial. Compare that to other options: | Option | Monthly Cost | Response Time | |---|---|---| | Full-time receptionist | Full-time salary | 5 to 15 minutes | | Bundled enterprise suite | One flat bundled fee | 1 to 5 minutes | | NZ Leads (Yelp + Thumbtack + voice) | $208/mo + $1/min talk time | Instant | | Doing it yourself | Free (but you lose leads) | 3 to 5 hours | There's a full breakdown of the pricing model in our per-channel pricing vs bundled suites post. Setup Takes Under 2 Minutes Connect your Yelp and Thumbtack accounts, tell NZ Leads what services you offer, your service area, and your availability. That's it. No code, no complicated onboarding. You keep working. The AI writes a response for every lead. You book more jobs from the leads you're already paying for. Try NZ Leads free and test whether faster, more consistent response workflows help you book more plumbing jobs. --- ### Receptionist vs AI Voice Agent: Which Captures More Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/receptionist-vs-ai-voice-agent/ AI voice agents beat receptionists on cost, coverage, and lead capture for most service businesses. See the full comparison. Receptionist vs AI Voice Agent In the receptionist vs AI voice agent comparison, the AI voice agent captures more leads for most service businesses at a fraction of the cost of a receptionist. The difference comes down to 24/7 coverage and zero missed calls. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. Losing leads to voicemail after hours? Try NZ Leads free and capture every call instantly, day or night. AI Voice Agent Cost vs Receptionist An AI voice agent runs $10/month per number plus $1/minute of talk time, so the usage side of the bill tracks your actual call minutes. A full-time receptionist means a monthly salary plus benefits. Virtual receptionist services charge a monthly plan, often with per-minute overage fees. | | In-House Receptionist | Virtual Receptionist | AI Voice Agent | |---|---|---|---| | Monthly cost | Salary + benefits | Monthly plan + overages | $10/mo per number + $1/min | | Hours covered | 40/week | 40 to 60/week | 24/7/365 | | Answer speed | 5 to 15 seconds | 15 to 30 seconds | Instant | | After-hours | No | Limited (extra cost) | Always on | | Setup time | Weeks (hiring + training) | Days | Under 2 minutes | | Complex conversations | Strong | Moderate | Limited | Say you pay $50 per lead on Google or Yelp: missing just 5 calls a month to voicemail wastes $250 in lead spend. That alone would cover an AI voice agent number plus 240 minutes of talk time. Which Captures More Leads? The AI voice agent captures more leads in almost every scenario. The reason is simple: it answers every call instantly, including the large share of service calls that come outside business hours. Many callers won't leave a voicemail. They call the next contractor. A receptionist, even a virtual one, has gaps. Nights, weekends, holidays, lunch breaks, sick days. Every gap is a lost lead. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007). Here's what the AI handles that a receptionist can't: 1. Answers every call instantly, 24/7/365. No breaks, no holidays. 2. Qualifies leads automatically. Asks trade-specific questions (job type, address, timeline, budget) and pushes details to your CRM. 3. Books appointments directly on your calendar without back-and-forth. When a Receptionist Still Makes Sense A human receptionist handles emotional conversations better. A homeowner upset about a failed repair needs empathy that AI can't fully replicate yet. Hire a receptionist if: - Your average job value is over $10,000 and callers expect high-touch service - Callers frequently ask complex questions needing human judgment - Your customer base skews 55 and up and prefers a real person Many larger businesses run both. AI handles first-touch and after-hours calls. A receptionist manages complex follow-ups during the day. That gives you 24/7 coverage without round-the-clock staffing costs. If you decide to go the automated route, our guide on how to choose an AI answering service covers what to look for. How NZ Leads Works as Your AI Voice Agent A lead comes in from Yelp at 9 PM on a Saturday. Your AI voice agent calls back instantly, qualifies the job, and books the appointment on your calendar. You wake up Monday with a confirmed booking instead of a missed opportunity. It works as a full AI answering service: it connects to your CRM, calls back your Yelp leads, responds to leads from Thumbtack, Google LSA, and Facebook, and handles after-hours calls without you lifting a finger. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see how many more leads you capture when every lead gets an instant response. --- ### How to Respond to Leads While on a Job Site **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/respond-leads-while-on-job/ How to respond to leads while on a job: AI creates a job-specific response to every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds and answers calls instantly. How to Respond to Leads While on a Job Site To respond to leads while on a job, let AI handle the first contact: it creates a job-specific response to every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds, answers phone calls with a voice agent, calls Facebook form leads instantly and books appointments on your calendar. You set up your business profile once, in under 2 minutes, and get alerted only when it matters. You can't reply to Yelp messages from a rooftop. You can't check Thumbtack with pipe sealant on your hands. Leads that come in while you're working don't wait. They contact several contractors, and the first reply wins. Stop losing leads to slow responses. Try NZ Leads free and have AI create the first response to every lead instantly, even while you're on the job. How Many Leads Do Contractors Lose During Work Hours Service businesses lose a lot of inbound leads between 8 AM and 5 PM, while everyone is on the job. Here's how a morning plays out: | Lead timing | What happens without automation | |---|---| | 8:00 AM Yelp message | You're driving. Seen at lunch. Customer already hired someone at 9 AM. | | 9:15 AM Thumbtack lead | Goes to 4 other contractors. First responder wins. You reply 3 hours late. | | 10:42 AM phone call | Missed. No voicemail. They called the next contractor. | | 11:30 AM Facebook lead | Customer filled out a form, forgot about it. Your 4 PM reply gets ignored. | Four leads. Zero booked. That's a typical morning for a contractor without automation. What Happens When AI Handles Leads Instantly The same four leads, handled by NZ Leads: - 8:00 AM Yelp message: AI creates a job-specific response with qualifying questions in under 2 seconds, then books a Tuesday appointment. - 9:15 AM Thumbtack lead gets a reply instantly. AI collects project details, proposes an estimate time. - 10:42 AM phone call answered by AI voice agent. Books a Wednesday appointment. Sends confirmation text. - 11:30 AM Facebook lead triggers an instant AI outbound call. Customer picks up. Estimate booked. Four leads. Four jobs booked. You were on the job the whole time. How Does AI Know What to Say Without Asking You NZ Leads uses a business profile you set up once (in under 2 minutes). It includes your services, pricing ranges, service area, availability, and escalation rules. The AI figures out the rest in real time: - Which service the customer needs based on their message - What qualifying questions to ask - Which time slots to offer from your calendar - Whether to escalate (emergency keywords like "flooding" or "gas smell" trigger an immediate text to you) You don't get interrupted for routine leads. You get alerted only when it matters. Which Lead Sources Does This Work With | Platform | How NZ Leads handles it | |---|---| | Yelp messages | Job-specific response created in under 2 seconds, qualifying questions, appointment booking | | Thumbtack inquiries | First-response advantage, project detail collection | | Inbound phone calls | AI voice agent answers, books appointments, sends confirmations | | Facebook/Instagram ads | Instant AI outbound call after form submission | | Google LSA | Automated response and follow-up | What Does Your End-of-Day Look Like With AI Lead Response Without automation, 5 PM means a pile of unread messages, missed calls, and dead leads you're scrambling to follow up on. With NZ Leads, 5 PM means: - Appointments already in your calendar - AI conversation summaries for each lead - Escalation alerts you handled during breaks - Nothing left to chase Set Up Auto-Response in Under 2 Minutes 1. Create your NZ Leads account 2. Connect your lead sources (Yelp, Thumbtack, phone, Facebook) 3. Fill in your business profile (services, pricing, area) 4. Connect your calendar 5. Set escalation rules 6. Go to work From that point, AI creates the first response to every lead instantly. You focus on the job in front of you. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see how many more leads you book when AI creates the first response to every lead instantly. --- ### Roofing Lead Follow-Up: Why Storm Leads Go to the Fastest Responder **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/roofing-lead-follow-up/ Roofing lead follow-up for storm leads: a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds, instant contact for Facebook and Google LSA leads, and timed follow-ups. Roofing Lead Follow-Up: Why Storm Leads Go to the Fastest Responder Roofing lead follow-up works best when every storm lead is contacted in the first hours, before homeowners book inspections with whoever reached them first: NZ Leads creates a job-specific response to each Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, replies to Thumbtack and Google LSA leads instantly and calls every Facebook form lead instantly. It can also call past customers whose roofs are nearing replacement. Storm damage roofing has one rule: the first company to make contact usually wins the job. Not the cheapest. Not the most experienced. The first. The research backs it up - contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later, and ~60x more likely than waiting a day (Harvard Business Review, 2011). Losing roofing leads to slow follow-up? Try NZ Leads free and have AI create the first response to every storm lead instantly, across every channel. How Fast Do Roofing Leads Go Cold After a Storm? Fast. Within 6 hours, engaged homeowners have already booked inspections with whoever called first. By 24 hours, early movers have locked up most of the work. After 72 hours, the storm cycle is basically closed. | Time After Storm | Lead Quality | What's Happening | |---|---|---| | 0-6 hours | Highest | Homeowners calling, messaging, wanting answers now | | 6-24 hours | High | Early movers already booking. Remaining leads still convertible | | 24-72 hours | Medium | Most homeowners have signed. Remaining ones are price-shopping | | 72+ hours | Low | Storm cycle closed. Stragglers only | Most roofing companies mobilize the next day and start calling in the 24-48 hour window. That's too late. NZ Leads puts you in hours 0-6 by acting on every digital lead the instant it lands. What Channels Do Storm Roofing Leads Come From? All of them, at once. That's what makes storms hard to manage manually. - Yelp messages: Homeowners search "roofing near me" and message the top results. NZ Leads creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds. - Facebook Lead Ads: Post-storm ad campaigns generate a flood of form fills. NZ Leads calls every one instantly. - Thumbtack requests: Job requests come in fast. NZ Leads replies instantly. - Google LSA: Clicks on your Google Guaranteed listing trigger instant AI response. One platform handles every channel. Every lead is handled before your competitors know it exists. What Does an AI Roofing Lead Follow-Up Call Sound Like? The AI handles both storm and non-storm leads with context-aware scripts. Storm lead (outbound call, instant after form fill): > "Hi [Name], this is Alex from [Company] calling about your roof inspection request. The storm hit several neighborhoods pretty hard, and I want to make sure we assess your damage before it causes interior issues. Are you seeing visible shingles down, or is this a precautionary check? I have inspection slots available this afternoon and tomorrow morning." Standard replacement lead (inbound response): > "Thanks for reaching out. A lot of homeowners start thinking about replacement when their roof hits 15-20 years, smart to get ahead of it. What kind of roofing material do you have, and roughly what's the square footage? I can get you a ballpark before we schedule an in-person estimate." For insurance work, the AI mentions free inspections, photo documentation for claims, and that you work with major carriers. It never quotes pricing upfront, since insurance jobs are priced during the adjuster process. Can AI Re-Engage Past Roofing Customers for New Work? Yes. Every roof has a lifespan. Customers who got a roof 8-12 years ago are approaching replacement territory. NZ Leads batch calling works like this: 1. Upload a CSV of past customers with job date and contact info 2. AI calls each one with a personalized check-in referencing their install year 3. Interested customers get booked automatically Customers whose roofs are approaching the end of their lifespan are some of the warmest prospects you have - they already know and trust you. A batch outreach surfaces the ones ready for an inspection without any manual dialing. That's revenue sitting in your existing customer list, reachable with one upload. Stop Losing Storm Leads to Slow Response Roofing lead follow-up is a speed problem. The companies that respond first close the most work. If you're still calling leads back the next morning, you're giving jobs away. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see what happens when AI creates the first response to every lead instantly. --- ### AI Voice Agent for Roofing Contractors: Call Leads Instantly **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/roofing-voice-agent/ An AI voice agent for roofing contractors calls storm damage leads instantly, qualifies homeowners, and books inspections 24/7 from Yelp and Thumbtack. AI voice agent for roofing contractors: call leads instantly An AI voice agent for roofing contractors calls every new Yelp or Thumbtack roofing lead instantly, asks about the damage type, active leaks, any open insurance claim, and the property address, then books an inspection on your calendar. Your crew starts the day with pre-qualified appointments instead of a stack of callbacks after a storm. After a storm, the contractor who calls first books the inspection. Not the best-reviewed, not the cheapest. The fastest. Studies show waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour later (HBR, 2011). For roofing, where dozens of leads can flood in overnight, manual callbacks are a losing strategy. An AI voice agent calls every new roofing lead instantly. It qualifies the homeowner, asks about damage type, and books an inspection appointment before your competitors even check their inbox. Tired of losing storm leads to slower competitors? Try NZ Leads free and start calling back every Yelp and Thumbtack lead instantly. How a Roofing AI Voice Agent Works A new lead comes in from Yelp, Thumbtack, or another connected lead source. The AI instantly places an outbound call to the homeowner. It introduces your company by name, references their specific inquiry, and runs through qualifying questions: - Is this storm damage or general wear? - Any active leaking inside? - Is there an insurance claim open? - What's the property address? If the homeowner is ready, the AI books a free inspection on the spot and syncs it to your calendar or CRM. Your crew wakes up to a schedule full of pre-qualified appointments. Storm Season: Manual Callbacks vs. AI Voice Response Here is the difference after a hypothetical hail event that generates 60 leads overnight: | Metric | Manual Callbacks | AI Voice Agent | |---|---|---| | Average response time | 2-6 hours | Instant | | Leads reached same day | A fraction of them | Every one | | When the lead is contacted | Hours later, often next day | The moment it lands | The difference comes down to timing. Thursday night storm leads that sit until Friday morning are already talking to another contractor by the time you call. Reaching all 60 instantly, instead of a handful hours later, is the difference between a full inspection calendar and a competitor's. What the AI Says on a Roofing Lead Call Here is a sample call flow for a Yelp storm damage lead submitted at 8:47 PM: > AI: "Hi Mike, this is Blake from Summit Roofing. You reached out on Yelp about roof damage after today's storm. Do you have a minute?" > > Mike: "Yeah, go ahead." > > AI: "We've been doing assessments all day. Can you tell if there's any active leaking inside, or is this more exterior concern?" > > Mike: "I haven't been up there to check." > > AI: "That's exactly what the free inspection covers. I can get someone out tomorrow morning. Does 9 AM or 11 AM work better?" > > Mike: "9 AM." > > AI: "You're on the schedule for 9 AM. What's the full address?" Inspection booked before Mike talked to any other contractor. Lead Sources the Roofing Voice Agent Handles The AI works across every platform roofing contractors use: - Yelp for high-intent comparison shoppers - Thumbtack for active quote seekers - Facebook Lead Ads for storm campaigns - Google Local Services Ads for premium leads - Custom call lists for storm-area neighborhood outreach After a storm, you can also upload a list of homeowners by zip code. The AI calls each one with a relevant storm damage message, turning a neighborhood hit by the same storm into booked inspections. CRM and Scheduling Integrations Every inspection the AI books flows directly into your existing tools: - AccuLynx (job and contact creation) - Most CRMs (pipeline and follow-up automation) - Field service platforms (customer and job records) - Google Calendar (appointment sync) - Zapier/webhooks for anything else No copy-pasting between systems. The appointment, homeowner details, and damage notes land in your CRM automatically. Roofing Voice Agent Pricing | Item | Cost | |---|---| | Voice agent phone number | $10/month per number | | Voice calls, inbound or outbound | $1/minute | | Example: a 4-minute inspection call | $4 | | Text auto-responder (Yelp or Thumbtack) | $99/month per channel | | Google Local Services Ads | $49/month | | Facebook Messenger | $49/month | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19/month | | Instagram DMs | $49/month | A single booked roof replacement can be worth far more than months of AI calling. There are no contracts or setup fees. Start Calling Roofing Leads Faster The math is simple. Faster response means more inspections, more inspections means more jobs. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more leads you close when every call goes out instantly. Related: - AI Voice Agent: Instant Outbound Calling - AI Voice Agent for Service Businesses - AI Call List Dialer: Automatically Call Old Customers and Cold Leads --- ### Speed to Lead: Yelp and Thumbtack Response Time Data for 2026 **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/speed-to-lead-yelp-thumbtack/ Speed to lead for Yelp and Thumbtack. Why instant response wins marketplace leads and how to automate it. Setup takes under 2 minutes. Speed to Lead: Yelp and Thumbtack Response Time Data for 2026 Speed to lead is the time between a customer sending a Yelp or Thumbtack request and your first response, and on marketplaces where several pros get the same request it shapes who gets the first conversation. Waiting 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), so the goal is an instant first reply. The average service business takes 3+ hours to respond to a Yelp or Thumbtack lead. By then, your competitor already booked the job. Speed to lead is the single biggest factor in whether you win or lose marketplace leads. Losing leads to slow replies? Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every Yelp and Thumbtack inquiry in under 2 seconds. What Is the 5 Minute Rule for Leads? The 5 minute rule says to reach a new lead within 5 minutes of the inquiry. It comes from the Lead Response Management Study (MIT, Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007, study), which found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 100x less likely to contact a lead and 21x less likely to qualify it. Treat 5 minutes as the outer limit, not the goal: on Yelp and Thumbtack, where several pros often get the same request, NZ Leads creates a job-specific response for every inquiry in under 2 seconds, so the rule holds even while you are on a job. What Is Speed to Lead for Yelp and Thumbtack? Speed to lead is the time between a lead submitting a request and your first response. For marketplace leads, this number directly controls your conversion rate. The published research shows how steeply conversion odds decay with delay. MIT (2007) found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to reach it. Harvard Business Review (2011) found a similar curve over a longer window: contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour longer, and roughly 60x more likely than waiting a full day. The drop-off is brutal, and on Yelp and Thumbtack it's the difference between booking the job and losing it. What Do Speed to Lead Statistics Show? Three independent sources carry almost every speed to lead statistic you will see quoted. Here is what each one measured, so you can tell a real figure from a recycled one. | Statistic | What was measured | Source | |---|---|---| | 100x less likely to contact, 21x less likely to qualify | Responding at 30 minutes instead of 5 | MIT Lead Response Management Study, Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007 (study) | | About 7x more likely to qualify | Contacting a lead within an hour vs an hour later | Harvard Business Review, "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads", 2011 (article) | | About 60x more likely to qualify | Within an hour vs 24 hours or more | Harvard Business Review, 2011 | | 37% answered within an hour, 23% never answered, 42 hours average | An audit of 2,241 U.S. companies' replies to web leads | Harvard Business Review, 2011 | | About 76% visit a related business within a day | People who search on a smartphone for something nearby | Think with Google / Google-Ipsos, 2014 | Two cautions before you use them. None of these studies measured Yelp or Thumbtack, so they show the direction, not a forecast for your account. And a figure you cannot trace to one of these sources, such as a percentage of buyers who "always choose the first responder", is usually a vendor's number with no study behind it. Why Do Marketplace Leads Need a Faster Response Than Website Leads? A customer who fills in the form on your own website has usually picked you already. A customer on a marketplace is often comparing you with other pros inside the same app, so the clock runs against your competitors, not only against the customer's patience. The platforms say as much. Thumbtack labels a lead "Only picked you" when the customer has not contacted any other pros yet, which means every other lead may already be in front of someone else, and it says that your response rate affects your rank in its search results. Yelp can send one Request a Quote inquiry to several businesses, and if you leave new messages unanswered for 7 days and have not replied to any message in 30 days, Yelp turns messaging off for your business. So the cadence differs. On a marketplace, the first reply has to land the moment the lead does, and the follow-ups have to be planned instead of remembered: NZ Leads schedules them on Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7 and stops the sequence the moment the customer replies or books. The Yelp auto responder guide shows that flow on Yelp, and the guide to improving your Thumbtack win rate covers what else decides a Thumbtack hire. Yelp Speed to Lead: Why Instant Beats Waiting Yelp can send the same Request a Quote inquiry to multiple businesses. A slow reply gives the customer more time to continue comparing providers, but response order alone does not determine who books the job. Here's an example scenario: A homeowner requests a plumbing quote on Yelp at 8:47 PM. Three plumbers get the lead. 1. Plumber A uses NZ Leads. A voice agent calls the homeowner back instantly, confirms availability, and offers a morning appointment. 2. Plumber B sees the notification at 9:15 PM and texts back. 3. Plumber C checks Yelp the next morning. Plumber A books the job. Plumber B gets a "thanks, already found someone." Plumber C gets no response at all. Thumbtack Speed to Lead: First Reply Wins Thumbtack's model is even more competitive. Leads compare quotes side by side. The pro who responds first sets the anchor. Everyone else is playing catch-up. The problem: most pros are on a job site, driving, or done for the day when the lead comes in. Manual response doesn't work at scale. Thumbtack also documents its own lead-management option, Front Desk. Its features and availability can change, so check Thumbtack's current documentation for what it covers on your account. Either way, it does not cover your Yelp leads. How Do You Improve Your Speed to Lead on Yelp and Thumbtack? 1. Set up an AI voice agent. NZ Leads calls leads back instantly, 24/7. No app checking required. 2. Automate your text-back. Send a personalized text on every new lead. Even "Got your request, calling you now" keeps the lead warm. 3. Stop relying on push notifications. They're easy to miss on a job site. Automation misses none. 4. Cover after-hours leads. A large share of Yelp leads come in after 6 PM. If you're not responding until morning, you're giving away much of your volume. 5. Track your response time. You can't improve what you don't measure. Many businesses overestimate how fast they reply. How to measure your lead response time 1. Export one month of leads with two timestamps each: when the lead arrived and when your first reply went out. 2. Use the median, not the average. One lead answered two days late drags an average up; the median shows what a typical customer experiences. 3. Split the month by when leads arrived: working hours, evenings, and weekends. Most slow replies hide in the last two groups. 4. Put the booked-job rate next to each group. If the evening and weekend leads book less often, that gap is your cost of slow response. Repeat the same count a month after any change, so you compare like with like. To turn the gap into dollars, divide your lead spend by booked jobs as shown in how much Thumbtack charges for leads. How Much Revenue Does Slow Speed to Lead Cost? Say your business spends $2,000/month on Yelp or Thumbtack leads (use your own number). When slow response lets faster competitors book those leads first, a large share of that spend is wasted, you paid for the lead and never closed it. Here's an illustrative example (not measured data) showing how the same lead spend pays off differently at fast vs. slow response: | Metric | Slow Response (30+ min) | Fast Response (instant) | |---|---|---| | Leads per month | 50 | 50 | | Revenue per job | $500 | $500 | | Booked jobs | Fewer | More of the same leads | | Monthly revenue | Baseline | Meaningfully higher | The leads are identical. The only thing that changed is how fast you reached them, and that determines how many turn into booked jobs. How NZ Leads Fixes Speed to Lead NZ Leads connects to your Yelp and Thumbtack accounts. When a new lead comes in, an AI voice agent calls back instantly. The agent confirms your availability, answers basic questions, and books the appointment on your calendar. No apps to check. No notifications to catch. No leads lost while you're on a job site. If the lead doesn't pick up the first call, an automated follow-up text goes out instantly. Setup takes under 2 minutes. No contracts, no setup fees, and no per-lead fees. Frequently Asked Questions What is a good speed to lead time for Yelp and Thumbtack? Instant is ideal. In the MIT Lead Response Management Study (Oldroyd, 2007), letting the first response slip from 5 to 30 minutes made a lead 21x less likely to qualify and 100x less likely to be contacted at all. On marketplaces where customers message several pros at once, the first useful response has a real edge. Why is speed to lead so important for marketplace leads? Yelp and Thumbtack can send the same request to multiple businesses at once. The first reply anchors the conversation, and many customers stop shopping once they hear back from a pro or two. How can I improve my Thumbtack response time? Automate the first reply. Push notifications are easy to miss, and manual response is unrealistic on a job site. An AI voice agent fires the instant the lead arrives, covers after-hours inquiries, and keeps speed to lead instant and consistent. How much revenue does slow lead response cost? It comes out of the leads you already pay for. Say your business spends $2,000 a month on Yelp and Thumbtack leads (use your own number): when slow response lets faster competitors book those leads first, part of that spend is wasted. Going from a 30+ minute response to instant lets you convert more of the same lead volume at no extra ad cost. Does responding instantly really lift my conversion rate? The research says yes. Contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour longer, and ~60x more likely than waiting a day (HBR, 2011). Marketplace leads often contact several businesses at once, and the first useful response has a real edge. What is the average response time on Yelp and Thumbtack? The average service business takes 3+ hours to respond. Most pros are on a job site, driving, or done for the day when leads arrive. A large share of Yelp leads come in after 6 PM, so businesses replying only in the morning miss much of their volume entirely. Does speed to lead affect my Yelp Responds Quickly badge? Yelp does not publish a guaranteed badge threshold or timeline. NZ Leads creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds for every inquiry, day or night. Can I automate speed to lead without changing my workflow? Yes. NZ Leads connects to the Yelp and Thumbtack accounts you already use and creates a job-specific response for every new lead in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. An AI voice agent can also call leads back instantly. Try NZ Leads free and see how your conversion rate changes when every lead gets an instant callback instead of waiting hours. --- ### Support Team Spotlight **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/support-team-spotlight/ Support team spotlight: same-day white-glove deploy. Hands-on setup call, same-day go-live, and free ongoing configuration help. Support Team Spotlight Most AI tools sell software and ship a help-doc link. White-glove support drives configuration during a setup call, takes you live during the call, and has your AI ready to book jobs the same day. Setup, training, config changes, and ongoing optimization are all free. White-glove deploy tonight. Try NZ Leads free and book your setup call to go live the same day. Same-Day White-Glove Deploy Timeline | Step | Action | Result | |---|---|---| | 1 | Sign up + book setup call | Slot reserved | | 2 | Gather your services, prices, hours, calendar login | Prep complete | | 3 | Zoom setup call | Support drives configuration | | 4 | Live test call during the Zoom | First test books | | 5 | Go live during the call | Real calls hitting | | 6 | First real AI-handled call | Customer interaction logged | | 7 | First real AI-booked job | Job locked on the calendar | | 8 | AI live and booking jobs | Working around the clock | Setup help is free, with no setup fees and no contracts. What Happens During the Setup Call Support drives, you watch and approve. | Step | Activity | |---|---| | 1 | Business identity, greeting under 15 words, voice selection | | 2 | Service list with min and max prices, qualifying questions per service | | 3 | Calendar OAuth, business hours, buffers, last-appointment cutoff | | 4 | Phone forwarding setup, handoff protocol, missed-call recovery | | 5 | Live test call from second phone, verify pickup, qualifier, calendar lock | You leave the call with a fully working AI. Support Response Priorities | Tier | Use Case | Business Hours | After Hours | |---|---|---|---| | Urgent | Service down, billing dispute | Handled first | Handled first | | Standard | Config change, integration help | Fast chat turnaround | Next available | | Strategic | Call review, optimization | Same day | Next business day | Fast chat support - most config changes are handled in minutes, not days. Done-For-You Mode (No Zoom Required) If you do not want to be on a call. | Step | Action | Time | |---|---|---| | 1. Submit details | Services, prices, hours, calendar, phone | Quick | | 2. Support builds end-to-end | Service list, qualifiers, calendar, OAuths | Same day | | 3. Review on shared dashboard | Approve or request changes | Quick | | 4. Flip live | One click | Instant | | Total | | Live the same day | Done-for-you accounts go live same business day. Post-Launch Support Cadence | Window | Touchpoint | Format | |---|---|---| | Week 1 | Daily check-ins | Short in-app chat | | Month 1 | Weekly reviews | Zoom call review | | Month 2+ | As-needed config changes | On request | | Day 30 | Full performance review | Scheduled call | | Day 90 | Scoring calibration session | Scheduled call | Free Includes Everything | Support Service | Cost | |---|---| | Setup call (Zoom) | Free | | Done-for-you full configuration | Free | | Service list and pricing setup | Free | | Calendar and CRM integration help | Free | | Knowledge base and FAQ writing | Free | | Weekly call reviews | Free | | Unlimited config changes | Free | | Same-day troubleshooting | Free | | Strategy and optimization help | Free | You pay $10/month per number plus $1/minute for voice, and a flat monthly price per channel for marketplaces. Support is always $0. Missed-Call and Missed-Message Recovery: Built Into Deploy Support configures during the setup call. | Recovery Type | Configured Trigger | |---|---| | Missed phone call | Under-2-second SMS text-back, optional voice callback | | Unanswered marketplace conversation | Multi-touch follow-up that auto-stops on reply or booking | | Recent leads that went quiet | Optional batch call campaign | A batch call campaign re-engages recent leads that went quiet, giving leads that would otherwise have gone cold another chance to book. Supported vs Self-Serve | Metric | Self-Serve | White-Glove | |---|---|---| | Who configures it | You, in minutes, at your own pace | Support, live during the setup call | | Booking rate at day 30 | Whatever your default config produces | Higher - tuned by support week over week | | Likelihood of sticking with it | Lower when setup stalls | Higher - a working AI from day one | Hands-on setup and tuning is what white-glove support buys you: the same software, configured and optimized for you instead of left to figure out alone. How to Use White-Glove Support 1. Sign up and book your setup call. Pick an available time. 2. Gather your details before the call. Services, prices, hours, calendar login. 3. Run the Zoom setup call. Support drives, you approve. 4. Run a live test call before ending the Zoom. Verify pickup, qualifier, calendar. 5. Schedule weekly review for week 2 onward. A sample of recent calls per session. Frequently Asked Questions What is the same-day white-glove deploy timeline? Book the setup call, go live during the call, and have your AI answering the same day. What happens during the setup call? Support drives configuration: identity, services, calendar, phone, test call. How fast does support respond to issues after deploy? Fast chat support, most changes in minutes. Urgent issues are handled first. Is support actually free or are there hidden charges? Genuinely free. Voice at $10/month per number plus $1/minute, and flat per-channel marketplace pricing only. Can support handle the entire setup without me on the call? Yes. Done-for-you mode, live the same day. What does the post-launch support cadence look like? Daily week 1, weekly month 1, as-needed after. Day 30 + Day 90 reviews. How does the support team handle missed-call and missed-message recovery? Built into deploy: under-2-second SMS text-back, multi-touch follow-up that stops on reply or booking, and an optional batch call campaign for recent quiet leads. Does support help with the first 30 days of optimization? Yes. Hands-on tuning through the first 30 days, aimed at more booked jobs. Book Your White-Glove Setup Call Try NZ Leads free and book your setup call to go live the same day. --- ### Thumbtack AI for Roofing Contractors **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/thumbtack-ai-roofing-contractors/ Thumbtack AI for roofing contractors: reply to supported leads in under 2 seconds, qualify storm and insurance jobs, and book inspections for $99 a month. Thumbtack AI for Roofing Contractors Thumbtack AI for roofing contractors replies to every supported Thumbtack lead in under 2 seconds, asks the roofing questions you set (damage type, roof age, insurance claim, timeline), and offers available inspection times. Thumbtack auto-response costs $99 per month, and an optional voice callback can call the homeowner instantly. Roofing leads can arrive while a crew is working, driving, or handling another customer. A consistent response process helps control delay, but the first reply does not guarantee the inspection. Need a more consistent Thumbtack response process? Try NZ Leads free and test an under-2-second first reply for supported leads. Why Roofing Contractors Lose Thumbtack Leads There is no verified universal response-time average for Thumbtack roofers. Start with your own median first-response time, qualified-conversation rate, inspection-booking rate, and cost per booked inspection. No verified roofing cohort multiplier or Thumbtack ranking benefit is claimed. Measure first-response time, qualified conversations, impressions, lead cost, and booked inspections in the actual account. Here is what plays out every day for a roofer doing physical work: 1. Homeowner requests quotes for a leaking roof 2. Thumbtack pushes the lead to several roofers 3. Roofer A is mid-tear-off. Checks phone at lunch. 4. Roofer B has AI auto-respond. The lead gets a personalized text in under 2 seconds. 5. Roofer B is on the homeowner's calendar before Roofer A puts the hammer down. Use your own average job value and close rate when estimating the cost of delayed follow-up. Generic national roof values do not predict a specific contractor's result. How AI Auto-Responds to Thumbtack Roofing Leads NZ Leads connects to your Thumbtack Pro account and watches for new leads. When one lands, three things happen at the same time: 1. Personalized text reply referencing roof type, damage, and your service area, sent in under 2 seconds. 2. AI voice agent callback that calls the lead, confirms details, captures insurance info, and books an inspection on your calendar. 3. Qualification of job scope, urgency, insurance status, and roof age before you spend time on the phone. The configured automation can operate around the clock like an AI answering service for supported roofing leads. Check your own lead timestamps before deciding how much after-hours coverage matters for the business. Storm Season: Where AI Roofing Auto-Response Pays Off Storms can create uneven inquiry volume. Build the workflow around the busiest day visible in your own account instead of an unverified industry multiplier. The AI can handle supported leads, detect storm-claim language, capture the configured insurance details, and offer available inspection times. Compare booked inspections before and after activation to determine whether it improves the real workflow. For voice-driven follow-up on the same leads, see the roofing voice agent guide. Thumbtack AI Cost: Roofing Companies | Pricing Model | Monthly Cost | What You Get | |---|---|---| | NZ Leads Thumbtack workflow | $99 | 7-day free trial, no setup fee, no per-lead fee, no lead cap, and no contract. | | Optional voice callback | $10/month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time | Adds an outbound voice step when configured. | Compare the flat monthly price with your own Thumbtack lead volume and booked-inspection value. What the AI Qualifies Before You Drive Out The AI doesn't just reply fast. It asks the questions that decide whether a lead is worth a truck roll: - Roof type: Asphalt, metal, tile, flat, slate, shake - Damage type: Storm, leak, aging shingles, full replacement, gutter - Roof age and square footage: Sets expectation on quote range - Insurance claim status: Carrier, claim number, adjuster timing - Property type: Residential, multi-family, commercial - Timeline: Emergency tarp, scheduled within month, gathering quotes Qualified leads land on your calendar with the answers attached. Out-of-area or DIY questions get filtered out. For a deeper roofing-specific receptionist setup, see AI receptionist for roofing contractors. How to Set Up Thumbtack AI for a Roofing Business 1. Connect your Thumbtack Pro account to NZ Leads. Takes under 2 minutes. 2. Set service area and roofing services - radius, roof types covered, accepted job categories. 3. Customize qualification questions for storm work, insurance claims, and roof age. 4. Connect your calendar (Google Calendar or a supported scheduling integration) so inspections book directly. 5. Activate and the next Thumbtack lead gets an instant reply. You can be live the same day. No coding, no two-week onboarding. For the broader Thumbtack auto-reply walkthrough, see the Thumbtack auto responder overview. Frequently Asked Questions How fast does Thumbtack AI respond to roofing leads? NZ Leads sends the first reply to a supported Thumbtack roofing lead in under 2 seconds and can trigger an optional voice callback. Measure booked inspections in your own account; no roofing cohort multiplier is claimed. Does Thumbtack AI work for storm-damage roofing leads? Yes. The configured workflow can distinguish storm damage from routine repair, capture the insurance details the business requests, and offer available inspection times. Response speed does not guarantee the inspection. What does Thumbtack AI cost for a roofing company? Thumbtack auto-response costs $99 per month with a 7-day free trial, no setup fee, no per-lead fee, no lead cap, and no contract. Optional voice costs $10 per month per number plus $1 per minute of talk time. Can the AI qualify roofing leads before I drive out to inspect? Yes. The AI asks about roof type, square footage, age, damage type (storm, leak, aging shingles, full replacement), insurance status, and timeline. Qualified leads land on your calendar with the answers attached. Tire-kickers and out-of-area requests get filtered out before you spend a tank of gas driving to a no-show. Does Thumbtack AI handle insurance-claim roofing jobs? Yes. The AI asks whether the job is an insurance claim, captures the carrier name, claim number if available, and adjuster timing. That detail routes the lead to whoever on your team handles insurance work. Jobs without a claim go to the standard estimate flow. No more guessing which lead is a $25k full replacement and which is a $400 patch. How long does it take to set up Thumbtack AI for my roofing business? You can be live the same day. You connect your Thumbtack Pro account, set service area and roofing services, customize the qualification questions for storm work and insurance jobs, and connect your calendar. The AI starts responding to the next lead that comes in. No coding, no installer, no two-week onboarding. --- Try NZ Leads free and compare response time, qualified conversations, and booked inspections against your current Thumbtack baseline. --- ### How Much Does Thumbtack Charge for Leads in 2026? **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/thumbtack-cost-per-lead-2026/ How much does Thumbtack charge for leads? Prices vary by account, so here is where to find your current cost and how to calculate cost per booked job. How much does Thumbtack charge for leads in 2026? Thumbtack does charge pros per lead, but how much it charges for leads varies with the service, job details, market, and account settings, and the current price for your business is the one shown in your Thumbtack pro account. To judge whether it pays off, divide your total lead spend by booked jobs to get your cost per booked job. Thumbtack does not publish one dependable national price sheet by trade. Current lead prices vary by service, job details, market, available pros, and account settings. The only reliable current price for your business is the price shown inside your Thumbtack pro account. That makes a public table of supposed 2026 averages more likely to mislead than help. Use your Services settings and billing history, then calculate what each booked job costs your business. Where do you find your current Thumbtack lead prices? In your pro account, open the service you want to evaluate and review its max lead price, expected price range, targeting, and weekly budget. Thumbtack's official community guidance says pros can control spending through max lead prices and a weekly budget. Record the visible price and observation date. Recheck it before changing a budget because the number can change with the service and market. What does Thumbtack charge pros for? Thumbtack's current model charges a pro when a customer makes a qualifying connection under the platform's rules. The exact price and refund eligibility depend on the lead and current account terms. Review the charge detail and refund policy inside your account for the specific lead instead of relying on an old public estimate. Thumbtack staff also state that there is no fixed public price sheet across all categories and markets. Your account shows the relevant range for the services and locations you selected. How do you calculate your Thumbtack cost per lead? Track three separate costs: A simple example: if you spend $400, receive ten charged leads, and book two jobs, the cost per lead is $40 and the cost per booked job is $200. This is an example of the calculation, not a Thumbtack benchmark or expected result. Why cost per booked job can differ between accounts Two businesses can pay different effective costs even when they offer the same service. Common reasons include: - different max lead prices and weekly budgets; - different service areas and job preferences; - different shares of unserviceable inquiries; - different availability and response workflows; - different quote, follow-up, and booking rates; - different refund or credit outcomes. Compare accounts only when the service, area, date range, and definition of a booked job match. What do slow replies cost you on Thumbtack? A slow reply does not lower what Thumbtack charges for a lead. It lowers the share of paid leads that turn into booked jobs, and that share decides what each job really costs you. The lead price stays the same while your cost per booked job goes up. Thumbtack's own help center shows why timing matters there. A lead marked "Only picked you" means the customer has not contacted any other pros yet, so a request without that label may already be in front of other pros. The Opportunities list holds customers who have reached out to other pros but have not hired anyone yet. Thumbtack also says that responding quickly helps your rank in customers' search results, so speed can affect how often you are seen, not only whether this customer books. Research on online sales leads points the same way. When Harvard Business Review audited 2,241 U.S. companies, only 37% responded to a new lead within an hour, and contacting a lead within an hour made it about 7 times more likely to qualify than contacting it an hour later (HBR, 2011). The MIT Lead Response Management Study found that waiting from 5 to 30 minutes made a lead 21 times less likely to qualify (Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007). Neither study measured Thumbtack, so read them as a direction, not a forecast for your account. The same leads with different booking results Take the example above: ten charged leads that book two jobs. Each booked job carries the cost of five leads. If slower replies mean those same ten leads book only one job, that job carries the cost of all ten, and your cost per booked job doubles while Thumbtack's price has not changed at all. | Charged leads | Booked jobs | Each booked job carries the cost of | |---|---|---| | 10 | 3 | about 3.3 leads | | 10 | 2 | 5 leads | | 10 | 1 | 10 leads | These rows illustrate the arithmetic; they are not Thumbtack benchmarks. Multiply your own average lead price by the last column to see what each booked job costs at each booking rate. Check your own reply times against booked jobs You can measure this in your own account instead of relying on anyone's average: 1. List a few months of Thumbtack leads with the time each one arrived and the time your first reply went out. 2. Sort them into three groups: answered within 5 minutes, within the hour, and later than an hour. 3. Compare the booked-job rate and the cost per booked job of each group. If the slower groups book less often, the gap between the groups is what slow replies cost you, in your trade and your market. Leads that arrive at night, on weekends, or while you are on a job usually sit in the slowest group, which is where an automatic first reply changes the most. The speed-to-lead data for Yelp and Thumbtack and the guide to improving your Thumbtack win rate go deeper on both points. How can you control Thumbtack lead spend? Tighten service and location preferences Exclude jobs you do not perform and locations you cannot serve. Fewer irrelevant leads can improve qualified-lead economics even when the listed lead price does not change. Set a deliberate max lead price and weekly budget Choose limits that fit your contribution margin and capacity. Do not raise a limit simply to chase more volume. Record the change date so you can compare a complete before-and-after period. Improve the response workflow Prepare a specific reply that addresses the requested job, confirms service area, asks only necessary questions, and offers a next step. General lead-response research supports avoiding long delays, but it does not guarantee a conversion lift for Thumbtack or for your account. Track refunds and disputed charges separately A requested refund is not a granted refund. Reconcile the final account credit before changing your cost calculation. How NZ Leads fits the workflow NZ Leads replies to supported Thumbtack leads in under 2 seconds with a tailored response built from the services, prices, and rules you configured. The product does not change Thumbtack's lead price and does not guarantee that a lead will book. Use the Thumbtack auto responder guide to review the workflow, then compare median response time, qualified leads, booked jobs, and cost per booked job against your own baseline. Frequently asked questions How much does Thumbtack charge per lead in 2026? There is no single public price that applies across trades and locations. Check the current max lead price and expected range for each service inside your Thumbtack pro account. Does Thumbtack have a fixed monthly lead fee? Pros manage lead spending through account-level prices and budget controls. Check your current account and billing terms for any separate products or fees. Do lead prices differ by city and service? They can. Thumbtack says job size, available pros, market demand, and what pros are willing to pay can affect pricing. Use the range shown in your own service settings. Does Thumbtack refund every lead that does not book? No. A lead failing to book is not automatically refundable. Check the current refund rules and the specific charge detail in your account. How do I lower my cost per booked job? Tighten targeting, set budget and max-price limits, respond with useful job-specific information, track follow-up, and measure completed bookings. Change one meaningful variable at a time so you can tell what affected the result. Is Thumbtack worth it for contractors? It depends on your qualified-lead rate, booked-job rate, job value, and margin. Define an acceptable cost per booked job, run a measured test, and continue only if the channel stays within that limit. Try NZ Leads free to test a faster, more consistent response workflow. Measure it against your own baseline; do not treat any booked-job outcome as guaranteed. --- ### Thumbtack CRM Integration: Auto-Sync Leads to Your CRM **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/thumbtack-crm-integration/ Thumbtack CRM integration that replies to every lead instantly, creates the CRM contact record, and triggers your follow-ups. Set it up in under 2 minutes. Thumbtack CRM integration: auto-sync leads to your CRM A Thumbtack CRM integration moves every new Thumbtack lead into your CRM automatically: NZ Leads replies instantly, creates a contact record with the full lead details, and triggers the follow-up sequence your CRM rules define. There is no copy-paste, and every outcome is logged so you can track what Thumbtack returns on your spend. You pay for every Thumbtack lead. If that lead sits in your Thumbtack inbox and never makes it into your CRM, you're paying for data you can't use. No follow-up sequence, no revenue attribution, no way to track what Thumbtack actually returns on your spend - and given what Thumbtack leads actually cost per booked job, that's money lit on fire. NZ Leads connects Thumbtack to your CRM so every lead gets an instant reply, a contact record, and an automated follow-up. No copy-paste. No Zapier workarounds. Wasting money on Thumbtack leads that never reach your CRM? Try NZ Leads free and start syncing every lead automatically in under 2 minutes. How Thumbtack CRM Integration Works with NZ Leads NZ Leads detects new Thumbtack leads instantly. Here is what happens automatically: 1. Customer sends a Thumbtack message 2. NZ Leads replies instantly 3. AI handles the conversation (text, chat, or voice call) 4. A contact record is created in your CRM with full lead details 5. Follow-up sequences trigger based on your CRM rules 6. Outcome is logged for ROI tracking Your only job is showing up to the appointment. Supported CRMs for Thumbtack Integration | CRM type | What gets synced | Extras | |-----|-----------------|--------| | Flat-rate all-in-one marketing CRM (SMS/email/pipeline bundled) | Contact, opportunity, tags, pipeline stage | Two-way sync, team routing, SMS/email nurture triggers | | Field service management platform (priced per tech) | Customer profile, lead record, job request | Full conversation history in notes | | Trade-specific dispatch CRM (flat monthly fee, estimate-focused) | Customer, job/estimate, lead notes | Technician assignment by service type | | Per-seat enterprise sales CRM (priced per seat) | Lead, contact data, communication log | Auto follow-up reminders | | Webhook/Zapier | Full payload (name, phone, email, service, message) | Connect to any CRM or database | Deep All-in-One CRM Integration (Native) The deepest integration is with all-in-one marketing CRMs. NZ Leads creates a contact with name, phone, email, and job details, drops them into your pipeline at "New Lead" stage, and applies tags for Thumbtack, job category, and inquiry date. Lead routing assigns the right team member. Works with standalone accounts and agency sub-accounts. Why Not Just Use Zapier for Thumbtack Leads? Zapier moves data. That is all. It can route a Thumbtack notification to your CRM, but it does not reply to the lead. The difference matters. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, 2007). Zapier gets the data to your CRM eventually. NZ Leads gets a reply to the customer instantly and creates the CRM record at the same time. If you already have a Zapier workflow, keep it. NZ Leads works alongside it and adds the instant response, AI chat, and voice layer on top. Thumbtack Webhook for Custom Setups If your CRM is not on the list above, the webhook integration sends a POST request for every new lead. The payload includes name, phone, email, service type, message content, and timestamp. Connect it to any enterprise CRM, sales pipeline tool, work management platform, Notion, Airtable, or anything that accepts webhooks. You can also build lead scoring on top of the webhook. Job type, location, and inquiry text get analyzed, a score is assigned, and high-value leads route to senior staff. Setup Takes Under 2 Minutes 1. Create your NZ Leads account 2. Connect your Thumbtack account 3. Pick your CRM in the Integrations dashboard 4. Authenticate and map your fields 5. Test with a live Thumbtack message Field mapping is fully customizable. Support can walk you through it if needed. Stop Losing the Leads You Already Paid For Every Thumbtack lead that never makes it to your CRM is money wasted twice: once on the lead fee, again on the missed follow-up. NZ Leads fixes both problems at once. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more Thumbtack leads you actually close. Related guides: - Thumbtack Auto Responder: Reply to Leads Instantly --- ### Thumbtack Voice Agent: Auto-Call Every Lead Instantly **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/thumbtack-voice-agent-call-leads/ NZ Leads's Thumbtack voice agent calls new leads instantly. Faster speed-to-lead means more booked jobs for service pros. Thumbtack Voice Agent: Auto-Call Every Lead Instantly A Thumbtack voice agent calls every new Thumbtack lead the instant it arrives, while the customer is still comparing pros, then qualifies the job, gives a price range or schedules an estimate, and books the appointment on the spot. If the customer does not answer, it leaves a voicemail and sends a text follow-up instantly. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. Thumbtack leads go cold fast. The customer just searched for a pro, compared profiles, and sent you a message. They're on their phone, actively deciding. If you call them right now, you're the only pro who called. You get the conversation and the job. Many pros only get back to a lead once they are off the job. By then, someone else may already have booked it. Losing Thumbtack jobs to slow callbacks? Try NZ Leads free and call every new lead instantly, automatically. How Does the Thumbtack Voice Agent Work? NZ Leads detects new Thumbtack leads the moment they arrive and places an outbound call to the customer's phone number instantly. The customer's phone rings while they're still browsing Thumbtack. Here's what happens on a typical call: 1. AI introduces itself with your business name and references the customer's Thumbtack request 2. Asks qualifying questions (job details, address, timeline, availability) 3. Gives a price range or schedules an estimate 4. Books the appointment on the spot 5. Sends you a full call summary via SMS and CRM If the customer doesn't answer, the AI leaves a voicemail and sends a text follow-up instantly. Three touchpoints from a single Thumbtack message. How Response Time Affects Your Odds The public speed-to-lead research is consistent: the faster you reach a lead, the more you win. | Response Time | Effect on Your Odds | Source | |---|---|---| | 5 to 30 minutes | 100x less likely to contact the lead | MIT, Oldroyd 2007 | | 5 to 30 minutes | 21x less likely to qualify the lead | MIT, Oldroyd 2007 | | Within an hour | ~7x more likely to qualify than waiting longer | HBR, 2011 | The difference between a $0 return and a booked job is often just timing. The voice agent calls instantly, so you're the pro who reached them first. Voice Agent vs. Manual Callback The real cost of slow response shows up every day. Here's a side-by-side comparison: | Scenario | Manual Callback | NZ Leads Voice Agent | |---|---|---| | Lead arrives | 1:47 PM | 1:47 PM | | You respond | 4:45 PM (after job site) | 1:47 PM (instant) | | Customer status | Already booked another pro | Still browsing Thumbtack | | Result | Lead fee wasted | Appointment booked on the call | You paid for the Thumbtack lead either way. The voice agent makes sure you actually get the job from it. Which Thumbtack Industries Benefit Most? The voice agent works across all service categories, but a few stand out: - Home cleaning: High volume, fast decisions. AI locks in recurring bookings on the first call. - Landscaping and lawn care: Seasonal demand with heavy competition. First call usually means first quote, which usually means the job. - Painting: Customers often compare several quotes. Calling first establishes rapport before others even respond. - General contracting: Customers often decide quickly. The voice agent reserves your spot while you're on site. - Home inspections: Time-sensitive for real estate transactions. AI confirms availability instantly. How Much Does the Thumbtack Voice Agent Cost? The voice agent costs $10/month per phone number plus $1 per minute of talk time. For example, a 3-minute call costs $3. Multiply by your own call volume to estimate the monthly cost, then compare it with the value of a single Thumbtack job you would otherwise miss. The text Thumbtack auto-responder pairs well with the voice agent for full coverage. Call first, text if no answer, follow up automatically. Start Auto-Calling Thumbtack Leads Today Setup takes under 2 minutes. Connect your Thumbtack account, configure your voice agent with your business name, services, pricing, and availability, and leads start getting called automatically. Try NZ Leads free and see how many more Thumbtack jobs you close when every lead gets an instant call. Related reading: - Thumbtack Auto Responder: Reply to Leads Instantly --- ### How to Improve Your Thumbtack Win Rate With Faster Lead Response **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/thumbtack-win-rate-improvement/ Improve your Thumbtack win rate by replying to every lead instantly, while the customer is still deciding. See why slow replies lose jobs and how to fix it. How to Improve Your Thumbtack Win Rate With Faster Lead Response Your Thumbtack win rate depends heavily on response time: customers message several pros at once, and the pro who replies first while they are still deciding has a big edge. Replying instantly to every lead, day or night, is the most direct way to win more of the Thumbtack leads you already pay for. Many pros lose Thumbtack jobs to slow replies, not to reviews, pricing, or profile optimization. Customers on Thumbtack make decisions fast and message several pros at once, so the one who responds first while they are still deciding has a big edge. Tired of paying for Thumbtack leads you never close? Try NZ Leads free and respond to every lead instantly. Why Response Time Drives Your Thumbtack Win Rate Customers on Thumbtack make decisions fast, and they message multiple pros at the same time. The independent research on speed-to-lead is consistent: waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead - and 100x less likely to reach it (MIT - Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007), and contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting longer (HBR, 2011). The first business to respond gets the customer's attention while they are still actively looking. By the time the third or fourth response arrives, the customer has already started a conversation with someone else. How Faster Response Adds Revenue Here is an illustrative example, not measured results. Say you spend $500/month on Thumbtack leads at $25 per lead, so 20 leads. If responding instantly means you start a real conversation on, say, ten of those instead of four, that is six extra booked jobs at a $400 job value: | Jobs Booked | Revenue (at $400/job) | |---|---| | 4 | $1,600 | | 10 | $4,000 | Same budget. Same profile. The difference is how many of the leads you already paid for actually get a fast reply. Why Manual Thumbtack Responses Cost You Leads You are on a job. A lead comes in. You see the notification 45 minutes later, type a reply, and the customer has already hired someone. This happens multiple times a week for most service businesses. The problem is not effort. It is timing. You can't pull out your phone and craft a personalized response while you are on a roof or under a sink. Automated response tools fix this by replying instantly, 24/7, even when you are on a job, driving, or asleep. What Does an Effective Thumbtack First Response Look Like? Speed alone does not close the lead. The response needs to do three things: 1. Reference their specific request. "Saw your request for carpet cleaning, 3 bedrooms and a living room" beats "Thanks for reaching out." 2. Show competence in one sentence. "We typically use hot water extraction for pet households, gets deeper than steam alone." 3. Give a clear next step. "I can have an accurate quote to you in 30 minutes if you can share the square footage." Generic "we'd love to help" messages get ignored even when they arrive first. Why Thumbtack Follow-Ups Win More Jobs Many pros send one message and move on. That is a mistake. A large share of bookings come not from the first message but from follow-ups a few days later, after the customer has had time to compare options. Many of the jobs you win come from leads you would have abandoned after a single message. A multi-touch sequence (for example day 1, day 3, day 7) keeps you in front of the customer and auto-stops the moment they reply or book. Automated follow-up handles this without you thinking about it. How to Connect Thumbtack to NZ Leads Setup takes under 2 minutes: 1. Create your NZ Leads account 2. Connect your Thumbtack account 3. Set your business profile (services, pricing range, service area) 4. Turn on auto-response and follow-up sequences 5. Connect your CRM for lead tracking Once connected, every Thumbtack lead gets a personalized response instantly. Follow-ups run automatically on a schedule you control. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see how many more Thumbtack leads you close when every lead gets an instant response. --- ### Voice Agent Setup Mistakes: 7 to Fix Before Launch **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/voice-agent-setup-mistakes/ Seven voice agent setup mistakes that cost booked appointments, from after-hours-only call forwarding to unchecked calendar connections, and the fix for each. Voice Agent Setup Mistakes The most common voice agent setup mistakes are skipping the setup call, forwarding only after-hours calls, skipping missed-call SMS recovery, listing services without prices, leaving the calendar connection unchecked, skipping edge-case test calls, and handing calls off without context. Each one is a small configuration choice, and each fix takes minutes. This is part of our complete AI voice agent guide for service businesses. Seven setup mistakes turn a same-day deploy into a leaky one. Each one is a small choice during configuration; together they quietly cost you booked jobs. Each fix takes minutes, self-serve or white-glove. Skip the mistakes. Try NZ Leads free and our team ships all 7 fixes during your setup call. The 7 Deploy-Speed Mistakes | Mistake | Impact on Deploy Speed | Impact on Booking | |---|---|---| | 1. Skipping the setup call | Tuning left to you vs same-day with support | Untuned config costs bookings | | 2. Phone forwarding only after-hours | None on go-live | Misses business-hours calls | | 3. Skipping missed-call SMS recovery | None on go-live | Lost calls never recovered | | 4. Service list without prices | Slows first booking | Lower booking on pricing calls | | 5. Calendar connection not checked | Fails later, not at go-live | Same-day cancellations | | 6. Skipping edge-case test calls | Surfaces issues post-launch | Day-1 errors slip through | | 7. Bad handoff (no context) | None on go-live | Hot leads drop on handoff | Calendar connections can fail silently long after deploy. The damage shows up later. Mistake 1: Skipping the White-Glove Setup Call Self-serve vs supported deploy. | Metric | Self-Serve | White-Glove | |---|---|---| | Who configures it | You, on your own | Support, live during the call | | Likelihood of finishing setup | Lower (many stall) | Higher (live during the call) | | Day-1 configuration errors | More | Fewer | The setup call is free. Skipping it means tuning every setting yourself instead of having support get it right with you, live, the same day. Mistake 2: Phone Forwarding Only After-Hours Plenty of missed calls happen during business hours - you are on a job, in a basement, or already on another call. | Forwarding Setup | What It Captures | |---|---| | After-hours only | Misses every business-hours call you can't pick up | | All unanswered after 4 rings | Catches both after-hours and on-the-job misses | Forwarding every unanswered call captures the business-hours misses you'd otherwise lose to voicemail. Mistake 3: Skipping Missed-Call SMS Recovery | Setup | What Happens to a Missed Call | |---|---| | No SMS, voicemail only | Many callers hang up and dial the next business | | Under-2-second SMS text-back | Conversation stays alive; the lead replies instead of leaving | A missed call without text-back is usually a lost lead. The instant SMS recovers calls that would otherwise be gone - skipping it is the most expensive shortcut you will ever take. Mistake 4: Service List Without Prices | Service Listing | Effect on Pricing Calls | |---|---| | "Call for quote" | Forces a callback queue; customers move on | | Flat price ($199) | Reads as rigid; can undersell the job | | Min/max range ($150-$450) | Sets expectations and books the most | Customers want a range, not a precise number. Range = trust = booking. Mistake 5: Broken Calendar OAuth Connections can expire or be revoked without warning. AI keeps booking, calendar never syncs. | Failure Mode | How It Breaks | |---|---| | Token expired | Auth lapses with no warning | | Wrong scope | AI can read but not write events | | Revoked by IT | Access pulled without anyone noticing | Fix: check the calendar connection regularly and reconnect it the moment sync stops, so calendar sync never fails silently. Mistake 6: Skipping Edge-Case Test Calls | Test Coverage | What It Catches | |---|---| | Happy path only | Misses most real-world edge cases | | Happy path + out-of-zone | Catches a few more | | Happy path + 3 edge cases | Surfaces the day-1 issues before customers do | Edge cases: out-of-zone, after-hours, voicemail callback, complex handoff, calendar full. Mistake 7: Bad Handoff Without Context | Handoff Quality | Effect on Handed-Off Calls | |---|---| | No context (cold pickup) | Customer repeats everything; many give up | | Voicemail summary | Better, but still missing the live detail | | Full transcript + intent + urgency | Tech picks up warm and books the most | A short SMS summary. The tech picks up with everything pre-typed. Cumulative Cost: All 7 Mistakes | State | Booking Outcome | Deploy Speed | |---|---|---| | All 7 mistakes shipped | Leaks jobs at every step | Slow, leaky start | | Zero mistakes (white-glove) | Books the most from the same calls | Live the same day | The white-glove setup call is free. That one call is what closes the gap between the two rows above. To put it in your own terms: book even a couple of extra jobs a month at your average ticket and the call has paid for itself many times over - run the numbers on your own call volume. Same-Day Deploy With Zero Mistakes | Step | Action | |---|---| | 1 | Sign up + book setup call | | 2 | Zoom setup call, all 7 fixes shipped | | 3 | Live test call from friend phone | | 4 | Go live, all 7 fixes active | | 5 | First AI-booked job | | 6 | Answering every call 24/7, jobs landing on your calendar | How to Avoid the 7 Mistakes 1. Book the white-glove setup call (do not skip). Live the same day with support driving the configuration. 2. Forward all unanswered calls after 4 rings. Not just after-hours. 3. Enable under-2-second SMS missed-call recovery. Recovers calls that would otherwise go to voicemail and never come back. 4. Paste service list with min/max prices. Lifts booking on pricing calls. 5. Run 3 edge-case test calls before go-live. Out-of-zone, after-hours, voicemail. Frequently Asked Questions What setup mistake delays voice agent deploy the most? Skipping the white-glove setup call. The free setup call gets you live the same day with support driving configuration: greeting, services, prices, calendar OAuth, phone forwarding, voice tone, handoff protocol. All shipped in one sitting, voice AI live during the call. Skipping it leaves every one of those settings for you to tune alone. What is the most common phone forwarding mistake? Forwarding only after-hours calls and missing the during-business-hours misses. Plenty of missed calls happen during stated business hours because the tech was on a job, in a basement, or on another call. Fix: forward all unanswered calls after 4 rings, not just after-hours. Forwarding every unanswered call captures the business-hours misses an after-hours-only setup never sees. Why does skipping the missed-call recovery setup cost the most? Many callers who hit voicemail never call back - they dial the next business. An under-2-second SMS text-back keeps the conversation alive instead, recovering missed calls that would otherwise be lost outright. Skipping the SMS recovery setup is the most expensive shortcut you will ever take. What service-list mistakes delay first booking? Three service-list mistakes. First, missing prices ("call for quote") forces every customer into a callback queue. Second, prices without ranges ($199 vs $150-$450) causes the AI to undersell jobs. Third, missing emergency dispatch upcharge causes same-day jobs to ship at off-hours pricing. Fix: paste top 10 services with min/max prices and emergency upcharge. A quick fix that lifts booking on pricing calls. How do calendar OAuth mistakes cause same-day cancellations? Calendar connections can expire or be revoked without warning. Voice AI keeps booking slots, but they never sync to your actual calendar. Customer shows up, you are on another job, you are double-booked, refund and one-star review. Fix: check the calendar connection regularly and reconnect it the moment sync stops, so bookings never silently miss your calendar. What test-call mistakes hide setup problems before go-live? Two test-call mistakes. First, testing from your own cell phone (caller ID matches account, AI behaves differently than for a stranger). Always test from a friend account or a second number. Second, only testing the happy path (clean qualifier flow) without testing edge cases (out-of-zone, after-hours, voicemail callback). Running a few edge-case test calls before go-live surfaces day-1 issues the happy path hides. What handoff setup mistake makes the AI lose hot leads? No context capture in the handoff SMS. When the AI hands off and your tech picks up cold, the customer has to repeat the entire story (service type, urgency, location, prior conversation), and many give up. Fix: configure the handoff to include full transcript, qualifying answers, intent classification, urgency tag, customer phone. A short SMS summary lets the tech pick up with full context, no scrolling, no awkward replay. What is the cumulative cost of all 7 setup mistakes? Each mistake quietly costs you booked jobs, and together they leave a same-day deploy leaking jobs at every step. Each fix takes minutes, whether you do it yourself or during a white-glove setup call. The white-glove call is included free, so it is the highest-leverage time you will spend on the entire deploy. Ship Zero Mistakes During Your Setup Call Try NZ Leads free and our team ships all 7 fixes during your free setup call. For the supporting team detail, see support team spotlight. --- ### Voice AI vs Text Autoresponder for Service Business Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/voice-ai-vs-text-autoresponder/ Voice AI vs text autoresponder: which one wins for each lead source, why both beat the slow manual baseline, and why running both reaches more leads. Voice AI vs Text Autoresponder: Which Wins More Jobs? Choosing between voice AI vs a text autoresponder depends on the lead: text wins when the customer chose messaging (Yelp and Thumbtack messages, late-night leads), and an instant voice callback wins when a Google LSA or Facebook Lead Ads lead leaves a phone number. Running both covers more leads than either one alone. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. The short answer: voice and text each win in different situations, and running both covers more leads than either alone. The right setup depends on where your leads come from and how they prefer to be reached. Want to stop choosing and just convert more leads? Try NZ Leads free and run both voice and text from one platform. Voice AI vs Text Auto-Response: How They Compare Both beat the slow manual baseline for one reason - speed. The public research is consistent: waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour later (HBR, 2011). Whether you reply by text or by call, replying instantly is what wins the job. | Approach | Best for | Why | |---|---|---| | Text auto-response only | Yelp and Thumbtack messages, late-night leads, comparison shoppers | The lead chose messaging; an instant text feels helpful, not aggressive | | Voice AI only (outbound) | Google LSA and Facebook Lead Ads leads with a phone number | A live call while they're still deciding closes the gap a text can't | | Combined text + voice | Mixed lead sources across multiple platforms | Each lead gets reached the way it prefers, on every channel | | Manual response (no AI) | Nothing - it's the slow baseline both AI approaches beat | Manual replies average 47 minutes; the lead has usually moved on | Running both channels covers the widest range of leads. Either one alone leaves some leads reached the wrong way - or not at all. When Does Text Auto-Response Work Better Than Voice AI? Text wins when the customer initiated via messaging. If someone sent a Yelp or Thumbtack message, they chose text, which is the job of a Yelp auto responder or a Thumbtack auto responder. Calling them feels aggressive. Text also works better for: - Late-night leads. A 10pm call is intrusive. A 10pm text reply feels helpful. - Comparison shoppers. People messaging several contractors want to read responses side by side. - Routine jobs. Simple requests like "need a quote for gutter cleaning" don't need a phone call. - Detail collection. Addresses, photos, and job specs are easier to share over text. Text struggles with older demographics, complex jobs needing real conversation, and emergencies where the customer wants reassurance fast. When Does Voice AI Convert Better Than Text? Voice AI wins when the lead submitted a phone number and expects a callback. Google LSA and Facebook Lead Ads leads convert better with an instant call. Voice also works better for: - Emergency jobs. A burst pipe or roof leak needs a real-time conversation, not a text thread. - Higher-value jobs. Customers spending $5,000+ feel more confident after hearing a voice. - Older homeowners. Many prefer a call over texting with a bot. - Stalled text threads. When a text conversation goes quiet, a call often re-engages the lead. Voice struggles when the customer is at work and can't talk, the call hits voicemail, or the timing is off (Sunday morning, late evening). How to Combine Voice AI and Text for Maximum Bookings The most bookings come from running both channels in the right sequence. Yelp or Thumbtack lead: An instant, job-specific text response (they chose messaging). If they share a phone number, offer a call. If the thread stalls, a Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7 follow-up cadence keeps you in front of them and stops the moment they reply or book. Facebook Lead Ads or Google LSA lead: Instant AI voice call (they submitted a phone number). If it goes to voicemail, drop a personalized message plus an immediate text. Continue via text if they prefer. Follow-up texts on Day 3 and Day 7. Inbound phone call: An AI answering service answers instantly. No voicemail, no missed ring. Full qualification and booking by voice. Text confirmation after. What Does Voice AI + Text Auto-Response Cost? | Item | Monthly Cost | |---|---| | Text auto-response (Yelp or Thumbtack) | $99/month per platform | | Google Local Services Ads | $49/month | | Facebook Messenger | $49/month | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19/month | | Instagram DMs | $49/month | | Voice agent phone number | $10/month | | Voice talk time (inbound or outbound) | $1/minute | | Example stack (Yelp + Thumbtack + one number + 100 three-minute calls) | ~$508/month | For comparison, a full-time receptionist or a live answering service can cost far more each month. And the real cost of slow manual response is the leads you never convert. Should You Start With Voice AI or Text Auto-Response? Start with text if your leads come mainly from Yelp or Thumbtack, you're new to automation, or budget is tight. Text is the lowest-cost place to start. Add voice when you run paid ads (Facebook, Google, LSA), you miss calls because you're on the job, or you've seen the text results and want to build on them. One way to roll it out: 1. Month 1: Text auto-response on Yelp. A job-specific response for every inquiry in under 2 seconds. 2. Month 2: Add Thumbtack. More leads covered. 3. Month 3: Add inbound voice AI. Never miss a call. 4. Month 4: Add outbound voice AI. Call every lead instantly. By month 4, every lead on every channel is handled instantly, which helps you win more of the jobs you already pay for, from the same ad spend. FAQ: Voice AI vs Text Autoresponder Can I run text-only without voice? Yes. Many businesses use text auto-response for months before adding voice. Both work independently. Do customers get annoyed by an AI call? When the call happens instantly and references their specific request, the response is positive. Customers care that you responded while they were still thinking about the problem. They don't care if it's AI. What if the customer wants to switch from voice to text? The AI handles it: "I can text you the details too." The conversation moves to text and continues there. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see how much your booking rate improves when AI creates the first response to every lead instantly. --- ### Yelp Advertising ROI: Calculate It from Collected Revenue **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-advertising-roi/ Calculate Yelp advertising ROI from lead cost, response time, booked jobs, and collected revenue without assuming a guaranteed conversion lift. Yelp Advertising ROI: Calculate It from Collected Revenue Yelp advertising ROI is the revenue you collect from Yelp-booked jobs divided by your total Yelp investment, including ad spend, profile fees, and the staff time spent responding. Measure booked jobs and collected revenue for the same period as the spend, because response time, reviews, price, and lead quality all move the result. Many service businesses track Yelp spend and leads without tying the same period to booked jobs and collected revenue. Response time is one useful diagnostic, but reviews, service area, price, availability, lead quality, and sales follow-through also affect the result. Want a cleaner Yelp response-time test? Try NZ Leads free, record your baseline first, and compare the next lead sample using the same attribution rules. How to Calculate Your Real Yelp Advertising ROI Your true Yelp cost is higher than your ad bill. Add up all of it: | Cost Type | Example (HVAC business) | |-----------|------------------------| | Monthly Yelp ad spend | $500 | | Enhanced profile fee | $0-$100 | | Time responding manually (4+ hrs/mo at $75/hr) | $300 | | True monthly investment | $800 | Now count only real leads, not profile views or page clicks. Leads are messages received, quote requests, and tracked calls. Multiply jobs booked by your average job value. Divide revenue by total investment. Formula: (Jobs booked x avg job value) / total monthly investment = ROI For example, a hypothetical HVAC company booking 7 jobs at $650 from 28 Yelp leads gets about a 5.7x return on $800 invested ($4,550 / $800). That can look fine until you check how many of those 28 leads never got a response or went cold while waiting 2+ hours for a reply. Model the Effect of Faster Yelp Response Faster response may improve contact opportunities, but it does not supply a universal conversion multiplier. Build a scenario from your own lead volume, job value, and close rate before deciding whether the workflow pays for itself: | Metric | Manual Responses | With NZ Leads | |--------|-----------------|---------------| | Monthly investment | Your Yelp spend | Yelp spend plus $99 | | Yelp leads | Baseline lead count | Same comparison window | | Median first-response time | Baseline value | Measured trial value | | Customer reply rate | Baseline value | Measured trial value | | Jobs booked | Baseline value | Measured trial value | | Collected revenue | Baseline value | Measured trial value | | ROI | Calculate from collected revenue | Calculate from collected revenue | Keep the lead sample and attribution rules consistent. The incremental result is the measured difference, not a number borrowed from another business. Does Yelp Response Time Affect Your Ranking Yelp displays response-related signals, but it does not publish a formula that guarantees an organic ranking change. Track the visible account metrics that Yelp provides: 1. Response rate - percentage of messages you reply to 2. Response time - how fast you reply on average 3. Visible response indicators - labels and thresholds can change, so verify the current account display Treat any ranking or lead-volume change as an observation, not proof that a response metric caused it. Reviews, profile relevance, location, competition, ad delivery, and customer behavior can move at the same time. NZ Leads creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, around the clock. It does not guarantee a response badge, ranking change, reply, or booking. When Yelp Advertising Genuinely Isn't Worth It Yelp doesn't work for every business. Three warning signs: - Low star rating and a thin review history. Yelp traffic may not convert well regardless of response speed. Improve the service experience before adding ad spend. - Purely price-driven category. If customers only pick the cheapest option, faster replies won't change the math. - Very small service area. Some trades in small markets don't have enough Yelp search volume to justify the spend. If none of those apply, slow response time is almost certainly why your Yelp ROI looks bad. Ads are only one way to fill the pipe. The broader playbook for generating leads on Yelp covers the organic levers - photos, review velocity, and Request a Quote - that lower your blended cost per lead so the ad math has less work to do. How to Track Yelp ROI Without Spreadsheets Three approaches, ranked by accuracy: 1. CRM tagging - Tag every lead as "Yelp" in your CRM. When a job closes, revenue ties back automatically. 2. Ask at booking - "How did you find us?" is directionally useful, not perfect. 3. A consistent lead log - Export or record the lead source, first-response time, customer reply, booked-job status, and collected revenue using the systems you already trust. Stop guessing whether Yelp is worth it. Measure it, then fix the one thing that actually moves the number: response time. Try NZ Leads free and see how your Yelp ROI changes when a job-specific response is created for every lead in under 2 seconds. --- ### Yelp AI Voice Agent: Instant Callbacks for New Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-ai-voice-agent/ A Yelp AI voice agent calls eligible new leads instantly, qualifies the request, and offers an appointment. See the workflow and the exact price. Yelp AI Voice Agent A Yelp AI voice agent adds an instant phone callback to your normal Yelp response. When a new inquiry includes a callable number, the agent can introduce your business, ask the questions you configured, and offer an available appointment without waiting for someone in the office to notice the message. This is part of our complete AI Voice Agent guide for service businesses. The callback is optional. You can use text only, voice only, or both: the under-2-second text reply first, then an immediate dial. How a Yelp voice agent works Here is the complete flow: 1. A new Yelp inquiry reaches NZ Leads. 2. The AI creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds. 3. If the inquiry has a callable number and voice is enabled, the voice agent dials instantly. 4. The agent identifies your business and references the requested service. 5. It asks the qualifying questions in your configuration, such as location, urgency, equipment type, or project scope. 6. It can quote a configured price range and check your connected calendar. 7. It records the outcome and conversation summary in the dashboard. If the question falls outside the configured information or the customer asks for a person, the workflow can hand the conversation back to your team. Yelp voice callback vs text auto reply | | Text Auto-Reply | AI Voice Agent | |---|---|---| | First contact | Under-2-second written reply | Instant outbound dial | | Best for | Written quotes, links, and customers who prefer messaging | Urgent or complex requests that benefit from a conversation | | Qualification | One question at a time in the message thread | Several questions in one live conversation | | Booking | Includes available times or a booking link | Can offer a calendar slot during the call | | Availability | 24/7 | 24/7 | | Price | Included with the $99/month Yelp connector | $10/month per number plus $1/minute | Neither channel is automatically better for every inquiry. Text gives the customer a written record and does not interrupt them. Voice can move a detailed or urgent request forward in one conversation. Running both lets the customer continue in the channel they prefer. Where an instant Yelp callback helps Voice is useful when the first few questions determine what happens next: - HVAC: equipment type, system age, symptoms, and preferred service window. - Plumbing: active leak versus planned work, affected fixture, and urgency. - Electrical: current panel size, project scope, and whether an on-site assessment is needed. - Cleaning: property size, bedrooms, condition, and optional add-ons. The agent should use your real service definitions and configured price ranges. It should not invent a quote when the required information is missing. Yelp AI voice agent pricing The voice add-on costs $10 per month per phone number plus $1 per minute of talk time. The underlying Yelp text auto responder is $99 per month, with no contract, per-lead fee, or lead cap. You can start with text and add voice later. Set up text and voice together The full Yelp connection takes under 2 minutes: connect the business account and turn the source on. Loading service definitions, connecting a calendar, and enabling the voice add-on are optional refinements. See the complete Yelp auto responder setup, examples, and pricing, or start a 7-day free trial. --- ### Yelp Business Automation Tools: The 3-Tool Stack **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-business-automation-tools/ Yelp business automation tools, ranked by what they fix: Yelp source connection, missed-lead recovery and calendar booking. Live in minutes, $99 a month. Yelp Business Automation Tools The core Yelp business automation tools are a Yelp source connection with an AI inbox (a Yelp auto responder), a missed-Yelp recovery flow that re-engages leads who go quiet, and a calendar connection that books real open slots. In NZ Leads all three are part of setup, at $99 per month per connected Yelp source. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. The minimum setup is a Yelp source connection, missed-Yelp recovery flow, and calendar OAuth. NZ Leads creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Live tonight. Try NZ Leads free and start the back-fill sweep on your dormant Yelp leads the day you connect. The Minimum-Viable Yelp Stack | Tool | Cost | Setup | What It Does | |---|---|---|---| | 1. Yelp source + AI inbox | $99/month | Part of setup | Creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds | | 2. Missed-Yelp recovery flow | Bundled | Part of setup | Re-engages leads that go quiet | | 3. Calendar OAuth (Google/Cal.com) | Bundled | Part of setup | Books real open slots live | | Total minimum-viable | $99/month | Under 2 minutes | Under-2-second Yelp responses, recovery, and booking | Optional add-ons: voice agent ($10/month per number + $1/min) for callback completion, Thumbtack ($99) for cross-channel coverage. Deploy Timeline (Under 2 Minutes) | Step | Action | Result | |---|---|---| | 1 | Sign up | Account live | | 2 | Connect Yelp via OAuth | Inbox monitored | | 3 | Paste service list with prices | LLM ready to quote | | 4 | Test Yelp inquiry | Job-specific response created in under 2 seconds | | 5 | Go live | Real Yelp leads hitting | | On connect | Back-fill recovery sweeps last 7 days | Recovery messages created for dormant leads | The Missed-Yelp Recovery Flow Tuesday 8pm. Customer messages your Yelp profile alongside 4 competitors. | Touch | Time | AI Action | |---|---|---| | 1. AI response | Under 2 seconds | "Got your message about your water heater. What is the unit age and is it leaking now?" | | 2. Silent nudge | 4:00:00 | "Are you still looking? I have a 6pm slot open tonight." | | 3. Close-out | 24:00:00 | "If you still need help just reply, otherwise we will check back in 30 days." | This can re-engage Yelp customers who would otherwise have ghosted a slow manual reply. ROI Math: 30 Yelp Leads/Month (Illustrative) This is a worked illustration, not measured data. The point is the shape of the math, not the exact figures, so plug in your own reply rate, booking rate, and job value. | Metric | Manual | Min-Viable Stack | |---|---|---| | Reply time | Stretches to hours | Under 2 seconds | | Reply coverage | Misses leads when you're on a job | Every lead, every time | | Avg job value | $400 | $400 | | Stack cost | $0 | $99 | The return comes from converting more of the same Yelp leads. Even one or two extra booked jobs a month covers the $99 cost several times over. After-Hours Yelp Coverage | Time Window | Manual Yelp Reply | Min-Viable Stack | |---|---|---| | 8am to 5pm | When someone is free | <2 sec | | 5pm to 9pm | Often hours | <2 sec | | 9pm to 6am | Next morning | <2 sec | | Saturday | Often hours | <2 sec | | Sunday | Often next business day | <2 sec | The AI does not care what time the Yelp lead lands. It creates the same job-specific response in under 2 seconds for a 2am Yelp lead as for a midday one. Back-Fill: Right After You Connect The moment you connect Yelp, the AI sweeps the last 7 days of unanswered messages and creates a recovery message for each one: "Sorry for the slow reply, are you still looking for help with X?" Some of those dormant leads were never going to hear back otherwise. The ones that re-engage and book are revenue recovered before a single new lead arrives, and at a $400 average job a single recovered booking covers the $99 monthly cost. When to Add Layers Start minimum-viable. Add layers when these triggers hit. | Trigger | Add Layer | Cost | |---|---|---| | 30+ Yelp leads/month | Voice agent for callbacks | $10/month + $1/min | | Cross-channel customers | Thumbtack source | $99 | | Lead volume spike | Facebook Messenger | $49 | | Running Facebook lead form ads | Facebook Lead Ads | $19 | | Customers messaging on Instagram | Instagram DMs | $49 | | Running Google Local Services Ads | Google Local Services Ads | $49 | | Calendar full | Buffer + lunch blocks | Free | | Out-of-zone leads | Service zone gate | Free | Add one layer at a time and measure the change before adding the next. What the Yelp Automation Tools Cost | Item | Monthly Cost | |---|---| | Yelp source + AI inbox | $99 | | Missed-Yelp recovery flow | Bundled | | Calendar OAuth + booking | Bundled | | Voice agent (optional callback) | $10/month + $1/min | | Setup, support, transcripts, CRM sync | Free | Minimum-viable Yelp stack: $99/month. With voice callback (one number plus 20 call minutes, as an example): ~$129/month. How to Deploy in Under 2 Minutes 1. Sign up and connect Yelp via OAuth. Paste URL, approve handshake. 2. Paste your service list with min and max price ranges. Top 10 services. 3. Configure the 3-touch missed-Yelp recovery flow. Under 2s, 4hr, 24hr. 4. Sync Google Calendar for live Yelp booking. OAuth handshake. 5. Run a test Yelp inquiry and go live. Flip the source to live. Frequently Asked Questions What is the minimum-viable Yelp automation stack? Three tools. First, Yelp source connection ($99/month) for inbox monitoring and a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds. Second, missed-call SMS recovery for the phone callback flow. Third, calendar OAuth for live booking. How fast can I deploy Yelp automation tools? The software setup takes under 2 minutes. Yelp authorization and third-party availability can affect activation. Once connected, the AI creates a job-specific response for every new Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds. What is the missed-Yelp recovery automation? A 3-touch flow. The AI creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds with a trade-tuned qualifier question, then generates a 4-hour nudge and a 24-hour close-out message for Yelp leads that go quiet. What is the ROI on Yelp automation tools? The potential return comes from covering the Yelp leads you already pay for more consistently. As an illustration only: 30 Yelp leads a month at a $400 average job against $99 in Yelp source cost. A single extra booked job covers the month several times over. Plug in your own conversion rate and lead volume to see your numbers. Do Yelp automation tools work after hours and on weekends? Yes. The AI generates a tailored Yelp reply in under 2 seconds at any hour, so a 2am inquiry on a Sunday is covered the same way as a midday one on a Tuesday. Can Yelp automation tools back-fill leads I already missed? Yes. On Yelp OAuth connection, the AI sweeps the last 7 days of unanswered Yelp messages and creates a recovery message for each one: "Sorry for the slow reply, are you still looking for help with X?" Some of those dormant leads re-engage and book, so the back-fill can recover jobs the day you connect, before any new lead even arrives. What if Yelp automation tools get a complex lead they cannot handle? Leads that need a person end in a structured handoff. The AI captures full context (service requested, urgency, customer location, conversation transcript, qualifying answers, calendar slots offered) and texts you the summary. You jump in with full context and zero scrolling. Other leads can continue with the AI directly: qualify, quote, book, sync to calendar. What does the Yelp automation tool stack cost? Minimum-viable: $99/month (Yelp source) plus optional $10/month per number + $1/minute for voice callback recovery. For example, one number ($10/month) plus 20 minutes of talk time ($20) comes to about $129/month total. Setup, support, transcripts, calendar sync, CRM sync, and recovery flows are all included free. No contracts, no setup fees, no usage limits on chat. The return comes from converting more of the same Yelp leads, so even one or two extra booked jobs covers the cost many times over. Live on Yelp Tonight Try NZ Leads free. For setup details and example callback scripts, see the full Yelp auto responder guide. --- ### Yelp Business Messaging Strategy That Actually Books Jobs **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-business-messaging-strategy/ Service businesses lose many Yelp conversations before booking. Fix your messaging strategy and convert more Yelp inquiries into confirmed appointments. Yelp Business Messaging Strategy That Actually Books Jobs A Yelp business messaging strategy that books jobs comes down to three habits: reply first, qualify fast, and follow up until the customer replies or books. Keep the whole conversation in messages, because the customer chose to message you instead of calling. Many Yelp message inquiries never turn into booked jobs, and price and reviews are not the only levers. How you handle the conversation matters: replying first, qualifying fast, and following up. Speed alone is a huge lever - contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later (Harvard Business Review, 2011). Stop losing Yelp leads to slow, sloppy replies. Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every inquiry in under 2 seconds. Why Most Yelp Messages Never Become Booked Jobs Customers who don't get a quick response often move on to the next business. That's a common reason Yelp messaging fails for service companies. Here are the four mistakes that kill conversions: | Mistake | What It Looks Like | Fix | |---|---|---| | Telling them to call | "Please call us at 555-0192" | Handle it through messages. They messaged you because they didn't want to call. | | Leading with price | "$0.25/sq ft, minimum $150" | Ask a qualifying question first. Give pricing in context, not as a raw number. | | Open-ended scheduling | "Let us know when you're free" | Offer two specific times: "Wednesday 9 AM or Thursday 2 PM?" | | No follow-up | One message, then silence | Automated follow-ups on day 2, 5, and 10. Silence means "not right now," not "no." | How to Convert Yelp Messages Into Appointments in 5 Steps Every successful Yelp booking follows the same five stages. Skip one and the conversation dies. 1. Respond instantly. Send a helpful first reply that acknowledges their specific issue. This determines whether steps 2-5 even happen. 2. Qualify in 1-5 minutes. Ask 2-3 questions about job scope, urgency, and location. This gathers info AND shows you know what you're doing. 3. Show expertise. Share one relevant detail that separates you from the ten businesses that just said "we can do that." 4. Propose a specific time. Not "when are you available?" but "I have Thursday at 10 AM or Friday at 2 PM. Which works?" A specific choice is easier to answer than an open question. 5. Confirm and prevent no-shows. Recap the details, send a reminder, make them feel good about the decision. Yelp Follow-Up Sequence That Recovers Lost Leads The biggest revenue opportunity isn't leads who respond right away. It's the ones who don't. A structured multi-touch follow-up sequence can recover jobs that would otherwise have been lost, and auto-stops the moment the customer replies or books. - Day 1: Immediate helpful response + qualifying question - Day 1 (45 min later, no reply): Check-in with availability - Day 3: "Still looking for [service]?" with a relevant tip - Day 7: Mention a seasonal benefit or specific value - Day 14: Final follow-up. Short, low-pressure. Running this manually is unrealistic. NZ Leads automates the entire sequence, starting with a job-specific response created in under 2 seconds. You don't track who's been contacted or remember to follow up. What Good Yelp Messaging Metrics Look Like Track four numbers to know if your messaging is working: | Metric | What to aim for | Why It Matters | |---|---|---| | Response rate | As high as possible | Percentage of customers who reply to your first message | | Stage reach | As high as possible | Percentage of conversations that make it to the booking ask | | Conversion rate | Trending up over time | Percentage of total inquiries that book an appointment | | Messages to book | As few as possible | Fewer messages means less friction and faster bookings | If your response rate is low, the problem is your first message. If stage reach is low, you're losing people during qualification or scheduling. These numbers tell you exactly where to fix. Yelp Messaging Script Example for Service Businesses First reply (instant): > "Hi [Name], thanks for reaching out about [specific issue]. We handle this regularly in [area]. Quick question: is it a complete failure or just running rough? That helps me figure out what we're dealing with before we come out." After they respond: > "Based on what you described, this sounds like [likely issue]. We typically resolve it same-day. I have [Day] at [Time] and [Day] at [Time] open. Which works better?" If no response after 45 minutes: > "Just following up. We're available [Day] and [Day] this week. Happy to answer any questions first." Short, specific, and always moving toward a booked time slot. --- If you want to see what AI-generated Yelp responses look like for your business, set up a free trial at NZ Leads and test it yourself. --- ### Yelp Conversion Rate: Baseline, Funnel, and Measurement **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-conversion-rate/ Measure Yelp conversion rate with a consistent 90-day baseline, clear funnel definitions, and no borrowed category benchmarks or guaranteed lift. Yelp Conversion Rate: Baseline, Funnel, and Measurement Yelp conversion rate is only useful when the numerator, denominator, and attribution window stay consistent. Track impressions, inquiries, customer replies, qualified leads, booked jobs, and collected revenue as separate layers so one metric does not hide the others. This guide shows how to build a 90-day baseline, compare paid and organic traffic, test response-time changes, and avoid borrowing unsupported category benchmarks. Need a consistent response-time test? Try NZ Leads free, record the baseline first, and compare the next sample under the same definitions. What Counts as a Yelp Conversion Rate Before benchmarks make sense, the term needs a definition. Yelp conversion rate is not one number. There are three layered conversion rates that compound, and many businesses only track the last one: 1. Page-to-message rate - what percent of Yelp profile visitors send a message or call. Yelp shows this inside Yelp for Business as "leads from your page." 2. Message-to-reply rate - what percent of leads who message you actually reply back to your first response. This is where ad budgets often leak. 3. Reply-to-job rate - what percent of replying leads turn into a booked, paid job. Multiply all three to get an impression-to-job rate. Keep each layer separate so a change in profile traffic is not mistaken for a change in sales performance. Build a Yelp Conversion Baseline by Category Conversion rates vary by trade, market, job size, season, review profile, lead type, and how a business defines a booked job. A single category table cannot be treated as a reliable benchmark without a named dataset and methodology. Use your own last 90 days as the baseline, then compare the next period using the same definitions. | Layer | Numerator | Denominator | Keep constant | |-------|-----------|-------------|---------------| | Page-to-message | New Yelp inquiries | Profile or ad visits | Market, service area, ad mix | | Message-to-reply | Customers who reply | New Yelp inquiries | Reply definition and window | | Reply-to-job | Collected or booked jobs | Customers who replied | Job definition and attribution window | Urgent and planned-purchase services behave differently, so segment the data before comparing periods. A plumbing emergency should not be mixed with a roofing estimate that may take weeks to close. Yelp Ads Conversion Rate: What Changes When You Pay Yelp ads conversion rate gets confused with organic Yelp conversion rate, but paid and organic traffic can behave differently because the audience and placement differ. Measure them separately rather than importing an unsupported percentage. That is not a reason to skip Yelp ads. It is a reason to be ruthless about the message-to-reply layer. If your ad-driven page-to-message rate is half of organic, your reply rate has to do twice the work to keep ROI sane. Businesses who treat ad-driven inquiries the same as organic - slow reply, generic template - quietly destroy their Yelp ads conversion rate and blame the platform. For more on the economics, see our Yelp advertising ROI breakdown. Why Yelp Conversion Rates Fall Short Yelp may surface a response-rate symptom without proving its cause. Check four common causes before drawing a conclusion: 1. Reply speed measured in minutes, not seconds Yelp shoppers may contact several businesses at once. Long delays give the customer more time to continue comparing providers. Use your own account data to test whether slower responses correlate with fewer customer replies or bookings. 2. Generic acknowledgments instead of real replies "Thanks for your message, we will get back to you shortly." That kind of reply technically counts as a response, but it does not move the conversation. The customer asked something specific - a price, an availability window, a question about whether you handle their issue - and your reply ignored it. Conversion rate craters. 3. No follow-up sequence Some leads need more than one touch, while others do not want another message. Stop on reply or opt-out, and compare a documented follow-up policy with your prior baseline. 4. After-hours blackout A meaningful share of Yelp inquiries arrive after 6pm and on weekends. Businesses without after-hours coverage lose those leads to competitors that reply through the night. See our Yelp and Thumbtack after-hours guide for the breakdown. A Practical Response-Time Test Response time is measurable, but there is no universal five-second conversion rule. Set a target, then measure median response time alongside customer replies and booked jobs. NZ Leads creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds at any hour, including nights and weekends. Speed alone is not enough. The reply has to address what the customer asked, so NZ Leads writes each response from your services, price ranges, and availability. For a deeper look at the data, see speed-to-lead on Yelp and Thumbtack. How NZ Leads Lifts Each Layer A good Yelp workflow is not a faster template. It reads the inquiry and creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds. From there, the conversation can qualify and book within the thread. - Message-to-reply can be tested after the first reply becomes faster and more specific. - Reply-to-job should be measured separately because qualification, price, availability, reviews, and sales follow-through also matter. - Ads conversion rate needs its own paid-traffic baseline and consistent attribution. Per-channel pricing at $99/month flat for Yelp means slow months and busy months cost the same - no per-reply meter to watch, no bundled-suite minimum hiding features you don't use. How to Audit Your Own Yelp Conversion Rate Before changing anything, get baseline numbers. Inside Yelp for Business, pull the last 90 days of leads and replies. Calculate: - Total leads received - Leads where the customer replied to your first message - Leads that became paid jobs Divide the second by the first to get message-to-reply rate. Divide the third by the second for reply-to-job. Compare each period with the same definitions and attribution window. The layer that changes most is the first one to investigate. What "Good" Looks Like "Good" means profitable for your service mix after lead cost, labor, refunds, and collected revenue are counted. Use your own baseline and target a material improvement without assuming another category's rate applies to you. If you want to see how speed-and-substance plays out on your actual Yelp inbox, try NZ Leads free for 7 days and watch your reply rate over the next 20 leads. Frequently Asked Questions What is a good Yelp conversion rate? A good Yelp conversion rate is one that produces profitable collected jobs for your service mix. Use a consistent lead-to-job definition and compare against your own 90-day baseline; category urgency, market, reviews, price, and attribution all affect the result. What is the average Yelp ads conversion rate? The average Yelp ads conversion rate is harder to benchmark because it depends heavily on category and competition. The fix is not necessarily abandoning ads. It is making the first reply to every paid inquiry fast and specific. How do I increase my Yelp conversion rate? Reduce avoidable response delay and make each reply specific. Test one documented follow-up policy, stop on reply or opt-out, and compare the result with your prior baseline. Why is my Yelp conversion rate so low? Start by separating profile traffic, new inquiries, customer replies, qualified leads, booked jobs, and collected revenue. Then check response time, reply substance, availability, reviews, price, service area, and follow-up policy before assigning a cause. Does response time really affect Yelp conversion rate? Response time can affect whether a customer is still comparing providers when you reply, but it is not the only variable. Measure it alongside reply quality, qualification, price, availability, reviews, and booked jobs using your own account history. If you want to test job-specific Yelp responses created in under 2 seconds, try NZ Leads free for 7 days. Record a baseline first, keep your definitions consistent, and judge the result from your own customer replies and booked jobs. --- ### Yelp Follow-Ups: AI vs Manual Workflows **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-follow-ups-ai-vs-manual/ Compare AI-created Yelp follow-ups with manual follow-up, including timing, stop rules, consistency, and a practical measurement plan. Yelp follow-ups: AI vs manual workflows For Yelp follow-ups, AI beats manual follow-up on speed and consistency: the AI creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds, then creates later follow-ups on the schedule you configure and stops when the lead replies or books. Manual follow-ups depend on someone remembering between jobs, so quiet leads often never get a second touch. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Most Yelp leads don't book on the first message. They ask a question, get a quote, then go quiet. The businesses that win those jobs are the ones that follow up. But manual yelp follow ups are slow, inconsistent, and easy to forget when you're on a job site. Losing track of Yelp follow-up? Try NZ Leads free and get a consistent, job-specific response for every Yelp lead in under 2 seconds. Yelp Follow Up Response Time: Why Minutes Matter The faster you reach a Yelp lead, the better your odds. The public research is consistent across windows: | Follow-Up Timing | Effect on Your Odds | Source | |---|---|---| | 5 to 30 minutes | 100x less likely to contact the lead | MIT, Oldroyd 2007 | | 5 to 30 minutes | 21x less likely to qualify the lead | MIT, Oldroyd 2007 | | Within an hour | ~7x more likely to qualify than an hour later | HBR, 2011 | | 24+ hours | ~60x less likely to qualify than within the hour | HBR, 2011 | The problem is obvious. A plumber knee-deep in a water heater install isn't checking Yelp messages every five minutes. By the time they respond, the lead already booked someone else. AI vs Manual: Yelp Lead Follow Up Compared The difference between manual and automated follow-up isn't subtle. It comes down to speed and consistency: | Factor | Manual Follow-Up | AI Follow-Up | |---|---|---| | First response time | Measure in your own account | Job-specific response created in under 2 seconds | | Follow-ups per lead | Depends on the team's process | Follows the configured sequence and stop rules | | Follow-up consistency | Hit or miss when you're on a job | Every lead, every time | Manual follow-up breaks down when ownership is unclear. A configured sequence keeps every follow-up consistent and on schedule, and it stops when the lead replies or books. Why Manual Yelp Follow Ups Fall Apart Three things kill manual follow-up for service businesses: 1. You forget. A lead comes in at 2pm, you're on a job until 5pm, and by then you've got three more messages to deal with. The 2pm lead never gets a second touch. 2. You stop too early. Many contractors send one reply. Maybe two. But many converted leads aren't reached on the first attempt - a lead who didn't commit immediately usually needs several touches, and almost nobody keeps that up manually. 3. Your tone gets worse. Copy-pasting the same follow-up at 9pm after a 12-hour day doesn't produce great messages. AI keeps the same quality on message 50 as message 1. What AI Yelp Follow-Up Automation Actually Does AI Yelp follow-up works like this: a lead messages your listing, and the system creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds. Later follow-ups are created on the configured schedule and stop when the lead replies or books. One example sequence is: 1. A first response that answers the request and gives the customer a clear next step 2. A later availability check if there is still no reply 3. A next-day follow-up that references the original request 4. A final low-pressure close, if your configured sequence includes one If the lead replies or books, the follow-up sequence stops. What This Means for Your Yelp ROI Yelp lead costs vary by account, market, and campaign. Use the amount shown in your own account rather than a generic price range. Measure the workflow with your own data: lead spend, first-response time, reply rate, qualified conversations, and booked jobs. A fast response is worth keeping when the message is accurate and the downstream conversion metrics improve. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and run a measured test of AI-created Yelp follow-up. --- ### Yelp Lead Qualification AI: Filter Bad Leads Before They Waste Your Time **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-lead-qualification-ai/ Yelp lead qualification AI scores every inquiry by intent and urgency instantly, routes emergencies to your calendar, and filters out tire kickers. Yelp Lead Qualification AI: Filter Bad Leads Before They Waste Your Time Yelp lead qualification AI reads every Yelp inquiry, scores it by intent and urgency, and routes it accordingly: emergencies go straight to your calendar, and the AI creates a short, polite response for low-intent messages. You only spend your own time on the leads worth it. Many of the Yelp messages you reply to won't turn into jobs. Some are tire kickers. Some are out of your service area. You spend the same 5 minutes on each one, whether it's a burst pipe or someone "just curious about pricing." AI lead qualification reads every Yelp inquiry, scores it by intent and urgency, and routes it accordingly. Emergencies go straight to your calendar. The AI creates a short, polite response for low-intent messages. You only touch leads worth your time. Tired of wasting hours on Yelp leads that never convert? Try NZ Leads free and let AI qualify every inquiry before it reaches you. How Does AI Qualify Yelp Leads? AI scans each Yelp message for four signal types before it creates a response: | Signal | What AI looks for | Example | |--------|------------------|---------| | Urgency | "broken," "flooding," "no heat," "emergency" | "AC stopped working, 98 degrees in the house" | | Timeline | "tomorrow," "ASAP," "this week," "next month" | "Need gutters cleaned before the rain Friday" | | Scope | Square footage, room count, "full replacement" vs. "repair" | "Looking at replacing all windows, 2400 sq ft home" | | Decision stage | "ready to book," "getting quotes," "already have one bid" | "Have two quotes, want one more before deciding" | Based on these signals, the AI classifies every lead into one of four categories and adjusts both the response and the follow-up sequence automatically. What Are the 4 Yelp Lead Types? Not every inquiry deserves the same effort. Here's how each type breaks down: | Lead type | Intent | Best response | Follow-up | |-----------|----------------|---------------|-----------| | Emergency | Highest, needs help now | Immediate, offer same-day service | Call within 2 hours | | Scheduled service | High, has a timeline | Pricing range + 2-3 time slots | 3-day and 7-day reminders | | Quote/planning | Medium, decides over weeks | Qualification questions + estimate offer | 7, 14, 21-day nurture | | Low intent | Low | Short re-qualifying response | 1 follow-up, then close out | AI handles all four types. You only get pulled in for emergencies and booked appointments. How Much Time Does Yelp Lead Qualification Save? Take a hypothetical plumbing company that gets 50 Yelp messages per month and spends 14 hours replying manually. Here's how that time could break down: - 8 emergency leads: 2 hours (high ROI, worth every minute) - 15 scheduled service: 3 hours (warm leads, good close rate) - 18 quote/planning: 6 hours (need weeks of nurture, hard to close manually) - 9 low-intent: 3 hours (mostly wasted) With AI qualification, much of that manual writing time goes away. The AI captures emergencies instantly, starts nurture sequences for quote-stage leads, and creates a tailored response for low-intent messages. Track your own hours before and after to see the difference. What Happens When AI Finds a High-Intent Yelp Lead? When the AI identifies an emergency or ready-to-book lead, the handoff is automatic: 1. AI detects urgency and intent signals in the message 2. Creates a calibrated, job-specific response that proposes an appointment 3. Books the appointment on your connected calendar 4. Notifies you with the customer name, job type, time, address, and conversation summary 5. Syncs everything to your connected CRM You show up to a booked job knowing exactly what the customer needs. No phone tag. No back-and-forth. How Long Does Yelp AI Lead Qualification Take to Set Up? In minutes. Connect your Yelp account, define what counts as an emergency vs. routine for your trade, check the AI's qualification questions, and set your routing rules. Follow-up sequences for quote-stage leads activate automatically. The AI starts qualifying your next incoming Yelp message as soon as setup is done. --- Stop spending hours every month on Yelp messages that mostly go nowhere. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and let AI sort your leads before they hit your inbox. --- ### Yelp Leads in 2026: Where They Come From and How to Convert More **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-leads/ Yelp leads go cold fast. Here is where they come from, why they stall, and how to convert more with speed and AI. Yelp Leads in 2026: Where They Come From and How to Convert More Yelp leads are some of the highest-intent leads a service business can get. The customer is already typing "plumber near me" or "house cleaner Saturday," they've picked your listing out of a dozen others, and they're messaging you because they want the job done. The problem isn't getting Yelp leads. The problem is converting them before the customer messages four other businesses and forgets you exist. Losing Yelp leads to slow replies? Try NZ Leads free: it creates a job-specific response for every Yelp lead in under 2 seconds, with AI that books appointments while you work. Where Yelp Leads Actually Come From Yelp leads land in your inbox through a few different paths, and the path matters because intent and urgency vary across them. | Lead Source | What It Looks Like | Intent Level | |-------------|--------------------|--------------| | Organic Yelp search | Customer searches a category, finds your listing, messages you | High | | Yelp Ads (paid placement) | Your business shows up at the top of category results | High | | Request a Quote | Customer fills out a project form, Yelp sends it to multiple pros | Medium-high | | Yelp Connect / sponsored content | Customer clicks through from a promoted post or article | Medium | | Direct profile visit | Customer lands on your page from a search engine or referral | Highest | | Repeat / referral | Past customer or someone they referred messages you again | Highest | Many paying Yelp businesses get much of their volume from a mix of organic search and Yelp Ads. Request a Quote leads tend to be the trickiest because the customer just messaged several of you at once. The first pro to reply with something useful often has the edge. If filling the top of that funnel is your harder problem, the 11 tactics to generate leads on Yelp covers the profile, photo, review, and Request a Quote moves that raise volume before you ever get to the conversion side below. Why Most Yelp Leads Go Cold There's a hard truth most service business owners learn the expensive way: getting Yelp leads is the easy part. Converting them is where the money is made or lost. The most common reasons Yelp leads die: - Slow first reply. Most Yelp leads are messaging multiple businesses simultaneously. Reply right away and you're often the first response in their inbox. Reply in an hour and you're competing with whoever already booked them. - Generic auto-reply. A canned "Thanks, we'll get back to you" template gets sent to every lead and customers know what that looks like. They tune it out. - No follow-up. A large share of Yelp leads don't reply to the first message. If you don't follow up over the next several days, they're gone. - Phone tag. Some leads want a phone call, not a message. If you only respond by message, you lose the ones who prefer to talk. - Out-of-scope work. Some Yelp leads aren't right for your business - wrong service, wrong location, wrong budget. If you don't qualify quickly, you spend time on jobs you'll never book. The speed-to-lead breakdown for Yelp and Thumbtack digs deeper into the response-time math and why every minute matters. Yelp Leads vs. Thumbtack Leads If you're running on both platforms, Yelp leads behave a little differently than Thumbtack ones: - Yelp leads tend to come from searchers actively looking for a business right now. Thumbtack leads more often come from project-oriented forms. - Yelp Request a Quote sends your reply to the lead directly. Thumbtack's flow puts you in a competitive lane with other pros bidding too. - Yelp leads more often expect a phone call. Thumbtack leads more often expect a message-first conversation. For a fuller comparison, the Yelp vs. Thumbtack leads guide has the full side-by-side. Conversion Patterns for Yelp Leads Numbers vary by trade, but a few directional patterns are worth testing against your own account data: - Businesses that reply right away tend to book more Yelp leads than businesses that reply an hour later. - Personalized first replies convert noticeably better than generic "we'll be in touch" templates. - Multi-touch follow-up sequences over 3-7 days can recover leads who didn't reply to the first message. - Adding a phone call to the message-only flow lifts conversion further, especially on higher-ticket jobs. If your Yelp lead-to-booking rate is lower than you want, check response speed and reply quality before blaming volume. You don't need more Yelp leads. You need to convert the ones already coming in. How to Convert More Yelp Leads Five things move the needle, in priority order: 1. Create a Useful Response Immediately Speed alone does not close the deal, but a useful response created the moment the lead arrives removes the writing delay. A Yelp auto responder creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. 2. Reply to What the Customer Actually Asked A reply that says "Yes, we handle kitchen faucet repairs and have Saturday morning availability" beats "Thanks, we'll be in touch" by a wide margin. The customer feels heard, not processed. AI tools that read the message can do this at scale; static templates can't. 3. Follow Up Multiple Times Many leads who don't reply to your first message will reply to a later one. Set up a sequence over 3-7 days. Skip the "just checking in" tone - reference their original request and offer something concrete (a time slot, a price range, an in-home estimate). 4. Add a Phone Call For higher-urgency or higher-ticket leads, a phone call can close faster than messaging. An AI voice agent can call leads who haven't replied to messages, qualify the job, and book the appointment - without taking your day apart. 5. Qualify Out the Wrong Leads Early Not every Yelp lead is a good fit. Asking the right qualifying questions up front saves time on jobs that were never going to book. Done well, this also raises your effective conversion rate because you're no longer counting bad-fit leads in the denominator. What an AI Yelp Lead Tool Looks Like A modern AI Yelp lead converter does five things at once: 1. Reads each new Yelp lead in full and creates a context-specific response in under 2 seconds. 2. Asks qualifying questions to filter good fits from bad ones. 3. Books the appointment directly when the lead is ready. 4. Calls the lead with an AI voice agent if messages stall. 5. Runs a multi-touch follow-up sequence over the next several days for any lead that goes quiet. For a deeper look at how AI handles Yelp specifically, see the Yelp auto responder guide. Pricing: Per-Channel vs. Bundled Suite Yelp lead tools come in two pricing flavors: bundled enterprise suites (flat monthly bundles, often with annual contracts) that lump in review management, webchat, and payments whether you use them or not, or per-channel pricing where you pay only for the channels you actually run. NZ Leads uses per-channel: $99/month flat for unlimited Yelp message handling, $99/month for Thumbtack, $19/month for Facebook Lead Ads, $49/month for Facebook Messenger, $49/month for Instagram DMs, $49/month for Google Local Services Ads. Add a voice agent only if you want phone callbacks ($10/month phone number plus $1/minute talk time). 7-day free trial, no contracts. Common Mistakes Handling Yelp Leads - Treating all Yelp leads the same. A tile regrout job and a full bathroom remodel are different conversations. Generic replies kill both. - Not tracking which leads converted. If you don't know your lead-to-booking rate, you can't fix it. - Skipping follow-up. This is where the easiest wins are. Many owners stop after one message. - Ignoring after-hours leads. A lot of Yelp messages come in evenings and weekends. If you don't reply until morning, you've lost them. Yelp Leads Are Worth Fighting For Yelp leads often carry high intent. The customer is actively shopping, often within a few hours of needing the service done. The pros who win on Yelp aren't the ones with the lowest ad spend or the prettiest listing. They're the ones who reply first, reply well, and follow up. Test Your Yelp Response Workflow This Week If you want to evaluate an AI-assisted Yelp response workflow, start with a baseline from your own inbox. Record response time, customer replies, qualified leads, and booked jobs, then compare the next sample on the same definitions. Start a free trial of NZ Leads and test the job-specific responses it creates for your Yelp leads in under 2 seconds. Results depend on your market, offer, and lead quality, so treat the trial as a measurement period rather than a promised booking lift. --- ### Yelp Request a Quote Auto-Reply: Job-Specific Responses in Under 2 Seconds **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-request-a-quote-auto-reply/ Yelp Request a Quote auto-reply: a job-specific response created in under 2 seconds from your services and price ranges, plus how to measure the results. Yelp Request a Quote auto-reply: job-specific responses in under 2 seconds A Yelp Request a Quote auto-reply is a job-specific response created in under 2 seconds for every Request a Quote inquiry, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Yelp sends the same request to several businesses in your area, so a fast, specific response matters while the customer is still comparing. It is the core job of a Yelp auto responder. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Yelp sends a "Request a Quote" notification to your business. You're on a job. You reply 3 hours later. By then, the customer already booked someone who responded in 4 minutes. That scenario is why response time deserves measurement, but speed does not automatically beat price, reviews, availability, or fit. A frequently cited Harvard Business Review study found that faster contact was associated with better lead qualification, but it did not measure Yelp bookings. Losing Yelp leads to slow replies? Try NZ Leads free and get a job-specific response for every Request a Quote in under 2 seconds. Does Yelp reply to Request a Quote messages automatically? No. Yelp puts three quick-reply buttons under each quote request, but you still open the request, choose a button and write the message yourself. Yelp's help center also notes that, at this time, the buttons cannot be turned off or customized (Yelp for Business Help Center). The three buttons and what each one does: - Send an Estimate and Availability: a price estimate, the times you are available and a personal message. - Need More Information: request a phone call, request a visit, or ask the customer a question. - Unable to Service: pick a reason from Yelp's list and add a message saying why you cannot take the job. An automatic, job-specific response therefore needs a separate tool. A Yelp auto responder such as NZ Leads creates one for every Request a Quote in under 2 seconds, with no button to press. How Yelp Request a Quote Works A customer finds your Yelp listing, clicks "Request a Quote," and fills out what they need. Yelp sends you the request via the app, email, and sometimes SMS. Here's the problem: Yelp sends the same request to multiple businesses in your area. You're competing against several other contractors who got the same lead at the same time. A prompt, useful reply can start the conversation sooner. Yelp does not publish a rule that guarantees a booking or higher organic placement from response speed, so track those outcomes separately. What the Research Says About Response Time The public research on lead response time is consistent, and it all points the same way: - 5 to 30 minutes: you become 100x less likely to contact the lead and 21x less likely to qualify it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). - Within an hour vs later: responding within an hour keeps you ~7x more likely to qualify the lead, and ~60x more likely than waiting 24+ hours (HBR, 2011). The research supports testing a faster workflow. It does not show that waiting an hour automatically hands a Yelp job to the first respondent. What NZ Leads Does With Yelp Quotes NZ Leads monitors your Yelp Request a Quote inbox. When a new request comes in: 1. AI reads the quote details (service type, timing, location) 2. Creates a personalized, job-specific response in under 2 seconds 3. Builds it from your services, price ranges, and availability, with a clear qualifying question The result is a relevant response instead of a generic "Thanks for reaching out." Can the reply include a price estimate? Yes. The response is built from the services and price ranges you enter, so a quote request for a service you have priced gets your own range for that job in under 2 seconds, together with a qualifying question. The customer sees a real number to compare instead of "it depends." Yelp's own Send an Estimate and Availability button takes a price in three forms: a flat rate, a range or an hourly rate. Whichever form you use, the estimate in the first reply works best when it is one you would stand behind on site: - Keep the range honest. A range so wide it covers every job tells the customer nothing; one that only shows the lowest price sets up a surprise later. - Say what moves the price. Naming the factors (size, access, parts, urgency) lets the customer place their own job inside the range. - Update it when your prices change. The response can only be as accurate as the prices you entered. For trade-specific examples, see how quote replies work for a plumbing business and a cleaning business. Why Generic Auto-Replies Don't Work on Yelp Some businesses set up a canned response: "Thanks for your interest. We'll get back to you soon." That's better than nothing. But customers can tell it's automated, and "soon" doesn't tell them when. They keep searching. NZ Leads creates contextual responses based on the request and the facts the business configured. A plumbing request can use different service details from a drain-cleaning request. Does Yelp Response Time Affect Your Ranking? Yelp may display response-related information, but it does not publish a guaranteed organic-ranking formula or promise more quote requests for a specific response time. Track the business outcomes you can verify: first-response time, reply rate, qualified conversations, and bookings. NZ Leads creates job-specific responses around the clock, in under 2 seconds for every Yelp inquiry. On a job when the quote request arrives If quote requests land while you are on a job and the customer has hired someone else by the time you reply, fix the first minutes, not your whole day. You need to know a request arrived, and the customer needs a useful answer before you can give one yourself: 1. Turn on Yelp's email and push notifications. Yelp asks businesses to enable both, and the Yelp for Business app is its recommended place to reply, so a request never waits for you to check a laptop. 2. Let an auto responder create the first response. NZ Leads creates a job-specific response the instant the lead lands, built from your services, price ranges and availability, so the customer has an answer while still comparing. 3. Add a voice callback for customers who share a number. When voice callback is enabled and a callable number comes in with the lead, the AI calls instantly to qualify the job. 4. Pick up the conversation when you are free. Reply from the Yelp app or the Yelp for Business website. Answering by email works only for the first reply to the initial request; after that Yelp moves the conversation to your inbox. Do not let requests sit for days. Yelp disables messaging if you do not reply within 7 days of receiving a new message and have not replied to any message in 30 days; to turn it back on, find the unread messages and mark them as replied. The Yelp response speed guide shows how to measure your own reply times. After-Hours Yelp Quotes A large share of Yelp quote requests come in after 6pm or on weekends. Without automation, those sit until the next morning. The customer may have booked someone else by then. NZ Leads generates a tailored Yelp reply in under 2 seconds at any hour, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Try NZ Leads free and test whether job-specific responses created in under 2 seconds improve your own Yelp response and booking metrics. --- ### Yelp Response Quality Score in 2026: What an 'Excellent' Reply Looks Like **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-response-quality-score/ Yelp response quality score: what an 'Excellent' reply includes, the factors Yelp's AI weighs, and how to create job-specific responses in under 2 seconds. Yelp response quality score: what an "Excellent" reply looks like The Yelp response quality score is Yelp's AI rating of how well a business replies to project requests: an "Excellent" reply gives a quote or availability, acknowledges the project details, and asks relevant follow-up questions instead of a generic "call us" line. This is part of our complete Lead Response Automation guide for service businesses. Yelp uses AI to evaluate how well service businesses reply to project requests. Businesses that consistently give helpful, informative replies can earn a response quality badge such as "Excellent", shown on eligible business pages and in Yelp search results. Yelp does not publish a formula that ties the badge to ranking or to which business a customer contacts first. Many businesses reply with "Thanks, give us a call." That kind of reply is unlikely to score well. Yelp's system wants specific, personalized answers. Writing those by hand for every lead is slow. Automating them is not. Losing Yelp leads to generic replies? Try NZ Leads free and create a job-specific response for every inquiry in under 2 seconds. What Does Yelp's Response Quality Score Measure? Yelp says its models consider factors such as whether you provide a quote or availability, acknowledge project details, ask relevant follow-up questions, and go beyond a generic "call us" reply. Here's how a strong response compares with a poor one: | Factor | Excellent Score | Poor Score | |--------|----------------|------------| | Personalization | References the customer's specific request | Generic template reply | | Pricing info | Includes realistic ranges for the project | "Call us for a quote" | | Availability | Mentions specific dates or timeframes | No scheduling info | | Follow-up questions | Asks relevant technical details | No engagement | | Response length | Detailed but focused | One or two sentences | | Response speed | Within minutes | Hours or next day | Where available, the badges show up on eligible business pages and in Yelp search results, so customers can see them before they message you. Excellent vs. Poor Response: Real Example A poor-scoring response looks like this: > "Thanks for your interest. Please call us to discuss." An "Excellent" response looks like this: > "Thanks for reaching out about your kitchen renovation. Based on the 12x10 space you described, a complete remodel typically runs $35,000-55,000 and takes 3-4 weeks. I have availability starting March 15th. Could you tell me: Are you planning to move electrical or plumbing? What's your preferred countertop material?" The second response takes 5-10 minutes to write manually. Multiply that by 8-10 inquiries a day and you can spend an hour or more just writing first replies. That's where a Yelp auto responder pays off - it generates the same level of detail in under 2 seconds, on every inquiry. How NZ Leads Builds Detailed Responses Automatically NZ Leads generates every reply around the factors above. Each response includes: - Realistic pricing ranges based on the project scope the customer described - Availability windows pulled from your schedule - Timeline estimates for the specific service requested - Follow-up questions that show expertise (access requirements, material preferences, technical details that affect cost) - Personalized references to whatever the customer mentioned in their inquiry The system detects urgency, adjusts tone accordingly, and asks the kind of follow-up questions that signal you know what you're doing. This happens on every inquiry, automatically, instantly. You don't need to write each detailed reply by hand. NZ Leads creates it for you. Why Response Quality Matters to Customers When a customer is choosing between three plumbers on Yelp, the one with an "Excellent" response badge may stand out. The badge signals that this business has a record of thorough, helpful replies. Treat any change in inquiries or bookings as something to measure against your own baseline, not a guaranteed effect of the badge. How to Set Up NZ Leads for Yelp Getting started takes under 2 minutes: 1. Connect your Yelp business account 2. Configure your services, pricing ranges, and availability 3. NZ Leads starts generating job-specific replies immediately Every response is built from your services, price ranges, and availability from day one. No training period, no tweaking templates. Yelp alone decides which badge, if any, appears. Try NZ Leads free and track your Yelp response quality score against your own baseline. Related articles - Yelp Auto Responder: Job-Specific Replies in Under 2 Seconds - Yelp Business Automation Tools in 2026: The 3-Tool Stack That Goes Live in Minutes --- ### Yelp Response Speed Guide: Benchmarks, Data, and Automation Playbook **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-response-speed-guide/ Yelp response speed guide: what the MIT and HBR lead-response research shows, how AI creates a job-specific reply in under 2 seconds, and how to measure it. Yelp Response Speed Guide Yelp response speed is how long your business takes to answer a new Yelp inquiry, and the named research shows lead odds fall sharply with delay: waiting 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead (MIT, Oldroyd 2007). NZ Leads creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds. Response time is one part of a Yelp lead workflow. The widely cited MIT and HBR studies measured broader web leads, not Yelp bookings, so they support testing a faster process but do not prove that the first Yelp reply wins the job. Yelp replies too slow? Try NZ Leads free and get a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds. How Response Speed Affects Conversion The named research maps how sharply conversion odds fall as reply time stretches out: | Reply Time | Effect on Your Odds | Source | |---|---|---| | 5 to 30 minutes | 100x less likely to contact the lead | MIT, Oldroyd 2007 | | 5 to 30 minutes | 21x less likely to qualify the lead | MIT, Oldroyd 2007 | | Within an hour | ~7x more likely to qualify than an hour later | HBR, 2011 | | 24+ hours | ~60x less likely to qualify than within the hour | HBR, 2011 | The studies show a relationship between delay and lead qualification. They are useful background for a response-time test, but your Yelp booking result still depends on the service, market, request, reply quality, availability, and staff follow-through. Why Yelp Response Time Matters More Than Other Channels Yelp customers may compare several businesses. A prompt, specific reply gives you a better chance to reach the customer while the request is fresh, but speed does not override price, reviews, availability, or fit. Do not borrow a generic response-time average. Record your own median response time for at least two weeks, separate business hours from after hours, and compare qualified conversations and bookings before and after a workflow change. Which Trades Lose the Most From Slow Replies Emergency-heavy trades lose the most from slow replies, because the customer needs help now and will call the next pro on the list within minutes. - Plumbing and HVAC leads are often urgent (a burst pipe, no AC in July), so a slow reply often means a lost job. - Roofing storm-damage leads can go cold within hours, and the homeowner is often calling several contractors at once. - Electrical splits between emergencies and scheduled upgrades, but the emergency side punishes slow response just as hard. - Cleaning and landscaping are less time-critical, but the first responder still has the edge. The Yelp auto responder guide breaks down the seasonal and trade-specific patterns further. How to create Yelp replies in under 2 seconds Four steps. Under 2 minutes total: 1. Connect your Yelp business account. Click Add Source, pick Yelp, authorize. 2. Add your service list with price ranges. "Drain cleaning $180-$320." The AI quotes from these, not generic templates. 3. Connect your calendar. Google Calendar or Cal.com so the AI books from real availability. 4. Go live. Every new Yelp message gets a job-specific response created in under 2 seconds. The full Yelp auto responder setup covers voice callbacks, follow-up sequences, and advanced configuration. Yelp Responds Quickly Badge and What Yelp Publishes Yelp calculates your response time as the median time you took to reply to new messages over the last 30 days, excluding its 6pm-8am after-hours window, and your response rate as the share of new messages you replied to in that period. Yelp does not publish a guaranteed threshold or timeline. Creating a useful, job-specific response in under 2 seconds removes the time spent writing each reply from scratch. For how Yelp scores the quality (not just speed) of your replies, see Yelp response quality score. ROI of Fixing Yelp Response Speed (Illustrative) The potential return comes from covering more of the same Yelp leads with a specific response instead of writing every message from scratch. The figures below are a worked illustration, not measured data, so plug in your own booking rate and ticket size. | Metric | Manual Reply | AI Auto Responder | |---|---|---| | Yelp leads/month | 40 | 40 | | Time to a written reply | Stretches to hours | Under 2 seconds | | Avg ticket | $450 | $450 | | Automation cost | $0 | $99/mo | At a $99 monthly cost and a $450 average ticket, one additional booked job would cover the software cost in this illustration. That is a break-even calculation, not a promise that the workflow will create the booking. Frequently Asked Questions What is a good Yelp response time for service businesses? The faster the better, and the first minutes matter most. Waiting from 5 to 30 minutes makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT, Oldroyd 2007), and contacting within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than waiting an hour later (HBR, 2011). How does Yelp response speed affect the Responds Quickly badge? Yelp does not publish a guaranteed badge threshold. A job-specific response created in under 2 seconds removes the time spent writing each reply, and Yelp alone decides when the badge appears. What is the average Yelp response time for service businesses? There is no single verified average that applies to every Yelp service category. Use your account's own response-time history and split it by business hours and after hours. Does Yelp response time affect search ranking? Yelp does not publish a rule that guarantees search-position gains from faster replies. Measure response time for customer experience and conversion, not as a promised ranking tactic. Can I automate my Yelp response workflow? Yes. NZ Leads creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability, and the follow-up workflow runs on the schedule you configure. How fast does an AI auto responder create a Yelp reply? NZ Leads generates a tailored Yelp reply in under 2 seconds, using your services, price ranges, and availability. --- Try NZ Leads free and get a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. --- ### Yelp Room to Improve Score: How to Fix It **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-room-to-improve-score/ Yelp Room to Improve score: a practical audit of reply timing, relevance and unanswered inquiries, with job-specific responses created in under 2 seconds. Yelp "Room to Improve" Score: A Practical Response Audit A Yelp "Room to improve" score is response-related feedback on how your business handles customer inquiries, and the fix is a response audit: check reply timing, relevance to the actual request, and unanswered inquiries, then measure the same way across one comparison window. Yelp does not publish a complete scoring formula for the label. Your Yelp response display says "Room to improve." Treat that label as a prompt to inspect your response workflow, not proof that Yelp lowered your ranking or that another business took a lead because of the label. Start with the basics: make each reply relevant to the actual request, reply promptly, and keep the same measurement definitions for at least one comparison window. Auditing slow or generic Yelp replies? Try NZ Leads free to test job-specific responses created in under 2 seconds against your own baseline. What Does "Room to Improve" Mean on Yelp? Yelp can display response-related feedback, but it does not publish a complete scoring formula or a guaranteed threshold for every label. Review reply timing, relevance, unanswered inquiries, and the current guidance visible in your Yelp for Business account. Do not infer an organic ranking change from the label alone. Reviews, relevance, location, competition, profile completeness, ads, and customer behavior can move at the same time. How "Room to Improve" Costs You Leads Use the label to organize an account-level audit: | Check | Evidence to collect | Safe conclusion | |-------|---------------------|-----------------| | First-response time | Median and 90th percentile | Whether delays are consistent | | Reply relevance | Sample of recent replies | Whether messages address the request | | Customer replies | Replies divided by new inquiries | Change against your own baseline | | Booked jobs | Consistent attribution window | Outcome, not a guaranteed effect of the label | The label does not prove a lost lead. Use customer replies and booked jobs to measure the actual outcome. Why Most Responses Get Poor Scores The typical response that gets flagged looks like this: "Thanks for your interest. Please call us." That reply ignores what the customer asked, gives zero useful info, and could be sent to anyone. Yelp's system knows the difference. Useful responses generally do the opposite: - Reference the specific service the customer asked about - Include real details like pricing ranges or timelines - Ask follow-up questions that show you understand the project - Offer a clear next step Most business owners know this. The problem is doing it for every single lead, especially after hours or during a busy day. How NZ Leads Writes Job-Specific Yelp Responses NZ Leads reads each incoming Yelp message and writes a response matched to what the customer actually said. Here's a comparison: Generic reply: "Thanks for reaching out. Call us to discuss." Job-specific response: "Thanks for reaching out about your bathroom renovation. We can help with that type of project. Before we confirm a range or schedule, are you relocating plumbing, and what is your preferred tile style? A team member will review the details and confirm the next step." The second response addresses the request and asks only the questions needed for the next step. NZ Leads creates a response like this in under 2 seconds around the clock, and quote wording comes from the business's configured services, prices, and rules. How Fast Does the Score Improve? Yelp does not publish a guaranteed timeline, and NZ Leads does not promise a particular label. Check the account after a consistent sample of new replies, then record whether response time, customer replies, or booked jobs changed. Fix Your Yelp Response Score Today Treat the label as a workflow checkpoint. Make every reply relevant to the request, cover nights and weekends, and compare results with your own baseline. NZ Leads creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds at any hour, built from your services, price ranges, and availability. Try NZ Leads free and run a measured test without assuming a badge, ranking, or conversion result. Related Reading - Yelp Response Quality Score: What an "Excellent" Reply Looks Like - Yelp Auto Responder: Job-Specific Replies in Under 2 Seconds - Yelp Business Automation Tools in 2026: The 3-Tool Stack That Goes Live in Minutes --- ### Yelp and Thumbtack After-Hours Response Workflow **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-thumbtack-after-hours-auto-response/ Yelp and Thumbtack after-hours response workflow: Yelp replies created in under 2 seconds, instant Thumbtack replies, and clear stop rules for follow-up. Yelp and Thumbtack after-hours response workflow A Yelp and Thumbtack after-hours response workflow covers leads that arrive in the evening, overnight, and on weekends: the AI creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds and replies to Thumbtack leads instantly. Start by checking your own lead timestamps to see how large the after-hours gap is. This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses. After-hours inquiries can wait longer when nobody owns the queue. Check your account timestamps first, then decide whether evening and weekend coverage is a material gap. Need a clearer after-hours process? Try NZ Leads free and get job-specific responses for Yelp and Thumbtack leads in under 2 seconds. How many Yelp and Thumbtack leads come in after hours? The answer depends on the service, market, season, and ad schedule. Export at least four weeks of lead timestamps and group them into business hours, evenings, overnight, and weekends. Record median first-response time and qualified conversations for each group. The commonly cited MIT lead-response study was not specific to Yelp or Thumbtack. It is a reason to test delay, not a substitute for your own channel data. Why after-hours response time kills your conversion rate Lead costs vary by account and market. Use the spend shown in your own Yelp and Thumbtack accounts, then calculate cost per qualified conversation and cost per booked job. Here's what happens when a lead sends a message at 9 PM: 1. A request arrives outside the staffed window 2. The system creates a job-specific Yelp response in under 2 seconds, or replies instantly on Thumbtack 3. Your team picks up any conversation that needs a handoff 4. The team records whether the lead replied, qualified, or booked This isn't a peak-season problem. It happens every single night. How NZ Leads handles Yelp and Thumbtack leads 24/7 NZ Leads works around the clock on each connected lead source: - Yelp: creates a job-specific response in under 2 seconds, built from your services, price ranges, and availability - Thumbtack: replies instantly to new leads and continues the configured follow-up sequence - Qualification: uses the services, hours, service area, prices, and rules the business configured - CRM connection: can connect when the CRM provides the required API or webhook access The Yelp auto responder and Thumbtack auto responder pages cover each channel in more detail. After-hours auto-response vs other options | Option | After-Hours Coverage | Response Time | Monthly Cost | Lead Quality | |---|---|---|---|---| | NZ Leads | Configured automation runs 24/7 | Job-specific response in under 2 seconds on Yelp and Thumbtack | $99/mo per channel; voice $10/mo per number + $1/min | Uses configured business facts and rules | | Yelp quick responses | Template only | Instant but generic | Free | No conversation, no follow-up | | Virtual assistant | Depends on timezone | Depends on availability | Varies by provider | Varies by person | | Doing nothing | None | Next morning | Free | Cold leads, low conversion | The useful comparison is not a promised booking outcome. It is whether a specific, accurate response moves more of your own inquiries into qualified conversations than the current process. What this looks like for your Yelp and Thumbtack numbers Track these measures before and after activation: - Booked jobs from evening and weekend inquiries - First-response time by channel - Customer reply rate on leads that arrive after 5 PM, compared with your baseline - Cost per qualified conversation and booked job using actual channel spend You're not spending more on ads or lead generation. You're just stopping the leak on leads you're already buying. Set up after-hours auto-response in under 2 minutes Connect your Yelp or Thumbtack account, add your services, price ranges, and operating hours, then test the first lead before going live. Try NZ Leads free and compare the after-hours results with your measured baseline. --- ### Yelp vs Thumbtack Cost Per Lead: How to Calculate What You Actually Pay **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-thumbtack-cost-analysis/ How Yelp and Thumbtack charge for leads, how to calculate your real cost per booked job, and how faster response can lower it on the same ad spend. Yelp vs Thumbtack cost per lead: how to calculate what you actually pay Yelp cost per lead is not a fixed price: Yelp ads charge per click, so your real cost per lead is your cost per click divided by the share of clicks that become inquiries, while Thumbtack charges per lead. The number that matters on both platforms is cost per booked job, which depends on how fast you respond and how many leads you convert. Yelp ads charge per click. Thumbtack charges per lead. But neither price tells you what matters: your cost per booked job. That depends on how fast you respond and how many leads you actually convert. Paying for leads you never close? Try NZ Leads free and test whether instant auto-responses lower your true cost per booked job. How Much Does Yelp Advertising Cost? Yelp uses a cost-per-click model. You pay when someone clicks your ad, not when they contact you. | Yelp cost type | Where to find your number | |---|---| | CPC ads | Cost per click in your Yelp ads dashboard | | Enhanced profile | Current fee in your Yelp for Business billing | | Request-a-Quote | Varies by market | The problem: you pay for clicks that never turn into messages. For example, a 10% click-to-contact rate means your real cost per lead is 10x your CPC. At $15/click, that's $150 per actual inquiry. Yelp works best for trades where customers research and compare (HVAC, roofing, remodeling) and in markets with strong Yelp adoption, mostly West Coast and urban areas. Thumbtack Cost Per Lead by Trade Thumbtack charges per lead. You pay for every customer who submits a quote request, whether they respond to you or not. Lead prices vary by trade, location, job details, and your own settings, so skip generic price lists. Check the current lead price for each service in your Thumbtack account and use that number in the math below. For example, at a 20% win rate you're paying 5x the lead price for each job you book, so a $35 HVAC lead becomes a $175 customer acquisition cost. Thumbtack works better for shorter sales cycles (cleaning, handyman, painting) and for newer businesses building a customer base. Real Cost Per Job: Slow Response vs. Fast Response The gap between what you pay per lead and what you pay per job comes down to conversion rate. Response speed is a major factor - waiting from 5 to 30 minutes to respond makes you 21x less likely to qualify a lead - and 100x less likely to contact it (MIT - Dr. James Oldroyd, 2007), while contacting a lead within an hour makes you about 7x more likely to qualify it than an hour later (HBR, 2011). Here's how that plays out on an HVAC example (illustrative math, not measured data): | Metric | Manual response | With NZ Leads | |---|---|---| | Lead cost (HVAC example) | $35/lead | $35/lead | | Monthly leads (25) | $875 | $875 | | Response time | 2-4 hours | Instant | Same leads. Same ad spend. The lead cost doesn't change - but the share you convert does. Every lead you win at the same ad spend lowers your real cost per booked job. The only difference is response speed and automated follow-ups. Why Businesses Overpay for Yelp and Thumbtack Leads Four things burn through your ad budget without producing jobs: 1. Slow replies. Leads that don't hear back in 5 minutes often move on. That's a paid lead, wasted. 2. No follow-up sequence. Day-3 and day-7 follow-ups can recover leads that went cold, because many leads don't reply to the first attempt. Many businesses never send them. 3. Missed after-hours leads. Yelp and Thumbtack run 24/7. If you only respond during business hours, evenings and weekends are dead money. 4. No CRM sync. Manual data entry means leads slip through cracks. That's pure waste on those specific leads. NZ Leads Break-Even: Less Than One Extra Job At $99/month per channel, NZ Leads breaks even on a fraction of one booked job. Here's how little extra work it takes to break even at different job values (simple arithmetic on the $99 monthly cost): | Average job value | Extra jobs needed to break even | |---|---| | $200 (cleaning) | 0.5 | | $500 (plumbing) | 0.2 | | $800 (HVAC) | 0.12 | | $2,000 (roofing) | 0.05 | In other words, a single recovered booking covers the month at every job value in this table. Every job above break-even - won by replying instantly instead of hours later - is added revenue on the ad spend you're already paying. Stop Overpaying for Leads You Already Buy You're already spending money on Yelp and Thumbtack. The question is whether you're converting those leads or letting them go to your competitors. Set up a free trial at NZ Leads and see what happens when AI creates the first response to every lead instantly. --- ### Yelp vs Thumbtack Leads: Compare Cost, Intent, and Conversion **Source:** https://nzleads.com/blog/yelp-vs-thumbtack-leads/ Compare Yelp and Thumbtack leads using your own cost per booked job, customer intent, response workflow, and channel-level conversion data. Yelp vs Thumbtack leads: compare the channels with your own numbers There is no honest universal answer to whether Yelp or Thumbtack produces cheaper or better leads. Pricing, customer intent, competition, and close rates vary by service, location, account settings, and season. The useful comparison is cost per booked job from your own account data. This guide shows what to measure and how the two workflows differ without relying on unsupported industry averages. How Yelp and Thumbtack leads differ | Question | Yelp | Thumbtack | |---|---|---| | How does a customer start? | A customer finds a business page or uses a Yelp inquiry flow | A customer searches for a service and chooses one or more pros | | Where do you see current pricing? | In your Yelp for Business advertising and billing tools | In your Thumbtack Services settings, max lead prices, and budget controls | | What should you measure? | Spend, qualified inquiries, booked jobs, and revenue | Lead spend, qualified leads, booked jobs, and revenue | | What does AI change? | NZ Leads creates a job-specific response for every Yelp inquiry in under 2 seconds | NZ Leads replies instantly with a message built from your services and prices | Do not assume that one platform is cheaper because of a public price estimate. Neither your market nor your account is represented by a generic range. Calculate cost per booked job Use the same reporting window for both channels, then calculate: Also record: - qualified inquiries, not just all inquiries; - median first-response time; - jobs booked and completed; - revenue from completed jobs; - refunds or credits; - lead reasons that your team rejected. For example, if a channel costs $400 and produces four booked jobs, its cost per booked job is $100. That is arithmetic, not a performance prediction. Your result must come from your own spend and bookings. Compare lead intent without guessing Read a sample of recent conversations from each channel. Tag each one as serviceable, outside your area, wrong service, low information, price-shopping, or ready to schedule. Then compare the percentage that reached a quote or booking. This removes two common distortions: judging a channel from its cheapest lead and judging every inquiry as equally valuable. Response speed matters, but it is not the only factor General lead-response studies suggest that long delays can reduce the chance of making contact. Those studies are not Yelp- or Thumbtack-specific, and they do not prove a fixed lift for your business. A useful first reply still needs to address the requested service, confirm the area, ask only necessary questions, and offer a clear next step. Speed cannot rescue an irrelevant or generic response. The Yelp auto responder writes a response built from your services, price ranges, and availability, in under 2 seconds for every Yelp inquiry. The Thumbtack auto responder replies instantly using the same business details. Decide where to put the next dollar Run the comparison for at least one complete billing period, then choose one of three actions: 1. Keep both channels when each produces acceptable cost per booked job and job quality. 2. Tighten targeting or budget on the weaker channel when unserviceable leads drive the gap. 3. Pause the weaker channel when its booked-job economics remain outside your limit after one defined test. Write the stop rule before the test. For example: continue if cost per booked job stays below your contribution margin limit; pause if it exceeds that limit for two complete review periods. A practical response workflow for both platforms 1. Capture the inquiry and source. 2. Create a job-specific reply from the services, areas, prices, and rules you configured. 3. Stop follow-up when the customer replies, books, or opts out. 4. Attribute the final booking and revenue to the original source. Try NZ Leads free to test whether a faster, more consistent workflow improves your own channel numbers. Treat the result as an account-level experiment, not a guaranteed conversion lift. --- ## Documentation ### Activity Log **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/activity-log/ A timeline of recent changes to your sources' active state and subscription events in NZ Leads. The Activity Log is a chronological record of recent changes to your sources' active/inactive state and your subscription. Use it to see what changed, when, and - for each event - which sources were affected. Getting here In NZ Leads, open Activity Log from the Settings section of the sidebar. What the page shows Each entry on the page is one event. From top to bottom, entries are sorted newest first. A card per event shows: - Event label - a colored label with an icon describing what happened (see the list below). - Time - the exact date and time the event occurred, plus a relative "time ago" label (for example, 5 minutes ago, 2 days ago). - Affected sources - the list of sources involved in that event, each with its platform icon, name, and address if available. If there's nothing to show yet, the page displays "No Activity Yet" with a note that recent source activity changes will appear there. Event types The Activity Log tracks the following event types: Manually Turned ON A source was activated - either newly added and turned on, or switched from inactive back to active. Shown in green with a toggle-on icon. Manually Turned OFF A source was switched from active to inactive. Shown in red with a toggle-off icon. The source stops receiving new inquiries until it's turned back on. Subscription Activated Your subscription was activated - for example, when you completed signup, finished your trial conversion, or resumed a cancelled subscription. Shown in green. Subscription Cancelled Your subscription ended. Shown in red. Subscription Cancelled by User You (or someone with access to your account) cancelled the subscription from the Billing dialog. Shown in red. Subscription Cancelled (Payment Failure) The subscription was cancelled automatically because a payment failed and could not be recovered. Shown in red. Update your payment method in Billing to resume. Sources Turned Off This event appears alongside a Subscription Cancelled by User event and lists the sources that were turned off as a consequence. Shown in red. Scope - The Activity Log shows events for sources in the current business. If you manage multiple businesses, switch the business in the top bar to see a different business's log. - The log captures changes to active state and subscription events - it is not a full audit trail of every setting change. If you're trying to understand why a source stopped receiving inquiries, the Activity Log is usually the fastest place to look - it tells you whether the source was turned off manually or whether a billing/subscription event caused the change. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Advanced features **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/analytics-reporting/advanced-features/ Period comparison, clickable chart-to-table filtering, CSV export, and how filters combine on the Analytics page. The Analytics page goes beyond basic charts. This page covers the interactive features - comparing to a previous period, drilling from charts into the table, exporting to CSV, and how multiple filters combine. Getting here In NZ Leads, open Analytics from the Auto Responder section of the sidebar. The controls covered on this page sit at the top of the page and above the drillable table. Compare to previous period A checkbox at the top of the page that overlays the matching earlier period on every chart. How it works - The checkbox is labeled Compare to previous period. - When on, the system calculates the "previous period" by shifting the current date range back by the same number of days. For example, Last 30 Days is compared to the 30 days before that. Last Month is compared to the month before. - Every chart updates: line charts show the previous period in a lighter or dashed line, pies and doughnuts show previous-period values in a faded style. - Turn the checkbox off at any time to return to a single-period view. When to use it - Week-over-week or month-over-month reviews. - Measuring the impact of a messaging change - run a period before and after the change with comparison on. - Spotting whether lead volume is genuinely up, or whether last period was a dip. Clickable chart-to-table filtering Most of the Analytics charts are clickable. Clicking applies a filter to the Source Data table below the charts. Which charts are clickable | Chart | Clickable? | What clicking does | | --- | --- | --- | | Hours/Weekday | No | - | | Leads by Status | Yes | Filters the table to that status | | Leads Over Time | No | - | | Leads by Title | Yes | Filters the table to that service/job title | | Phone Collection Rate | Yes | Filters the table by phone state | | Leads by Source Type | Yes | Filters the table to that platform | Active-filter chips Every active filter appears as a chip above the table - for example, Source: Yelp, Status: Answered, Title: Kitchen remodel, or Phone: Has phone. Each chip has an × button to clear just that filter. How filters combine Multiple chips combine as an AND. For example, clicking Yelp on the Source Type pie, then Answered on the Status pie, then Phones Collected on the Phone Collection doughnut shows only Yelp leads that got a reply and have a real phone number. Filters always apply to the selected date range and source selection at the top of the page, so those act as outer constraints on every chart and on the table. The Source Data table Below the charts is a Source Data summary table with one row per source. It respects all the same filters as the charts. Columns - Source - the source icon and name. - Leads - total leads in range matching all active filters. - Customer Answered - count and percentage of leads where the customer's last message arrived after the first business reply. - Phones - count and percentage of leads with a real phone number. - Follow-ups - business messages sent after the first greeting. - Welcome Messages - first-contact greetings sent. - Sent - total business messages sent. Click any column header to sort by that column. The "All Sources" summary row When more than one source is selected at the top of the page, an All Sources row is added to the top of the table with the combined totals: - Counts are summed across all selected sources. - Percentages are recomputed on the combined totals - so the "Customer Answered" percentage on the All Sources row is combined answered leads divided by combined total leads, not an average of per-source percentages. Export CSV The Export CSV button at the top of the page downloads every lead in the selected date range and source selection. What's in the file The file contains one row per lead with these columns: - Source Type - Lead Name - Email - Phone - Status - Date Created - Memos - Extra Info - Address (Zip Code) File name Exports are named with the date range in the file name: For example, . What's included - The respects the date range and source selection at the top of the page. - Chart-click filter chips do not narrow the - if you need a narrower list, adjust the date range or source selection first. The CSV opens directly in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, and any standard spreadsheet tool. There is no PDF or saved-report feature - re-run the whenever you need a refreshed file. Putting it together Pick a date range and sources Set a date range preset (or a custom range) and pick the sources you want to include at the top of the page. Turn on comparison if needed Check Compare to previous period to overlay the matching earlier period on the charts. Click into a slice Click a pie slice or doughnut segment to drill the table into a subset - by status, phone state, title, or source type. Stack filters Click slices on multiple charts to combine filters (AND). Use the active-filter chips to see what's applied, and × on a chip to remove just that one. Export what you see Click Export CSV to save the lead list (respecting your date range and source selection) as a spreadsheet. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Charts guide **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/analytics-reporting/charts-guide/ How to read each of the six charts on the Analytics page - what they show, what clicking does, and what patterns to look for. The Analytics page has six interactive charts. Each one visualizes a different slice of your lead data for the selected date range and source selection. Four of the six are clickable - clicking a slice or segment applies a filter to the table below. Getting here In NZ Leads, open Analytics from the Auto Responder section of the sidebar. Pick a date range and one or more sources at the top of the page. The charts update automatically. When the Compare to previous period toggle is on, each chart overlays the matching earlier period in lighter or dashed styling so you can compare at a glance. 1. Hours/Weekday Type: scatter plot. What it shows: when leads arrive, plotted by: - Horizontal axis (x): day of week. - Vertical axis (y): hour of day. - Color: green dots are leads with a phone number, red dots are leads without. - Size: larger dots mean more leads in that hour/day bucket. How to read it: - Dense clusters identify your peak inquiry windows. - Lots of green dots in a window means that's when leads are most willing to share contact info - a good time to be available. - Lots of red dots in a window may mean messaging or timing isn't working as well at that hour. Click behavior: this chart is not clickable. 2. Leads by Status Type: pie chart. What it shows: how your leads are distributed across their statuses - Answered, No Answer, Follow-up, Bot Follow-up, Scheduled Messages, Meeting, and Done. See Lead Statuses for what each one means. How to read it: - A large Answered slice means most leads are actively engaging. - A large No Answer slice means many leads aren't replying to your first message - worth reviewing messaging and timing. - Bot Follow-up and Scheduled Messages slices reflect leads the system is still working on - they will resolve into other statuses over time. Click behavior: click a slice to filter the table below to just leads in that status. An active-filter chip appears above the table. 3. Leads Over Time Type: line chart. What it shows: daily lead volume over the selected date range, split into two series: - No Answer (red) - leads where the customer did not reply after the first business message. - Answered (green) - leads where the customer did reply. How to read it: - The height of each day's point represents total leads that day. - The split shows what share of those leads turned into two-way conversations. - Trending up means more inquiries; trending up on green specifically means better engagement. With comparison on: the previous period is drawn in lighter or dashed lines behind the current period, so you can compare day-for-day. Click behavior: this chart is not clickable. 4. Leads by Title Type: pie chart. What it shows: the top 10 service or job titles your customers mentioned - the categories pulled from each inquiry. Use it to see what jobs you're getting asked about most. How to read it: the largest slices are your most-requested titles. Smaller long-tail slices show the variety of asks. Click behavior: click a slice to filter the table below to just leads for that title. 5. Phone Collection Rate Type: doughnut chart. What it shows: how often a phone number was captured for the leads in the selected period, split into: - Phones Collected - a real phone number is on file. - No Phone - no phone number at all. How to read it: a larger Phones Collected slice means your messaging is successfully asking for and capturing direct contact info. Click behavior: click a segment to filter the table below. For example, clicking No Phone shows only leads where you don't have a phone number yet. 6. Leads by Source Type Type: pie chart. What it shows: lead distribution across platform types - Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, and Google Local Ads. How to read it: tells you which platforms are generating the most inquiries. Combine with the table below to compare not just volume but also answer rate and phone collection by platform. Click behavior: click a slice to filter the table below to just leads from that platform. Using multiple charts together You can click slices on several charts at once. Filters combine as an AND - for example, clicking Yelp on the Source Type pie and Answered on the Status pie shows the table filtered to Yelp leads that got a reply. Every active filter appears as a chip above the table; click the × on a chip to clear just that one. See Advanced features for period comparison and CSV export. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Analytics & Reporting **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/analytics-reporting/ Track lead volume, response performance, phone collection, and source-level results across every connected platform in NZ Leads. NZ Leads gives you one reporting surface: the Analytics page. It's an interactive dashboard with six charts and a drillable summary table that respects every filter you apply at the top of the page or by clicking into a chart. Getting here In NZ Leads, open Analytics from the Auto Responder section of the sidebar. What the Analytics page shows Top controls - Source selector - pick a single source, a group, or All to include every source you have access to. Your selection is remembered in your browser between visits. - Date range preset - Today, Yesterday, This Week, Last Week, This Month, Last Month, Last 30 Days, Last 90 Days, or Custom. - Date range picker - when you pick Custom, use the calendar to choose exact start and end dates. - Compare to previous period - when on, every chart overlays the matching earlier period for side-by-side comparison. - Export CSV - downloads every lead matching your current filters as a CSV. The six charts 1. Hours/Weekday - a scatter plot showing when leads arrive. Day of week on the horizontal axis, hour of day on the vertical axis. Green dots are leads with a phone number, red dots are leads without. Larger dots mean more leads in that hour/day bucket. 2. Leads by Status - a pie chart of how your leads are distributed across their statuses. Click a slice to filter the table below. 3. Leads Over Time - a line chart of daily lead volume over the selected date range, split into Answered (green) and No Answer (red) series. 4. Leads by Title - a pie chart of the top 10 service or job titles your customers mentioned. Click a slice to filter. 5. Phone Collection Rate - a doughnut chart of Phones Collected and No Phone. Click a segment to filter. 6. Leads by Source Type - a pie chart of Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, and Google Local Ads. Click a slice to filter. See the Charts guide for a per-chart reading guide. The Source Data table Below the charts is a Source Data table that breaks down performance by source. - Columns include Source, Leads, Customer Answered, Phones, Follow-ups, Welcome Messages, and Sent. - When more than one source is included, an All Sources summary row appears at the top with combined totals. - Click a column header to sort. Active-filter chips When you click a chart slice, a filter chip appears above the table - for example Status: Answered, Title: Kitchen remodel, Source: Yelp, or Phone: Has phone. Multiple chips combine as an AND. Click the × on a chip to remove just that filter. Export CSV Click Export CSV above the controls to download every lead that matches your current filters. The file is named and opens in any spreadsheet tool. See Advanced features for details and how filters affect the exported rows. What's being measured The Analytics page tracks: - Total leads - Leads Answered and Leads No Answer - Phones Collected and No Phone - Welcome Messages Sent - Follow-ups Sent - Total Messages Sent - Breakdowns by status, service title, and source type - Weekday / hour distribution Your browser remembers the source selection so the next time you open the page the same sources are already selected. The date range resets to the default on each visit. Troubleshooting - "Please select a source and time range to view statistics" - pick a source (or All) and a date range to populate the page. - Numbers look low - check that the date range covers the period you expect and that the right sources are selected. - A chart says "No data" - either no leads match the current date range plus filters, or an active filter chip is excluding everything. Remove the chip(s) and try again. - CSV download didn't start - make sure your browser isn't blocking downloads for https://app.nzleads.com. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Calendar setup **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/crm/calendars/ Configure built-in Calendar hours, appointment length, timezone, color, and required booking fields. Calendars define when your business can accept appointments. A Calendar can be used by your team when scheduling manually and by the text or voice AI when Built-in Booking is selected. Calendars are configured inside the unified Jobs workspace; there is no separate Calendars page in the app. Getting here In NZ Leads, open CRM → Jobs. - To create one, click Create new calendar. - To edit one, open the Calendar selector and click the edit icon beside its name. Click Save calendar or Cancel to return to Jobs. What a Calendar controls Each Calendar belongs to one business and stores: - A name and display color. - The timezone used to calculate availability and booking slots. - Weekly working hours, including multiple time ranges on the same day. - Appointment length: 30, 60, 90, or a custom whole number of at least 5 minutes. - The customer information the AI must collect before it can book. Create separate Calendars when teams, services, or locations have different working hours or appointment lengths. Creating a Calendar Click Create new calendar, then complete the three sections. Basic information - Business - required; determines where the Calendar and its Jobs belong. - Name - required; use a recognizable name such as Estimates or Standard service hours. - Timezone - required and used to calculate working hours and available slots. - Calendar color - identifies the Calendar's Jobs in the combined view. - Appointment length - sets the duration of every available slot. Availability Under Weekly hours, enable the days you accept appointments and add one or more time ranges to each day. For example, set 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–5:00 PM to leave a lunch break. A new Calendar starts on Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, with the weekend closed. Adjust it to your real hours before pointing a source or agent at it. Only complete slots that fit inside these hours are offered. Past times and times occupied by active Jobs are excluded automatically. Information to collect This section controls what the AI asks for before making a Built-in Booking. - Name is always collected and cannot be turned off. - At least one of Phone or Email must be required. - Address can be required when the appointment happens at the customer's location. - Add custom fields for information such as service type, gate code, or property size. Each custom field needs a unique name and description. Unchecked fields are not requested as part of the booking. How available slots are calculated NZ Leads combines: - The Calendar's timezone. - Its weekly working hours. - Its appointment length. - Scheduled, in-progress, and on-hold Jobs already using the Calendar. Only future slots that fit the full appointment length are offered. NZ Leads checks availability again when saving, which prevents two people from reserving the same slot at the same time. Using a Calendar with Built-in Booking After creating the Calendar, select it in the scheduling settings that should use it. Text AI Assistant Go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup → AI Assistant → Appointment Scheduling. Enable scheduling, choose Built-in Booking, and select the Calendar. Voice Agent Open an Agent → Scheduling → enable Appointment Scheduling → choose Built-in Booking → select the Calendar. The AI checks the Calendar's open slots, collects its required information, and creates a scheduled Job after the customer agrees to a time. A built-in Calendar lives inside NZ Leads. It is different from choosing a connected third-party calendar as the scheduling service. Editing or deleting a Calendar In the Jobs workspace, open the Calendar selector and click the edit icon beside a Calendar. Saving changes updates future availability calculations. Deleting a Calendar requires confirmation. Existing Jobs are not deleted, but the Calendar is disconnected from any Sources and Voice Agents that use it. Their Built-in Booking configuration is disabled until you select another Calendar. Scheduled Jobs that retain their dates remain available under All calendars with the neutral Unassigned style. Before deleting a Calendar, update every Source and Voice Agent that should keep booking appointments. Related topics --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Contacts **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/crm/contacts/ Keep one customer profile for contact details, linked lead conversations, sources, tags, notes, and addresses. Contacts are reusable customer profiles. A Contact brings together the person's phone numbers, email addresses, linked lead conversations, sources, notes, tags, and addresses so your team does not have to rebuild the customer's history for every new inquiry. Getting here In NZ Leads, open CRM → Contacts. How Contacts are created Created automatically from a lead When a lead shares a real phone number or email address, NZ Leads looks for a matching Contact in the same business. - If no match exists, a new Contact is created. - If a match exists, the new lead and source are linked to that Contact. - New phone numbers, email addresses, and source-provided addresses can be added to the existing profile without removing the details already there. - Temporary platform email addresses are not used to create or match Contacts. This keeps repeat inquiries from the same customer together. Matching is scoped to a business, so the same phone or email may belong to separate Contacts in separate businesses. Created manually Click New contact in the upper-right corner. A manual Contact requires: - Business - First name - Last name - At least one valid phone number or email address If the phone or email already belongs to another Contact in that business, NZ Leads asks you to use the existing record instead of creating a duplicate. Finding a Contact The Contacts page shows the total number of matching Contacts and loads more records as you scroll. Search and filters - Search - find a Contact by name, company, phone, email, or Contact ID. - Source - show Contacts linked to one or more selected lead sources. - Custom tags - find Contacts whose tags contain the text you enter. - Clear filters - return to the full list. The current business selection controls which Contacts you see. Switch businesses from the top bar when you need a different location's customer list. Contact details Click a row or choose Details from its actions menu to open the Contact. Profile - Business - the business that owns the Contact. - First name, last name, and company - the customer's identity. - Sources - the connected source locations associated with this customer. - Record state - Active, Inactive, Blocked, or Archived. - Preferred contact method - the channel the customer prefers. - Score - an optional number your team can use for its own qualification process. - Timezone - useful when contacting customers across regions. - Tags - flexible labels for grouping and filtering Contacts. Record state, preferred contact method, score, and tags are organizational fields. Changing them does not by itself start, stop, or reschedule lead messaging. Contact info A Contact can store multiple phone numbers and email addresses. Click the star next to an entry to make it the primary value shown in the Contacts list. Phone numbers must be valid 10-digit North American numbers, and email addresses must use a valid email format. Notes and addresses - Notes are internal CRM notes. Each saved note needs both a title and a description. - Addresses can include street lines, city, state, postal code, and country. Add more than one when the customer has multiple service locations. Linked Leads The Leads section at the top of an existing Contact lists every lead conversation linked to that customer. Click a Lead to open the conversation without leaving the Contact workflow. If no lead is linked, the section shows No leads linked to this contact yet. This is normal for a Contact your team created manually. Creating a Job for a Contact Open a saved Contact and click Create job. The new Job is prefilled with the same business and linked Contact. Save any unsaved Contact changes before starting the Job. Full reference: Jobs. Removing Contacts Use the row actions menu to remove one Contact, or select several Contacts with the checkboxes and click Remove. Removal is irreversible and requires confirmation. Removing a Contact removes the CRM profile. The original lead conversations are separate records and remain available in Leads. Related topics --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Jobs **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/crm/jobs/ Manage customer work in one workspace with calendar and list views, shared filters, scheduling, statuses, and related CRM records. A Job is the work or appointment your team plans to complete for a customer. Jobs turn a qualified lead or booking into an operational record with a title, status, priority, schedule, service address, notes, and links back to the customer. Getting here In NZ Leads, open CRM → Jobs. How Jobs are created - Click New job in the Jobs workspace to create one manually. - Open a saved Contact and click Create job to start with that customer already linked. - Click a date in Month view or an empty area in Week view to start a Job with that date prefilled. If one Calendar is selected, its Calendar and business are also prefilled. - An appointment booked through a supported AI scheduling flow can create a Job automatically. Built-in Booking places it on the selected built-in Calendar. The Created via field shows whether a Job was entered manually or created from a lead conversion. The Jobs workspace Calendar view The Calendar tab shows scheduled Jobs in three views: - Month - a compact six-week overview. - Week - seven days on an hourly grid. - Day - one day's hourly agenda. Use the left and right arrows to move between months, weeks, or days. Calendar colors identify which Calendar owns each Job. Jobs that have a scheduled time but no available Calendar use the neutral Unassigned color in All calendars. Click a Job to open its details. In Month view, clicking a date starts a Job for that date. In Week view, clicking an empty grid area does the same. To create a Job while using Day view, click New job. List view Each row shows: - Job - title and description. - Status - the current stage of the work. - Schedule - the scheduled start date and time, or a dash when unscheduled. - Priority - Low, Normal, High, or Urgent. Click a row to open and edit the Job. Shared search and filters - Search - matches Job title, service address, or status text. - Status - filters Jobs by status. - Priority - filters Jobs by priority. - Calendar - shows All calendars or one built-in Calendar. - Clear filters - clears the search and returns status, priority, and Calendar to their all-inclusive values. The business switcher also controls both tabs. Choose a specific business to focus on its Jobs and Calendars, or All businesses to work across every business you can access. If the selected Calendar does not belong to the new business scope, the selector returns to All calendars. Creating and editing Calendars Click Create new calendar to configure new booking hours. To edit an existing Calendar, open the Calendar selector and click the edit icon beside its name. See Calendar setup for availability, appointment length, information collection, and deletion details. Job details Main fields - Business - required; controls which Contacts and Calendars are available. - Contact - optional for a manually created Job. Search by name, phone, email, or Contact ID. - Title - required. - Description - the work requested or other context. - Status - where the Job is in its lifecycle. - Priority - Low, Normal, High, or Urgent. - Created via - Manual or Lead conversion. - Tags - flexible labels for internal organization. - Notes - internal Job notes; each note requires a description. - Service address - the location where the work or appointment happens. Related records When available, the Job shows links to its Contact and Original lead. Use these links to move from the operational record back to the customer or conversation that produced the booking. Job statuses - Unscheduled - work exists, but no time is reserved. - Scheduled - a start time is set. A scheduled Job must have a date and time. - In progress - work has started. - Completed - work is finished. - On hold - work is paused but still active. - Canceled - the Job will not proceed. Changing a Job to Unscheduled, Completed, or Canceled clears its scheduled start and end time, so it no longer appears on the Calendar. If you only need to pause active work while keeping its slot, use On hold. Jobs cannot currently be deleted from the app. Use Canceled when you need to close a Job that will not happen. Scheduling a Job You can schedule with or without a built-in Calendar. With a built-in Calendar 1. Set the Job's status to Scheduled. 2. Choose a Calendar. 3. Pick a start date. 4. Choose one of the Calendar's available slots. The Calendar supplies the start and end time based on its timezone, weekly hours, and appointment length. Slots already reserved by scheduled, in-progress, or on-hold Jobs are not offered. Without a Calendar Leave Calendar empty and enter the start date/time and end date/time manually. The end cannot be earlier than the start. A manually timed Job appears when All calendars is selected, but it is not tied to one Calendar's availability rules or color. Related topics --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Built-in CRM **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/crm/ Keep customer records, jobs, calendar views, and booking rules together in NZ Leads without connecting a separate CRM. The built-in CRM turns new inquiries into customer records and scheduled work without requiring a separate CRM account. It has three connected concepts organized across two app destinations: - Contacts - one reusable customer profile with contact details, linked leads, notes, tags, and addresses. - Jobs - the work or appointment you plan to complete for a customer, including its status, priority, schedule, and service address. - Calendars - booking hours, appointment length, information to collect, and color-coded schedules managed from the Jobs workspace. The Leads inbox remains the place for conversations. The CRM keeps the customer and the work around those conversations organized. Getting here In NZ Leads, open the CRM section in the main navigation: - Choose Contacts for customer profiles and linked conversations. - Choose Jobs for the unified Calendar/List workspace and Calendar setup. How the pieces work together A customer starts as a lead Every inquiry from a connected source appears in Leads, where you or the AI Assistant can continue the conversation. Contact details become a contact When the lead shares a real phone number or email address, NZ Leads creates a Contact or matches the lead to an existing Contact in the same business. Leads that belong to the same customer can therefore appear together on one profile. Track work as a Job Create a Job manually, start one from a Contact, or have a supported scheduling flow create it when an appointment is booked. Each Job can remain linked to its Contact and, when available, the original Lead conversation. Scheduled work appears in the Jobs workspace Assign a Job to a built-in Calendar and choose an available slot. The Job appears in both Calendar and List views when it matches the current filters. The Calendar view places it on the schedule, while the List view shows it as a Job record with its scheduled time. The Calendar's working hours and existing active Jobs determine which slots are available. What happens automatically - A Contact is created or updated after a lead provides a real phone number or email address. - Matching is done within the same business, using phone numbers and email addresses to avoid separate profiles for the same customer. - The new lead and its source are linked to the matching Contact. - Appointments made with Built-in Booking become scheduled Jobs on the selected Calendar. - Scheduled, in-progress, and on-hold Jobs reserve their time so the same Calendar slot cannot be booked twice. If a lead has not shared a phone number or real email address, it stays available in Leads but does not become an automatic Contact yet. You can still create a Contact manually. Built-in CRM vs. CRM integrations The built-in CRM is part of NZ Leads and works without an external account. CRM integrations are optional connections that send lead or booking data to another system your team already uses. You can use the built-in CRM by itself, connect an external CRM, or use both. See CRM Systems for external integrations. Business scope Contacts, Jobs, and Calendars belong to a business. Use the business switcher in the top bar to focus the CRM on one business and its child locations. Select All businesses to work across every business you can access. CRM guides --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Add Your First Source **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/get-started/add-first-source/ Step-by-step guide to connect your first lead source and start receiving automated responses Connect your first source to start receiving automated responses. This takes under 2 minutes - you'll link a platform account (Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook / Instagram, or Google Local Ads) and NZ Leads starts creating a job-specific response for every new inquiry in under 2 seconds. Account Required: This guide assumes you have an NZ Leads account. Create your free account first ↗ if needed. How source connections work Every source in NZ Leads is connected through the platform's own sign-in (OAuth): 1. You open Add Source from the Sources page. 2. You're redirected to the platform and sign in with your existing account. 3. You grant NZ Leads permission to access your inquiries and conversations. 4. You're redirected back, and the platform profile appears on your Sources page. Your passwords are never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Connect your first source Open the Sources page After logging in, open Sources from the Auto Responder section of the sidebar. If you haven't added a source yet you'll be directed there automatically. Click Add Source Click the Add Source button on the Sources page. A single dialog opens listing every platform you can connect. Pick the business (multi-business accounts only) If you have more than one business, pick which business the new source should belong to using the selector at the top of the dialog. Single-business accounts skip this step. Pick the platform The dialog shows one card per platform: - Yelp - Thumbtack - Facebook / Instagram - one Meta authorization can expose Facebook Messenger pages and linked Instagram accounts. Each source you activate is billed separately at its displayed source price. - Google Local Ads - Voice Agent - create an AI voice agent instead of connecting a platform. Each card has a Connect (or Create for Voice Agent) button that starts the flow for that platform. Strategy: Start with your busiest lead source first for immediate impact and testing. You can add more sources later. Authorize the connection Clicking Connect takes you to the platform: 1. You're redirected to the platform's website. 2. Sign in with your existing business account. 3. Grant NZ Leads the message / lead access it asks for. 4. You're redirected back automatically. Pick which profiles or locations to activate Some platforms (Yelp, Facebook, Instagram) have more than one profile attached to one login. You'll see a list and can pick which ones to activate. Each one becomes its own source with its own settings and billing. Verify the connection A confirmation page appears and the new source shows up on the Sources page with a green Active status. Review connected sources The Sources page lists every connected source with a status badge, the platform icon and account name, and buttons for Permissions and Messaging Settings. Per-platform setup Each platform has its own connection flow, its own data, and a few of its own quirks. Follow the page for the platform you're connecting: More Options - invite link for agencies If you're a marketing agency or account manager connecting a platform on a customer's behalf, the Add Source dialog has a More Options section at the bottom. Expand it to generate a copy-paste Invite Link for the chosen platform (Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, or Google Local Ads) that lets the customer complete the authorization themselves. What happens next Once a source is Active, new inquiries are picked up automatically. NZ Leads creates the first response based on your Messaging Settings, follow-up sequences run on your schedule, integrations push the lead to your CRM, and your team gets notified. When your first lead arrives, you'll see the platform it came from, the customer's name and inquiry details, the full conversation thread, and options to message them directly. Testing your setup Have a friend send a test inquiry from the platform. Check that the response arrives quickly, reads well, and the lead shows up in your dashboard. If something isn't working: - Authorization problems - try re-authenticating the connection from the Source Tokens page. - Message delays - check your business hours and timing settings. - Missing leads - make sure the source is set to Active. Next Steps 1. Configure conversation flow - Set up AI or predefined responses 2. Create follow-up sequences - Automated nurturing messages 3. Add team notifications - SMS, Slack, or Telegram alerts 4. Monitor performance - Track response rates and conversion --- Questions about source connection? Email support@nzleads.com or use in-app chat. --- ### Key concepts **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/get-started/key-concepts/ The core terminology you'll see across NZ Leads - source, business, lead, status, voice agent, integration, and inheritance. These are the terms used throughout NZ Leads and this documentation. Skim this page once and the rest of the product will feel familiar. Source A source is one connected account or profile on an external platform that sends you customer inquiries. Examples: - One Yelp location = one source. - One Thumbtack Pro account = one source. - One Facebook Page (Messenger) = one source. - One Facebook Lead Ads form campaign = one source. - One Instagram Business account = one source. - One Google Local Services account = one source. Every source has its own Messaging Settings, its own Integrations, its own row in Analytics, and its own price on your monthly bill. See Lead Sources for the full list of supported platforms. Business A business is a group that owns one or more sources. For a single-location company this is just "your business". For a multi-location or multi-brand organization, each business can hold its own set of sources so messaging, branding, and reporting stay separate. Switching between businesses If your account has access to more than one business, a business switcher button sits at the top of the app next to the logo. It shows the current business's name with a location-city icon. - Click the button to open a picker dialog listing every business you can access. - Pick a business to switch to it - the sidebar, sources, leads, and analytics all update to that business's data. - If payment is an issue on the current business, the button shows a Payment Issue tooltip as a reminder. Single-business accounts don't need this - the switcher is only shown when you have more than one business to choose from. Lead A lead is a single customer inquiry, bound to exactly one source. Each lead has: - A conversation thread - every message between your business and the customer. - A status - see below. - Memos - private notes your team can add (the customer never sees them). - Customer info - name, phone, email, address, and any structured details the source extracted from the inquiry. All leads across all sources live together in the Leads inbox. Status A status is a label on a lead that tells you where it is in your pipeline. The seven statuses are: - Answered (green) - a business reply has been sent. - No Answer (red) - no business reply yet. - Follow-up (orange) - you've flagged this lead for a follow-up. - Bot Follow-up (yellow) - the system has queued an automatic follow-up. - Scheduled Messages (purple) - a scheduled message is queued for this lead. - Meeting (blue) - a meeting/appointment is booked. - Done (white/gray) - the lead is closed (won, lost, or not a fit). Full details: Lead Statuses. Contact A Contact is a reusable customer profile in the built-in CRM. It can hold multiple phone numbers and email addresses, plus linked Leads, sources, notes, tags, and addresses. When a Lead shares a real phone number or email address, NZ Leads creates a Contact or links the Lead to a matching Contact in the same business. See Contacts. Job A Job is a record of work or an appointment for a customer. It has a status, priority, optional schedule and Calendar, service address, tags, notes, and links to related Contacts or Leads when available. Jobs can be created manually or by a supported AI scheduling flow. The Jobs workspace provides shared Calendar and List views. See Jobs. Calendar A Calendar defines booking hours, timezone, appointment length, color, and the customer information an AI must collect before booking. When Built-in Booking is enabled, the text or voice AI uses the selected Calendar's open slots. See Calendar setup. Voice Agent A Voice Agent is an AI phone agent that: - Answers inbound calls to a phone number you assign it. - Calls new leads outbound when a qualifying lead arrives. - Runs batch call campaigns on a list of contacts. The agent uses a knowledge base you configure to answer questions, qualify callers, and book appointments. See Voice Agent. Integration An integration is a per-source connection to an external tool. Integrations fall into two categories: - CRM integrations - push new leads and conversations into HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, Workiz, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Monday.com, and similar systems. - Notification / messenger integrations - send alerts about new leads or new messages to Slack, Telegram, SMS, or custom webhooks. Each source has its own integrations panel in Messaging Settings. See Integrations. Override and inherit In Messaging Settings, a source that belongs to a multi-location business can either inherit a setting from its parent business or override it with its own value. - Inherit means the source uses the same value as the business. Change the business and the source picks up the change automatically. - Override means the source has its own value that does not change when the business changes. This lets you set a default at the business level and override only the sources that need to be different. Most small single-location accounts will never touch override/inherit - the default is to use business-level settings and every source inherits. Putting it together A typical account looks like this: - One business (your company). - Several sources under it - one per Yelp location, one per Thumbtack Pro account, one per Facebook Page, and so on. - Each source has its own Messaging Settings, Integrations, and billing line. - Every inquiry on any source becomes a lead in the shared Leads inbox. - Leads that share real contact information are organized into Contacts in the built-in CRM. - Booked or manually entered work becomes a Job, which can reserve a slot on a Calendar. - Your team triages leads by status and lets automation handle follow-ups until a customer replies. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Get Started **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/get-started/ Set up your NZ Leads account, connect your first source, and configure messaging in under 2 minutes. This is the starting point for new NZ Leads accounts. Follow the steps below to get from sign-up to an auto-responding source you can test with a real inquiry. Setup steps Create your account Start with a 7-day free trial if your order summary shows one. Sign up or sign in here. Connect your first source Connect one of your platform accounts so NZ Leads can start receiving inquiries. Every source is connected with the platform's own sign-in (OAuth) - your password is never shared. See Add your first source for platform-by-platform steps, or Lead Sources for the full overview. Configure messaging Open Messaging Settings on the new source and set up the conversation flow (AI or predefined), follow-up timing, and contact-info collection. See Messaging Settings. (Optional) Add integrations Connect a CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, Workiz, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, or Monday.com) or a notification channel (Slack, SMS, Telegram) so your team and tools stay in sync. See Integrations. (Optional) Set up a voice agent Add a Voice Agent that answers incoming calls, calls new leads, or runs batch call campaigns. See Voice Agent. (Optional) Invite your team Invite teammates to share the inbox. See Team Management. Learn the basics What happens next Once your first source is connected and messaging is configured: - NZ Leads creates a first response for every new inquiry on that source. - If the customer doesn't respond, follow-ups run according to your schedule. - Every conversation lands in the Leads inbox where you, and any teammate, can take over or add memos. - Results show up on the Analytics page after a day or two of traffic. Start with your busiest platform to see immediate impact. You can add more sources any time - billing adjusts automatically. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Pages overview **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/get-started/pages-overview/ A short tour of every page and section in the NZ Leads main navigation - what it does and when you'll use it. This is a one-paragraph-per-page tour of the NZ Leads main navigation. Use it to orient yourself on day one. The sidebar is grouped into sections. Regular users see the items below; the order and grouping match the app. Auto Responder Leads The filterable inbox of every customer inquiry across every connected source. Click any row to open the full conversation, send a reply, add a memo, or change the lead's status. This is where you and your team will spend most of the day. Full reference: Leads. Sources The list of every source you've connected - Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, and Google Local Ads. Each card shows the source's status (Active, Paused, or a billing warning) and links into its Messaging Settings and Access and Permissions. This is also where you add new sources. Full reference: Lead Sources. Source Tokens The list of platform authorizations (tokens) powering your sources - one entry per sign-in you've done with Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, or Google. Each entry shows which sources it covers and when the token expires, and gives you a way to refresh or edit it. You only need this page occasionally - when a source asks you to reconnect or when you want to check token health. Full reference: Source Tokens. Analytics The analytics dashboard - six interactive charts plus a drillable summary table. Pick a date range and sources, optionally turn on period comparison, and click chart slices to filter the table underneath. Export the matching leads to CSV for a spreadsheet. Full reference: Analytics & Reporting. Voice Agents Agents The list of AI voice agents you've created. From here you configure the agent's knowledge base, greeting, behavior, and which phone number and sources it's wired to. Phone Numbers The list of phone numbers assigned to your voice agents. Buy a new number, release a number, or change which agent a number routes to. Call Logs Every inbound and outbound call your voice agents have handled, with recordings, transcripts, and outcomes. The header badge shows the count of unread calls. Batch Calls Upload a list of contacts and run an outbound calling campaign with a voice agent. You pick the agent, the script context, and the schedule. Full reference for everything in this group: Voice Agent. CRM Contacts One customer profile for phone numbers, email addresses, linked lead conversations, sources, notes, tags, and addresses. Contacts are created automatically when a lead shares real contact information, or you can add one manually. Open a Contact to review its history or create a Job for that customer. Full reference: Contacts. Jobs The shared Calendar and List workspace for work and appointments. Create a Job manually, start one from a Contact, or let a supported AI scheduling flow create it. Track status, priority, schedule, service address, notes, and related records; switch to Calendar view to see scheduled Jobs by month, week, or day. Calendars are also created and edited here. Each Calendar has its own timezone, weekly hours, appointment length, color, and information to collect for Built-in Booking. Full references: Jobs and Calendar setup. Settings Billing Opens the Billing dialog - your subscriptions (one line per source), payment method, invoices, and plan details. Update your card, download invoices, and see what's billed this month. This is a modal that overlays the current page, not a standalone page you navigate to. Full reference: Pricing. Activity Log A timeline of recent changes to your sources' active/inactive state and subscription events - source turned on, source turned off, subscription activated, subscription cancelled. Use it to see who changed what and when. Full reference: Activity Log. Documentation Opens this documentation site in a new tab. Contact Us Opens the in-app support / contact widget so you can send us a message directly. Top-bar items (always visible) - Business switcher - the button next to the logo showing the current business name and a location icon. Click it to switch between businesses or locations in multi-business accounts. See Key concepts. - Call Logs badge - a phone icon with a count of unread calls. Clicking it jumps straight to Call Logs. - Leads badge - a message icon with a count of unread leads. Clicking it jumps straight to the Leads inbox. - User menu - your initials in a circle on the right. Click it to sign out. On mobile the sidebar collapses behind a menu button, but every item listed here is reachable the same way. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Source tokens **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/get-started/source-tokens/ The Source Tokens page - view platform authorizations powering your sources, check expiry, refresh tokens, and reconnect when needed. Every source in NZ Leads is connected through the platform's own sign-in (OAuth) - Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook, Instagram, or Google. Your password is never shared with NZ Leads. Instead, the platform issues an access token that NZ Leads uses to access your inquiries and conversations. The Source Tokens page is where those tokens live. Getting here In NZ Leads, open Source Tokens from the Auto Responder section of the sidebar. What the Source Tokens page shows The page lists every token you've authorized, one card per token. A single token can power one source or many - for example, a single Yelp sign-in can unlock multiple Yelp locations under the same account. Each card shows: - Platform icon and account name - which platform the token is for and the name on the account. - Expiry date and countdown - the exact date/time the token expires and a relative ("in 14 days" / "2 days ago") label. If the token is near expiry or already expired, a red Token expires soon! or Token expired! warning appears. - Parent business - which NZ Leads business this token belongs to. - Sources - the list of sources (locations, pages, or profiles) covered by this token. Each row includes the source name, address where applicable, and the business it belongs to, with an Edit button to open that source directly. If you have many tokens, a Search box appears at the top so you can filter by name. What you can do from a token card At the bottom of each card: - Refresh Token - appears when the token is near expiry or already expired. Re-runs the OAuth sign-in to issue a fresh token without losing any of the sources or history. - Update List - refetches the list of sources (locations / pages / profiles) available under this token. Use this after you've added a new location on the platform itself so it shows up in NZ Leads. - Edit - edit the metadata on the token (for example, the friendly name). How the OAuth connection works Your password stays with the platform. NZ Leads only receives the access token the platform issues after you approve the connection - there is no way for us to see or use your password. When you add a source, you're redirected to the platform's sign-in screen: 1. You sign in on the platform with your normal credentials. 2. The platform shows a consent screen describing what NZ Leads is asking to access (for example, read and reply to business messages). 3. You approve, and the platform redirects you back to NZ Leads with an access token. 4. NZ Leads uses that token to receive new inquiries and handle the conversation. The same flow is used for every platform, with each platform's own branding on the consent screen. Reconnecting a source Tokens occasionally need to be refreshed - for example, when a platform requires you to re-authorize after a password change, when the person who originally connected the source changes their access, or when the platform expires the token on its own schedule. When that happens, the source card on the Sources page shows a Reconnect prompt and the token card on the Source Tokens page shows a red expiry warning and a Refresh Token button. How to reconnect 1. Open Source Tokens (or the Sources page - either works). 2. Find the token or source showing the expiry warning / Reconnect prompt. 3. Click Refresh Token (or Reconnect on the source card) and sign in on the platform again. 4. Approve the same consent screen you saw when you first connected. 5. The sources powered by that token return to Active and resume receiving inquiries. Conversation history and memos are preserved through a reconnect - nothing is lost. Revoking access You can disconnect at any time, in two ways: - From NZ Leads - open the source card on the Sources page and remove or disable the source. This stops NZ Leads from using the access token for that source. - From the source platform - every platform has a "connected apps" or "authorized apps" page in its account settings where you can revoke access to NZ Leads directly. This stops NZ Leads from using the token immediately, even if you don't touch anything inside NZ Leads. Either method works - use whichever is more convenient. Common situations The person who connected the source left the company Click Refresh Token on the Source Tokens page and sign in with a current team member's account on the platform. The sources stay in place with all their history; only the authorizing identity changes. The source was disconnected on the platform side If someone revoked NZ Leads from the platform's connected-apps page, the token will show expired/expiring in Source Tokens. Click Refresh Token and re-authorize. A permission changed on the platform If the platform adds a new permission (or you changed what you approved), use Refresh Token to re-run the consent screen with the latest permissions. A new location was added on the platform Open the token on the Source Tokens page and click Update List to pull in the newly available sources. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### AccuLynx Integration **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/acculynx/ Connect NZ Leads to AccuLynx and create roofing contacts and jobs from new leads, including contact details, address, notes, and conversation context. The AccuLynx integration turns a new NZ Leads lead into an AccuLynx contact and job. It is designed for roofing teams that want every inquiry, customer detail, and conversation reference available in AccuLynx without manual data entry. What gets created For each eligible lead, NZ Leads creates: - An AccuLynx contact with first and last name - Phone number and email address, when available - Mailing and billing address, when address details are available - A related AccuLynx job - Notes containing lead details, the first inquiry, the conversation link, and team memos - A cross-reference back to the NZ Leads lead If a phone number is captured after the contact and job already exist, NZ Leads can add that phone number to the existing AccuLynx contact. Phone numbers that cannot be normalized to 10 digits are preserved in the notes instead of being discarded. Connect AccuLynx Get an AccuLynx API key Ask your AccuLynx account administrator for an API key that can create contacts and jobs. Open the integration In NZ Leads, open a source and go to Messaging Settings > Integrations > CRM > AccuLynx. Save the API key Paste the key into API key and click Save. NZ Leads validates the key before storing the connection. Choose the lead filters Turn on Create lead in CRM only when contact info is received if AccuLynx should only receive leads with a phone number or email. Turn on Create only new leads if existing leads should be skipped. Enable the integration Turn Enabled on. The connection can be saved while disabled, so this final step is required before leads begin syncing. Duplicate protection After creating the AccuLynx contact and job, NZ Leads stores both AccuLynx IDs on the lead. Later integration events reuse the saved contact and do not create a second job for the same NZ Leads lead. Validate or disconnect Expand the saved AccuLynx connection and click Validate API key to test it again. To disconnect, click the delete button and confirm. Disconnecting removes the API key and disables the integration for that source. Troubleshooting - API key fails validation: copy the key again and confirm it belongs to an AccuLynx account with contact and job access. - Connected but no job is created: confirm Enabled is on and check whether the contact-info or new-lead filters are excluding the lead. - Phone number appears only in notes: AccuLynx receives a structured phone only when it can be normalized to 10 digits. - Address is incomplete: only the address fields captured on the lead can be sent. - A duplicate job was skipped: the integration creates one AccuLynx job per NZ Leads lead by design. The latest integration error is shown on the integration card. Use it together with Validate API key when diagnosing a failed connection. --- Questions about the AccuLynx integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Call Bridge Integration **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/call-bridge/ When a lead shares a phone number, NZ Leads calls you first, then calls the lead and joins both calls on the same line. Call Bridge turns a captured phone number into a live phone call. The moment a lead shares their phone number in the conversation, NZ Leads rings your phone, waits for you to pick up, and then dials the lead and drops both of you on the same call. No dialing, no tab-switching, no "let me call you back." The Call Bridge card lives on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Other sub-tab. When to enable Call Bridge Turn Call Bridge on when: - Your leads are more likely to book when you reach them right away. - You're a solo operator or small team who can pick up a call during business hours. - You already answer new-lead calls on the spot - Call Bridge just removes the manual dial step. Leave it off (or use SMS or Slack instead) when: - You want a written notification you can act on later, not a live ringing phone. - You have specific hours during which your team takes calls and the source runs 24/7. What happens, step by step 1. A lead messages the source and shares a phone number. 2. NZ Leads places an outbound call from the calling phone number you picked → to your phone number. 3. You answer. NZ Leads waits until your line is actually picked up. 4. NZ Leads then dials the lead's phone number and joins both calls on one conference line. 5. You speak with the lead directly. When either side hangs up, the call ends. If you don't answer, the call does not proceed to the lead - they aren't called by a silent line. Setup Call Bridge needs two phone numbers to be set up before it can run: 1. Your phone number - the number NZ Leads will ring when a lead shares their phone. Verified by SMS so only you control it. 2. Calling phone number - the number the outbound call comes from. You choose this number from a search in the integration UI; pick by area code. Optionally, you can also verify a Caller ID so the lead sees your number when the bridge dials them (instead of the calling phone number from step 2). Open the Call Bridge card Go to Sources → pick the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Other sub-tab → Call Bridge card. Add your phone number If you don't already have a phone number on the card, you'll see Add Your Phone Number. 1. Enter your phone number in international format (e.g., ). 2. Click Send code. NZ Leads sends a one-time code to that number by SMS. 3. Enter the code and click Verify. The number is now saved on the card. Add the calling phone number Next, set the number calls will come from. 1. Scroll to Add Calling Phone Number. 2. Enter a 3-digit US area code (e.g., ) and click Search Numbers. 3. A list of available numbers in that area code is shown. Click Select next to the one you want. That number is now reserved for Call Bridge on this source. (Optional) Verify your Caller ID By default, the lead sees the calling phone number you just picked. If you want the lead to see your personal number instead, verify it as a Caller ID. 1. Under Caller ID for Lead Calls, follow the verification steps to confirm you own that number. 2. Once verified, the checkbox Show my number to leads when calling (recommended) becomes available. Turn it on. Turn on Enable Flip the Enabled toggle at the top of the card. Call Bridge will now fire whenever a lead shares a phone number. Options Enable Turns Call Bridge on or off for this source. Default: off. The toggle is disabled until both your phone number and a calling phone number are set - Call Bridge won't run without both. Your Phone Number The verified number that NZ Leads rings when a lead shares a phone. Click Remove on the card to detach it. Removing your phone number also turns Enable off. Calling Phone Number The outbound caller number used to place the call. This is what the lead sees by default when they pick up (unless you've turned on Show my number to leads when calling). Click Remove to detach it. Removing the calling phone number also turns Enable off. Caller ID Verified A small check badge on your phone number that shows up once you've verified the number as a Caller ID. When the badge is present, the Show my number to leads when calling checkbox becomes usable. Show my number to leads when calling Label: Show my number to leads when calling (recommended). Default: on when Caller ID is verified, off otherwise. - When on - When NZ Leads dials the lead, the call appears to come from your verified number. Callbacks from the lead go straight to you. - When off - When NZ Leads dials the lead, the call appears to come from the calling phone number on the card. Callbacks go there. Turn this on if you want leads to save your real number. Turn it off if you want all return calls to go through the source's assigned number instead. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Call Bridge phone numbers and Caller ID. When off, this location has its own. What triggers a bridge call Only one event: the lead shares a phone number in the conversation. No other event (new lead, new message, email, etc.) fires Call Bridge. If the lead never shares a phone number, Call Bridge never runs. What doesn't happen - Call Bridge doesn't ring you on generic new-lead events - only when a phone number is captured. - It doesn't keep trying if you don't answer. The lead isn't dialed if your leg of the call wasn't answered. - It doesn't replace the automated reply - NZ Leads still sends the normal conversation response. Call Bridge runs alongside. Troubleshooting - The Enable toggle is greyed out - You're missing one of the two required numbers. Add your personal number (verified by SMS) and pick a calling phone number from the search. - The SMS code never arrives - Confirm the number is in international format (e.g., for US), and that the carrier isn't blocking short-code messages. - I answered but the lead was never called - Check the error log on the card. This usually means the lead's number was invalid or the outbound call failed; the timestamp and reason are shown inline. - Lead sees the wrong number - Check Show my number to leads when calling. If on but your Caller ID isn't verified, the call falls back to the calling phone number. Re-verify your Caller ID. - Call Bridge never fires - Confirm Enable is on, both numbers are set, and the lead has actually shared a phone number (check the conversation). --- Questions about Call Bridge? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Communication Tools **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/communication-tools/ Alert your team or hand data off to another system every time NZ Leads gets a new lead - Slack, SMS, Telegram, LeadConnector Messaging Sync, REST Webhook, Lead Reply API, and Call Bridge. Communication integrations do one of two things: they alert your team the moment a new lead comes in, or they hand the lead off to another system so your own software can take over. These integrations are split across two sub-tabs of the source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab: - Messengers sub-tab - Slack, SMS, Telegram, and LeadConnector Messaging Sync (GoHighLevel Messenger). - Other sub-tab - Call Bridge, REST Webhook, and Lead Reply API. These sit under Other because they do more than push a single alert. Communication integrations are configured per source. Open a source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab, then pick the sub-tab (Messengers or Other). Each integration has its own card with an Enable toggle, its settings, and a Validate Connection button. Supported integrations Which should I pick? - Solo operator or on-call rotation → SMS. Nothing beats a text for reliability and speed. - Office or hybrid team with multiple departments → Slack. A dedicated channel keeps threads organized and searchable. - Team that coordinates on Telegram → Telegram. - You already handle replies inside GoHighLevel → LeadConnector Messaging Sync (card is labeled LeadConnector Messaging Sync in the UI). - You want to be patched straight onto the phone with the lead when they share a number → Call Bridge. - You run your own software and want the raw event → REST Webhook. - You have an external system that needs to post replies back into NZ Leads → Lead Reply API. You can enable more than one at the same time. It's common to run Slack for the office plus SMS for whoever is on-call after hours. Shared options on every card These options appear on every communication integration. The per-integration pages only mention them when they behave differently for that integration. Enable A simple on/off toggle for this integration on this source. When off, nothing is sent. Default: off - the integration only runs once you turn it on. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location that has a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent business's configuration for this integration - same credentials, same options. When off, the location has its own settings that override the parent. Turn it off only on a specific location that needs to behave differently. Create customer only when contact info is captured Label: Create customer only when contact info is captured. Default: off. - When on - NZ Leads waits to fire the alert until it has collected either a phone number or an email from the conversation. Leads that never share contact info never trigger an alert. - When off - The alert fires the moment the lead first reaches out, even before their phone or email is known. Use this when you only want to be alerted about real, reachable leads. Create only for new leads Label: Create only for new leads. Default: off. - When on - NZ Leads skips leads it recognizes as returning or already in the system. Only brand-new leads trigger an alert. - When off - Every lead triggers an alert, including returning ones. Include source name Label: Include source name. Default: off. - When on - The source name (e.g., "Yelp – Downtown") is appended to the alert so you can see at a glance where the lead came from. - When off - The source name is not included. Use this when you run multiple sources and want to tell them apart from the alert itself. Validate Connection A button on every card that tests the integration right now. On success, you see a green confirmation. On failure, the error is shown inline so you can fix it. Disconnect Removes the connection for this integration on this source. You'll be asked to confirm. After disconnecting, no more alerts are sent until you reconnect. Error log If the integration hits a problem while processing a real lead, the most recent error and its timestamp are shown right on the card. --- Questions about communication integrations? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### CRM Systems **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/crm-systems/ Send NZ Leads leads to HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Salesforce, Monday.com, or Zapier. A CRM integration pushes every inquiry NZ Leads handles into your CRM as a new contact (or lead). You stop doing manual entry, and your team has every lead and every conversation in one place. CRM integrations live on the CRM sub-tab of a source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. Each CRM has its own card you can enable, configure, and validate. Looking for GoHighLevel? In the UI its card is labeled "LeadConnector" - the product has been renamed. The setup and behavior are unchanged. See LeadConnector (GoHighLevel). Supported CRMs NZ Leads has direct, purpose-built connectors for eleven CRMs, plus Zapier for no-code routing. If your CRM is not one of them, use REST Webhook (Custom CRM Integration) if you can host a JSON endpoint. Which one should I pick? If you're not sure which CRM fits, use this as a rough guide: - Field service (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, etc.): Workiz, Housecall Pro, or ServiceTitan. - Roofing companies: AccuLynx creates both the contact and related job. - Moving companies: SmartMoving - it captures move-specific fields no other CRM does. - Marketing agencies and everything-in-one operators: LeadConnector (GoHighLevel). - Sales-driven teams with a pipeline: HubSpot, Pipedrive, or Salesforce. - Project-managed teams tracking work on a board: Monday.com. - Teams that run their work in Quickbase tables: Quickbase creates one record per lead and keeps it updated. - A CRM not on this list and you can host an endpoint: REST Webhook (Custom CRM). - A CRM not on this list and you want a no-code route: Zapier. Common CRM options The available controls vary by connector. Every CRM can be enabled or disconnected, while lead filters and source-name options appear only where the connector supports them. The dedicated page for each CRM documents its actual controls. Enable A simple on/off toggle for this integration on this source. When off, nothing is sent to the CRM from this source. Default: off (the integration only runs after you turn it on). Inherit from parent Only shown on a location that has a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent business's settings for this integration - same credentials, same options. When off, the location has its own settings that override the parent. Use Inherit from parent when all your locations should behave identically, and turn it off only on a specific location if it needs to be different. Create customer only when contact info is captured Label: Create customer only when contact info is captured (in some places: "Create in CRM only after phone/email is collected"). Default: off. - When on - NZ Leads waits to push the lead into your CRM until it has captured either a phone number or an email from the conversation. Leads that never share contact info are never written to your CRM. - When off - A CRM record is created the moment the lead reaches out, even if you don't have their phone or email yet. Contact info is added later when it's collected. Use this when you want your CRM to only contain real, reachable leads - not every inbound ping. Create only for new leads Label: Create only for new leads. Default: off. - When on - NZ Leads checks your CRM first. If a contact with the same phone or email already exists, it is not touched - no new record is created and no updates are pushed. Only brand-new leads are added. - When off - Existing records are found and updated (where the CRM supports it - e.g., HubSpot matches by email, LeadConnector by phone). New data is added to the existing record. Use this when you don't want NZ Leads overwriting CRM records you're curating manually. Include source name Label: Include source name in payload. Default: off. - When on - NZ Leads adds the source name (e.g., "Yelp – Main Location") to what it pushes into your CRM. Depending on the CRM this shows up in the note, in a tag, or in a custom field. - When off - The source name is not included. Use this when you run multiple sources and want to see in your CRM where a lead came from. Validate Connection A button on every card that tests your credentials right now. On success, you see a green confirmation. On failure, the error from the CRM is shown inline so you can fix it. Disconnect Removes your credentials for that CRM on that source. You'll be asked to confirm. After disconnecting, no more leads are sent to the CRM until you reconnect. Error log If the integration runs into a problem while processing a real lead, the most recent error and its timestamp are shown right on the card. --- Questions about CRM integrations? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### LeadConnector Messaging Sync (GoHighLevel) **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/ghl-messenger/ Push NZ Leads conversations into GoHighLevel's Conversations inbox so your team replies from inside GHL. Card is labeled LeadConnector Messaging Sync. The LeadConnector Messaging Sync integration (formerly named "GoHighLevel Messenger") sends the conversation itself into GoHighLevel's Conversations inbox. Inbound lead messages appear in GHL as new conversations, and replies you send from inside GHL are delivered back to the lead. Use this when your team already handles customer replies from inside GoHighLevel and you want NZ Leads conversations to show up alongside everything else. In NZ Leads this integration's card is labeled LeadConnector Messaging Sync - the product was renamed. If you're looking for "GoHighLevel Messenger" and don't see it, that's the same card. The LeadConnector Messaging Sync card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Messengers sub-tab. Not the same as the LeadConnector CRM integration NZ Leads has two separate GoHighLevel integrations, and both are labeled with the new "LeadConnector" brand name in the UI: - LeadConnector (CRM) - on the CRM sub-tab. Creates and updates contacts in GHL. Good if you use GHL as your system of record but reply to leads somewhere else. - LeadConnector Messaging Sync (this page) - on the Messengers sub-tab. Pushes the conversation into GHL's Conversations inbox so your team replies from inside GHL. You can use one, the other, or both. They each have their own OAuth connection. What you'll get - Every new lead creates a new conversation in your GoHighLevel Conversations inbox. - Inbound messages from the lead land in that conversation. - Replies your team sends from inside GHL Conversations are delivered back to the lead. - The conversation history lives in GHL, not in NZ Leads, so your inbox workflow doesn't change. Connecting GoHighLevel Messenger Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Messengers sub-tab → LeadConnector Messaging Sync card. Click Connect You'll be redirected to GoHighLevel to authorize the connection. Sign in if needed and approve access. Choose Company or Location scope At the end of the OAuth flow, GoHighLevel (and NZ Leads) will ask whether this connection should be at the Company level or a specific Location. - Choose Company if you're an agency and want the messenger connection to work across multiple sub-accounts under one OAuth connection. - Choose Location if this NZ Leads source should only route conversations into a single GoHighLevel location. You're returned to NZ Leads After authorizing, you land back on the integration card. The connection is now set. Validate and save Click Validate Connection. If the OAuth token is healthy, you'll see a green confirmation. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is pushed to GHL Conversations until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's LeadConnector Messaging Sync connection. When off, it has its own. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The GHL conversation is only created once the lead has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The GHL conversation is created as soon as the lead reaches out. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Returning leads don't open a fresh conversation in GHL. - When off - Every lead opens a conversation in GHL (or updates an existing one when the lead is matched). Include source name Default: off. When on, the source name is included on the conversation in GHL so your team can see where the lead came from without leaving GHL. Validate Connection Tests the OAuth token against GoHighLevel. If the token was revoked on GHL's side, the error shows here and you'll need to reconnect. Disconnect Removes the OAuth connection. Confirmation required. You should also revoke the connection on the GoHighLevel side from your GoHighLevel settings if you want it fully removed there too. What the conversation contains Each conversation in GHL includes: - The lead's name (if shared) - Phone number and email (if shared) - The original inquiry as the first inbound message - All follow-up messages from the lead, as they come in - Replies your team sends back through GHL Conversations Who handles replies? When this integration is enabled, you're telling NZ Leads that replies will be handled from inside GoHighLevel. Configure your own reply workflow inside GHL (team members, routing rules, automations) - that's where the conversation lives now. Disconnecting Open the LeadConnector Messaging Sync card → click Disconnect → confirm. The OAuth connection is removed from NZ Leads. Existing conversations in GHL are not deleted; they just stop receiving new inbound messages from this source. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / token expired - Click Connect again and re-authorize. OAuth tokens can be revoked on GHL's side at any time. - Conversations not appearing in GHL - Confirm Enable is on. Check whether the connection was made at Company or Location level; at Company level, make sure NZ Leads is writing into the location you expect. - Replies from GHL aren't reaching the lead - Confirm the connection is still healthy (use Validate Connection). If the token was revoked, reconnect. - I wanted the CRM sync, not the messenger - Use the separate LeadConnector (CRM) integration on the CRM sub-tab. --- Questions about the GoHighLevel Messenger integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### GoHighLevel **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/gohighlevel/ Push every NZ Leads lead into GoHighLevel as a contact, with tags, notes, and phone-based deduplication. The GoHighLevel integration creates and updates contacts in your GoHighLevel account automatically. The connection is OAuth-based - you click Connect, approve on GoHighLevel, and at the end you choose whether the connection should be at the company level (for agencies managing many sub-accounts) or at a specific location level. In NZ Leads this integration's card is labeled LeadConnector - the product was renamed. If you're looking for "GoHighLevel" on the CRM sub-tab and don't see it, pick the LeadConnector card. The LeadConnector card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → CRM sub-tab. Recommended vs Legacy NZ Leads offers two versions of this integration: - LeadConnector (Recommended) - the current, up-to-date connection. New customers should use this one. - LeadConnector (Legacy) - the older connection, kept only for existing customers who haven't migrated. To avoid conflicts, only one of these is shown on a given source at a time. If you're setting up GoHighLevel for the first time, you'll see LeadConnector (Recommended). If you already had the Legacy connection set up, you'll continue to see Legacy until you migrate. If you're a new user, always use LeadConnector (Recommended). Not the same as LeadConnector Messaging Sync There is also a separate LeadConnector Messaging Sync integration (formerly called "GoHighLevel Messenger") on the Messengers sub-tab. It handles inbound and outbound messaging through GoHighLevel's Conversations inbox. That is a different integration and is not covered on this page - this page is about syncing leads into GoHighLevel as contacts. See LeadConnector Messaging Sync. What gets synced Every lead pushed into GoHighLevel includes: - First name - Last name - Phone number - Email - Postal code - Tags - A note with the source and the original inquiry Connecting GoHighLevel Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → CRM sub-tab → LeadConnector (Recommended) card. Click Connect You'll be redirected to GoHighLevel to authorize the connection. Sign in if needed and approve access. Choose Company or Location At the end of the OAuth flow, GoHighLevel (and NZ Leads) will ask whether this connection should be at the Company level or a specific Location. - Choose Company if you're an agency and want NZ Leads to place leads across multiple sub-accounts under one connection. - Choose Location if this NZ Leads source should only write into a single GoHighLevel location. You're returned to NZ Leads After authorizing, you land back on the integration card. The connection is now set. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to GoHighLevel until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's GoHighLevel connection and settings. When off, it overrides them. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The GoHighLevel contact is only created after the lead shares a phone number or email. - When off - A contact is created at first contact, even without phone or email. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - If a GoHighLevel contact already matches on phone, the integration leaves it alone. - When off - The existing contact is updated, tags are added, and a new note is appended. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name is added to the note (and often as a tag) on the GoHighLevel contact. - When off - Source isn't included. Validate Connection Tests the OAuth token against GoHighLevel. If the token has been revoked on GoHighLevel's side, the error is shown here and you'll need to reconnect. Disconnect Removes the OAuth connection. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication GoHighLevel contacts are matched by phone number. This is how duplicate contacts are avoided even if the name or email differs slightly. One important detail: if a contact in GoHighLevel already has a real email, NZ Leads will not overwrite it with a temporary placeholder email (such as the anonymized address Yelp returns before contact info is shared). The real email wins. Disconnecting Open the LeadConnector card → click Disconnect → confirm. The OAuth connection is removed from NZ Leads. You should also revoke the connection on the GoHighLevel side from your GoHighLevel settings if you want it fully removed there too. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / token expired - Reconnect via OAuth. Click Connect again and re-authorize. - No contacts appearing - Confirm Enable is on. Check whether the connection was made at Company or Location level; if it's Company-level, check the location routing in GoHighLevel. - Duplicate contacts - Matching is by phone. If leads are reaching out without sharing a phone number, you may see new contacts that later "catch up" to the real one. Turning on Create customer only when contact info is captured helps. - My real email got replaced by a temporary one - This shouldn't happen. Real emails are preserved over temporary ones. If you see this, contact support. - I meant to set up the messenger sync, not the CRM sync - That's a different card named LeadConnector Messaging Sync on the Messengers sub-tab. See LeadConnector Messaging Sync. --- Questions about the GoHighLevel integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Housecall Pro **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/housecallpro/ Push every NZ Leads lead into Housecall Pro as a customer, with optional job creation and estimate line items. The Housecall Pro integration creates customers in your Housecall Pro account for every lead NZ Leads handles. When enough detail is collected, it can also create a job for the customer with notes and estimate line items, so your team has everything they need to dispatch. The Housecall Pro card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every customer pushed into Housecall Pro includes: - First name - Last name - Email - Mobile number - Company (when provided) - Notes (includes the inquiry details) - Address When a job is created, it can also include estimate line items based on what the lead asked about. Connecting Housecall Pro Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Housecall Pro card. Paste your Housecall Pro API token Click Connect and paste your Housecall Pro API token into the field. You can generate an API token in Housecall Pro under your company settings. Save and validate Click Save, then click Validate Connection. If the token is correct, you'll see a success message. If not, Housecall Pro's error is shown inline. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to Housecall Pro until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Housecall Pro settings. When off, it overrides them. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The Housecall Pro customer is only created after a phone or email is collected. - When off - The customer is created at first contact, even before contact info is shared. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - If a matching customer already exists in Housecall Pro, they aren't touched. - When off - Existing customers are updated with any new info NZ Leads has. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name is included in the customer notes so your dispatchers can see where the lead came from. - When off - Source isn't included. Validate Connection Re-tests your API token. Disconnect Removes the API token. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication Housecall Pro customers are matched by phone and email. With Create only for new leads on, existing customers are left untouched. A note on appointment booking Housecall Pro also powers appointment scheduling inside NZ Leads's AI Assistant and Voice Agent. If your voice agent or AI text flow books an appointment, Housecall Pro is the calendar being read and written. That is configured separately under the AI Assistant and Voice Agent settings, not on this Integrations card. This page only covers customer and job creation for inbound leads. Disconnecting Open the Housecall Pro card → click Disconnect → confirm. The API token is cleared. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid token - The API token is wrong or was revoked. Generate a new one in Housecall Pro. - No customers appearing - Confirm Enable is on and check your Create customer only when contact info is captured setting. - Jobs not being created - Jobs are only created when enough info (service, address) is collected. If the conversation doesn't capture those, only the customer record is created. - Duplicate customers - Usually caused by leads reaching out without contact info. Turning on Create customer only when contact info is captured prevents this. --- Questions about the Housecall Pro integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### HubSpot **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/hubspot/ Push every NZ Leads lead into HubSpot as a contact, matched by email, with a note of the original inquiry. The HubSpot integration creates and updates HubSpot contacts automatically. Every lead NZ Leads talks to is sent to HubSpot with their name, phone, email, and zip code, plus a note describing where the lead came from and what they asked about. Existing contacts are matched by email so you don't get duplicates. The HubSpot card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every lead pushed into HubSpot includes: - First name - Last name - Phone number - Email - Zip code - Lifecycle stage - A note attached to the contact with the source name and the original inquiry Connecting HubSpot Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → HubSpot card. Paste your HubSpot access token Click Connect and paste your HubSpot access token into the field. You can create a token in HubSpot under your account settings → Integrations → Private Apps. Make sure the token has permissions to read and write contacts. Save and validate Click Save, then click Validate Connection. If the token is correct, you'll see a green confirmation. If not, HubSpot's error message is shown right on the card so you can fix it. Turn on the Enable toggle The integration doesn't send anything until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, this location uses the parent's HubSpot settings. When off, it has its own credentials and options. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The HubSpot contact is only created once the lead shares a phone number or email. - When off - A HubSpot contact is created as soon as the lead first reaches out, even before you have their contact info. Use this if you only want HubSpot contacts you can actually reach. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - If an existing HubSpot contact already has the same email, NZ Leads leaves it alone. No update is sent. - When off - Existing contacts are updated with any new info NZ Leads has collected. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name (e.g., "Yelp – Downtown") is added to the note on the contact, so you can see where each lead came from inside HubSpot. - When off - The note only contains the inquiry. Validate Connection Tests your access token immediately. Disconnect Removes the access token and turns off the integration. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication HubSpot contacts are matched by email. If a contact with the same email already exists: - With Create only for new leads off, NZ Leads updates the existing contact with new fields and appends a new note. - With Create only for new leads on, the existing contact is skipped entirely. If the lead doesn't have an email yet, HubSpot can't dedupe on email - in that case, a new contact may be created until the email is collected. Disconnecting Open the HubSpot card → click Disconnect → confirm. Your token is removed and no more leads are pushed to HubSpot until you reconnect. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid token - The access token is wrong or was revoked. Regenerate the token in HubSpot and paste the new one. - No contacts appearing in HubSpot - Check that Enable is on. If Create customer only when contact info is captured is on, the lead hasn't shared a phone or email yet. If Create only for new leads is on, the lead may already exist. - Duplicate contacts - Usually means leads are reaching out without an email, and HubSpot can't dedupe. Consider turning on Create customer only when contact info is captured so records are only created once an email is collected. - Missing notes or fields - Confirm your HubSpot token has permissions for contacts and notes. --- Questions about the HubSpot integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Lead Reply API **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/lead-reply-api/ A lightweight API for posting replies back into NZ Leads from an external system, authenticated with a per-source secret key. The Lead Reply API lets an external system send replies back into NZ Leads so they're delivered to the lead as if your team sent them from inside the app. This is the pair of the REST Webhook integration: the webhook sends lead data out, the Lead Reply API posts replies back in. Together they let a developer-owned workflow fully own the conversation. The Lead Reply API card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. Use it alongside the REST Webhook if you want a full outbound-plus-inbound integration. What you'll get - A Secret key for this source that your external system uses to authenticate when sending replies. - The ability to post outbound messages back to the lead from your own software. - Inbound activity from the lead still shows up in NZ Leads (and in your webhook receiver if you have one wired up). Connecting the Lead Reply API Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Lead Reply API card. Copy the Secret key NZ Leads generates a Secret key when the card is set up. Copy it and store it as a credential in your external system. Your system will include this key on every call it makes to the Lead Reply API so NZ Leads can confirm the call really came from you. You can Regenerate the secret at any time. Regenerating invalidates the old key immediately - update your caller before regenerating in production. Validate and save Click Validate Connection to confirm the secret is active. Turn on the Enable toggle The API won't accept replies for this source until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. When off, calls to the Lead Reply API for this source are rejected. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's secret key. When off, it has its own. Secret key The credential your external system uses to authenticate. Keep it secret and rotate it (via Regenerate) if it's ever exposed. The old key stops working the moment a new one is generated. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The lead is only considered "ready" for external reply flows once phone or email has been collected. - When off - The lead is available to reply to from the moment it reaches out. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Returning leads are not surfaced to your external reply flow as new. - When off - All leads are surfaced. Include source name Default: off. When on, the source name is included in the data your external system sees alongside each lead. Validate Connection Confirms the current secret is active. Disconnect Clears the secret and turns the integration off. Confirmation required. Typical setup Most customers use the Lead Reply API together with the REST Webhook: 1. Wire up the REST Webhook so your system gets notified of new leads and messages. 2. Enable the Lead Reply API on the same source and copy its secret. 3. In your system, when you want to reply to a lead, call the Lead Reply API with the secret and the reply text. The reply is delivered to the lead. If you're taking over the conversation entirely, turn on Skip welcome and follow-ups on the REST Webhook card so NZ Leads's automated messages don't interfere with yours. Disconnecting Open the Lead Reply API card → click Disconnect → confirm. The secret is cleared. Any external system still calling with the old secret will get rejected. Troubleshooting - Calls being rejected - Confirm Enable is on and that your caller is sending the current secret. If you regenerated it, old callers need to be updated. - Replies aren't reaching the lead - Make sure you're identifying the correct lead in your call, and that the lead's conversation is still open on the source. - I want the reverse direction too - Enable the REST Webhook on the same source so your system also gets notified of inbound activity. --- Questions about the Lead Reply API? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Monday.com **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/monday/ Push every NZ Leads lead into Monday.com as an item on a board you choose, in the group you choose, with customizable column mapping. The Monday.com integration creates an item on a Monday.com board every time a new lead comes through NZ Leads. You choose which board to use, which group within the board to drop new items into, and how each NZ Leads field maps to a Monday column - so your team's board stays organized exactly how you already use it. The Monday.com card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every lead pushed into Monday.com creates a new item with: - First name / last name (usually combined into the item name) - Phone number - Email - Postal code - The inquiry / notes - Source (when Include source name is on) Exactly which columns these land in depends on your field mapping (see below). Connecting Monday.com Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Monday.com card. Paste your Monday.com API token Click Connect and paste your Monday.com API token. You can generate a token in Monday.com under your profile → Developers → My access tokens. Save and validate Click Save, then click Validate Connection. If the token is wrong, Monday's error is shown inline. Pick a Board Once connected, a Board dropdown appears with the boards available to the connected user. Pick the board where new leads should appear. Default: Auto Respond | Leads (if you have a board with that name, it's picked automatically). Pick a Group Then pick a Group on that board - groups are the colored sections you already have on your Monday board (e.g., "New Leads", "To Qualify"). New items from NZ Leads will be created in this group. Map your fields On the card you'll see the list of NZ Leads fields and a dropdown next to each one to map it to one of your board's columns. For example, map Phone to your phone column, Email to your email column, Postal code to a text column, and so on. Save when you're done. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to Monday.com until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Monday settings (token, board, group, mapping). When off, it overrides them per location. Board Which Monday.com board new items are created on. Default: Auto Respond | Leads if that board exists on your account; otherwise pick any board. Group Which group within the selected board new items land in. You can reorganize the items on Monday after they're created - changes to the group after the fact don't affect NZ Leads. Field mapping Customize which Monday column each NZ Leads field writes to. If you don't map a field, that field simply isn't written to Monday - nothing else on the item is affected. Updating the mapping only affects new items going forward; existing items aren't rewritten. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - An item is only created after a phone number or email is collected. - When off - An item is created at first contact, even without contact info. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Matching items in Monday (by phone/email in your mapped columns) are skipped. - When off - Existing matches are updated. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name is added to the Monday item (typically in the notes/description column). - When off - Source isn't included. Validate Connection Re-tests your API token. Disconnect Removes the API token, the board selection, the group, and the field mapping. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication Matching depends on which Monday columns you've mapped to phone and email. If those columns aren't mapped, duplicate items can be created on repeat inquiries. Disconnecting Open the Monday.com card → click Disconnect → confirm. The token, board choice, group choice, and mapping are all cleared. Items already on your Monday board are untouched. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid token - The API token is wrong or was revoked. Generate a new one in Monday.com. - Board dropdown is empty - The connected user has no boards, or the token doesn't have permission to list boards. Generate a token scoped to a user who can see the board. - Items going to the wrong place - Check your Board and Group selections. - Fields not populating on the item - That field isn't mapped. Go to the field mapping section of the card and map it to a column. - Duplicates - Map Monday's phone and email columns in the field mapping and turn on Create only for new leads. --- Questions about the Monday.com integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Integrations Overview **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/ Connect NZ Leads to your CRM, communication tools, and automation platforms NZ Leads can push every inquiry it handles into the tools you already use - your CRM, your team chat, or any other app connected through Zapier. Once an integration is turned on, lead data flows over automatically as conversations happen. No copy-paste, no missed records. Integrations are configured per source. Open any source (Yelp, Thumbtack, etc.) → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. Each integration appears as its own card with an enable toggle, its settings, and a Validate Connection button. How the Integrations tab is organized The Integrations tab splits every integration across three sub-tabs. The sub-tab an integration lives on tells you what it's for: - Messengers - integrations that alert your team or hand the live conversation off to another inbox. This is where Slack, SMS, Telegram, and LeadConnector Messaging Sync (GoHighLevel Messenger) live. - CRM - integrations that create or update contact and job records in your CRM. This is where HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, LeadConnector (GoHighLevel), Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Salesforce, Monday.com, and Zapier live. - Other - integrations that do something more specialized than a simple alert or a CRM push. This is where Call Bridge, Voice Agent, REST Webhook, and Lead Reply API live. Each sub-tab shows one card per integration. You can enable any combination across the three sub-tabs on the same source. Jump to a category How integrations work in NZ Leads - Each integration lives on the Integrations tab of a source. - Every card has an Enable toggle that turns the integration on or off just for that source. - If the source belongs to a parent business, you'll also see an Inherit from parent toggle so you can fall back to the parent's settings or override them. - Most integrations have a Validate Connection button that checks your credentials immediately. If something is wrong, the error is shown right on the card. - If the integration ever hits an error while processing a lead, the last error and its timestamp are shown on the card so you can see what happened. - To remove an integration, click Disconnect. You'll be asked to confirm. Credentials are cleared and no more data is sent until you reconnect. Common options on CRM cards Many CRM integrations offer these filters. The exact options depend on the connector, so use each integration's dedicated page for the final behavior: - Create customer only when contact info is captured - only push the lead once you've collected a phone number or email. - Create only for new leads - skip leads that already exist in the CRM. - Include source name - add the NZ Leads source/location name to the CRM record. Which CRMs are supported? NZ Leads has direct connectors for HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, LeadConnector (GoHighLevel), Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Salesforce, and Monday.com. It also supports Zapier for no-code routing. If your CRM is not on that list, use REST Webhook (Custom CRM) to have NZ Leads POST lead events to a URL you control. Which communication tools are supported? For team notifications, NZ Leads supports SMS, Slack, Telegram, and email. See Communication Tools for setup. --- Questions about integrations? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Pipedrive **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/pipedrive/ Push every NZ Leads lead into Pipedrive as a person, with name, email, phone, and postal code. The Pipedrive integration creates persons (Pipedrive's name for contacts) in your Pipedrive account for every lead NZ Leads handles. Their name, email, phone, and postal code are written through automatically, so your pipeline always reflects what's come in. The Pipedrive card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every lead sent to Pipedrive includes: - Name - Email - Phone number - Postal code (written into a custom field on the person) Connecting Pipedrive Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Pipedrive card. Paste your Pipedrive API token Click Connect and paste your Pipedrive API token. You can find your token in Pipedrive under your user profile → Personal preferences → API. Save and validate Click Save. The token is validated automatically when you save - if it's wrong, Pipedrive's error is shown right on the card. You can also click Validate Connection later to re-check. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to Pipedrive until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Pipedrive settings. When off, the location overrides them. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The Pipedrive person is only created once the lead has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The person is created at first contact, even if you don't have their phone or email yet. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - If a Pipedrive person already matches on phone or email, NZ Leads skips the lead and doesn't touch the existing record. - When off - Existing persons are matched and updated with any new info NZ Leads has. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name (e.g., "Thumbtack – Main") is added to the person in Pipedrive. - When off - The source name isn't included. Validate Connection Re-tests your API token against Pipedrive. Disconnect Removes the token and turns the integration off. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication Pipedrive persons are matched by phone or email. With Create only for new leads off, an existing person is updated. With it on, the existing person is left alone. Disconnecting Open the Pipedrive card → click Disconnect → confirm. The API token is cleared. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid token - The Pipedrive token is wrong, expired, or was deleted. Generate a new token in Pipedrive and paste it. - No persons appearing in Pipedrive - Check Enable is on, check your Create customer only when contact info is captured setting, and confirm your Pipedrive user has permission to create persons. - Duplicates - Turn on Create only for new leads if you're seeing duplicates from leads that were created manually in Pipedrive. - Postal code missing - Pipedrive stores postal code on a custom field. Check that your Pipedrive account has the postal-code custom field available on the Person entity. --- Questions about the Pipedrive integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Quickbase Integration **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/quickbase/ Connect NZ Leads to Quickbase to create a record in your table for each new lead, and let the voice agent and AI text conversations book appointments straight into your Quickbase appointments table. The Quickbase integration turns each new NZ Leads lead into a record in a Quickbase table you choose. You decide which Quickbase field receives each lead value, so the records land in your table the way your team already uses it. Quickbase can also be your scheduler: the voice agent and AI text conversations can book appointments straight into your own Quickbase appointments table. See Book appointments in Quickbase. What gets synced You map each of these lead values to a field in your Quickbase table: - Full name - First name - Last name - Phone - Email - Street address - City - Postal code - Lead details and first message - Conversation link - Source name - Lead ID - Call summary, Call recording link, and Call transcript (only for voice agent calls) Values you don't map are not sent. Record updates NZ Leads creates a new Quickbase record for each new lead. Later updates for the same lead, such as contact info being found, interest being confirmed, or a call finishing, update that same record instead of creating a duplicate. Empty lead values are not sent, so an update never blanks data that is already in the record. Connect Quickbase Get a Quickbase user token In Quickbase, click your name in the top right, open My Preferences, and click Manage my user tokens for your realm. Use an existing token or click + New user token. The token must be assigned to the Quickbase app that holds the table. Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source settings (or the voice agent) and go to Integrations > CRM > Quickbase. Enter the table and token Open the table in Quickbase and copy the browser URL, then paste it as the Quickbase table link. NZ Leads reads the realm and table ID from it. You can instead enter the realm hostname (for example ) and the table ID. Then paste your Quickbase user token. Load and map the fields Click Load fields. NZ Leads reads the fields of your table. Next to each lead value, pick the Quickbase field it should go to. Formula, lookup, and summary fields and the Record ID field can't be written, so they aren't listed. Map every field your table requires, or Quickbase rejects the new record. Save and enable Click Save, then turn Enabled on. Leads only start syncing after the integration is enabled. Lead filters These options control when NZ Leads sends a lead to Quickbase: - Create lead in CRM only when contact info is received - Quickbase only receives leads with a phone number or email. - Create only new leads - existing leads are skipped. - Notify this integration only after the AI determines the lead is interested - the record is created only after the AI confirms the lead's interest. It requires the AI Assistant with Short or Long Conversation, and it can't be turned on together with either of the two options above. - Notify only for MESSAGE type leads - shown on Google Local Services sources. Phone calls and bookings are not sent to Quickbase, only messages. Troubleshooting - The token is rejected: copy the user token again and confirm it is assigned to the app that holds the table. - No fields appear after Load fields: check the table link, or the realm hostname and table ID, and confirm the token's app contains that table. - Records are not created: confirm Enabled is on, every required Quickbase field is mapped, and the lead filters are not excluding the lead. - A field rejects a value: map that lead value to a Quickbase field whose type accepts it, for example a text field for Lead details and first message. The latest integration error, such as an invalid token or a field that rejects a value, is shown on the integration card. Book appointments in Quickbase The voice agent and AI text conversations can check open times in your Quickbase appointments table and book new appointments straight into it. Where to set it up - Voice agent: go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → open an agent → Scheduling tab, and choose Quickbase as the Scheduling Service. See Scheduling Integrations. - AI text conversations: in the source's Messaging Settings, open the AI Assistant's Appointment Scheduling panel and choose Quickbase as the scheduling service. See Appointment Scheduling. Connect the appointments table Copy the table link Open your appointments table in Quickbase and copy the browser URL. Paste it as the Appointments table link. Paste a user token Get a Quickbase user token the same way as for the CRM integration: click your name, open My Preferences, and click Manage my user tokens. The token must be assigned to the Quickbase app that holds the appointments table. Paste it as the User token. Click Connect Click Connect. NZ Leads reads the fields of your table and picks them automatically: - Appointment start - a Date / Time field, or a Date field plus a Time of Day field. - Appointment end (a Date / Time field) or appointment length (a Duration field, or a Numeric field in minutes). - Status field. - Customer name, phone, email, address, and notes fields. A short summary shows what was picked. Click Edit to change any of it. Set the appointment length and working hours - Appointment length (minutes) - default 60. Used for new bookings, and for existing appointments that have no end or length. - Working Hours - new setups start with weekdays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Change them to match your business. Open times are your working hours minus the appointments already in the table. Advanced options All of these are optional: - Statuses that free the time slot - appointments with these statuses don't block time. Default: "Canceled". - Status for new bookings - the status written on each new appointment. - Status when cancelled - the status written when a booking is cancelled. If empty, the cancelled booking's record is deleted. - Technician field and a value to book for - only that technician's appointments block time, and new bookings get that value. - Appointments at the same time - how many appointments can overlap, for example the number of crews. - Buffer between appointments (minutes) - free time kept before and after each appointment. - Customer details - which table fields receive the details the customer gives. - Scheduling instructions - optional extra rules for the agent. Test the connection - Voice agent: click Test & preview open times. It shows how many existing appointments were found and the next open times. - AI text conversations: click Validate Connection. How booking works - The agent offers only open times. - Right before booking, it checks the time again, so a double booking is refused. - It writes the appointment to your table with the customer's details. - It can cancel the appointment. An appointment that has a date but no time blocks that whole day. --- Questions about the Quickbase integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### REST Webhook (Custom CRM) **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/rest-webhook/ Connect any CRM or custom system to NZ Leads by having it POST lead events to a URL you control. Use this when your CRM isn't in the supported list. The REST Webhook (Custom CRM Integration) is how you connect NZ Leads to a CRM or internal system that isn't one of the directly-supported CRMs. NZ Leads sends an HTTP POST request to an endpoint you control every time a lead event happens on this source - a new lead, new contact info, a new message. The payload is a JSON document containing the lead's details, and every request carries a secret header so your endpoint can verify the request really came from NZ Leads. This integration requires a developer or someone who can host an endpoint that receives JSON. If you need a no-code route to a custom tool, use Zapier instead. If you just want a team alert, use Slack, SMS, or Telegram. What you'll get - An HTTP POST to your endpoint for every lead event on this source. - A JSON body with the lead's identity, contact info, tags, and the conversation history so far. - An header on every request so you can verify the sender. - Optional handoff mode: NZ Leads can stop sending its own welcome message and follow-ups and let your receiver drive the conversation. Connecting the Webhook Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → REST Webhook card. Paste your Webhook URL Enter the public HTTPS URL of the endpoint you want NZ Leads to POST to. Your endpoint should accept JSON, respond with a status on success, and be reachable from the public internet. Copy the Secret key NZ Leads generates a Secret key for you when the card is set up. This key is sent on every request in the HTTP header. Copy it into your receiver code and compare it against the incoming header on every request - reject any request where it doesn't match. You can Regenerate the secret key at any time. Regenerating invalidates the old key immediately - update your receiver before regenerating in production. Test webhook Click Test webhook to send a sample POST to your URL right now. Check your endpoint's logs to confirm it arrived, and confirm your signature check passes on the test request. Turn on the Enable toggle The integration doesn't POST anything until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's webhook URL and secret. When off, it has its own. Webhook URL The HTTPS endpoint that receives the POST. Required. Secret key Auto-generated by NZ Leads. Sent on every request as the HTTP header. Your receiver should reject any request whose header doesn't match the key you configured. Click Regenerate to issue a new one - the old key stops working immediately. Skip welcome and follow-ups Label: Skip welcome and follow-ups. Default: off. - When on - NZ Leads will not send its usual welcome message or follow-up sequence for leads on this source. The webhook receiver is expected to handle the conversation. - When off - NZ Leads sends its normal welcome and follow-ups in addition to firing the webhook. Use this when your own system is taking over the conversation flow and you don't want NZ Leads's automated messages to interfere. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The webhook only fires once the lead has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The webhook fires the moment the lead reaches out. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Returning leads don't trigger the webhook. - When off - Every lead triggers the webhook. Include source name Default: off. When on, the source name is included in the payload so your receiver knows which source the lead came from. Validate Connection / Test webhook Fires a sample POST to the URL right now so you can confirm your endpoint receives it and your signature check works. Payload preview The card has an expandable sample JSON block showing the shape of data NZ Leads will POST to your endpoint. Disconnect Clears the webhook URL and secret and turns the integration off. Confirmation required. Sample payload The request is an HTTP POST with . The header is set to your secret key. The body looks like: Fields included on every payload: - - stable identifier for the lead. - , , , - present when collected; omitted or otherwise. - - tags attached to the lead. - - included when Include source name is on. - - the conversation transcript so far, in chronological order. - - a summary of what NZ Leads has done with this lead in other integrations. What your endpoint should do - Accept at the configured URL. - Read the header and compare it to the secret you copied out of the card. Reject any request where it doesn't match. - Return a status code on success. Any other status is treated as a delivery failure. - Be idempotent - the same may arrive more than once as a lead updates. Disconnecting Open the REST Webhook card → click Disconnect → confirm. The webhook URL and secret are cleared. Regenerating or disconnecting invalidates the old secret immediately. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / test webhook fails - The endpoint didn't return a response in time. Check the URL, that the endpoint is publicly reachable over HTTPS, and that it responds quickly. - Signature check failing on my side - Make sure you're comparing against the current secret on the card. If you regenerated the secret, the old one stops working immediately. - Not receiving anything - Confirm Enable is on. If Create customer only when contact info is captured is on, the lead hasn't shared phone or email yet. If Create only for new leads is on, the lead may already be known. - NZ Leads is still sending welcome messages after my webhook fires - Turn on Skip welcome and follow-ups if you want to fully hand the conversation over to your receiver. - I want duplicate protection - Use the field in the payload as an idempotency key. --- Questions about the REST Webhook integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Salesforce **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/salesforce/ Push every NZ Leads lead into Salesforce as a Lead or Contact, with address, description, and lead source populated. The Salesforce integration creates records in your Salesforce org for every lead NZ Leads handles. The connection uses OAuth - click Connect, authorize on Salesforce, and you're done. You then choose whether NZ Leads should create records as Leads or Contacts depending on how your org is set up. The Salesforce card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every record pushed into Salesforce includes: - First name - Last name - Company - Email - Phone number - Street, city, state, postal code - Description (the inquiry details, when the job-description option is on) - Lead source - Status Connecting Salesforce Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Salesforce card. Click Connect You'll be redirected to Salesforce to authorize the connection. Sign in with the Salesforce user that should own the records being created, then approve the permissions. You're returned to NZ Leads After authorizing, you land back on the Salesforce integration card. The connection is now set. Choose record type - Lead or Contact On the card, pick whether NZ Leads should create Salesforce Leads or Contacts for each inquiry. - Leads - The standard choice for most sales orgs. Every inquiry becomes a new Salesforce Lead that your team can qualify and convert. - Contacts - Use this if your Salesforce setup skips the Lead object and goes straight to Contacts/Accounts. Validate Click Validate Connection to confirm everything is wired up. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to Salesforce until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Salesforce connection and settings. When off, it overrides them. Record type: Leads or Contacts Default: Leads. Choose whether new Salesforce records are created as Leads or as Contacts. Switching this only affects new records - records already pushed to Salesforce aren't moved or duplicated. Include job description Label: Include job description (setting: ). Default: off. - When on - The description of the inquiry (what the customer is asking about, the job details captured in the conversation) is written into the Salesforce record's Description field. - When off - The Description field is left alone. Only contact info and standard fields are populated. Turn this on when your sales reps need the context of the inquiry directly on the record. Turn it off if your Salesforce workflow fills the Description field from somewhere else. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The Salesforce record is only created after a phone number or email is collected. - When off - The record is created at first contact, even before contact info is shared. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - If a matching Salesforce record already exists (on email or phone), it's left alone. - When off - Existing records are updated with any new info NZ Leads has. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name is added to the Salesforce record. It typically shows up on the Lead Source or within the Description. - When off - Source isn't included. Validate Connection Tests the OAuth token against Salesforce. If the user's session has been revoked, you'll see the error and need to reconnect. Disconnect Removes the OAuth connection. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication Salesforce records are matched on email and phone. With Create only for new leads on, existing matches are skipped. Disconnecting Open the Salesforce card → click Disconnect → confirm. The OAuth connection is removed from NZ Leads. If you want to revoke the access on Salesforce's side too, do that from your Salesforce user's connected-apps settings. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / token expired - The OAuth token is no longer valid. Click Connect again and re-authorize. - No records appearing - Confirm Enable is on. Check your Create customer only when contact info is captured setting. Also confirm the Salesforce user you connected with has permission to create the chosen record type (Leads or Contacts). - Records created as the wrong type - Check the record-type setting on the card. Changing it only affects new records. - Description empty - Turn on Include job description if you want the inquiry to populate the Description field. - Duplicates - Enable Create only for new leads to skip matches. --- Questions about the Salesforce integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### ServiceTitan Integration **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/servicetitan/ Connect NZ Leads to ServiceTitan CRM and create lead forms with contact, address, source, project, and conversation details. The ServiceTitan integration sends new NZ Leads leads into ServiceTitan CRM as lead forms. It carries the customer details and job context your team needs, while preventing the same NZ Leads lead from being submitted twice. This page covers CRM lead sync. If you also use ServiceTitan for voice-agent scheduling, configure that separately under Voice Agent Scheduling Integrations. What the integration sends When the available information is present, the ServiceTitan lead form includes: - Customer name - Email address and phone number - Full project address, when street, city, state, and ZIP code are all available - The NZ Leads source or location name - Lead description and project details - Requested job names and additional information - Team memos from the lead record The address is only attached when all required address fields are available. This avoids submitting a partial address that ServiceTitan cannot use reliably. Connect ServiceTitan Get the Tenant ID Ask a ServiceTitan admin to open Settings > Integrations > API Application Access and copy the Tenant ID. Get the application credentials In the ServiceTitan Developer Portal, open the API application for this integration. Copy the Application Key into the App Key field, copy the Client ID, and generate a Client Secret. Allow CRM Leads access Ask your ServiceTitan admin or support contact to give the application CRM Leads read and write access. The required scopes are and . Open the integration in NZ Leads Open a source, then go to Messaging Settings > Integrations > CRM > ServiceTitan. Save and enable Enter the Client ID, Client Secret, App Key, and Tenant ID, then click Save credentials. NZ Leads validates the credentials before saving them. After the connection succeeds, turn Enabled on for the source. The ServiceTitan API application must have access to CRM Leads. This connector submits a lead form and does not create a ServiceTitan contact directly. When a lead is submitted The connector can run when a new lead arrives, when contact information is captured, or when an AI call finishes, based on the source's integration triggers. The first successful submission stores the ServiceTitan lead ID on the NZ Leads lead. Later events skip another submission, preventing duplicate ServiceTitan lead forms. Updating or disconnecting credentials Open the ServiceTitan card to update its credentials. The Client Secret is not displayed again, so enter it whenever you save an updated connection. To disconnect, expand the saved connection, click the delete button, and confirm. Disconnecting clears the credentials and disables the integration for that source. Troubleshooting - Credentials fail to save: confirm all four fields are present and belong to the same ServiceTitan API application and tenant. - Permission or authorization error: ask the ServiceTitan admin to confirm the application has and . - Integration is connected but no lead appears: confirm Enabled is on for the source and review the latest integration error on the card. - Address is missing in ServiceTitan: NZ Leads only sends the address when street, city, state, and ZIP code are all available. - A later phone number did not create another lead: the integration intentionally creates one ServiceTitan lead form per NZ Leads lead. --- Questions about the ServiceTitan integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Slack **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/slack/ Post NZ Leads lead alerts into a channel in your Slack workspace via OAuth. The Slack integration posts a message into a channel in your Slack workspace every time a new lead reaches out. Your team sees the lead's name, contact info, and inquiry right in the channel they already live in, and updates to the lead land as replies in the same thread so the conversation stays in one place. The Slack card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What you'll get - A new message in your chosen Slack channel for each incoming lead. - Follow-up updates on that lead (new messages, contact info, status changes) posted as replies in the same thread. - Lead details included in the message - name, phone, email, zip code, and the original inquiry. - Optionally, the source name ("Yelp – Downtown") tagged on the message. Connecting Slack Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Slack card. Click Connect You'll be redirected to Slack to authorize the connection. Sign in to the workspace you want alerts to land in if you're not already signed in. Approve the scopes Slack will ask you to approve these permissions: - - post messages into channels. - - list your public channels so you can pick one. - - join the channel you pick so messages can be posted there. - - list your private channels if you want to use one. Approve and you'll be sent back to NZ Leads. Pick a channel Once you're back on the Slack card, pick a Channel from the dropdown. The list is your workspace's public channels, plus any private channels you have access to. This is the channel every lead alert for this source will land in. Validate and save Click Validate Connection to post a test message into the channel. If you see the test message in Slack, you're done. Turn on the Enable toggle The integration doesn't post anything until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Slack connection and channel. When off, it has its own. Channel Dropdown of channels in the connected Slack workspace. This is where the alerts will post. Change it at any time - new leads will go to the new channel. If a channel you want isn't showing up, make sure the Slack app has been invited to it (for private channels) or that it's a public channel in the connected workspace. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. See Communication Tools for the full explanation. - When on - Slack alert fires only after the lead has shared a phone number or email. - When off - Slack alert fires the moment the lead reaches out. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Returning leads don't trigger a Slack alert. - When off - Every lead triggers an alert. Include source name Default: off. When on, the source name is added to the Slack message so you can tell sources apart. Validate Connection Posts a test message into the selected channel right now. Disconnect Removes the Slack OAuth connection. Confirmation required. You should also remove the NZ Leads app from your Slack workspace via Slack's App Management page if you want it fully cleaned up there. What the notification contains Each Slack message includes: - Lead's name (if shared) - Phone number (if shared) - Email (if shared) - Zip / postal code (if shared) - The original inquiry text - The source the lead came from (if Include source name is on) Follow-up activity on the same lead (new messages, captured contact info) posts as a threaded reply on the original message so the full history stays together. Disconnecting Open the Slack card → click Disconnect → confirm. The Slack connection is removed from NZ Leads. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" - The OAuth connection was revoked in Slack, or the Slack app was removed from the workspace. Click Connect again and re-authorize. - No messages arriving - Check that Enable is on. Make sure you've selected a Channel. If the channel is private, make sure the NZ Leads Slack app is a member of the channel. - Messages going to the wrong channel - Switch the Channel dropdown on the card. - Can't see a private channel in the list - Invite the NZ Leads Slack app to that channel from Slack, then reopen the dropdown. --- Questions about the Slack integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### SmartMoving **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/smartmoving/ Push every NZ Leads lead into SmartMoving with move-specific details - origin, destination, move date, and referral source. The SmartMoving integration is purpose-built for moving companies. On top of standard contact info, it captures move-specific details - origin address, destination address, move date, and how the lead heard about you - so your SmartMoving pipeline contains everything a mover needs to quote the job. The SmartMoving card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every lead pushed into SmartMoving includes: Contact information - First name - Last name - Phone number - Email - Postal code Move-specific details (when captured during the conversation) - Origin address info (moving from) - Destination address info (moving to) - Move date - Referral source Connecting SmartMoving Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → SmartMoving card. Paste your SmartMoving provider API key Click Connect and paste your SmartMoving provider API key. You can find or generate this key in your SmartMoving account settings. Save and validate Click Save, then click Validate Connection. If the key is wrong, SmartMoving's error is shown inline. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to SmartMoving until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's SmartMoving settings. When off, it overrides them. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The SmartMoving lead is only created once the customer has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The lead is created at first contact, even before contact info is shared. Moving dispatchers typically want a phone number before quoting - turning this on is the common setup. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Matching customers already in SmartMoving are skipped. - When off - Existing records are updated with new info NZ Leads collects. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name is attached to the SmartMoving lead so your team can see where it came from. - When off - Source isn't included. Validate Connection Re-tests your API key. Disconnect Removes the API key. Confirmation required. Matching and deduplication Matching is done on phone and email. With Create only for new leads on, existing customers are never modified. About the move-specific fields The origin, destination, move date, and referral source are only written to SmartMoving if they were actually captured during the NZ Leads conversation. If the lead didn't mention their destination, for example, that field is left blank on the SmartMoving record - it is never fabricated. Disconnecting Open the SmartMoving card → click Disconnect → confirm. The API key is cleared. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid key - The provider API key is wrong or was revoked. Generate a new one in SmartMoving. - No leads appearing - Confirm Enable is on, check Create customer only when contact info is captured, and confirm the provider key has permission to create leads. - Move details missing from the SmartMoving lead - Those fields are only filled in when the conversation captured them. Check the inquiry - if the lead never shared a move date, it will be blank on SmartMoving too. - Duplicates - Enable Create only for new leads if duplicates are showing up. --- Questions about the SmartMoving integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### SMS **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/sms/ Send a text message alert to one or more phone numbers every time a new NZ Leads lead comes in. The SMS integration texts one or more phone numbers the moment a new lead reaches out. You don't need to bring your own phone service - NZ Leads sends the text for you. Add the numbers that should get alerts, turn the integration on, and you're done. This is an alert to your team, not a conversation with the lead. It texts you when a lead arrives. To text the lead and carry on a two-way SMS conversation (with its own welcome, AI, and follow-ups), use SMS Messaging instead - that's a separate feature with its own registration. The SMS card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. SMS delivery is currently US-focused; numbers outside the US may not reliably receive alerts. What you'll get - A text message to every number on the list whenever a new lead reaches out. - Lead's name, phone number, and a snippet of the original inquiry in the message. - Optionally, the source name so the recipient can tell where the lead came from. Connecting SMS Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → SMS card. Add a phone number Click Add number and enter the phone number that should receive alerts. Use the full number including country code (e.g., ). Repeat to add more numbers - each one gets its own text for every lead. Remove numbers you don't want Any number on the list can be removed individually with the remove button next to it. Removed numbers stop getting alerts immediately. Validate and save Click Validate Connection to send a test SMS to every number on the list. Check the phone(s) - if the test text arrived, you're set. Turn on the Enable toggle The integration doesn't send anything until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's list of phone numbers. When off, this location has its own list. Phone numbers The list of numbers that will receive an SMS for every lead. Add as many as you need - each number on the list receives its own text every time. Use this to route alerts to multiple on-call people at once. For an on-call rotation, keep the list short and update it when the rotation changes. Everyone on the list gets every alert, so adding your whole team usually isn't ideal. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The text is sent only once the lead has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The text is sent the moment the lead reaches out. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Returning leads don't trigger a text. - When off - Every lead triggers a text. Include source name Default: off. When on, the source name is added to the text so the recipient can tell which source the lead came from. Validate Connection Sends a test SMS to every number currently on the list. Disconnect Clears the list and turns the integration off. Confirmation required. What the notification contains Each SMS includes: - Lead's name (if shared) - A short preview of the inquiry - The source name (if Include source name is on) SMS is a short format, so the message is kept short on purpose - open NZ Leads to see the full conversation and history. Disconnecting Open the SMS card → click Disconnect → confirm. The list of numbers is cleared and no more alerts will be sent. Troubleshooting - No texts arriving - Check that Enable is on and that the number is on the list with the country code. If Create customer only when contact info is captured is on, the lead hasn't shared a phone or email yet. - "Validation failed" - At least one number on the list couldn't receive a test SMS. Check the format (full international format with and country code), and make sure the phone can receive texts from unknown senders. - Texts are delayed - Rare, but carriers can introduce delivery delays during high-volume periods. If it's a consistent issue, contact support. - Non-US number not getting alerts - SMS delivery is US-focused. For teams outside the US, use Telegram or Slack instead. --- Questions about the SMS integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Telegram **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/telegram/ Send NZ Leads lead alerts into a Telegram chat or group that's been linked to your account. The Telegram integration drops a message into a Telegram chat or group every time a new lead reaches out. This is a good fit for teams that already coordinate on Telegram - the alert lands in whichever chat the team lives in. The Telegram card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. How Telegram chats get linked You don't connect your personal Telegram through this card. Instead, NZ Leads provisions a Telegram chat (or group) for your account and assigns it to you. When you open the Telegram card, you'll see a list of the chats your account has available, and you pick the one this source should post into. If you don't see any chats available on the card, contact support@nzleads.com and we'll provision one for your account. What you'll get - A Telegram message in the chat or group you pick for each incoming lead. - Lead's name, contact info (if shared), and the original inquiry. - Optionally, the source name so everyone knows where the lead came from. Connecting Telegram Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Telegram card. Pick a chat The card shows a list of Telegram chats linked to your account, each one labeled with its chat name and chat code. Pick the one you want lead alerts to post into. Validate and save Click Validate Connection. A test message is sent into the selected chat. Open Telegram - if the test message is there, you're set. Turn on the Enable toggle The integration doesn't send anything until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's selected Telegram chat. When off, it has its own. Chat The Telegram chat or group messages will be sent to. The card shows the chat name and the chat code so you can tell them apart if you have more than one chat linked to your account. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The Telegram alert is sent only once the lead has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The alert is sent the moment the lead reaches out. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Returning leads don't trigger a Telegram alert. - When off - Every lead triggers an alert. Include source name Default: off. When on, the source name is added to the Telegram message. Validate Connection Sends a test message into the selected chat. Disconnect Unlinks this source from the chat. Confirmation required. The chat itself stays linked to your account and can be picked again later. What the notification contains Each Telegram message includes: - Lead's name (if shared) - Phone number (if shared) - Email (if shared) - The original inquiry text - The source the lead came from (if Include source name is on) Disconnecting Open the Telegram card → click Disconnect → confirm. The source stops posting into the chat. Troubleshooting - No chats available to pick - Your account hasn't been provisioned a Telegram chat yet. Email support@nzleads.com and we'll set one up. - "Validation failed" - The chat is no longer reachable. Pick a different chat, or contact support. - No messages arriving - Check that Enable is on and you've picked a chat. If Create customer only when contact info is captured is on, the lead hasn't shared phone or email yet. - Too many messages in the group - Turn on Create customer only when contact info is captured or Create only for new leads to cut down noise. --- Questions about the Telegram integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Workiz **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/workiz/ Push every NZ Leads lead into Workiz as a lead record, with full contact info and postal code. The Workiz integration creates leads in your Workiz account for every inquiry NZ Leads handles. It's built for field service businesses - so contact info, postal code, and enough context for a dispatcher to pick up and run with the job are all sent over. If a lead drops off, you can also mark it as lost from the NZ Leads side. The Workiz card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. What gets synced Every lead pushed into Workiz includes: - First name - Last name - Phone number - Email - Postal code Connecting Workiz Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Workiz card. Get your API token and API secret from Workiz Workiz uses two credentials together: an API token and an API secret. You can generate both in your Workiz account. Make sure you copy them in the correct fields - they are not interchangeable. Paste both into NZ Leads On the Workiz card, paste the API token into the API Token field and the API secret into the API Secret field. Save and validate Click Save, then click Validate Connection. If either credential is wrong, Workiz's error is shown inline. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is sent to Workiz until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Workiz credentials and settings. When off, they can be overridden per location. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The Workiz lead is only created once the customer has shared a phone number or email. - When off - The lead is created at first contact, even before you have their phone or email. Field service dispatchers usually want a phone number before a lead is worth creating - turning this on keeps your Workiz inbox focused. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Matching existing customers in Workiz are skipped. - When off - Existing records are updated with new info NZ Leads collects. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name (e.g., "Yelp – West Side") is included on the Workiz lead so your team can see where it came from. - When off - Source isn't included. Validate Connection Re-tests both credentials. Disconnect Removes both the API token and the API secret. Confirmation required. Marking leads as lost If a conversation in NZ Leads ends without booking - for example, the lead goes cold or explicitly declines - the matching Workiz lead can be marked as lost so your Workiz pipeline doesn't stay clogged with stale leads. This happens automatically as part of the integration when NZ Leads determines the lead is no longer viable. Matching and deduplication Workiz records are matched on phone number and email. With Create only for new leads on, existing records are never modified. Disconnecting Open the Workiz card → click Disconnect → confirm. Both credentials are cleared. Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid credentials - One of the two fields is wrong, or you pasted them into the wrong spots. Double-check the API Token vs API Secret. - No leads appearing in Workiz - Confirm Enable is on, check your Create customer only when contact info is captured setting, and make sure the Workiz API user has permission to create leads. - Leads missing postal code - Postal code is only sent when the lead shares it in the conversation. - Old leads still open in Workiz - Mark-as-lost only fires after NZ Leads determines the lead is dead; manually closing leads in Workiz doesn't sync back. --- Questions about the Workiz integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Zapier **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/integrations/zapier/ Make NZ Leads leads available to Zapier for routing into any of 6000+ apps. The Zapier integration lets you route NZ Leads leads into any of Zapier's 6000+ connected apps. Use it when your CRM isn't one of the directly supported ones, or when you need to fan a single lead out to multiple tools at once (for example, CRM + Google Sheets + Slack + a custom database). The Zapier card is on any source's Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. How this integration is different Unlike the other CRM integrations, which push leads directly into the destination, Zapier works by polling. NZ Leads makes new leads available; a Zap running on your Zapier account checks for new leads on a schedule and retrieves them. Your Zap then does whatever you want with each lead - create a row, send an email, fire a webhook, etc. The practical difference is that leads appear in your downstream apps as often as your Zap polls. This is how Zapier works for most polling-style triggers. What gets made available to Zapier Each new lead is surfaced to Zapier with: - First name / last name - Phone number - Email - Postal code - Source name - The inquiry / message - Timestamp From there, your Zap decides which fields map to the destination app. Connecting Zapier Open the integration In NZ Leads, open the source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab → Zapier card. Paste your Zapier API key Click Connect and paste your Zapier API key. This is the key your Zap will use to authenticate when it pulls leads. Save and validate Click Save, then click Validate Connection. If the key is wrong, the error is shown inline. Build your Zap on Zapier.com Over on Zapier, create a Zap that uses NZ Leads as its trigger. Use the same API key there to authenticate. Then add whatever action steps you want - push to a CRM we don't support directly, append a row to a Google Sheet, post to a Slack channel, etc. Turn on the Enable toggle Nothing is made available to your Zap until Enable is on. Options Enable Turns the integration on or off for this source. Default: off. Inherit from parent Only shown on a location with a parent business. When on, the location uses the parent's Zapier API key and settings. When off, it overrides them. Create customer only when contact info is captured Default: off. - When on - The lead is only made available to Zapier once a phone number or email is captured. - When off - The lead is made available from first contact, even without contact info. Create only for new leads Default: off. - When on - Leads matching an existing entry (by phone or email) are not re-surfaced. - When off - Updates to existing leads can be picked up by your Zap. Include source name Default: off. - When on - The source name is included in the data your Zap receives. - When off - The source name isn't included. Validate Connection Re-tests your Zapier API key. Disconnect Removes the API key. Confirmation required. When to use Zapier instead of a direct CRM integration - Your CRM is not one of the ten directly supported ones. - You want to route the same lead into multiple apps at once. - You need custom logic between NZ Leads and the destination (filters, formatters, branches). - You're already a Zapier shop and want all your integrations in one place. If you are using one of the directly supported CRMs (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Salesforce, or Monday.com), use the direct integration. It is faster and more reliable than polling. Disconnecting Open the Zapier card → click Disconnect → confirm. The API key is cleared. Your Zaps on zapier.com will start failing until you reconnect with a valid key (or turn off the Zap). Troubleshooting - "Validation failed" / invalid key - The Zapier API key is wrong. Re-copy it and paste again. - My Zap says there are no new leads - Confirm Enable is on. Check that the Zap is turned on in Zapier and that the polling interval isn't set so long that you just haven't hit it yet. - Leads show up on Zapier but I didn't want certain ones - Use a Filter step in Zapier. For example, only continue if the phone number is present. - Duplicates in my downstream app - Add a Zapier deduplication step on your Zap, or turn on Create only for new leads in NZ Leads. --- Questions about the Zapier integration? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Facebook Lead Ads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/facebook-lead-ads/ Connect your Facebook Pages so every Lead Ads form submission is captured in NZ Leads and pushed to your CRM. Facebook Lead Ads is a separate source type from Facebook Messenger. Where Messenger is a two-way chat, Lead Ads is a one-time form submission - a prospect clicks your Facebook ad, fills out a lead form, and submits it. NZ Leads captures that submission and can send a confirmation, push the lead to your CRM, and notify your team. There is no chat on a Lead Ads source. Because Lead Ads aren't conversational, the usual messaging tabs (Conversation Setup, Follow-ups, Timing) are hidden. Only Integrations and Contact Info are shown. What gets captured from Facebook Lead Ads Whatever the Lead Ads form collected is passed through to NZ Leads, typically including: - Customer name - Phone number - Email - Any custom fields the form asked about (service needed, budget, timing, etc.) The exact fields depend on how you built the Lead Ads form in Facebook Ads Manager. Connecting a Facebook Lead Ads source Open Sources In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Facebook Lead Ads. Sign in to Facebook and authorize You'll be redirected to Facebook. Sign in with the Facebook account that manages the Page running the Lead Ads and grant NZ Leads permission to receive Lead Ads submissions for that Page. Your Facebook password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Pick which Pages to activate After authorizing, you'll see a list of the Pages your Facebook account manages. Activate each Page whose Lead Ads submissions you want NZ Leads to capture. Each activated Page becomes its own Lead Ads source with its own Integrations, Contact Info settings, and billing line. Review activation The Sources page now shows each activated Lead Ads source as a separate card with a green Active status, the Page name, and a link to its configuration. What's different about this source - No two-way conversation. Lead Ads are form fills, not chats. Nothing is "replied to" in Messenger when a Lead Ads submission comes in. - Only Integrations and Contact Info tabs are shown. Conversation Setup, Follow-ups, and Timing are hidden because there's no chat to configure. - Confirmation is optional. If you want to acknowledge the submission, configure the Contact Info tab to send an automated confirmation by phone, email, or SMS when a submission comes in with those details. - One source per Page. Each Facebook Page running Lead Ads is a separate source. - The form determines the data. If a field isn't on your Lead Ads form, it won't arrive in NZ Leads. Add fields to the form in Facebook Ads Manager if you need more data. What you can configure A Lead Ads source has a narrower configuration than other sources: - Integrations - push each submission to your CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, GoHighLevel, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Salesforce, Monday.com, or Zapier) and notify your team via SMS, Slack, Telegram, or email. See Integrations for the full list. - Contact Info - configure an optional confirmation message (phone, email, or SMS) that goes out when a submission is received with those details. See Contact Info. Pricing A Facebook Lead Ads source is $19/month. See Pricing for the full table. Troubleshooting - Authorization failed - Make sure you're signed into the Facebook account that runs the ad campaign and approved the Lead Ads access permission. - A Page is missing after connecting - Only Pages your Facebook account has Lead Ads permission for will appear. Check your Page role on Facebook and reconnect. - Submissions aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active, that the Lead Ads campaign is live on Facebook, and that your Facebook authorization hasn't expired. Also check that your Lead Ads form is attached to an active ad. - Lead is missing fields - Only fields present on the Lead Ads form are captured. Add the missing field to the form in Facebook Ads Manager, then re-test. - CRM isn't receiving the lead - Open the source's Integrations tab and confirm your CRM integration is enabled and its connection validates. - Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won't capture new submissions until billing is current. --- Questions about connecting Facebook Lead Ads? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Facebook Messenger **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/facebook-messenger/ Connect your Facebook Pages so Messenger conversations are answered automatically and every lead lands in NZ Leads. Connecting Facebook Messenger turns each of your Facebook Pages into a source in NZ Leads. When someone messages your Page on Messenger, the inquiry is picked up automatically, answered according to your Messaging Settings, and shown on your Leads page with the full conversation. Facebook Messenger is a two-way messaging source - both inbound messages and outbound replies go through NZ Leads. What gets captured from Facebook Messenger Every Messenger conversation brings over: - Customer name (from their Facebook profile) - The full Messenger conversation thread - Phone number and email - only when the customer shares them during the conversation (Facebook itself does not provide contact info) - Any text the customer sent to your Page Facebook does not share the customer's phone number or email address with NZ Leads. Those details are collected through conversation, the same way they are on Yelp or Thumbtack. Connecting a Facebook Messenger source Open Sources In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Facebook Messenger. Sign in to Facebook and authorize You'll be redirected to Facebook. Sign in with the Facebook account that manages your Pages and grant NZ Leads permission to read and send messages for those Pages. Your Facebook password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Pick which Pages to activate After authorizing, you'll see a list of the Pages your Facebook account manages. Activate the Pages you want NZ Leads to handle. Each activated Page becomes its own source with its own Messaging Settings, Integrations, and billing line. Review activation The Sources page now shows each activated Page as a separate card with a green Active status, the Page name, and a link to Messaging Settings. What's different about this source - One source per Page. If you manage multiple Facebook Pages, each becomes its own source. - Contact info is collected in conversation. Facebook doesn't give out phone numbers or emails. The AI assistant (or your predefined messages) needs to ask the customer for them. - You must be an admin of the Page. If the Page doesn't appear after authorizing, your Facebook account may not have message-management permission on that Page. Messaging Settings for this source A Facebook Messenger source supports the full set of Messaging Settings: - Conversation Setup - AI assistant or predefined messages - Follow-ups - nurturing sequences - Timing - business hours and delays - Integrations - CRM and team notifications - Contact Info - what happens when the customer shares a phone number or email See Messaging Settings for details on each tab. Pricing A Facebook Messenger source is $49/month. See Pricing for the full table. Troubleshooting - Authorization failed - Make sure you're signed into the Facebook account that manages the Page, and that you approved the message-access permission on the Facebook prompt. Try again if you skipped any step. - A Page is missing after connecting - Only Pages your Facebook account has message permission for will appear. Add yourself as a Page admin or editor with messaging rights on Facebook first, then reconnect. - Messages aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active, check that your Facebook authorization is still valid (Facebook expires tokens periodically), and re-authenticate if needed. - Replies aren't being sent - Check your Messaging Settings. Facebook also has its own messaging rules that may hold replies if the conversation has been inactive for too long. - Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won't receive new messages until billing is current. --- Questions about connecting Facebook Messenger? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Google Local Ads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/google-local-ads/ Connect your Google Local Services Ads account so every lead and message is captured in NZ Leads automatically. Connecting Google Local Ads turns your Google Local Services Ads account into a source in NZ Leads. Messages and leads coming from your Local Services Ads are picked up automatically, answered according to your Messaging Settings, and shown on your Leads page. Google Local Ads is a two-way messaging source - inbound messages and outbound replies both go through NZ Leads. What gets captured from Google Local Ads Every Local Services Ads lead brings over: - Customer name - Phone number (Google Local Services provides phone numbers on most leads) - Postal code - Service the customer requested - Any message text the customer sent through Google Connecting a Google Local Ads source Open Sources In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Google Local Ads. Sign in with Google and authorize You'll be redirected to Google. Sign in with the Google account that manages your Local Services Ads profile and grant NZ Leads permission to read leads and send replies on your behalf. Your Google password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Review activation After authorizing, you're redirected back to NZ Leads. Your Google Local Services account appears as a new source on the Sources page with a green Active status and a link to Messaging Settings. What's different about this source - Phone numbers usually arrive with the lead. Unlike Facebook Messenger or Instagram, Google Local Services typically provides the customer's phone number on the lead itself - you don't have to ask for it in conversation. - Service category is included. Google tells you which service the customer requested, which the AI assistant can use in its reply. - You must be the account owner or manager. If authorization fails, confirm the Google account you're signing in with has access to the Local Services Ads profile. Messaging Settings for this source A Google Local Ads source supports the full set of Messaging Settings: - Conversation Setup - AI assistant or predefined messages - Follow-ups - nurturing sequences - Timing - business hours and delays - Integrations - CRM and team notifications - Contact Info - what happens when the customer shares a phone number or email See Messaging Settings for details on each tab. Pricing See the Pricing page for the current Google Local Ads source price. Troubleshooting - Authorization failed - Make sure you're signed into the Google account that owns or manages the Local Services Ads profile, then try again. - No account appears after connecting - Confirm your Google account has access to a Local Services Ads profile. If you manage the profile through a separate email, sign in with that one. - Messages or leads aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active, check that the Google authorization is still valid, and re-authenticate if needed. - Replies aren't being sent - Check your Messaging Settings. Google Local Services has its own messaging rules that may hold replies outside certain windows. - Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won't receive new leads until billing is current. --- Questions about connecting Google Local Ads? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Instagram **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/instagram/ Connect your Instagram Business account so DMs are answered automatically and every lead lands in NZ Leads. Connecting Instagram turns your Instagram Business account into a source in NZ Leads. Direct messages sent to your account are picked up automatically, answered according to your Messaging Settings, and shown on your Leads page with the full conversation. Instagram is a two-way messaging source - both inbound DMs and outbound replies go through NZ Leads. Business or Creator account required. Instagram only lets third-party tools manage DMs on Business or Creator accounts that are linked to a Facebook Page. If your account is still Personal, convert it in the Instagram app first. What gets captured from Instagram Every Instagram DM conversation brings over: - Customer name (their Instagram handle / display name) - The full DM thread - Phone number and email - only when the customer shares them during the conversation (Instagram itself does not provide contact info) - Any text the customer sent Connecting an Instagram source Open Sources In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Instagram. Sign in through Facebook and authorize Because Instagram Business accounts are managed through Facebook, you'll be redirected to Facebook. Sign in with the account that manages the Facebook Page your Instagram account is linked to, and grant NZ Leads permission to read and send Instagram DMs. Your password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Pick which Instagram account to activate After authorizing, you'll see the Instagram Business account(s) linked to your Facebook Pages. Activate the one(s) you want NZ Leads to handle. Each activated account becomes its own source with its own Messaging Settings, Integrations, and billing line. Review activation The Sources page now shows your Instagram source as a card with a green Active status, the Instagram handle, and a link to Messaging Settings. What's different about this source - Business or Creator account required. Personal Instagram accounts can't be connected. - Linked to a Facebook Page. Instagram Business accounts must be linked to a Facebook Page before Instagram allows third-party tools to manage DMs. If authorization doesn't show your account, link it in the Instagram app (Settings → Account → Linked Accounts) first. - Contact info is collected in conversation. Instagram doesn't give out phone numbers or emails. The AI assistant (or your predefined messages) needs to ask the customer for them. - Customer name is the Instagram handle. Unlike Yelp or Thumbtack, you don't get a real name up front - just the handle. Messaging Settings for this source An Instagram source supports the full set of Messaging Settings: - Conversation Setup - AI assistant or predefined messages - Follow-ups - nurturing sequences - Timing - business hours and delays - Integrations - CRM and team notifications - Contact Info - what happens when the customer shares a phone number or email See Messaging Settings for details on each tab. Pricing Each connected Instagram account is a separate source billed at $49/month per connected source or location. Facebook Messenger is a separate billable source even when both accounts are authorized through the same Meta connection. See the Pricing page for the full pricing table. Troubleshooting - Authorization failed - Make sure you're signed into the Facebook account that manages the Page your Instagram is linked to. Try again if you skipped any permission prompt. - Instagram account isn't listed - Confirm your Instagram account is set to Business or Creator and is linked to a Facebook Page. Then disconnect and reconnect. - DMs aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active, check that the Facebook/Instagram authorization is still valid, and re-authenticate if needed. Instagram expires tokens periodically. - Replies aren't being sent - Check your Messaging Settings. Instagram also enforces its own rules about replying outside a 24-hour window after the customer's last message. - Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won't receive new DMs until billing is current. --- Questions about connecting Instagram? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Lead Sources **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/ Connect the platforms that send you customer inquiries A source in NZ Leads is one connected account or profile on an external platform that sends you customer inquiries - a single Yelp location, a Thumbtack Pro account, a Facebook Page, an Instagram Business account, a Google Local Services account, and so on. Each source has its own Messaging Settings, its own Integrations, its own Analytics, and its own monthly price. A single business in NZ Leads can have many sources. For example, three Yelp locations plus one Thumbtack Pro account plus one Facebook Page is five separate sources, each billed on its own line. All sources are connected through the platform's own sign-in (OAuth). You sign in on the platform, approve access, and get redirected back. Your password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token. Supported platforms Adding and managing sources Every source is added and managed the same way: 1. Go to the Sources page in NZ Leads. 2. Click Add <Platform> for the platform you want to connect. 3. Sign in on the platform and approve the access request. 4. Pick which profiles or locations you want to activate (when the platform has more than one). 5. The new source appears on the Sources page and starts receiving inquiries. Each source card on the Sources page shows: - Status badge - Active, Paused, or a billing warning. - Platform icon and the location/profile name pulled from the platform. - Messaging Settings - opens the source's configuration (Conversation Setup, Follow-ups, Timing, Integrations, Contact Info). - Pause / Resume - temporarily stop the source without disconnecting it. - Remove - disconnect the source completely. - Billing indicator - a warning shows up if there's a payment issue that needs attention. Pricing Different source types have different monthly prices per source. See the Pricing page for the full table. You can add or remove sources at any time and billing adjusts automatically. Troubleshooting shared issues - Authorization failed during connection - Try again and make sure you're signed into the correct platform account. If the platform still rejects the request, check that the account has permission to manage messages/leads for the profile you want to connect. - Source shows a billing warning - Open Billing and resolve the payment method. Sources with billing issues stop receiving new inquiries until the problem is fixed. - Messages aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active (not Paused), that the platform account still has the access you originally granted, and that your Messaging Settings are configured. - Duplicate source - Remove the older one. A source can be re-added later if needed; conversations on the removed source will no longer sync. --- Questions about connecting a source? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Thumbtack **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/thumbtack/ Connect your Thumbtack Pro account so every inquiry is answered instantly and every lead lands in NZ Leads. NZ Leads is an independent service. The Thumbtack name is used only to identify a compatible third-party platform connection. Connecting requires the account holder's authorization through the supported API flow. Connecting Thumbtack turns your Thumbtack Pro account into a source in NZ Leads. Every inquiry that comes in through Thumbtack is picked up automatically, answered according to your Messaging Settings, and shown on your Leads page with the full conversation. Thumbtack is a two-way messaging source - both inbound messages and outbound replies go through NZ Leads. For what the Thumbtack auto responder does, how it compares with Thumbtack Front Desk, and pricing, see Thumbtack Auto Responder. What gets captured from Thumbtack Every Thumbtack inquiry brings over whatever the customer shared on Thumbtack, including: - Customer name - Project details (service category, job description) - Postal code or service location - Availability the customer selected - Phone number and email when the customer shares them in the conversation - File attachments (documents or images) when the customer uploads them Connecting a Thumbtack source Open Sources In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Thumbtack. Sign in and authorize You'll be redirected to Thumbtack. Sign in with your Thumbtack Pro credentials and grant NZ Leads permission to read inquiries and send replies on behalf of your Pro account. Your password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Review activation After authorizing, you're redirected back to NZ Leads. Your Thumbtack Pro account appears as a new source on the Sources page with a green Active status and a link to Messaging Settings. What's different about this source - One source per Pro account. Unlike Yelp, Thumbtack isn't organized by location - one Thumbtack Pro account is one source. - Service categories come through. The service category the customer picked on Thumbtack is included in the inquiry, which helps the AI assistant tailor its reply. - Attachments are preserved. If the customer uploaded documents or images on Thumbtack, those are visible on the lead in NZ Leads. Messaging Settings for this source A Thumbtack source supports the full set of Messaging Settings: - Conversation Setup - AI assistant or predefined messages - Follow-ups - nurturing sequences - Timing - business hours and delays - Integrations - CRM and team notifications - Contact Info - what happens when the customer shares a phone number or email See Messaging Settings for details on each tab. Pricing A Thumbtack source is $99/month. See Pricing for the full table. Troubleshooting - Authorization failed - Make sure you're signed into the correct Thumbtack Pro account, then try again. If you recently changed your Thumbtack password, re-authenticate. - Messages aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active, open Thumbtack to confirm new inquiries are landing in your Thumbtack inbox, and re-authenticate if needed. - Replies aren't being sent - Check that your Messaging Settings have a Conversation Setup configured and that business hours / timing aren't holding messages. - Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won't receive new messages until billing is current. --- Questions about connecting Thumbtack? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Yelp **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/lead-sources/yelp/ Connect your Yelp Business locations so the AI creates a job-specific response for every new message and every lead lands in NZ Leads. Connecting Yelp turns each of your Yelp Business locations into a source in NZ Leads. Every new inquiry is picked up automatically, handled according to your Messaging Settings, and shown on your Leads page with the full conversation. Yelp is a two-way messaging source - the full conversation, inbound messages and replies, appears in NZ Leads. Each Yelp location is billed separately and can be configured independently. For how the Yelp auto responder works, what a good first reply contains, and pricing, see the Yelp auto responder guide. What gets captured from Yelp Every Yelp inquiry brings over whatever the customer shared on Yelp, including: - Customer name - Phone number (when the customer chooses to share it on Yelp) - see the note below - Project or job name (for example "Kitchen remodel" or "Move 2-bedroom apartment") - Availability status and dates - Postal code or service location - Survey answers the customer filled out on Yelp - Any additional customer description or notes - Project attachments such as photos Yelp phone numbers. When a customer chooses to share their phone number on Yelp, NZ Leads fetches their real number directly from Yelp and adds it to the lead automatically. Your Contact Info phone settings then apply: your team can be notified, your CRM updated, and, if you use the voice agent, the customer can be called. No Zapier or other extra setup is needed. Connecting a Yelp source Open Sources In NZ Leads, go to Sources and click Add Yelp. Sign in and authorize You'll be redirected to Yelp. Sign in with the Yelp account that manages your business locations and grant NZ Leads access to your Yelp inbox. Your Yelp password is never shared with NZ Leads - only a secure access token is returned after you approve. Pick which locations to activate After authorizing, you'll see a list of every Yelp business location your account manages. Activate the locations you want NZ Leads to handle. Each activated location becomes its own source with its own Messaging Settings, Integrations, and billing line. Review activation The Sources page now shows each activated Yelp location as a separate card with a green Active status, the location name, and a link to Messaging Settings. What's different about this source - One source per location. If your Yelp account has multiple locations, each is a separate source. This lets you use different messaging, pricing, and integrations per location. - Real phone numbers from Yelp. When the customer opts in to share their phone number on Yelp, NZ Leads pulls the real number straight from Yelp and adds it to the lead. - Rich inquiry data. Yelp provides more structured data than most platforms - project names, survey answers, availability, postal code, and attachments - which the AI assistant can use in its replies. Messaging Settings for this source A Yelp source supports the full set of Messaging Settings: - Conversation Setup - AI assistant or predefined messages - Follow-ups - nurturing sequences - Timing - business hours and delays - Integrations - CRM and team notifications - Contact Info - what happens when the customer shares a phone number or email See Messaging Settings for details on each tab. Pricing Each Yelp location is $99/month. See Pricing for the full table. Troubleshooting - Authorization failed - Make sure you're signed into the Yelp account that manages the location, then try again. If you recently changed your Yelp password, re-authenticate. - A location is missing after connecting - Only locations your Yelp account manages will appear. Add your user to the location in Yelp first, then reconnect. - Messages aren't arriving - Confirm the source is Active, check that your Yelp account still has NZ Leads authorized, and open the location in Yelp to confirm new messages are appearing there too. - Real phone number isn't showing - Yelp only provides the number once the customer chooses to share it on Yelp. As soon as they do, NZ Leads adds it to the lead automatically. - Billing warning on the card - Open Billing and resolve the payment issue. The source won't receive new messages until billing is current. --- Questions about connecting Yelp? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Customer info **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/customer-info/ The editable contact sidebar in the Lead Details dialog and the structured details each source extracts automatically. The Customer info sidebar is pinned to the right side of the Lead Details dialog on desktop. It combines editable contact fields (phone, email) with display-only details that the source platform extracted from the customer's original inquiry - things like the service they asked about, their availability, their postal code, and any files they attached. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads and click a row. The customer info sidebar is shown on the right side of the Lead Details dialog. On narrower screens it's available via a toggle or panel in the dialog. Editable fields Contact information - phone and email - is edited through an inline form. Click the pencil edit icon next to the Contact information heading to switch the section into edit mode. - Phone - the customer's real phone number. Also click-to-call from view mode. - Email - the customer's email address. Also click-to-email from view mode. Edit mode Clicking the edit icon swaps the contact rows for a small form with a phone input and an email input, plus Save and Cancel buttons at the bottom. - Phone validation - the phone input must match a valid North American phone format (10-digit, + 10-digit, or + 10-digit; spaces, dashes, parentheses, and dots are allowed and stripped). If the value doesn't validate, the Save button is disabled until you correct it. - Email validation - the email input must be a valid email address. Leave it blank to clear the email. - Save - writes both fields at once and exits edit mode. - Cancel - discards your edits and exits edit mode without saving. Phone numbers from Yelp. When a Yelp customer chooses to share their phone number on Yelp, NZ Leads fetches their real number directly from Yelp and fills in the Phone field for you. If a customer gives you a number some other way (for example in a message), update the phone field in edit mode. Display-only fields These are pulled from the source's inquiry and shown as-is. They help you answer without having to scroll the conversation. - Lead created - the timestamp of the original inquiry (when the lead first came in). Shown at the top of the sidebar. - Service details - the job or service names the customer asked about (for example "Kitchen remodel" or "Long-distance move"). - Availability - the customer's availability window: ASAP, Flexible, or Specific dates if they picked them on the source. - Location / postal code - where the customer is based or where the job is. - Additional info / description - the customer's original inquiry text. - Survey answers - structured question-and-answer responses the customer filled out on the source (common on Yelp and Thumbtack). - Project files / attachments - any photos or files the customer sent with the inquiry. Not every field is available for every source - platforms provide different data. On narrow screens When the window is too narrow to fit the sidebar alongside the conversation, the sidebar is replaced by a compact summary strip at the top of the conversation with a "See details" button. Clicking it opens the full customer info in a modal so you can read everything without losing the chat view. Close the modal to return to the conversation. What each source extracts Yelp - Customer name - Real phone (when the customer chooses to share it on Yelp, fetched from Yelp automatically) - Temporary email (when Yelp supplies one) - Project / job names - Availability status and dates - Postal code - Additional info and customer description - Survey answers - Project attachments (photos and files) Thumbtack - Customer name - Project details - Postal code - Availability - Attachments Facebook Messenger - Customer name (from their profile) Phone and email are not provided - you collect them in the conversation. Facebook Lead Ads Whatever fields the ad's lead form collected. Typically: - Customer name - Phone - Email - Any custom fields on the form Instagram - Customer name or handle Phone and email are not provided - you collect them in the conversation. Google Local Ads - Customer name - Phone - Postal code - Service requested Editing phone or email Editing phone or email only changes the value stored in NZ Leads - it does not edit the customer's record on the source platform. The source platform keeps whatever the customer gave it there. Once you click Save, the new values are available everywhere the lead appears (the Leads table, integrations, etc.). --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Filters and search **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/filters-and-search/ Narrow the Leads table using the toolbar filters, customer-name search, and the reset button. The toolbar above the Leads table lets you narrow the list to the leads you care about right now - one platform, one location, one status, or a specific customer. All filters combine (they're AND'd together), and your choices stick in your browser across refreshes. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads. The filter toolbar sits above the table. On mobile, tap the hamburger icon to open the filters panel. The filters Source type A multi-select chip row with every platform NZ Leads supports: - Yelp - Thumbtack - Facebook Messenger - Facebook Lead Ads - Instagram - Google Local Ads Pick one chip to see only that platform, or pick several to see a combined view. Leave all chips off to include every platform. Location / Source A multi-select of your connected sources. If you have three Yelp locations and one Thumbtack Pro account, each one appears here. Use it to focus on a single location or group of locations. Customer name search A text box that matches on the customer's name. The search is a prefix match - typing "Ja" finds "Jamie", "Jason", "Javier", etc., but not "Rajan". The search runs about a second after you stop typing so it doesn't fire on every keystroke. Contact info A three-state toggle: - Has contact info - show only leads where the customer has shared a phone number or email. - No contact info - show only leads with no phone or email yet. - Any - include both (the default). Useful for spotting leads that are ready for a call versus leads you still need to collect contact details from. Lead status A multi-select of the seven statuses. Pick any combination to filter by status - for example, Follow-up + Meeting to see what needs your attention today, or No Answer to find leads still waiting for a first reply. See Lead Statuses for what each status means. AI status Filter by whether the AI assistant is currently handling the conversation: - AI enabled - conversations where the AI is active on this lead. - AI disabled - conversations where the AI has been turned off for this lead. - Any - both (the default). This filter is only meaningful on sources where the AI is configured to send more than one message - the AI Conversation toggle in the lead dialog controls this per-lead. Reset all filters A button in the toolbar that clears every filter back to default in one click. Filters persist. Your current filter selections are saved in your browser. If you refresh the page or come back tomorrow, the Leads table opens with the same filters applied. Click Reset all filters to start fresh. How filters combine All filters are applied together. For example, if you pick Source type: Yelp, Location: Downtown Studio, Lead status: No Answer, and type "Sam" in the search box, you'll see only Yelp leads from the Downtown Studio location whose customer name starts with "Sam" and who haven't been answered yet. Mark all as read and filtering The Mark all as read button above the table applies to every lead that matches the current filters. If you want to mark only one platform's leads as read, filter to that platform first, then click Mark all as read. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Memos **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/memos/ Private internal notes you and your team can add to any lead - customers never see them. Memos are short internal notes you attach to a lead. They're visible to every teammate with access to the source, but they're never sent to the customer and never visible on the source platform. Use them to capture budget, quirks, scheduling preferences, handoff notes - anything that helps the next person (including future-you) pick up the conversation. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads and open a lead. Click the Memos tab inside the Lead Details dialog. You can also click the memo preview in the Last Memo column of the Leads table - that opens the lead directly on the Memos tab. The memo composer The composer on the Memos tab is intentionally minimal - a textarea plus a single Add button. It does not have Send, Send scheduled, Save as Quick Reply, or Open Quick Replies - those are only on the Messages tab composer. Memos are internal-only, so there's nothing to schedule and no customer-facing reuse. Adding a memo Open the Memos tab Inside the Lead Details dialog, click Memos. Type your note Memos must be at least two characters long. Click Add The memo is saved immediately and appears in the list with your email and the current timestamp. What a memo shows Each memo in the list shows: - Author email - who wrote it. - Timestamp - when it was added. - Body - the note itself. - 3-dot menu - available on memos you wrote, with a Delete option. The most recent memo's text also appears as a preview in the Last Memo column of the Leads table. Deleting a memo Only the author of a memo can delete it. Open the 3-dot menu next to your memo and choose Delete. The memo is removed for everyone. There is no edit - if you need to change something, delete the old memo and add a new one. No edit, only add and delete. Memos are intentionally append-only. If you need to correct something, delete the old memo and write a new one. What memos are good for - Budget and pricing context - "Asked for under $2,500", "Shopping multiple quotes". - Scheduling notes - "Only available weekends", "Don't call after 6pm". - Qualification - "Decision maker confirmed", "Researching only". - Project specifics - "Needs finished before June 1", "Wants finish samples". - Handoffs - "Alex picked this up - expecting callback Tuesday", "Needs a site visit". - Watch-outs - "Has disputed a charge before, handle carefully". Who can see memos Every teammate on your business who has access to the source can read every memo on that source's leads. The customer cannot - memos never appear in the thread on the source platform and are never sent in a message. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Messages **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/messages/ Reading conversations, sending replies, scheduling messages, and using the composer in the Lead Details dialog. The Conversation view inside the Lead Details dialog is where you read the full message thread with a customer and send replies. It shows every inbound and outbound message in order, with indicators for who or what sent each message, plus a composer at the bottom with sending, scheduling, and quick-reply tools. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads and click any row to open the Lead Details dialog. The Conversation view is the main tab. Reading the thread Messages appear as bubbles in chronological order. Each message shows: - Speaker - whether it came from the customer, your business, or the system. - Timestamp - when the message was sent or received. - Attachments - inline previews for images (Yelp) or file links (Thumbtack). Message-type indicators Some outbound messages have a small icon next to them that tells you how they were sent: - Purple brain icon - the message was generated by the AI assistant. - Gray robot icon - the message came from a predefined template. Messages sent by a teammate manually don't carry an icon. Scheduled messages in the thread A message that's been scheduled to send later shows up inline at its planned send time with a timer icon and a Cancel button. Clicking Cancel removes it from the queue before it sends. Once the scheduled time passes and the message is sent, the timer icon goes away and it displays like any other sent message. Attachments by platform - Yelp - image attachments preview inline in the thread. - Thumbtack - file attachments appear as downloadable links. - Facebook / Instagram / Google Local Ads - text conversations; attachment support depends on what each platform allows. The composer The composer sits at the bottom of the Conversation view. Type your reply in the textarea - messages must be at least three characters long to send. The Messages-tab composer has four tools: Send, Send scheduled, Save as Quick Reply, and Open Quick Replies. This is different from the Memos tab, which has a simple Add button only - no sending, scheduling, or quick replies. Send The primary button. Clicking Send delivers the message to the customer immediately on the source platform. While the message is on its way, a brief "sending…" state is shown until the message reflects back in the thread. Send scheduled Opens a dialog where you pick a delay - minutes, hours, or days - before the message goes out. Useful for replying to a late-night inquiry at a more natural time, or for spacing out a follow-up. When you schedule a message this way, it appears in the thread with a timer icon and a Cancel button until it sends. Pick a scheduled-message template A shortcut to apply one of your saved Scheduled Messages - templates you've set up in your user settings with both the text and a timing rule. Applying a template sets the lead's status to Scheduled Messages and queues the text to send per the template's timing. See Scheduled Messages for managing the library. Save as Quick Reply Saves whatever you've typed in the textarea to your personal Quick Replies library so you can reuse it on other leads. See Quick Replies for managing the library. Open Quick Replies Opens your Quick Replies library in a picker. Click a reply and its text populates the textarea so you can edit before sending. Quick replies support the placeholder , which is replaced with the lead's customer name when the message sends. Header actions At the top of the Lead Details dialog: - Lead status - the same status dropdown as on the table row. Change the lead's status without leaving the dialog. See Lead Statuses. - AI Conversation toggle - appears on sources where the AI is configured to send more than one message. Turn it off to stop the AI from replying on this specific lead while keeping it on for everyone else. When the AI has already reached its configured message limit on this conversation, the toggle is disabled - the AI won't send any more messages on this lead regardless of the toggle, and you'll need to take the conversation over manually. Footer actions Underneath the conversation: - Mark as Unread - flags the lead as unread for you so you come back to it. Read/unread is tracked per teammate. - Show in <Source> - opens the original thread on the source platform (for example, a Yelp lead opens the conversation on Yelp.com). - Fetch New Messages - available on Thumbtack leads. Manually pulls the latest messages from Thumbtack to refresh the conversation. New messages also arrive in real time on their own, so you only need this if you want to force a refresh. - Close - closes the dialog and returns to the Leads table. What each platform supports for outbound replies - Yelp - text only. - Thumbtack - text and file attachments. - Facebook Messenger - text. - Instagram - text. - Google Local Ads - text. - Facebook Lead Ads - this source is one-way (form submissions only) - use the contact info on the lead to follow up by phone or email. Sending a reply Open the lead Click the row in the Leads table to open the Lead Details dialog. Type your message Write your reply in the composer textarea. Minimum three characters. Send or schedule Click Send to deliver immediately, or Send scheduled to pick a delay in minutes, hours, or days. Confirm delivery The message appears in the thread. While it's sending, a short "sending…" state is shown; once the source platform confirms, the message becomes a normal sent message. When a send fails If the source platform rejects the outbound message - for example, because the connection has expired or the conversation has been closed on the platform side - an inline error appears on the lead explaining the reason. Re-authorize the source or address the specific error, then try the send again. Expired authorization. If you see repeated send errors on leads from the same source, the source's connection to the platform probably needs to be refreshed. Open the Sources page, find the affected source, and reconnect it. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Leads **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/ Your inbox for every customer inquiry across every connected source - message, filter, triage, and track every lead in one place. The Leads page (also called the Inbox) is the main workspace in NZ Leads. It's a single filterable table of every customer inquiry across every source you've connected - Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, and Google Local Ads. From here you can read conversations, reply, add internal memos, change a lead's status, and track each prospect to a resolution. New messages appear in real time - no refresh needed. Click any row to open the full Lead Details dialog. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads in the main navigation. The Leads table Each row is one lead. On desktop, the table shows these columns: - Actions - a 3-dot menu with per-lead actions. - Source - the platform icon for Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, or Google Local Ads. - Location / Source Name - which of your connected sources this lead came from. - Customer Name - the name the platform or customer provided. - Phone Number - the customer's real phone number. For Yelp leads it is filled in automatically once the customer chooses to share it on Yelp. - Last Message - a preview of the most recent message in the thread. Small indicator icons appear in this column to flag conversation state at a glance: - Blue timer icon - a delayed welcome message is pending and will go out shortly. - Orange block icon - the AI assistant is currently off-hours and won't reply until its next on-hours window. - Purple brain icon - the last message was sent by the AI assistant. - Gray robot icon - the last message came from a predefined template. - Last Memo - a preview of the most recent internal note on this lead. Click it to jump straight to the Memos tab of the lead. - Last Interaction - the timestamp of the most recent activity on the lead. - AI Conversation - an icon that indicates whether the AI assistant is currently handling this conversation (only relevant on sources configured to let the AI send more than one message). - Lead Status - a color-coded dropdown you can use to change the status inline. See Lead Statuses. - Address - the customer's address or postal code. Click to open it on a map. On mobile, the table shows fewer columns and the filter toolbar collapses into a menu. How the table behaves - Real-time updates. New incoming messages update the matching row without a refresh, and new leads appear at the top as they arrive. - Pagination. Rows load 25 at a time with infinite scroll - scroll to the bottom and the next page loads automatically. - Sort. Click a column header to sort by that column. - Click to open. Clicking anywhere on a row opens the Lead Details dialog for that lead. - Click-to-call. Click a phone number to dial it using your device's default phone app. - Click-to-email. Click an email address to compose a message in your default mail client. - Map. Click an address to open a map dialog with the customer's location. - Memo shortcut. Click a memo preview in the Last Memo column to open the lead on its Memos tab. Bulk actions Above the table, Mark all as read clears the unread indicator on every lead that matches the current filters. Read/unread is tracked per user, so marking as read only affects your view. NZ Leads does not currently support bulk status changes, bulk archive, or bulk delete. Status changes are made one lead at a time from the dropdown. Filters and search The toolbar above the table lets you narrow the list. Filters persist in your browser across refreshes. - Source type - multi-select chips for Yelp, Thumbtack, Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lead Ads, Instagram, and Google Local Ads. - Location / Source - multi-select of your connected sources. - Customer name search - type the start of a customer's name (prefix match). The search waits about a second after you stop typing before running. - Contact info - tri-state filter: show leads with contact info, without contact info, or all. - Lead status - multi-select of the statuses listed on Lead Statuses. - AI status - filter by whether the AI assistant is currently handling the conversation. Relevant where the AI is configured to send more than one message. - Reset all filters - clears every filter back to default. Full reference: Filters and search. The Lead Details dialog Clicking a row opens a full-screen dialog with three areas: - Conversation - the complete message thread in chronological order, plus the composer at the bottom. - Memos - a separate tab for internal team notes that the customer never sees. - Customer info - a pinned sidebar (right side on desktop) with editable contact fields and the structured information the source extracted from the inquiry. The dialog header also shows the lead's Status dropdown and, where available, an AI Conversation toggle to disable the AI for this lead mid-conversation. Conversation Messages are shown as bubbles with the speaker (customer, business, or system), a timestamp, and any attachments. A purple brain icon next to a message means the AI assistant generated it; a gray robot icon means the message came from a predefined template. Scheduled (queued) outbound messages appear inline with a timer icon and a Cancel button until they're sent. The composer supports sending now, scheduling for later, picking a scheduled-message template, saving the current text as a quick reply, and opening your quick reply library. Full reference: Messages. Memos Internal notes on the lead. Every teammate with access to the source can read memos, but the customer cannot. The latest memo preview shows up in the Last Memo column of the table. Full reference: Memos. Customer info The sidebar combines editable contact fields (phone, email) with display-only details extracted from the source (service, availability, postal code, customer description, survey answers, project files). Full reference: Customer info. Related topics --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Quick Replies **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/quick-replies/ Your personal library of reusable message templates, with a name placeholder that auto-fills the customer's name. Quick Replies are reusable message templates saved to your user account. Any time you're about to type the same thing for the fifth time - "Thanks for reaching out, what's the best number to reach you?" - save it as a quick reply and pick it from a menu instead. Quick Replies are per-user - each teammate has their own library. They're different from Scheduled Messages, which pair a template with a timing rule. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads and open any lead. Both the Save as Quick Reply and Open Quick Replies controls are on the composer at the bottom of the Conversation view. You can also manage your library from your user settings. Saving a quick reply The easiest way to build your library is to save what you're already writing. Open any lead In the Leads table, click a row to open the Lead Details dialog. Type the message you want to save Write it in the composer exactly the way you want to reuse it. If you want the customer's name to auto-fill later, include wherever the name should go. Click Save as Quick Reply The text is added to your Quick Replies library. It's available immediately on every lead you open. Using a quick reply Open a lead Click the row in the Leads table. Open the Quick Replies picker Click Open Quick Replies in the composer. Pick a reply The template's text populates the composer. The placeholder is replaced with this lead's customer name. Edit if needed and send Tweak anything you want, then click Send or Send scheduled. See Messages for sending options. The customer-name placeholder Include anywhere in a quick reply and it will be replaced with the lead's customer name when you apply the template. For example: > Hi , thanks for reaching out! What's the best phone number to reach you at? …becomes: > Hi Jamie, thanks for reaching out! What's the best phone number to reach you at? Only one placeholder is supported. is the only placeholder in Quick Replies. Everything else in the template is inserted verbatim - so keep anything that should vary per customer (like specific dates or prices) out of the template. Good templates to save - A first-response greeting that asks for phone and best time to call. - A price-range reply you give to general pricing questions. - A link to your portfolio or past work. - An "out of service area, but we can refer" response. - A standard intake question list ("What's the address? What's the square footage?"). Keep templates short and add the personal specifics manually before you send. Managing the library Open your quick replies from Open Quick Replies on any lead, or from your user settings. From there you can remove templates you no longer use. Because the library is per-user, your edits don't affect other teammates' libraries. Share wording between teammates the old-fashioned way - paste it into a chat. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Scheduled Messages **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/scheduled-messages/ Saved message templates paired with timing rules - apply one to a lead to queue the text for a future send. Scheduled Messages are message templates that come with a timing rule built in - for example, "24 hours after the customer first messaged", or "3 days after arrival". You set them up once in your user settings, then apply them to any lead to queue the text for a future send. They're different from Quick Replies: a quick reply is just text you can reuse now, while a scheduled message is text plus when to send it. Getting here - Manage the library - your user settings. - Apply one to a lead - open a lead in the Leads table and use the Pick a scheduled-message template option in the composer at the bottom of the Conversation view. See Messages. - One-off delayed send - for a one-off scheduled send that doesn't come from a template, use Send scheduled in the composer and pick a delay in minutes, hours, or days. Applying a scheduled message to a lead Open the lead Click the row in the Leads table to open the Lead Details dialog. Pick a scheduled-message template In the composer, click Pick a scheduled-message template and choose the one you want. Confirm The template's text is queued per its timing rule. When you apply a scheduled message: - The lead's status is set to Scheduled Messages (purple). See Lead Statuses. - The queued message appears inline in the conversation thread at its planned send time, shown with a timer icon and a Cancel button. Cancelling a queued scheduled message Find the queued message in the conversation thread (it has a timer icon next to it) and click Cancel. The message is removed from the queue before it sends. If it was the only scheduled message on the lead, the lead's status will no longer be Scheduled Messages - change it to whatever fits the next action. You can only cancel before the send. Once the scheduled time passes and the message has been delivered to the customer on the source platform, the timer icon disappears and the message is just a normal sent message in the thread. Managing your library Scheduled Messages are per-user. You manage your own library in your user settings - add new templates, update timing rules, or remove templates you no longer use. Other teammates have their own libraries. A template typically consists of: - The message text to send. - A timing rule - how long to wait before sending, relative to a trigger point. Scheduled calls (not the same thing) You may also see scheduled calls inline in the conversation - these are outbound phone calls queued for a future time, not scheduled text messages. A scheduled call shows the planned date and time with a timer icon and a Cancel Scheduled Call button as long as the time is still in the future. Click the button and confirm to cancel the queued call. Scheduled calls are distinct from scheduled messages: - A scheduled message is queued text that will be sent on the source platform at its planned send time. - A scheduled call is a queued phone call, not a text message. Cancelling one doesn't affect any scheduled messages on the lead, and vice versa. If both exist on the same lead, each appears inline at its planned time with its own timer icon and its own Cancel control. Scheduled messages vs. quick replies vs. send scheduled There are three related ways to delay or reuse a reply; pick whichever fits: - Quick Replies - reusable text you paste into the composer and send now (or schedule manually). No timing built in. See Quick Replies. - Scheduled Messages (this page) - text plus timing. Applying one queues the send automatically. - Send scheduled in the composer - a one-off delayed send. Pick a delay in minutes, hours, or days. No template is saved. See Messages. What happens to the lead afterwards - If the scheduled message sends successfully, it appears as a normal sent message in the thread. You should manually update the lead's status from Scheduled Messages to whatever's appropriate (often Answered). - If the customer replies before the scheduled send, the queued message still goes out unless you cancel it - check the thread and cancel if the reply is no longer appropriate. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Lead Statuses **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/leads/statuses/ The seven lead statuses in NZ Leads, what each one means, and when each is set. Every lead in NZ Leads has a status. The status is shown as a color-coded dropdown in the Lead Status column of the Leads table and in the header of the Lead Details dialog. Statuses give you a consistent way to triage leads, filter the inbox, and track a prospect from first contact to a closed outcome. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Leads. The Lead Status column on each row shows the current status. Click the dropdown to change it, or open the lead and use the status dropdown in the dialog header. The seven statuses Answered (green) A business reply has been sent to this customer - either manually by a teammate or automatically by the AI assistant. Use this as the default "we've responded, waiting on the customer" state. No Answer (red) No business reply has been sent yet. New leads where nothing has gone out typically sit here until someone (or the AI) replies. Follow-up (orange) You've manually flagged this lead for follow-up. Set this yourself when a lead needs a check-in, a callback, or a next action from your team. Scheduled Messages (purple) A scheduled message is queued to go out for this lead at a future time. This status is set automatically when you apply a scheduled-message template to a lead. It clears to a different status once the scheduled message sends or you cancel it. Meeting (blue) A meeting, call, or appointment has been scheduled with this customer. Set this manually when you've booked something on the calendar so the lead shows up clearly in your pipeline. Done (white / gray) The lead is closed. Use this for any end state - won the job, lost the job, not a fit, spam, duplicate, or otherwise resolved. Keeping active leads out of Done makes the rest of your inbox easier to work. Bot Follow-up (yellow) The system has queued an automatic follow-up to go out for this lead. This status is set automatically - you do not normally pick it yourself. It appears while an automatic follow-up is pending and clears once the follow-up has been sent or the customer replies. Who sets what. You set Answered, No Answer, Follow-up, Meeting, and Done manually from the dropdown. Scheduled Messages is set for you when you apply a scheduled message. Bot Follow-up is set for you when the system queues an automatic follow-up. Changing a lead's status You can change status in two places: - From the Leads table - click the Lead Status dropdown on the row and pick a new value. - From the Lead Details dialog - open the lead and use the status dropdown in the dialog header. The change saves immediately and the row updates for every teammate who has the inbox open. Filtering by status The Lead status filter in the toolbar is a multi-select - pick any combination to narrow the list. For example, filter to Follow-up + Meeting to see only the leads you need to act on today, or filter to No Answer to find leads that still need a first response. See Filters and search for the full filter toolbar. Quick reference | Status | Color | Set by | | --- | --- | --- | | Answered | Green | Manual | | No Answer | Red | Manual | | Follow-up | Orange | Manual | | Scheduled Messages | Purple | Automatic (when a scheduled message is queued) | | Meeting | Blue | Manual | | Done | White / gray | Manual | | Bot Follow-up | Yellow | Automatic (when an auto follow-up is queued) | --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Contact Info **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/contact-info/ Control what happens when a lead shares a phone number or email The Contact Info tab controls what happens the moment a lead hands over a phone number or email. You can send an acknowledgment message to the lead, fire your CRM integrations, and fire your messenger/alert integrations - independently, per contact type. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Contact Info tab. Phone section - "When a phone number is received" On Yelp sources this section also covers customers who choose to share their phone number on Yelp: NZ Leads fetches their real number directly from Yelp, adds it to the lead, and the CRM and messenger toggles below apply as for any phone number. Send confirmation message to the customer (phone) - Label: "Send confirmation message to the customer" - Default: off - When on: a confirmation message is sent to the lead as soon as their phone number is captured. - When off: no acknowledgment message is sent. - Use this when: you want the lead to know their number was received and what to expect next. Trigger CRM integrations (phone) - Label: "Trigger CRM integrations" - Default: off - When on: all CRM integrations configured on this source fire when the phone is captured (create/update contact, add note, etc.). - When off: CRM integrations don't fire at this event. They may still fire at other events (email received, new lead, etc.) depending on each integration's own setup. - Use this when: phone capture is the milestone that qualifies a lead for your CRM. Trigger messenger integrations (phone) - Label: "Trigger messenger integrations" - Default: off - When on: all messenger/alert integrations (SMS, Slack, Telegram, email alerts, etc.) fire when the phone is captured. - When off: messenger integrations don't fire at this event. - Use this when: you want your team notified the moment a phone number comes in so someone can call right away. Email section - "When an email is received" The email section mirrors the phone section - three independent toggles for the same three actions. Send confirmation message to the customer (email) - Label: "Send confirmation message to the customer" - Default: off - When on: a confirmation message is sent to the lead as soon as their email is captured. - When off: no acknowledgment message is sent. Trigger CRM integrations (email) - Label: "Trigger CRM integrations" - Default: off - When on: CRM integrations fire when the email is captured. - When off: CRM integrations don't fire at this event. Trigger messenger integrations (email) - Label: "Trigger messenger integrations" - Default: off - When on: messenger/alert integrations fire when the email is captured. - When off: messenger integrations don't fire at this event. Confirmation message settings (shared across phone / email) These settings apply to whichever "Send confirmation message" toggles you've turned on. Always send (even mid-conversation) - Label: "Always send (even mid-conversation)" - Default: off - Availability: only editable if at least one "Send confirmation message" toggle above is on. - When on: the confirmation is always sent when contact info is received, even if you've already been replying to the lead manually. - When off: the confirmation is only sent if no one from your business has messaged the lead yet in that thread. Once you've replied manually, no automatic confirmation is sent. - Use this when: turn on if you want the confirmation to go out every time contact info arrives regardless of conversation state. Leave off if you'd rather your manual replies replace it. - Important: the confirmation is never sent while an AI Assistant conversation is still in progress - the AI handles the thread itself. Message to send during business hours - Label: "Message to send during business hours" (rich-text editor) - Availability: only editable if at least one "Send confirmation message" toggle is on. - Default: (empty) - What it is: the confirmation message used when contact info is captured during your business hours. - Use this when: always fill this in once you've enabled any confirmation toggle. Message to send during business OFF hours - Label: "Message to send during business OFF hours" (rich-text editor) - Availability: only editable if at least one "Send confirmation message" toggle is on. - Default: (empty) - What it is: the confirmation message used when contact info is captured outside business hours. - When blank: the business-hours message is used for both. - Use this when: set a separate message if your expected response time changes off-hours (e.g., business hours: "I'll call in the next hour"; off hours: "I'll call first thing tomorrow"). How it behaves - CRM vs messenger toggles are independent. You can fire one, both, or neither for each of phone / email. - Order of events: when contact info arrives, the confirmation message (if enabled) and the integration triggers (if enabled) fire together. - Duplicate events: if the same lead shares their phone more than once, integrations fire again each time - most CRMs handle this as an update, not a duplicate create. - Confirmation vs AI: while the AI is still conversing, the AI is in control of what the lead sees - no auto-confirmation goes out. Once the AI hands off, the next contact-info event follows the normal confirmation rules. Troubleshooting - Confirmation message isn't sending: confirm the relevant "Send confirmation message" toggle is on and a message body is filled in. If the confirmation was supposed to fire mid-conversation, turn Always send (even mid-conversation) on. - CRM didn't receive the lead when phone arrived: confirm Trigger CRM integrations is on in the phone section, and that the CRM integration itself is active on this source in the Integrations tab. - Team got double-alerted: you may have messenger integrations firing both on new-lead and on phone-received events. Pick one milestone per notification channel. - The off-hours message isn't sending when I expect: "off hours" is determined by the Timing tab schedule. Make sure your timezone and schedule there are correct. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### AI Assistant **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/ai-assistant/ Let an AI write the welcome reply and, optionally, continue the conversation with the lead In AI Assistant mode, an AI writes the welcome reply based on the business description, pricing, and exclusions you provide. Depending on the conversation mode, it can also continue the conversation for several messages. AI identity is not a persona option. AI Instructions may customize the assistant's name, tone, style, and business knowledge. They must not tell the assistant to claim it is human, present itself as the owner or a human employee, deny being AI, or hide its artificial identity. If a customer asks whether it is AI, a bot, virtual, or automated, it must answer honestly and directly. Customer instructions cannot override this rule. For outbound voice calls, the platform always requires the first spoken sentence to follow: There is no setting to turn this identification off, and the voice agent never claims it is human or denies that it is AI. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab. AI Assistant is turned on per channel: each panel - the primary channel (named after the source, e.g. Yelp) and the optional SMS channel - has its own Predefined Messages / AI Assistant toggle. Switch a panel to AI Assistant to use AI on that channel. How the AI settings are organized Conversation Setup runs per channel - the primary channel (named after the source, e.g. Yelp) and an optional SMS channel. Each channel turns AI Assistant on or off independently, so the AI settings fall into two groups: - Per-channel settings - chosen separately for each channel, inside that channel's panel: AI Conversation Mode, Answer Size (primary channel only), Delay conversation messages, Enable AI Follow-ups, and Max AI Follow-ups. - Shared AI knowledge - one set of fields below the channel panels that every channel in AI mode draws on: AI Instructions, Pricing, Services not Providing, Reference Library, and Appointment Scheduling. The shared AI knowledge section stays greyed out until at least one channel is in AI mode. The hint reads "Enable AI Assistant on [source] or SMS to configure these settings." You write this knowledge once and both the primary channel and SMS use it. Per-channel settings These are set inside each channel's panel and can differ between the primary channel and SMS. AI Conversation Mode - Label: "AI Conversation Mode" (dropdown) - Default: Only welcome message - Options: - Only welcome message - the AI creates the first reply and stops. The follow-up sequence takes over from there. - Short conversation (up to five messages) - the AI can handle up to 5 replies back and forth with the lead. - Long conversation (up to ten messages) - the AI can handle up to 10 replies back and forth. - Use this when: pick Only welcome message if you want the AI to hand off to you quickly. Pick Short or Long when you want the AI to qualify the lead, answer common questions, or (with scheduling enabled) book an appointment before you get involved. Answer Size - Label: "Answer Size" (dropdown) - Availability: primary channel only - the SMS channel keeps replies short automatically (one text segment) and has no Answer Size control. - Default: Short (30 words) - Options: - Short (30 words) - quick, to-the-point replies. - Long (50 words) - standard length with a bit more detail. - Detailed (80 words) - longer replies with more information. - Behavior: this is a guideline the AI aims for, not a strict cap. A reply may run slightly over or under depending on the question. - Use this when: match the answer size to your industry norm. Home services and emergency work usually do well on Short; detailed consultative services often prefer Long or Detailed. Delay conversation messages - Label: "Delay conversation messages" (checkbox) - Visible when: AI Conversation Mode is Short or Long conversation. Hidden when mode is "Only welcome message". - Default: off - When on: a natural pause is added before each AI reply in the back-and-forth (not just the welcome). - When off: each AI reply is sent as soon as it's ready. - Use this when: you want more natural pacing between clearly AI-generated messages. Don't enable if you're in a "first response wins" industry like emergency services. This is separate from the Welcome Message Delay - the Delay sending of welcome message checkbox in each channel's panel, just below that channel's mode toggle. The welcome-message delay controls the first reply only; this setting controls the pauses between AI replies after the welcome. Enable AI Follow-ups - Label: "Enable AI Follow-ups" (checkbox) - Visible when: AI Conversation Mode is Short or Long conversation. Not available in "Only welcome message" mode. - Default: off - When on: if a lead has replied to the AI at least once and then goes quiet, the AI writes its own follow-up to re-engage them - in your tone, referencing the actual conversation. This replaces the standard predefined follow-up sequence for that lead. - When off: the standard follow-up sequence configured on the Follow-ups tab is used instead. - Use this when: the AI is already in an active conversation with the lead. An AI-generated follow-up that knows the context usually outperforms a generic templated one. Max AI Follow-ups - Label: "Max AI Follow-ups" (number input) - Visible when: Enable AI Follow-ups is on. - Range: 1–3 - Default: 1 - Use this when: start at 1. Raise to 2 or 3 only if you've confirmed the AI's follow-ups are landing well and leads aren't getting irritated. Shared AI knowledge One set of fields, used by the primary channel and SMS whenever either is in AI mode. Set these once. AI Instructions / Business Description - Label: "AI Instructions" - Type: free-text, up to 7,000 characters - Default: empty - Purpose: the AI's main reference for who you are, what you do, and how you want to sound. Include your services, typical turnaround, years in business, tone (formal vs. casual), sign-off, phone number, and any rules you want it to follow. - Use this when: always. Leaving this empty will produce generic replies. Example: Pricing - Label: "Pricing" - Type: free-text, up to 2,000 characters - Default: empty - Purpose: pricing facts the AI can reference when a lead asks "how much?". Provide ranges, starting-at numbers, or per-unit pricing - whatever you're comfortable sharing upfront. - When empty: the AI won't quote specific prices and will deflect pricing questions. - When filled: the AI can share the numbers you've listed verbatim. - Use this when: you're willing to share pricing early to pre-qualify leads. Leave blank if you prefer pricing only happens on the phone. Services not Providing - Label: "Services not Providing" - Type: free-text, up to 2,000 characters - Default: empty - What happens: when the AI detects the lead is asking for one of the services listed here, it politely declines and marks the lead so no follow-ups are sent. This prevents chasing leads you can't help. - Use this when: you want to filter out jobs below a minimum, outside your service area, or outside your specialty. Example: Reference Library (Knowledge Base) Upload up to 3 files (PDF, Word, text, CSV, Excel) that the AI can pull facts from - service menus, FAQ sheets, pricing tables, warranty terms. Set up the Knowledge Base → Appointment Scheduling Let the AI check availability and book appointments. Supports Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, HousecallPro, Quickbase, and Open Schedule with written rules and a Jobs calendar. Set up Appointment Scheduling → How it behaves - Shared knowledge, per-channel behavior: the AI Instructions, Pricing, Services not Providing, Reference Library, and Scheduling apply to every channel in AI mode. The conversation mode, answer size, delays, and follow-up limits are read from whichever channel the lead is on. - Manual takeover: if you or a teammate reply manually in the thread, the AI conversation stops immediately. AI follow-ups (if enabled) also stop. - Customer goes silent mid-conversation: either AI Follow-ups kick in (if enabled), or the standard follow-up sequence takes over. - AI hits its message limit: the follow-up sequence takes over. - Confirmation messages: the contact-info confirmation message does not send while the AI conversation is still active - it only sends once the AI hands off. Troubleshooting - AI sounds generic or off-brand: expand the AI Instructions. Include tone, sign-off, phone number, and anything unique about your business. Give examples of how you'd normally reply. - Can AI Instructions make the assistant appear human?: no. Customize an AI persona's name and tone, but do not instruct it to claim it is a person, the owner, or an employee, or to deny being AI. - AI is quoting the wrong price: check the Pricing field. If the number isn't there, the AI shouldn't be quoting it - review the AI Instructions for any pricing slipped into the description. - AI is taking leads you can't service: use the Services not Providing field to list them explicitly. - Too many AI follow-ups: lower Max AI Follow-ups, or turn AI Follow-ups off and use the standard Follow-ups tab instead. - AI Follow-ups checkbox is missing: change AI Conversation Mode to Short or Long conversation - the setting doesn't apply in "Only welcome message" mode. - The AI knowledge fields are greyed out: turn on AI Assistant for at least one channel (the primary channel or SMS). The shared fields unlock as soon as one channel is in AI mode. - No Answer Size option on SMS: that's expected - Answer Size is a primary-channel control. SMS replies are automatically kept to one text segment. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### AI Knowledge Base **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/ai-knowledge-base/ Upload reference files so the AI can answer detailed questions about your services, pricing, or policies The Knowledge Base (also called the Reference Library) lets you upload files the AI Assistant can pull facts from when answering a lead. Use it for anything you'd otherwise paste into the AI Instructions field that's too long or changes too often - service menus, price sheets, FAQs, warranty terms, or policy documents. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab → click AI Assistant at the top → scroll to the Knowledge Base / Reference Library section. Only applies when the source is in AI Assistant mode. In Predefined Messages mode there's no AI to read the files. What you can upload - File types: , , , , , , - How many: up to 3 files per source - Operations available: upload, download, delete Options Upload file - Label: upload button in the Knowledge Base panel - Default: no files uploaded - When in use: the AI can reference the contents of your uploaded files while generating replies. Facts in the files are treated as authoritative context alongside the AI Instructions field. - When empty: the AI relies only on the AI Instructions, Pricing, and Services Not Providing fields. - Use this when: the information is too long to fit in the AI Instructions (5,000 chars) or changes often enough that a single file is easier to keep current than re-editing a text field. Download file - Label: download button on each uploaded file - What it does: re-downloads the original file you uploaded. Useful if you lost the source document and want to edit and re-upload it. Delete file - Label: delete button on each uploaded file - What it does: removes the file from the Knowledge Base. The AI stops referencing it on the next conversation. Does not affect conversations that have already been sent. What to upload Good candidates: - Service catalogue - every service you offer with a short description of what's included. - Price sheet - full per-service pricing if you want the AI to quote line-items beyond the short Pricing field. - FAQ document - common lead questions and your preferred answers. - Warranty / policy / terms - so the AI can quote policy accurately when a lead asks about cancellations, guarantees, or service windows. - Service-area list - cities, neighbourhoods, or ZIP codes you cover. - Team bios / credentials - experience, certifications, licenses. Less good: - Marketing PDFs full of images - the AI reads text, not graphics. - Giant multi-hundred-page documents - shorter, focused files work better. - Internal pricing or commissions that the AI should never quote. How it behaves - Welcome message: the AI can pull from the Knowledge Base as early as the first reply if the lead's question needs it. - During a conversation: the AI keeps referencing the files across every reply. - Priority: if information in a file conflicts with the AI Instructions or Pricing fields, the AI generally leans on the structured fields you've filled in (they're treated as your most explicit guidance). If you want the file to win, make sure the AI Instructions don't contradict it. - Updates: when you upload a new version of a file, the AI starts using the new version on subsequent conversations. Keep files focused and under a few pages each. One clean price sheet plus one FAQ document is more useful than one giant PDF containing everything. Troubleshooting - The AI isn't using information from my file: confirm the file was actually uploaded (it should appear in the list), that the content is text (not scanned images), and that nothing in the AI Instructions contradicts the file. Try asking a test lead question that specifically requires the file to answer. - Upload button is greyed out: you're already at the 3-file limit. Delete one first. - File upload fails: check the extension - only , , , , , , are accepted. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Appointment Scheduling **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/appointment-scheduling/ Let the AI check availability and book appointments with Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, HousecallPro, Quickbase, or a free-form Open Schedule With Appointment Scheduling enabled, the AI Assistant can check availability and book appointments during the conversation. Open Schedule uses written scheduling instructions and saves each confirmed appointment as a Job on an AI text calendar. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab → click AI Assistant at the top → expand the Appointment Scheduling panel. Appointment Scheduling only applies when the source is in AI Assistant mode. Options Enable scheduling - Label: "Enable scheduling" (toggle) - Default: off - When on: the scheduling service dropdown and its fields appear. The AI can discuss availability and (for calendar integrations) book on your behalf. - When off: the AI will not bring up scheduling or attempt to book. - Use this when: you want the AI to carry the conversation through to an actual booking, rather than handing off once the lead is qualified. Scheduling service - Label: "Scheduling service" (dropdown) - Default: Job Scheduler - NZ Leads's own CRM scheduling. Choose an AI or strict calendar. - Options: - Job Scheduler - use an AI calendar with written instructions or a strict calendar with weekly hours. Both create scheduled Jobs and block overlapping bookings. - Cal.com - FieldPulse - GoHighLevel - HousecallPro - Quickbase Each option and its required fields are detailed below. Job Scheduler with a strict calendar Choose Job Scheduler and a strict calendar to use configured weekly hours and appointment length. - Required field: Calendar. - What happens: the AI checks the Calendar's working hours and existing active Jobs, offers open slots, collects the fields configured on the Calendar, and creates a scheduled Job after the customer confirms. - Use this when: you want booking and Job tracking to stay inside NZ Leads. If the business has no Calendar yet, click Create Calendar in the scheduling panel or go to CRM → Jobs → Create new calendar. See Calendar setup for the full configuration guide. Job Scheduler with an AI calendar Open Schedule uses plain-language instructions to decide which times may be offered. It checks existing Jobs before offering a time and creates a Job only after the customer confirms. Its calendar tracks occupied times; weekly-hours settings do not define Open Schedule availability. - Instructions: write or edit them directly in Job Scheduler settings. Saving updates the attached AI calendar in Jobs. - Calendar: choose Create AI calendar automatically to save your instructions on a new Jobs calendar named after the source. You can also choose an existing AI calendar, including one shared with a Voice Agent. - What happens: the AI follows the calendar instructions, reads nearby booked job times and addresses, and reserves the exact appointment window after the customer confirms. - Cost: free to use; no external account required. - Use this when: you want custom written scheduling rules and a local record of confirmed appointments. Example instructions: Cal.com - Required fields: - API Key - Event Type ID - Timezone - What happens: the AI checks live availability for the event type you connect, proposes open slots to the lead, and creates the booking on your Cal.com calendar once the lead confirms. - Use this when: you already use Cal.com and want the AI to book directly against a specific event type (consultation, site visit, etc.). FieldPulse - Required fields: - API Key - Company ID - Timezone - What happens: the AI checks availability in FieldPulse and creates the appointment there. - Use this when: you run your jobs out of FieldPulse and want new leads booked into the same system your crew already works from. GoHighLevel - Required fields: - API Key - Calendar ID - Location ID - What happens: the AI checks availability on the specified GHL calendar under the specified location and creates the appointment there. - Use this when: GoHighLevel is your CRM and you want new bookings on an existing GHL calendar. HousecallPro - Required fields: - API Key - Timezone - What happens: the AI checks HousecallPro availability and creates the appointment in HousecallPro. - Use this when: you dispatch jobs through HousecallPro and want new appointments on the same schedule. Quickbase - Required fields: - Appointments table link - open your appointments table in Quickbase and copy the browser URL. - User token - assigned to the Quickbase app that holds the table. - Setup: click Connect. NZ Leads picks the start, end or length, status, and customer detail fields automatically; click Edit to change them. Then set the Appointment length and Working Hours. - What happens: the AI offers only times inside your working hours that don't overlap appointments already in the table, checks the time again right before booking, and writes the appointment with the customer's details to your table. It can also cancel the appointment. - Use this when: your appointments already live in a Quickbase table. See Book appointments in Quickbase for the full setup and advanced options. Validate Connection - Label: "Validate Connection" button (appears below the fields for any calendar integration) - What it does: tests your credentials against the selected service. On success, confirms the connection is working. On failure, it shows the exact error returned so you can fix it. - Use this when: always run this once after entering or changing credentials. Don't assume saved credentials are still valid - keys expire, IDs get deleted. Built-in Booking does not use external credentials, so there is no connection to validate for that option. Error log - Below the Validate Connection button, the most recent validation error is shown inline with a timestamp. - Use this when: scheduling stops working mid-campaign. The error log is the fastest way to spot an expired key, a deleted calendar, or a revoked API token. Which option should I pick? - Keep appointments and Jobs inside NZ Leads: Built-in Booking. - No online calendar / handled manually: Open Schedule. - Already using Cal.com for bookings: Cal.com. - Field-service business running on FieldPulse or HousecallPro: match your existing dispatch tool. - GoHighLevel is your CRM: GoHighLevel. - Appointments live in a Quickbase table: Quickbase. If you use a different calendar system, stick with Open Schedule - the AI will still handle the timing conversation gracefully even without a real calendar connection. How it behaves - Credentials are per source. Different sources can connect to different calendars if needed. - Built-in CRM: Built-in Booking creates a Job linked to the original Lead and places it on the selected CRM Calendar. - Confirmation to the lead: the AI reads back the chosen time once booked, so the lead knows the appointment is locked in. - Cancellations / reschedules: the AI can handle these mid-conversation for calendar integrations that support them - it will check availability again and update the booking. Troubleshooting - No Calendar is available for Built-in Booking: open CRM → Jobs and create one for the same business as the source. - A Built-in Booking slot disappeared: another active Job may have reserved it, or the time may now be in the past. Choose another open slot. - "Validate Connection" fails: check the exact error in the log. Common causes: wrong API key (typo, expired, or from the wrong environment), wrong Event Type / Calendar / Location / Company ID, or the calendar was deleted. - AI books into the wrong calendar: confirm the IDs (Event Type ID, Calendar ID, Location ID) match the target calendar. IDs are the most common source of misdirected bookings. - AI never offers to book: confirm the Enable scheduling toggle is on and that AI Conversation Mode is Short or Long (the AI needs more than one message to collect scheduling info). - Wrong timezone on the booking: the Timezone field must match the calendar's own timezone settings. Mismatched timezones cause "booked at 3 PM, shows on calendar at 11 AM" type bugs. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Welcome Message Delay **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/delay/ Hold the welcome reply for 1–30 minutes so it feels less instant Add a short delay before the welcome message is sent. Useful when an instant reply feels obviously automated and you'd rather it land a minute or two later, like a human picking up the phone. This option is available in both Predefined Messages mode and AI Assistant mode. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab. The delay controls sit below the mode toggle. Options Delay sending the welcome message - Label: "Delay sending the welcome message" (checkbox) - Default: off - When on: the welcome is held for the number of minutes you specify, then sent. - When off: the welcome is sent as soon as the lead's inquiry is received. - Use this when: you want the reply to feel like a person just noticed the message rather than a bot firing off instantly. Delay length - Label: delay-length input (appears when the checkbox above is on) - Range: 1–30 minutes (whole numbers only) - Default: (not applicable - only shown when delay is enabled) - Use this when: 1–2 minutes usually hits the sweet spot for "felt like a real reply" without losing the speed-to-lead advantage. Longer delays (5+ minutes) fit higher-end services where a thoughtful reply is expected. How it behaves - The delay only affects the welcome message. It does not push back the follow-up sequence - follow-ups still count from when the welcome is sent. - If AI Assistant mode is on and the AI is having a back-and-forth with the lead, separate Delay conversation messages setting applies to the follow-up AI replies (see the AI Assistant page). - The delay is in clock minutes - it doesn't skip over off-hours. If you need to hold messages to business hours, use the Timing tab for follow-ups. (The welcome itself will still send during the delay window regardless of business hours.) In fast-moving, first-response-wins markets (emergency plumbing, lockouts, tow), keep the delay off. In professional services where a considered reply is expected, try 2–5 minutes. Troubleshooting - I set the delay but the welcome sends instantly: confirm the "Delay sending the welcome message" checkbox is actually on, and that the delay length shows 1 or more. Also check that the source isn't inheriting from a parent with the delay off - if so, turn Override Default Settings on at this level. - Delay is longer than I expected: the delay value is in minutes, not seconds. Valid range is 1–30. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Conversation Setup **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/ Choose how the first reply is generated - AI assistant or predefined messages - and whether a delay is added before sending The Conversation Setup tab controls the first reply every lead gets and, depending on the mode, may also control a full back-and-forth conversation before the follow-up sequence begins. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab. Two channels: primary and SMS Conversation Setup has two panels, each configured independently: - The primary channel panel - named after the source (e.g. Yelp, Thumbtack) - controls replies on the platform the lead came in on. Everything below (the mode toggle, AI Assistant, Predefined Messages, delay) applies to this channel. - The SMS panel - an optional two-way text-message conversation on a number NZ Leads provides, with its own welcome, AI, and follow-ups, and a one-time registration. See SMS Messaging. Each channel picks its own mode - the primary channel can run AI while SMS runs predefined, or any combination. The mode toggle At the top of the tab you'll see two buttons: - Predefined Messages (default) - AI Assistant These two modes are mutually exclusive - pick one. Switching changes which configuration appears below. Predefined Messages You write a list of messages ahead of time. Each message has a set of trigger keywords; when a lead's incoming message matches, that message is sent as the welcome. The last message in the list is a catch-all that covers anything that doesn't match a specific keyword. Best when you want complete control over the exact wording customers see and your inquiries fall into predictable patterns. Configure Predefined Messages → AI Assistant An AI writes the welcome reply (and, optionally, continues the conversation for several messages). You give it a business description, pricing information, and what services you don't offer - it uses those to respond in a way tailored to each lead's specific question. Best when every lead's question is a little different and you want the reply to actually address what they asked. Configure AI Assistant → Welcome Message Delay (available in both modes) Regardless of which mode you pick, you can add a small delay before the welcome message is sent. - Label: "Delay sending the welcome message" (checkbox), with a delay-length input that appears when the checkbox is on. - Default: off (welcome is sent instantly). - When on: the welcome is held for the specified number of minutes before being sent. Range: 1–30 minutes (whole numbers only). - When off: the welcome is sent as soon as the lead's inquiry is received. - Use this when: you want the reply to feel a little more human ("just saw your message") rather than landing the instant the lead hits send. Configure Welcome Message Delay → Sub-pages Switching mode doesn't delete the other mode's configuration - your Predefined Messages list stays saved if you try AI Assistant, and vice versa. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Predefined Messages **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/predefined-messages/ Write keyword-triggered replies ahead of time - you control the exact wording every lead sees In Predefined Messages mode, you write a list of messages ahead of time. Each message has a set of trigger keywords; when a lead's first message contains one, that message is sent as the welcome. The last message in the list is always a catch-all for anything that doesn't match a specific keyword. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab → click Predefined Messages at the top. How matching works - The lead's incoming message is scanned for each message's trigger keywords, in list order. - The first message whose keyword list matches wins. No further messages are checked for that lead. - If no specific message matches, the catch-all at the bottom is used. - Keyword matching is case-insensitive. The message list Each entry in the list has the following fields. Message body - Label: rich-text editor showing the message content - Default: (empty on a new entry) - What it is: what the lead actually receives when this message triggers. Supports basic formatting (bold, italics, links, line breaks). - Use this when: write it the way you'd normally write it - friendly, personal, with a clear next step. Trigger keywords - Label: chip input for keywords (below the message body) - Default: (empty) - Rules: - Add words or short phrases. Each keyword must be at least 1 character. - Matching is case-insensitive. - You can combine keywords with to require multiple words in the same message. Example: triggers only when the lead mentions both "screen replacement" and "apple". - Use this when: think about the words your leads actually use - "price", "cost", "quote", "how much", "emergency", "urgent", "repair", etc. Prevent follow-ups - Label: "Prevent Follow-ups" (checkbox) - Default: off - When on: if this message triggers, no follow-ups are sent for that lead. The conversation is considered handled by this single message. - When off: the normal follow-up sequence still runs after this message. - Use this when: the message itself is the final answer (pricing deflection, "we don't do that", "please call us directly") - you don't want automated follow-ups chasing someone you've already fully responded to. Reorder - Label: drag handle on each row - What it does: drag and drop to change the order of messages. The list is checked top-down, so put your most specific / highest-priority messages at the top. The catch-all (last message) - The last message in the list is always a catch-all. Its keyword is fixed as and cannot be edited. - The catch-all message body is editable. - The catch-all cannot be deleted or reordered - it must sit at the bottom so that every lead gets a reply. - Use this when: always. It's your safety net for anything that doesn't match a specific keyword. Make it friendly and promise a follow-up. The catch-all is what most leads will actually see - specific keyword triggers handle edge cases, the catch-all handles the rest. Spend time making the catch-all message feel human and helpful. Example configuration A typical setup: 1. Emergency - keywords: → fast-response message with your direct phone number. Prevent follow-ups: on (you'll call them yourself). 2. Pricing - keywords: → message explaining you'll send a quote after a quick call. 3. Catch-all - "Thanks for reaching out! I'll review your message and reply within a couple hours…" How it behaves - Variables: if your message includes a customer-name placeholder, it's filled in automatically when the message sends. - With AI Assistant mode: Predefined Messages and AI Assistant are mutually exclusive. Switching to AI Assistant disables the predefined list for this source (but doesn't delete it - switching back restores it). - Welcome Message Delay: if delay is enabled, it applies equally to all predefined messages - they're all "the welcome" in the eyes of the delay setting. Troubleshooting - The wrong message is triggering: remember list order decides the winner. Move the more specific message above the more general one. - Keyword doesn't seem to match: confirm there are no typos, and that you're not relying on punctuation - matching looks at words, not exact strings. - Can't delete the last message: that's the catch-all. Delete a message above it, or edit its body instead. - A specific-keyword message is getting follow-ups when it shouldn't: turn on Prevent Follow-ups on that entry. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### SMS Messaging **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/conversation-setup/sms-messaging/ Reply to leads over text - a two-way SMS conversation channel with its own welcome, AI, and follow-ups, on a phone number NZ Leads provides SMS Messaging lets NZ Leads hold a real two-way text conversation with your lead on a dedicated phone number. The lead gets a welcome text, can reply, and - if you turn on AI - the assistant keeps the conversation going over SMS, with its own follow-up sequence. It runs alongside the lead's original channel (Yelp, Thumbtack, etc.), not instead of it. SMS Messaging is not the same as the SMS integration. The SMS integration texts you (the business) a heads-up when a new lead arrives. SMS Messaging texts the lead and carries on the conversation. This page is about the second one. Before texts actually go out, you complete a one-time SMS Messaging registration (carrier-required for business texting in the US). There's a registration fee and a small monthly fee - see Pricing and registration below. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab. The Conversation Setup tab has two panels: - The primary channel panel - named after the source (e.g. Yelp, Thumbtack) - controls replies on the original channel. - The SMS panel - controls the text-message channel described here. Open the SMS panel to configure everything below. Turning it on Enable SMS messaging Flip the Enable SMS messaging toggle (default: off). The rest of the SMS options appear once it's on. Pick a sender phone number Under Sender Phone Number, click Select Phone Number. This is the number SMS welcome messages and follow-ups are sent from - recipients see it as the sender and can reply to it. Use Change Phone Number later to swap it. Complete SMS Messaging registration Click the SMS Messaging button to open registration and submit your business for carrier review. SMS won't actually send until registration is approved - until then you'll see the notice "SMS messages will start sending once your SMS Messaging registration is approved." See Pricing and registration. Choose how SMS replies are written Use the Predefined Messages / AI Assistant toggle to pick the mode (details below). Predefined vs AI mode Just like the primary channel, the SMS channel runs in one of two modes. They're chosen independently - the primary channel can be on AI while SMS is on predefined, or any combination. Predefined Messages (SMS) You write a single SMS welcome message that's sent when the lead's conversation starts. Unlike the primary channel's predefined list, the SMS welcome is one message (no keyword triggers). - Text only, ASCII characters only, maximum 160 characters (one SMS segment). - An optional welcome message delay is available (same control as the primary channel). AI Assistant (SMS) The AI writes the SMS welcome and, depending on the conversation mode, keeps replying to the lead over text. These are the same per-channel controls described on the AI Assistant page - here they apply to the SMS channel. When the AI is on for SMS you can set: - AI Conversation Mode - how far the AI takes the SMS conversation: - Only welcome message - AI writes the first text and stops. - Short conversation (up to five messages) - Long conversation (up to ten messages) - Delay conversation messages (only when the mode isn't "Only welcome message") - adds a short, human-like pause before each reply. - Enable AI Follow-ups (same condition) - the AI automatically texts leads who haven't responded. - Max AI Follow-ups (shown when AI Follow-ups is on) - how many AI follow-up texts to send, 1–3. Two separate SMS delays. Delay sending of welcome message (in the SMS panel, available in both predefined and AI mode) holds only the first text. Delay conversation messages (AI Short/Long only) adds a pause before each of the AI's later replies. They're independent. The AI's instructions, pricing, and exclusions aren't set here - they come from the shared AI knowledge on the AI Assistant page. You write those once and both the primary channel and SMS use them. The SMS AI channel keeps its own conversation and its own limits, separate from the primary channel. A lead can use up the primary channel's AI allowance and still get AI replies over SMS, and vice versa. SMS replies are kept short to fit the text format. Consent and opt-outs - Outbound SMS is checked against the business's phone suppression list before every send. - A reply consisting of , , , , , , or suppresses the number immediately for that business. - An opted-out number is blocked from both outbound SMS and outbound voice calls for the same business. - Each send attempt and opt-out is stored with its lead-source snapshot and suppression state for phone-number audit queries. SMS follow-ups SMS has its own follow-up sequence, configured on the Follow-ups tab under the SMS Follow-ups sub-tab - separate from the primary channel's follow-ups. SMS follow-ups only send while SMS Messaging is enabled here. See Follow-ups. Pricing and registration US carriers require every business that sends application-to-person texts to register first. NZ Leads walks you through it in the SMS Messaging dialog (titled "Setup SMS Messaging"). What it costs The dialog shows a "SMS Messaging registration pricing" panel - "Review and approve charges before submitting for compliance review" - with: | Charge | Amount | When | | --- | --- | --- | | One-time setup | $20.00 | Charged only when a new registration or review fee is required - i.e. the initial submission, or renewing after a cancellation. Resubmitting after a rejection is free; the fee was already paid at submission. | | Every month | $2 / month | Charged after approval, while SMS Messaging is active. Usage-based SMS carrier fees on the texts you actually send may also apply. | These charges are on top of your normal per-source subscription. The "no setup fees" note on the Pricing page refers to source subscriptions - SMS Messaging registration is its own opt-in cost. What you submit Registration collects two groups of details: 1. Business profile - legal business name, business type and industry, registration ID type and number, regions of operation, website, physical address, and an authorized representative (name, email, phone, job position). 2. SMS compliance - company type, Privacy Policy URL, Terms & Conditions URL, a campaign description, how customers agree to receive SMS (opt-in flow), and message samples. Sensible defaults are pre-filled; edit them to match your business. The Privacy Policy URL and Terms & Conditions URL must be two different pages, and each one must actually open. Before the submission is accepted we load both links: a link that returns "page not found", or two links that lead to the same document, is rejected in the form. Carrier reviewers open these pages by hand, so a wrong link costs a rejection plus a new review fee. After you submit, the business profile, SMS compliance product, brand, and campaign all go through carrier review, and approval is not instant (typically a few business days). Registration status | Status | What it means | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | | Not started | Nothing submitted yet. | Click Submit for Review. | | In review | Under carrier review. | Wait - fields are locked during review. | | Approved | Passed review; SMS can send. | Nothing - texts now go out. | | Rejected | Review failed; specific reasons are shown. | Fix the flagged details and click Save & Resubmit. | | Cancelled | SMS delivery is paused. | Click Renew SMS Messaging to resubmit (may incur a new review fee). | You can pause an approved registration with Cancel SMS Messaging; the monthly fee stops after cancellation is processed. Troubleshooting - No texts are going out - Confirm Enable SMS messaging is on, a Sender Phone Number is selected, and the SMS Messaging registration shows approved (a pending or error state on the button means it isn't sending yet). - The SMS Messaging button shows an error - Registration isn't in place (not submitted, rejected, or cancelled). Open it and submit / Save & Resubmit / Renew. - SMS follow-ups aren't firing - They require SMS Messaging to be enabled on this source. The SMS Follow-ups tab warns "SMS is not enabled. Enable SMS in Conversation Setup before SMS follow-ups can be sent." - My welcome text was cut off - SMS welcomes are capped at 160 ASCII characters (one segment). Shorten the message or remove non-ASCII characters. --- Questions about SMS Messaging? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Follow-ups **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/follow-ups/ Configure the automatic follow-up sequence sent when a lead doesn't reply The Follow-ups tab controls the messages sent to a lead who doesn't reply after the welcome. You build an ordered sequence; each message has its own content and its own delay relative to the previous message. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Follow-ups tab. The tab has two sub-tabs: - "[Source] Follow-ups" (e.g. Yelp Follow-ups) - the follow-up sequence on the primary channel, described below. - "SMS Follow-ups" - a separate sequence sent over text. See SMS follow-ups. Follow-ups don't apply to Facebook Lead Ads sources (no two-way conversation). Options Continue follow-ups after you send a manual message - Label: "Continue follow-ups after business sends a manual message" (checkbox) - Default: on - When on: if you or a teammate send a manual reply in the thread, scheduled follow-ups still go out until the lead replies or you change the lead's status. - When off: a manual reply from your side stops all future follow-ups for that lead. - Use this when: leave it on if your team only replies to say "got it, will call you" and you want the nurture sequence to keep running. Turn it off if a manual reply always means "I've got this handled, stop messaging." - Note: this setting does not apply to Facebook Lead Ads sources. Follow-up sequence The ordered list of follow-up messages. Each entry has the following fields. Predefined or AI (per message) - Label: a Predefined / AI toggle at the top of each follow-up entry. - Default: Predefined. - Predefined: a fixed message you write (the Message body below). - AI: instead of a fixed message, the AI writes the follow-up when its scheduled time arrives, using the Conversation Setup AI instructions and the current lead conversation. - When AI isn't available: the AI option is greyed out and the entry shows "Turn on AI Assistant in Conversation Setup to use AI follow-ups." - turn on AI Assistant in Conversation Setup first. - Cap: a sequence can hold only so many AI follow-ups. Past the limit you'll see "You reached the limit of N AI follow-ups. Use a predefined follow-up or change an existing AI follow-up to predefined." Message body - Label: rich-text editor for the message content (predefined messages only) - Default: (empty on a new entry) - What it is: what the lead receives. Supports basic formatting (bold, italics, links, line breaks). - Use this when: write something that genuinely adds value - a new question, a photo, a testimonial, a reminder. Don't send filler. Delay - Label: delay value (number) + unit (dropdown) - Units: Minutes, Hours, or Days - Default: (depends on the system default) - What it means: the delay is counted from the previous message, not from when the lead first arrived. For example, if follow-up 1 has a 1-hour delay and follow-up 2 has a 2-day delay, follow-up 2 fires 2 days after follow-up 1 was sent, which is roughly 2 days and 1 hour after the lead arrived. - Use this when: match the tempo to your sales cycle. Urgent services (emergencies, lockouts) use minutes to hours; project-based services use hours to days; long-cycle professional services can go multiple days between messages. "AI determines when this follow-up is sent" (AI messages only) - Label: "AI determines when this follow-up is sent" (toggle, shown only on AI follow-up entries) - Default: off - When on: the AI chooses the timing of the follow-up instead of using the fixed delay above; the delay you set is kept as a fallback. - When off: the AI follow-up fires on the fixed delay like a predefined one. Reorder / Add / Remove - Reorder: drag the row's handle to change order. Messages fire in the order shown. - Add: click the add button to insert a new message at the end of the list. - Remove: delete any message. The remaining messages keep their own delays (counted from the new previous message). SMS follow-ups The SMS Follow-ups sub-tab is a follow-up sequence sent over text, separate from the primary-channel sequence above. It has its own message list and its own timer, so a lead can be mid-sequence on both channels at the same time. SMS follow-ups only send when SMS Messaging is enabled for the source in Conversation Setup. If it isn't, the tab shows: "SMS is not enabled. Enable SMS in Conversation Setup before SMS follow-ups can be sent." You build an ordered list the same way as the primary sequence (add, remove, drag to reorder), with the same per-message controls - the only differences are the SMS text constraints and that AI entries draw on the SMS AI settings: - Predefined or AI (per message): each entry can be a fixed message you write, or an AI-generated one. AI SMS follow-ups use the SMS AI settings from Conversation Setup, and there's a cap on how many AI follow-ups a sequence can hold - past the limit you'll see "You reached the limit of N AI SMS follow-ups." (If SMS AI isn't on, the entry shows "Turn on SMS AI in Conversation Setup to use AI SMS follow-ups.") - Message text (predefined): ASCII only, maximum 160 characters - one SMS segment. - Delay: how long after the previous SMS this one sends. - "AI determines when this SMS follow-up is sent" (AI messages only): let the AI choose the timing instead of the fixed delay; the delay you set is kept as a fallback. When the lead replies on either channel - SMS or the primary channel - follow-ups stop on both. A customer reply ends the lead's automated follow-ups everywhere, not just on the channel they replied on. How it behaves - Start: the follow-up clock starts when the welcome message is sent. - Stopping automatically: - The lead replies. - The AI conversation (if used) ends with the lead resolved. - You change the lead's status in a way that ends automation. - A predefined message with Prevent follow-ups was the one that triggered - no follow-ups are scheduled in the first place. - Stopping on manual reply: depends on the Continue follow-ups after business sends a manual message setting above. - Respecting the schedule: follow-ups fire only during the hours configured on the Timing tab. If a follow-up's scheduled time falls outside allowed hours, it's held until the next allowed window. - Grace period exception: the Timing tab's grace period lets follow-ups go out shortly after a lead's initial message even outside the operating schedule - that's the only exception to the schedule. - Edits to the sequence: timing and content changes apply to new leads only. Leads already mid-sequence keep the timing they started with. - AI Follow-ups override: if AI Assistant mode has Enable AI Follow-ups turned on, the AI writes its own follow-ups instead of running this sequence. Troubleshooting - Follow-up 2's delay is measured from the wrong point: delays are from the previous message, not from the lead's start. To schedule "fire 2 days after the lead arrives," set follow-up 1 at 2 days (from the welcome, which is effectively the lead's start). - Follow-ups aren't sending at all: - Check the Timing tab - the schedule may be blocking them. - Check the lead didn't already reply. - If AI Assistant is on with AI Follow-ups enabled, the standard sequence is replaced by AI-generated follow-ups. - Confirm Override Default Settings is configured as you expect at this level. - A manual reply stopped follow-ups and you didn't want it to: turn on Continue follow-ups after business sends a manual message. - Follow-ups went out at 2 AM: review your Timing schedule and grace period - a long grace period can push messages into the middle of the night. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Integrations per Lead Source **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/integrations/ Choose which CRMs and notification channels run for this source The Integrations tab on a source decides which of your configured CRMs and messenger or notification channels run for leads from that source. The integrations themselves - HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, LeadConnector (GoHighLevel), Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Workiz, Monday.com, Slack, SMS, Telegram, Zapier, Call Bridge, webhooks, and the rest - are set up once in the Integrations catalogue and then selected here per source. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Integrations tab. Three sub-tabs The Integrations tab is split into three sub-tabs. Each integration appears on exactly one of them: - Messengers - integrations that alert your team or hand the live conversation off to another inbox. Slack, SMS, Telegram, and LeadConnector Messaging Sync (formerly GoHighLevel Messenger) live here. - CRM - integrations that create or update CRM records. HubSpot, Pipedrive, Workiz, LeadConnector (GoHighLevel), Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Salesforce, Monday.com, and Zapier live here. - Other - specialized integrations that don't fit the other two. Call Bridge, REST Webhook, and Lead Reply API live here. Each sub-tab shows one card per integration. You can enable any combination across the three sub-tabs for the same source. Setting up a specific integration (auth, field mapping, connection details) lives in the Integrations catalogue - one page per tool. This tab is only about which integrations apply to this source. What you do here - See which CRM and messenger integrations are available based on your account setup. - Toggle each integration on or off for this specific source. A source can use any combination, including none. - Override inheritance: if the source is inheriting from a parent business, you'll see the parent's integration selection in read-only form. Turn on Override Default Settings at the top to pick a different selection for this source. When each integration fires Which events fire which integrations depends on how you've configured the other tabs - especially Contact Info: - New lead arrives - integrations that listen for new leads fire. - Phone number captured - fires CRM and/or messenger integrations if those toggles are on in the Contact Info tab's phone section. - Email captured - fires CRM and/or messenger integrations if those toggles are on in the Contact Info tab's email section. - Other events - some integrations have their own per-integration triggers (specific keywords, status changes, etc.). See each integration's page in the catalogue. Available integrations This is a quick reference - full setup instructions live in the catalogue: CRM sub-tab - HubSpot - Pipedrive - Salesforce - LeadConnector (GoHighLevel) - card labeled LeadConnector - Housecall Pro - ServiceTitan - AccuLynx - Quickbase - Workiz - monday.com - SmartMoving - Zapier Messengers sub-tab - SMS - Slack - Telegram - LeadConnector Messaging Sync - card labeled LeadConnector Messaging Sync (formerly GoHighLevel Messenger) Other sub-tab - Call Bridge - REST Webhook - Lead Reply API For the full catalogue with setup steps, see Integrations. How it behaves - Per-source scope. Turning an integration on for one source has no effect on other sources. If you run two Yelp locations into two different CRMs, this is where you split them. - Inheritance. Like the other Messaging Settings tabs, Integrations inherit from business → location unless you turn on Override Default Settings. - No double-sends across sources. Each event fires the integrations selected on its source, not on every source. - Disabling an integration here does not delete its setup. It stops firing for this source only; re-enable any time without reconfiguring. Troubleshooting - Integration I set up isn't showing here: confirm it's been added to your account in the Integrations catalogue. An integration must exist there before it can be toggled per source. - Integration is on but nothing is happening: check the Contact Info tab - the CRM- and messenger-trigger toggles there decide whether contact-info events fire integrations. Also verify the integration's own credentials aren't expired in the catalogue page. - Wrong CRM receiving the lead: you probably have the wrong integration toggled on this source. Override Default Settings on this source and pick the right one. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Messaging Settings **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/ Configure how NZ Leads replies, follows up, and syncs leads for each source Messaging Settings control how NZ Leads talks to your leads: the first reply they receive, the follow-ups that go out if they go quiet, what happens when they share a phone number or email, and which CRM or notification tools get triggered. Settings are configured per source (per Yelp business, Thumbtack profile, Facebook page, etc.), and they inherit down a hierarchy so you can set things once and override only where needed. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings. Tabs Override and inheritance Messaging Settings follow a three-level hierarchy: 1. System default - the baseline set by NZ Leads. 2. Business - your account-wide defaults (for multi-location accounts, this is the parent business). 3. Location / Source - the individual source. Each child level has an Override Default Settings toggle at the top of the panel: - On a Location: the toggle is labeled "Override Default Settings from Business" (or from the parent business). - On a Business: the toggle is labeled "Override System Settings". When the toggle is OFF (default) - The child inherits everything from the parent. - All controls are visible but read-only (greyed out) so you can see exactly what's in effect. - Any change you make at the parent level flows through automatically. When the toggle is ON - The child uses its own values. - Controls are editable and what you set here applies only to this source (or this business and its locations). Keep override off wherever possible. Set things once at the business level and only override on a location when that location genuinely needs different behavior. Source-specific differences Not every tab is available for every source type: - Facebook Lead Ads sources show only Contact Info and Integrations. Because Facebook Lead Ads don't support two-way messaging, Conversation Setup, Follow-ups, and Timing don't apply. What each tab controls in one line - Conversation Setup - what the lead sees in the very first reply, and whether a small delay is added before sending it. - Follow-ups - the sequence of messages sent if the lead goes quiet. - Contact Info - the confirmation message and integrations triggered when a phone/email is captured. - Timing - timezone, grace period, and the weekly schedule that restricts when follow-ups are allowed to send. - Integrations - which CRMs and messenger/notification tools run for this source (see the full Integrations catalogue for each tool's setup). --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Timing **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/messaging-settings/timing/ Timezone, grace period, and the weekly schedule that controls when follow-ups are allowed to send The Timing tab controls when follow-ups are allowed to send. It does not affect the welcome message - only follow-ups honor the schedule. You configure three things: the timezone used to interpret everything, a grace period for immediate replies, and the weekly operating schedule for follow-ups. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Timing tab. Timing doesn't apply to Facebook Lead Ads sources (no follow-ups). Options Timezone - Label: "Timezone" (autocomplete selector) - Default: (set at the business level; locations typically inherit) - What it is: the IANA timezone used to interpret everything on this tab - schedule hours, timestamps, grace period boundaries. - Use this when: set this to wherever the business operates, not where any individual team member lives. All schedule hours are read in this timezone. Grace Period (minutes) - Label: "Grace Period (minutes)" (number input) - Range: 0–1440 minutes (0 to 24 hours) - Default: 30 - What it does: lets follow-ups go out within X minutes of the lead's initial message, even if that time falls outside the operating schedule. The intent is: always reply promptly to a fresh inquiry - even if it's off-hours - but once the grace window closes, respect the schedule. - When set to 0: no grace - follow-ups are never sent outside the operating schedule, full stop. - When set high (e.g., 120): follow-ups can continue landing outside scheduled hours for up to that many minutes after the lead first messaged. - Use this when: 30–60 minutes works for most businesses. Go higher (60–120) if your customers routinely message late evening and you want to catch them before they move on. Keep at 0 if you strictly don't message outside hours. The grace period starts from the lead's initial message, not from when you read it. A long grace period plus a late-night inquiry can push follow-ups into the middle of the night. Watch the math. Follow-up Operating Schedule - Label: day-by-day weekly picker - Default: "Any day" 00:00–24:00 (follow-ups allowed at any time, any day) - What it is: a week-at-a-glance picker (Monday–Sunday, plus an "Any day" shortcut) where you set time periods during which follow-ups are allowed to send. A follow-up scheduled outside these windows is held until the next allowed period. - Per-day options: - Off - no follow-ups on that day (e.g., Sundays). - Full 24 hours - send any time that day (e.g., 24/7 weekdays). - Custom hours - one or more time periods, like 08:00–18:00. - Multiple time periods per day: supported - set a morning block and an afternoon block if you have a lunch break or split shift. - Use this when: match it to when someone is genuinely available to handle replies. Schedules that promise coverage you can't deliver hurt your conversion more than they help. How it behaves - Welcome messages are not gated by this schedule. The welcome sends as soon as it's ready (subject to the Welcome Message Delay on the Conversation Setup tab). Only follow-ups respect the schedule. - A scheduled follow-up outside allowed hours is held, not skipped. It moves to the next allowed window. - Grace period overrides the schedule - but only for the window starting at the lead's initial message. - Timezone applies to everything on this tab. If a follow-up is set for "09:00" and your timezone is , that's 9 AM Pacific regardless of where your team or leads are located. Examples A service business open Mon–Fri 8 AM – 6 PM, Saturday 9 AM – 2 PM, closed Sunday: - Timezone: your local timezone. - Grace period: 60 minutes (lets late-evening inquiries get one quick follow-up). - Schedule: - Monday–Friday: 08:00–18:00 - Saturday: 09:00–14:00 - Sunday: Off 24/7 emergency service: - Timezone: your local timezone. - Grace period: 120 minutes (doesn't matter much when always-on anyway). - Schedule: Any day, 00:00–24:00. Professional services, weekdays only: - Timezone: your local timezone. - Grace period: 30 minutes. - Schedule: - Monday–Friday: 09:00–17:00 - Saturday & Sunday: Off. Troubleshooting - Follow-ups are going out after hours: check the grace period. A long grace can legitimately push messages into evening. Lower it if that's not what you want. - Follow-ups never send on a particular day: that day is likely set to Off. Check the per-day settings. - Wrong hour: double-check the timezone. Schedule hours are interpreted in the timezone set on this tab, not the reader's timezone. - Lead messaged at noon, first follow-up didn't send until the next morning: the scheduled delay probably pushed it outside allowed hours. Shorten the first follow-up's delay, or widen the schedule. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Pricing **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/pricing/ Per-source monthly pricing for NZ Leads, with trial eligibility, recurring charges, usage fees, and cancellation terms explained before purchase. NZ Leads is priced per source, per month. A source is one connected account or profile on a platform - a single Yelp location, one Thumbtack Pro account, one Facebook Page, and so on. Each active source is a separate recurring subscription item. Before you confirm a paid source activation, the order summary shows the amount due immediately and the recurring monthly price. Activating a source during a billing period may create an immediate prorated charge for the remaining time in that period. Source pricing | Source type | Price | | --- | --- | | Yelp | $99 / month per location | | Thumbtack | $99 / month per Pro account | | Facebook Lead Ads | $19 / month | | Facebook Messenger | $49 / month | | Instagram | $49 / month per connected source or location | | Google Local Services Ads | $49 / month | Voice Agent add-ons The Voice Agent is optional and billed separately from sources. | Item | Price | | --- | --- | | Voice Agent phone number | $10 / month per phone number | | Voice Agent usage | $1 / minute of talk time (inbound and outbound calls) | Voice usage can include inbound and outbound calls. Completed non-batch calls with at least 10 seconds of recorded duration are rounded up to the next whole minute per call. Eligible completed batch-call durations are aggregated within each immutable usage report and that aggregate is rounded up to the next whole minute. Trial calls are not metered as paid usage. See the Billing, Cancellation & Refund Policy for the controlling usage and billing terms. See Voice Agent for what the voice agent does and how to set one up. SMS Messaging add-on SMS Messaging - texting your leads on a number NZ Leads provides - is optional and requires a carrier-mandated registration, billed separately from your source subscription. | Item | Price | | --- | --- | | Registration (one-time setup) | $20.00 - charged only when a new registration or review fee is required | | Monthly fee | $2 / month while SMS Messaging is active | | SMS carrier fees | Usage-based, per message sent | This is separate from the SMS integration (team alerts about new leads), which is included on every plan at no extra cost. What's included on every plan Every source you connect includes all the core features - there are no feature tiers: - AI assistant for first replies - AI voice callback and phone answering when Voice Agent is enabled - Lead qualification, appointment booking, and connected CRM handoff - Automatic follow-ups - Lead inbox with filtering, memos, and scheduled messages - Analytics and CSV - Team access with no per-seat charge - CRM and notification integrations (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, Workiz, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, AccuLynx, Quickbase, SmartMoving, Monday.com, Slack, Telegram, SMS, Zapier, and more) - Email and in-app support Trial eligibility - A 7-day trial applies only to eligible first-time customers and locations when the exact signup or checkout order summary shows it. - The order summary controls: if it does not show a trial, the paid subscription begins under the pricing displayed there. - Reconnecting, transferring, or reactivating a previously subscribed location or business does not restart a trial unless the order summary explicitly says otherwise. A different login or email does not create new eligibility for the same location or business. - Payment-method requirements and the amount due today are shown before you confirm. Billing model - Billed monthly, per active source. Voice Agent numbers are $10/month each; Voice Agent minutes are usage-based. - Core source subscriptions have no fixed-term contract or setup fee. Optional SMS registration, phone numbers, usage, and other add-ons have their separately disclosed charges. - Adding a paid source mid-cycle may charge the prorated amount shown in the confirmation immediately. The source's recurring monthly price is also shown before activation. - Cancel online from the Billing dialog. The confirmation shows when cancellation takes effect; cancellation stops future renewals as described there but does not erase charges already incurred. - Invoices and payment methods are managed in the Billing dialog, opened from the Settings section of the sidebar. Billing is a modal that overlays the current page - there is no standalone Billing page to navigate to. Read the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Billing, Cancellation & Refund Policy before purchasing. Accepted payment methods - Visa and Mastercard - Apple Pay and Google Pay - PayPal - Card payments powered by Stripe Press release credits Press release credits are optional one-time purchases, not subscriptions: | Package | One-time total | Price per credit | | --- | ---: | ---: | | 1 press release credit | $229 | $229 | | 3 press release credits | $450 | $150 each | One credit covers one submission into the press release review-and-distribution workflow and is used only after the release is saved for processing. A release body must contain 300–800 words before submission. Distribution is subject to editorial review and third-party outlet acceptance; a specific publication, placement, indexing result, or business outcome is not guaranteed. The selected package and final one-time total appear in checkout before payment. Data after cancellation Export any data you need before canceling. Account-data retention and deletion follow the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Common questions Can I add or remove sources anytime? Yes. Before a paid activation, you see the recurring source price and any prorated amount due immediately. Removing or canceling a source changes future billing as shown in the Billing confirmation. Is there a setup fee? There is no setup fee for a core source subscription. Optional SMS registration, phone numbers, usage, and other add-ons have the separate charges shown before you enable them. What happens if a payment fails? A billing warning appears on affected source cards. Open the Billing dialog from the Settings section of the sidebar to update your payment method. Sources with unresolved billing issues stop receiving new inquiries until the problem is fixed. Can I pause a source temporarily? Yes. Use the Pause button on the source card to stop inquiries without disconnecting the source. You can resume at any time. Can I try it before paying? Possibly. A 7-day trial applies only to eligible first-time customers and locations when it is explicitly shown in their order summary. Previously subscribed, transferred, reconnected, or reactivated locations do not automatically receive another trial. Pricing shown here is for the core product. Voice Agent numbers ($10/month each) and billable usage are charged separately from source subscriptions. Ready to start Create an account and review your offer. Your order summary will show trial eligibility, any amount due immediately, and the recurring price before you confirm. Then connect your first source to set up NZ Leads for your real leads. --- Questions about pricing? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Team Management **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/team-management/ Give teammates access to specific sources in NZ Leads - per-source access, permission levels, and how to invite or remove people. In NZ Leads, teammates are granted access on a per-source basis. There is no global "team" page - instead, every source has its own Access and Permissions list that controls who can see and manage that source, its leads, and its messaging settings. Getting here 1. Open Sources from the Auto Responder section of the sidebar. 2. Find the source you want to grant access to. 3. On the source card, click the Permissions button (shown with a group icon and a count of current accounts). This opens the Access and Permissions dialog for that source. Granting a teammate access to a source Open the source's Permissions dialog On the Sources page, click Permissions on the source card. A dialog titled [Source name] Access and Permissions appears. Add a new teammate Click Add at the bottom of the dialog. A new blank card is added to the list with an Email field and a Permissions dropdown. Enter their email Type the email address the teammate uses (or will use) to sign in to NZ Leads. The field validates that the address is a well-formed email. Pick their permission level Use the Permissions dropdown to choose a level. The default is Manager. See Permission levels below for what each level allows. Save Click Save to apply the changes. If any email address is invalid you'll be prompted to fix it before the dialog closes. If the teammate doesn't already have an NZ Leads account with that email, they'll see the source appear in their account once they sign up or sign in with that email. Permission levels The Permissions dropdown on each access row controls what that teammate can do on the source: - Manager (default) - full day-to-day access to the source: read and reply to conversations, add memos, change lead statuses, edit Messaging Settings, manage integrations, and use the voice agent. A Manager cannot change the source's own access list. - A higher permission level is also available in the dropdown for accounts that additionally need to manage the access list themselves (add / remove / change levels on other accounts for the same source). Permissions are per-source. Granting access to one source does not give a teammate access to any other source. Removing a teammate 1. Open the source's Permissions dialog from the Sources page. 2. Find the teammate's card in the list. 3. Click Remove on their card. 4. Click Save to apply. Their access to this source is cut off immediately. You cannot remove your own email from a source's access list from within that dialog. Changing a teammate's permission level 1. Open the source's Permissions dialog from the Sources page. 2. Change the Permissions dropdown on their card. 3. Click Save. Billing and team size There is no per-seat charge for teammates. Billing is based on the number of connected sources, not the number of people with access. See the Pricing page for source pricing. Security - Each teammate signs in with their own email address and password. - Removing a teammate from a source cuts off their access to that source immediately. - If a teammate forgets their password, they can reset it from the sign-in screen. Common tasks Give a new hire access to one source 1. Open Sources, click Permissions on that source. 2. Click Add, enter their work email, leave the level as Manager. 3. Save. Give someone access to every source Open the Permissions dialog on each source and add them there. There is no one-click way to grant access to every source at once. Remove someone who left the company 1. For each source they had access to, open Permissions, click Remove next to their email, then Save. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Agent Configuration **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/agent-configuration/ Every tab, toggle, and field in the voice agent editor, with defaults and recommended usage. The agent editor is a tabbed dialog with six tabs, in this order: Basic Info, Knowledge Base, Scheduling, Timing, Advanced, and Integrations. This page is the full reference - every field, every toggle, and what each one does. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → pick an agent and click Edit, or click Create New Agent. Agent types Every agent picks one type when it is created. The type affects which fields appear and how the agent is used. - Answering Agent - handles inbound calls. Typical goal: "You answer incoming calls at the office. Help customers with questions and guide toward scheduling." - Lead Calling Agent - makes a single outbound call per new lead. Typical goal: "You're calling a customer who just submitted a lead - confirm their need and book an appointment." - Batch Calling Agent - runs campaigns against a list of recipients. Uses a per-recipient variable so each call is personalized. See Batch & Campaign Calling. Tab 1 - Basic Info Display Name - Required. - Internal label shown in the agent list. Not spoken on calls. Agent Type - Required. Answering / Lead Calling / Batch Calling. Chosen at creation. Business - Required. - Links the agent to one of your businesses. Calls and bookings are associated with that business. Phone Number - Pick a number from your Manage Business Phones list. - For outbound agents, you can also pick a Caller ID Phone Number - the verified number the lead will see when the agent dials out. - Per-agent toggles shown once a number is assigned: - Inbound - default on. When on, the agent answers calls to this number. When off, inbound calls are ignored. - Outbound - default on. When on, the agent places outgoing calls from this number. When off, the agent will not dial out even if a lead comes in. - See Phone Numbers. Connected Sources (Lead Calling only) - A multi-select of lead sources for the selected business. - The agent automatically calls new leads from each connected source. - Hidden for Answering and Batch Calling agents. Company Name - Required. - The business name the agent speaks (e.g., "ABC Plumbing"). Used for the placeholder everywhere. Agent Name (AI assistant name) The name customizes an AI persona only. It cannot be used to claim the agent is human, deny that it is AI, or present it as the business owner or a human employee. - Required. - What the agent calls itself on the phone (e.g., "Sarah"). Used for the placeholder. Voice - Required. - Preview and select a voice. See Voice Selection. Custom Greeting The agent always identifies itself as AI. On every outbound call, a non-overridable platform instruction requires the first spoken sentence to be The platform inserts that sentence before your greeting and does not rewrite the stored greeting text. There is no setting to turn this off, and no greeting, instruction, example, or knowledge-base content can remove or delay it. The platform identity rule applies to every call: the agent never claims to be human, the business owner, or an employee, and answers honestly if asked whether it is AI, a bot, robot, virtual, automated, or recorded. The default inbound greeting introduces the agent as an AI Assistant too; keep that identification when you customize it. - Required. Max 500 characters. - First line the agent says when the call connects. - Supports and . - Defaults depend on agent type (e.g., ). Tab 2 - Knowledge Base Despite the tab name, this is where the agent's core behavior lives - the main goal, reference documents, pricing rules, promotion, Q&A, and (for batch campaigns) closing-sentence prompts. Main Goal (Answering agents) - Required. Max 2000 characters. - The primary objective the agent works toward on every call. - For Lead Calling and Batch Calling agents, the default goal is supplied elsewhere (per-recipient for Batch Calling); the field does not appear on those tabs. Reference Library - Upload documents the agent references during calls - service lists, FAQs, pricing sheets, policies. - Supported file types: . - See Knowledge Base for what to upload and how to structure it. Service Identification (Answering agents) - Toggle. Default: on. - When on: the agent actively asks what service the customer needs. - Service Question (sub-field, required when enabled, default ) - the exact phrasing the agent uses. Pricing - Toggle. Default: on. - When on: the agent can quote prices and handle pricing-related questions from the Reference Library. - When off: the agent avoids quoting prices. - Sub-toggles (only shown when Pricing is on): - Free On-Site Estimates - default on. When price isn't available, the agent offers a free on-site estimate instead. - Summarize Service Components - default on. After quoting, the agent briefly explains what's included (2–3 key components). - Ask About Part Supply - default on. For replacement jobs, the agent asks whether the customer has the part or needs you to supply it. Closing Sentences (Batch Calling only) - A list of sentences the agent uses to guide the customer toward booking. Each row has an enable toggle. - Default entries (all enabled): - "When is the best time for the technician to arrive?" - "What day works best for you?" - "Can I save you a spot?" - Use these to nudge commitment near the end of the call. Promotion (Batch Calling only) - Optional single-line field. - A promotional hook the agent mentions to encourage booking (e.g., "Tune-up usually costs $220, but for this promo it's only $49."). Aggressive Sale (Batch Calling only) - Toggle. Default: on. - When on: the agent uses proactive sales tactics - objection handling, urgency, soft closes - to push toward a booking. - When off: the agent stays informational. Q&A - Toggle. Default: off. - When on: free-form textarea for FAQ pairs the agent can use verbatim. Great for policies, warranties, and service-area edge cases. - Format example: Tab 3 - Scheduling Controls how the agent books appointments. Appointment Scheduling - Toggle. Default: off. - When on: the agent can check availability and create bookings during the call using a connected scheduling platform. - When on, pick one of: Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, HousecallPro, Quickbase, Open Schedule. Each platform has its own required fields. See Scheduling Integrations. Information to Collect - Only shown for platforms other than Cal.com (Cal.com collects its own fields on the Cal.com side). - Each field has an enable toggle and a label. - Defaults (all enabled): Customer Name, Service Address, Phone Number. - Add rows for Email, Zip, Preferred Day, Gate Code, etc. Agent collects enabled fields one at a time and skips any it already knows. Appointment Summary - Toggle. Default: on. - Summary Template (required when enabled). Max 1000 characters. Default: - How the agent verbally confirms a booking. Supports , , , , . The Scheduling tab is about calendar booking. CRM and messenger hookups (SMS, Slack, HubSpot, etc.) live on the separate Integrations tab - see below. Tab 4 - Timing Timezone - Required. IANA timezone, default . - Used for call hours and when the agent talks about dates and times. Call Schedule (Lead Calling only) - A weekly day/time picker, one row per day. Each day can be off, always on, or a set of time periods. - Calls that fall outside the configured windows are scheduled for the next available window instead of being placed immediately. - Not shown for Answering or Batch Calling agents - Answering agents always answer when a call comes in; Batch Calling agents use their configured batch schedule. Tab 5 - Advanced Example of Good Conversation - Toggle. Default: off. Max 5000 characters. - When on: paste an example transcript that shows the agent the ideal call flow. Use it to steer tone and objection handling. Voicemail Message (Lead Calling & Batch Calling only) - Required for outbound agents. Max 1000 characters. - Default: - What the agent says when it reaches a customer's voicemail. - Supports and . Post-Call Data Extraction - Call Summary Instructions - required. Max 2000 characters. - Instructions for how the agent should summarize each call and extract key information from the transcript. A sensible default is pre-filled. Email Notification (sub-section of Post-Call) - Toggle. Default: off. - When on: a call summary email is sent to the configured address after each call is analyzed. - Notification Email (required when enabled). Messaging Notifications (sub-section of Post-Call) - Toggle. Default: off. - When on: after a call finishes, the call summary is sent to your business through your configured messenger integrations (SMS, Slack, Telegram). Connect those on the Integrations tab first. Closing Options - Ask "Anything Else?" Before Closing toggle. Default on. - When on: the agent gives the customer one last chance to add requests before hanging up. Call Transfer - Toggle. Default: off. - When on: - Transfer Criteria - a free-form list of conditions that trigger a transfer. Leave empty to use a sensible default. - Transfer to Phone Number - required. E.164 format. Must use the same country code as the agent's phone number. - Transfer Type - Cold Transfer (direct) or Warm Transfer (agent briefs the human first). - Private Handoff Instructions - required when Warm Transfer is selected. What the agent says to the human before connecting the customer. - See Call Transfer for the full walkthrough. Custom Rules - A list of special instructions, policies, or behavioral guidelines specific to your business. Each rule has an enable toggle and a label. - Examples: - "If customer mentions emergency, mark the appointment URGENT and offer same-day." - "Never quote pricing for commercial jobs - offer a free estimate instead." - "For spring replacements, ask single-door vs double-door before quoting." Tab 6 - Integrations Connects the agent to your CRM and messenger tools so call events (summaries, bookings, transcripts) flow out automatically. This tab has two sub-tabs: Messengers and CRM. See Voice Agent Integrations for the full list and per-integration setup. For Lead Calling agents, integrations are configured at the source level (on the Sources page), not on the agent itself. The Integrations tab shows a notice linking you there. Drafts, cloning, and lifecycle - Unsaved drafts - in-progress edits are kept in your browser's local storage. If you refresh or navigate away, you can pick up where you left off. - Clone Agent - from the agent list, clone copies everything: prompts, Reference Library files, scheduling configuration, and phone number assignment toggles. Useful for spinning up a second agent for a different business or A/B testing a new prompt. - Delete Agent - from the agent list. The agent stops taking calls immediately; prior call logs are retained. Placeholders available in prompts - - from Basic Info. - - from Basic Info. - , - known when the agent is dialing out. - , , , , - available in the Appointment Summary Template. - - per-recipient in Batch Calling. Agent type at a glance | Field | Answering | Lead Calling | Batch Calling | |------------------------------|-----------|--------------|---------------| | Main Goal (Knowledge Base) | Required | Auto | Per-recipient | | Voicemail Message | - | Required | Required | | Call Schedule (Timing) | - | Configurable | - | | Closing Sentences | - | - | Configurable | | Promotion / Aggressive Sale | - | - | Configurable | | Connected Sources | - | Used | - | | Recipients list | - | - | Required | Deep dives --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Batch & Campaign Calling **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/batch-campaign-calling/ Run outbound campaigns to a list of recipients with per-recipient personalization, sequential or parallel. Batch calling lets you run an outbound campaign to a list of recipients. Each recipient gets a personalized call based on the dynamic variables you supply (name, service, main goal, etc.), and you can run the batch sequentially (one at a time) or in parallel. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Batch Calls. You'll need a Batch Calling Agent configured first. See Agent Configuration. Creating a batch Click New Batch In Batch Calls, click New Batch. Pick the agent and origin number - Agent - select the Batch Calling Agent that will handle all calls in this batch. - Origin phone number - a phone number assigned to the agent with Use for outbound enabled. The country code of this number must match the country code of every recipient in the batch. Name the batch Any descriptive label (e.g., "Q2 Maintenance Reminders - California"). Shown in the Batch Calls list. Add recipients Each recipient is one row with: - tonumber - the phone number to call, in E.164 format (e.g., ). - maingoal (dynamic variable) - the personalized goal for this specific call. Replaces the agent's default main goal for this recipient. - Any custom variables - add your own keys/values to personalize further. For example, , , . Reference them in the Main Goal using placeholders. Example recipient: (Optional) Set agent override per task You can override the agent for individual tasks inside the batch if you need a different voice or a tweaked prompt for a subset of recipients. Calling Mode Pick one of two sending modes: - Standard (default) - calls are dispatched in parallel instead of one at a time. Use Standard when you want to burn through a list quickly and there's no coordination needed between calls. - Sequential - one call at a time. Each call only starts after the previous one ends. Use Sequential when the call outcome often produces a scheduling or bridging action your team needs to handle before the next call. When Sequential is selected, an extra field appears: - Hold after human transfer (minutes) - how long to pause before calling the next recipient if the previous call was transferred to a human. Default 10 minutes. Minimum 0. This only applies after transfers - when a call ends normally, the next one starts immediately. Review and launch Click Start to launch the batch. The status changes to ongoing. Statuses - planned - the batch is saved but hasn't started yet. - ongoing - the batch is currently dialing. - sent - the batch completed all recipients. - stopped - the batch was paused or cancelled before all recipients were called. Managing a running batch From the Batch Calls list you can: - Pause an ongoing batch - calls stop, recipients not yet called are held. - Resume a paused batch - calls continue from where they left off. - Cancel a batch - no more calls are made. Recipients already called are still recorded. - Delete a completed or cancelled batch - removes it from the list (the underlying call logs are preserved). Stopping a sequential batch leaves partial progress - some recipients will have been called, others won't. Review the individual call logs before deciding whether to resume or start a fresh batch. Dynamic variables in prompts Every recipient row can include any number of custom variables. Reference them anywhere in the agent's Main Goal, Closing Sentences, or Custom Rules using syntax. Example Main Goal (per recipient): Example recipient row: The agent says "Hi John, we did your annual tune-up back in August 2024...". Call hours Sequential batches respect the agent's Timing (call hours). If the transfer hold pushes the next call outside call hours, it waits until call hours resume. Standard (parallel) batches also respect call hours - calls won't be placed outside configured windows. Reviewing results Every call in the batch appears in Call Logs, filterable by the batch name. For each call you get: - Transcript and recording. - AI summary including the "Callback: Yes/No" flag. - Extracted data - customer name, phone, email, address. - Appointment booked (if the agent completed a booking). - Disconnection reason and duration. See Call Logs & Analytics for filters, marking, and export. Best practices - Match country codes. The origin phone number's country code must match every recipient's country code. Mixed-country batches should be split into separate batches. - Start small. Run a 10–20 recipient test batch with the same prompt and voice you plan to use at scale. Review the transcripts before going big. - Use Sequential when transfers trigger manual work. If a transferred call kicks off a human task (dispatching a technician, preparing a quote), Sequential with a 10–15 minute transfer hold gives your team space before the next call lands. - Use Standard for awareness campaigns. If the batch is announcing a promotion or leaving voicemails, Standard is faster and fine. - Complete Trust Hub first. For US campaigns, campaigns without a configured Trust Hub profile get flagged as spam at much higher rates. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. Troubleshooting The batch won't start. - Confirm the origin phone number has Use for outbound enabled and is assigned to the chosen agent. - Confirm every recipient phone is in E.164 format. - Confirm no recipient has a country code that differs from the origin number's country code. The batch is paused automatically. The batch pauses if it hits the configured time outside call hours and resumes when call hours begin again. Some recipients were skipped. Check the Call Logs for that batch - the skipped recipients will have a status (failed, busy, no-answer, invalid-number) explaining what happened. Personalization isn't showing up. The placeholder keys in the Main Goal must match the variable keys in the recipient rows exactly (case-sensitive). in the goal requires in the recipient, not or . --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Call Bridge in the Voice Agent **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/call-bridge/ Automatically connect yourself to a lead the moment they share a phone number in chat. Call Bridge is a separate feature for connecting you (the business owner or sales person) to a lead over the phone the instant they share their phone number in a text conversation. It's not an AI agent - it's a live-person connection. The system calls you first, waits for you to pick up, then calls the lead and bridges the two calls together. Call Bridge is also available as an Integration on non-voice-agent sources. See Integrations. Getting here In NZ Leads, Call Bridge is configured per source under Integrations → Call Bridge, and its settings also live alongside your voice agent phone numbers. How it works 1. A lead sends their phone number in a text conversation. 2. Our voice platform calls your configured business owner phone. 3. You answer - we tell you who the lead is and why they're calling. 4. We then call the lead from your voice agent phone number (or from your verified caller ID if that's enabled). 5. Both sides connect in a bridged live call. The system waits up to 60 seconds for you to answer. If you don't, the bridge is cancelled and logged as not connected. Call Bridge connects the lead to you, a live human. Compare with an Answering Agent or Calling Agent, which connects the lead to the AI. Use Call Bridge when you want to personally speak with every lead who shares a number. Options Business Owner Phone - The phone number we call first. - E.164 format with leading (e.g., ). - This is where the bridge rings you. Keep a phone you'll actually answer. Voice Agent Phone Number - The system phone number on the line during the bridged call. - Purchased under Manage Business Phones. See Phone Numbers. - Unless caller ID is verified and enabled (below), this is the number the lead sees. Caller ID Verified - Indicates whether your business owner phone has been caller-ID-verified. - If verified, you can opt to show your real number to the lead instead of the system voice agent number. - See Caller ID & Trust Hub for the verification flow. Use Caller ID for Lead - Toggle. - When on (and your owner phone is caller-ID-verified): the lead sees your real business number when the system calls them. - When off: the lead sees the voice agent phone number. Setting it up Configure the business owner phone Enter the phone number you want to receive the initial bridge call on. This is where you answer first before the lead is dialed. Assign a voice agent phone number Pick or buy a number in Manage Business Phones and use it as the bridge's outbound number. (Recommended) Verify caller ID and enable it Verify your business owner phone as caller ID and toggle Use Caller ID for Lead on. Leads are meaningfully more likely to answer a call from a number they recognize as yours. Enable the feature Turn on the Call Bridge toggle for the source. The bridge is now active for any lead on that source who shares a phone number in chat. Best practices - Keep your phone nearby. The 60-second answer window is tight. An unanswered bridge is worse than no bridge at all - the lead doesn't hear anything and won't know to try again. - Verify caller ID. Unknown numbers are ignored or screened much more often than recognized ones. - Don't enable on every source. Use Call Bridge where you genuinely have time to talk live. For sources where you don't, use a Calling Agent instead. Troubleshooting The bridge isn't triggering. - Confirm Call Bridge is enabled for that source. - Confirm the business owner phone and voice agent phone are both set. - Confirm the lead actually shared a phone number in chat - Call Bridge only triggers on a phone-number detection. The lead sees the wrong caller ID. - To show your real number: verify it via caller ID, and turn on Use Caller ID for Lead. - To show the system voice agent number: turn Use Caller ID for Lead off. The bridge disconnects before the lead answers. You didn't pick up within 60 seconds, so the system cancelled before attempting the lead. Try again, or rely on a Calling Agent for the same source if you can't consistently answer within a minute. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Call Forwarding Setup **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/call-forwarding-setup/ Point your existing business phone line at your voice agent number using carrier forwarding codes. Most businesses keep their established phone number and forward unanswered or after-hours calls to a voice agent. This page covers the common forwarding codes and recommendations for setting that up. Getting here The phone number you forward to is your voice agent's assigned number. Find it in NZ Leads under Voice Agent → Manage Business Phones. See Phone Numbers. How forwarding works Customer dials your office line → office line rings for a configured time → if unanswered (or always, or only when busy, depending on the rule) → the call forwards to your voice agent's number → the agent answers. Carrier specifics vary. The codes below are common US defaults for landlines and many VoIP systems. Always check your carrier's current documentation before relying on a specific code - AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and smaller carriers each have their own variations. Common US forwarding codes Unconditional forwarding (always forward) All calls forward immediately, no ringing on your office line. - Turn on: dial , wait for tone, then enter the voice agent number. - Turn off: dial . Use when you're out of the office for an extended period and want the agent to handle everything. When-busy forwarding Calls forward only when your office line is already on another call. - Turn on: dial , then enter the voice agent number. - Turn off: dial . Good for overflow - your team picks up when they can, busy calls go to the agent instead of hitting a busy signal. No-answer forwarding Calls forward after your office line rings a configured number of times with no pickup. - Turn on: dial , then enter the voice agent number. - Turn off: dial . The most common business setup. Your team answers when they can; unanswered calls go to the agent. When-unreachable forwarding Calls forward when your phone is powered off, out of coverage, or otherwise unreachable. Behavior varies by carrier. Choosing the right rule - Have a team that answers most calls: use no-answer forwarding. Set your ring count to 3–4 rings. - One-person business, often on another call: combine when-busy + no-answer. - Out of office or after-hours-only coverage: use unconditional forwarding, or keep no-answer forwarding on permanently and let your office answering machine pick up in business hours. VoIP and mobile systems If your office line is on a VoIP platform (RingCentral, Nextiva, 8x8, Vonage, etc.), forwarding is usually configured in the platform's admin console rather than with star codes. Look for a setting named Call Forwarding, Call Handling, Auto Attendant, or Call Flow and set the "unanswered" or "busy" destination to your voice agent number. Mobile carriers also support forwarding codes, though the exact codes and timing vary. Check your carrier's website for "call forwarding codes" if the standard don't work. Using caller ID verification to match your brand When the agent makes outbound callbacks or responds to leads, the customer normally sees the system voice agent number. If you've also set up Caller ID verification, outbound calls can show your real business number instead - the one customers recognize from your marketing. See Caller ID & Trust Hub for the verification flow. A strong setup for most businesses: inbound calls are forwarded to the voice agent (so the agent answers when your team can't), and outbound calls from the agent use your verified caller ID (so customers always see your real number). Consistent caller ID meaningfully lifts answer rates. Testing your forwarding Call your office line from a different phone Use a mobile phone or a different line - not the line you're forwarding from. Let it ring Don't answer. Let the configured ring count elapse. Confirm the agent picks up The voice agent should answer with its Custom Greeting. If it does, forwarding is working. Try a conversation Ask about a service, request pricing, or attempt to book an appointment. Then end the call. Check Call Logs Open Voice Agent → Call Logs. Your test call should be there with the transcript and recording. See Call Logs & Analytics. Troubleshooting The forwarding code didn't seem to work. Carrier-specific codes often differ from the defaults above. Check your carrier's documentation or call their support line. Forwarded calls drop before the agent answers. This is usually an issue on your office phone system, not the agent. Confirm the forwarding destination is the full E.164 voice agent number (with country code and leading if your system requires it). The agent answers but the caller hears an echo or delay. A known symptom of some forwarding configurations, particularly cascading forwards (office → cell → agent). Simplify to one forwarding hop if possible. The agent picks up but says it's outside business hours. That's your agent's Timing (call hours) in action - the forwarded call is being handled by the voicemail behavior. Either widen the agent's call hours or accept that out-of-hours calls go to voicemail. See Inbound Call Handling. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Call Logs & Analytics **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/call-logs-analytics/ Review every call your agents have made - transcript, recording, AI summary, extracted data, and appointment details. Every call your agents place or receive is recorded in the Call Logs. Each log entry has the full transcript, audio recording, an AI-generated summary, the customer data extracted from the call, the appointment booked (if any), disconnection reason, and duration. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Call Logs. List view The list shows every call, newest first. Pagination is 50 calls per page. Filters - Agent - filter to calls handled by one specific agent. - Date range - preset options or a custom range. - Status - one of: , , , , , , , . - Direction - or . - Batch call - filter to calls from a specific batch campaign. - Sentiment - positive / neutral / negative (when sentiment extraction is available for the call). - Unread only - hide calls you've already reviewed. Mark read / unread - Every new call is unread until you open it. - Click the read/unread indicator on any row to toggle it manually. - Mark all as read respects the current filter. Filtering to a single agent and clicking it marks only that agent's calls as read. Sort Default sort is newest first. This is not currently configurable. Detail view Click any call to open the detail view. Transcript The full conversation, line by line, with speaker turns labeled (agent vs. customer). Timestamps are included for each turn so you can jump to a specific moment in the recording. Recording Audio playback of the full call. Play, pause, scrub, or download. AI-generated summary A short write-up produced after the call finishes analysis. Typically one to three sentences covering what happened and the key outcome. Includes: - Callback: Yes / No - whether the customer's need was resolved on the call, or whether a human follow-up is required. - A brief narrative summary (e.g., "Customer needed a water heater repair. Booked a technician for Thursday afternoon. Customer preferred text confirmation."). Extracted data Structured data pulled out of the conversation by the AI: - - - - Fields that didn't come up on the call are left empty. Appointment booked If the agent booked an appointment during the call, the booking details are shown here - date, time, service, and any customer notes attached to the booking. Disconnection reason The reason the call ended - e.g., , , , , . Useful for diagnosing calls that ended unexpectedly. Duration Total call length in seconds or minutes. Email notifications Each agent has a Send email on call analyzed toggle in the Advanced tab of its configuration. - When on: after a call is analyzed (a few seconds after it ends), a summary email is sent to the email address you configure. The email includes the AI summary, extracted data, and a link back to the call in the log. - When off: no email is sent. You'll still find the call in the list. See Agent Configuration. Turn this on for Calling Agents and Batch Calling Agents so you get near-real-time visibility into outbound results. For Answering Agents, it's optional - opening the Call Logs once a day is often enough. Common workflows Daily review of inbound calls 1. Open Call Logs. 2. Filter by direction and the past 24 hours. 3. Filter Unread only. 4. Skim the AI summary on each. Open the transcript only for calls flagged "Callback: Yes" or with unusual sentiment. 5. Click Mark all as read. Finding missed opportunities 1. Filter by Status . 2. Sort through the list and follow up manually on high-value leads. 3. For recurring no-answers, check your Timing (call hours) and Voicemail Message - a better voicemail lifts callback rates. Reviewing a batch campaign 1. Open Call Logs. 2. Filter by the Batch call name. 3. Review the Callback: Yes flags to see which customers agreed to a booking or asked for a callback. 4. Export customer data for anyone flagged for human follow-up. Troubleshooting A call I just made isn't in the list. Analysis takes a few seconds to a minute after the call ends. Refresh the page. The transcript is empty. Very short calls (under a few seconds) may not produce a usable transcript. Check the recording instead. The summary says "Callback: Yes" but the customer booked during the call. Open the transcript - the agent may have promised a follow-up (for a part check, address confirmation, etc.) that's separate from the booking. The flag means the customer's need wasn't fully resolved. Sentiment is missing. Sentiment isn't extracted for every call. It's shown when available and filterable when present. The "Extracted data" fields are blank. The agent only fills fields that the customer actually provided. If the caller didn't say their address, is empty - that's expected. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Call Transfer **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/call-transfer/ Let your voice agent transfer live calls to a human - cold or warm, with a private handoff and clear criteria. Call Transfer allows the agent to hand a live call to a human when it makes sense - for example, when a customer insists on speaking to a manager, when a booking can't be completed, or when the request is genuinely outside the agent's scope. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → open an agent → Advanced tab → Call Transfer. Options Enable Call Transfer - Toggle. - When off: the agent never transfers calls. It will take a message or politely ask the customer to call back instead. - When on: the rest of the transfer options become available. Transfer phone number - Required when transfer is enabled. - E.164 format with a leading (e.g., ). - The number the agent calls to complete the transfer. Transfer type - Cold Transfer - the customer is transferred directly to the target number without introduction. The human answering hears the customer instantly. Use this when you have a shared team line that expects handoffs and doesn't need context. - Warm Transfer - the agent calls the target number, greets the person who answers, summarizes the situation (using the Private Handoff Prompt below), and only then bridges the customer in. The human hears context first, the customer hears silence or hold music briefly. Recommended for most setups. Private Handoff Prompt - Warm transfer only. Required when warm transfer is selected. Max 1000 characters. - The instructions the agent follows when speaking privately to the receiving person (before the customer is bridged in). - The customer does not hear this conversation. - Default: "Greet the team member, then summarize what the customer needed, what you offered, and why you're transferring. Keep it brief." Writing a good handoff prompt: - Tell the agent what to say, not what to include. "Greet politely, then in one sentence say what the customer wants" beats a checklist. - Keep it brief - the customer is waiting on the other line. - If you have multiple team members who answer the transfer line, add a rule for identifying which customer type goes to which person. Transfer Criteria - Textarea. Max 3000 characters. - Rules that tell the agent when to transfer. The agent only initiates a transfer if one of these criteria is met. - Default lists three criteria: 1. Customer explicitly demands a manager or a human and insists after you offer to help. 2. Unable to book after correction attempts. 3. Request is outside your capabilities and seems urgent. Customizing criteria: - Add industry-specific transfer triggers. For example: "Transfer if the customer mentions a gas leak, water damage, or any safety emergency." - Be specific about the "and" conditions - you don't want every "can I speak to a manager?" to transfer the second it's said. The default requires the customer to insist after a help offer. Behavior when transfer is disabled If Enable Call Transfer is off and the customer asks for a human, the agent: - Politely declines and offers to help directly. - If the customer insists, offers to take a message with their contact details. - Logs the call with an appropriate reason so you can follow up manually. Best practices - Start with warm transfer. It gives the human answering a chance to prepare, which keeps the customer experience smooth. Switch to cold transfer only after you're sure the receiving line is always staffed and expecting transfers. - Be honest in Transfer Criteria. If your business has a genuinely common scenario where the agent should transfer (safety emergencies, high-value quote requests, technical scope outside the agent's training), name it explicitly. Vague criteria lead to either over-transferring or under-transferring. - Match the transfer number to your team's availability. Transfers to a line nobody answers are worse than no transfer at all - the customer feels abandoned mid-call. If your team can't cover the transfer line during all of your agent's call hours, consider disabling transfer outside your staffed hours. Troubleshooting The agent is transferring too often. - Review recent call transcripts in Call Logs to see which criteria the agent is triggering on. - Tighten Transfer Criteria - add "and" conditions so the agent tries to help first. - Consider toggling Aggressive Sale Mode on in Personality so the agent handles objections instead of giving up. The agent isn't transferring when it should. - Confirm Enable Call Transfer is on. - Review your Transfer Criteria - the agent follows them strictly. If a scenario you care about isn't listed, add it. - Confirm the Transfer phone number is in E.164 format. Warm transfer silence is too long. The customer can hear silence while the agent briefs your team member. Keep the Private Handoff Prompt short (one sentence of context) and tell your team to answer the transfer line quickly. The receiving person doesn't get any context. Check that transfer type is Warm Transfer (not Cold) and that the Private Handoff Prompt is filled in. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Caller ID & Trust Hub **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/caller-id-and-trust-hub/ Verify your own business number as caller ID, and complete A2P compliance so outbound calls don't get flagged as spam. Two separate features live in Manage Business Phones and they work together: - Caller ID verification lets outbound calls display your real business phone number instead of the system number. - Trust Hub is a US compliance profile (required for A2P traffic). It tells carriers your business is legitimate, which dramatically reduces the chance your calls are flagged as spam. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Manage Business Phones → and open the number you want to configure. Caller ID verification By default, when your agent calls a customer, the customer sees the system phone number (the one you purchased through NZ Leads). If you'd rather they see your real office line, you need to verify that line as a caller ID. When to use it - You already have a well-known office number and you want customers to see it on inbound callbacks or outbound AI calls. - You operate in a local area and the phone number is part of your brand. Verification flow Add your business phone In Manage Business Phones, open the caller ID verification flow and enter your real business phone number in E.164 format (include the leading and country code, e.g., ). Receive the validation code The system generates a 4-digit validation code and shows it on-screen. Answer the verification call Our voice platform calls the phone number you entered. Answer the call. Enter the code On the keypad, enter the 4-digit code displayed on your screen. The call ends automatically once the code is confirmed. Status updates The phone is marked callerIdVerified in Manage Business Phones. You can now use it as the caller ID for outbound calls. Using a verified number as caller ID for leads Once the number is verified, the agent's outbound calls to a lead can display your verified number instead of the system number. - Toggle: Use caller ID for lead. - When on: the lead sees your verified business number when the agent calls. - When off: the lead sees the purchased system number. Leads are significantly more likely to pick up a call from a number they recognize. If your business phone is listed on your website, Google profile, or marketing material, verifying it as caller ID meaningfully improves connection rates. Troubleshooting caller ID verification The verification call didn't arrive. - Confirm the number is in E.164 format with a leading . - Check that the number can receive calls (not a voicemail-only line). - Try again - the call times out after about 60 seconds. I entered the code but the status is still unverified. - The status updates after the call ends. Refresh the page. - If the code expired (calls left unanswered too long), restart the flow to get a new code. Trust Hub (US A2P compliance) Trust Hub is the compliance profile US carriers use to decide whether your outbound calls are legitimate. Without it, your numbers are much more likely to be labeled "Spam Likely" or "Potential Spam" on the recipient's phone - even if the call is entirely legitimate. Without a configured Trust Hub profile, outbound calls are more likely to be flagged as spam by carriers. Campaign connection rates drop noticeably. The Trust Hub dialog - two tabs The Trust Hub setup dialog (Setup Business & Trust Profile) has two tabs that are completed in order: 1. Business Profile - shown first. You fill in your business identity, industry, registration, address, and authorized representative, then click Submit for Review. 2. Trust Product - shown only after the Business Profile has been submitted. This is the second review step. You review the attached phone numbers, confirm the details, and click Submit Trust Product. Each tab has its own status indicator (Business Profile and Trust Product) shown at the top of the dialog, and each can independently be pending, approved, or rejected. If either is rejected, the dialog lists the specific rejection reasons so you can edit and resubmit without starting over. A Business Profile selector at the top lets you switch between existing profiles or choose Create New Profile. Business Profile fields When you start a Trust Hub profile you fill in: - Business identity - one of: - DirectCustomer - you are the end business. - ISV / Reseller - you provide services that use the platform. - Unknown. - Business type - one of: - Sole Proprietorship - Partnership - LLC - Corporation - Co-operative - Non-profit - Business registration ID - DUNS number or EIN (US tax ID). - Business industry - pick the closest fit from the list (AUTOMOTIVE, HEALTHCARE, REALESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, and many more - 30+ options). - Region - AFRICA, ASIA, EUROPE, LATINAMERICA, or USAANDCANADA. - Website URL - your primary business website. - Social URLs - optional social profile links. - Address - street, city, state, postal code, country. - Authorized representative - the person who signs off on the profile: - Name - Email - Phone - Title - Job position Statuses - not-configured - no profile has been submitted for this business. - pending - your profile has been submitted and is under review. Submissions typically take several business days. - configured - your profile is approved. Your numbers can be attached to it. - error - something in your submission needs correction. Review the error, fix the fields, and resubmit. Adding a number to an approved profile Once your profile is configured, you can attach additional numbers (newly purchased or existing) to it. The number then uses the approved business identity for outbound compliance. Troubleshooting Trust Hub My submission is stuck in "pending" for days. A/V carrier reviews can take several business days. If it has been more than 10 business days, email support@nzleads.com so we can check on it. My submission returned an "error" status. Open the profile to see the specific field that failed. Most errors are around: - A business registration ID (DUNS/EIN) that doesn't match the business name. - An address that doesn't match the registration. - A website that's down or returns errors. Fix the flagged field and resubmit. Do I need Trust Hub if I'm only receiving inbound calls? No - Trust Hub is specifically for outbound A2P traffic. Pure-inbound Answering Agents don't require it. Calling and Batch Calling Agents benefit significantly. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Getting Started with Voice Agent **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/getting-started/ Create your first voice agent, assign it a phone number, and make a test call. This guide walks you through creating your first voice agent from scratch, assigning it a phone number, and testing it with a live call. Most setups are done in minutes. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → Create New Agent. Before you start Have the following ready: - Business name - what the agent says as the company name on calls. - Agent name - what the agent calls itself (e.g., "Sarah"). - A calendar / scheduling system (optional) - Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, HousecallPro, Quickbase, or leave it as Open Schedule for conversational scheduling. - Your own business phone number (optional) - if you want callers to see your real number when the agent calls them, you will verify it as caller ID later. Pricing for voice minutes and phone numbers is on the pricing page. Create your agent Open the Create Agent dialog Click Voice Agent in the main navigation, then Create New Agent. Fill in Basic Info - Display Name - an internal label you use to identify the agent (e.g., "Main Answering Agent"). Not spoken on calls. - Agent Type - choose one: - Answering Agent - answers inbound calls to your business. - Calling Agent - makes a single outbound call per new lead from your connected sources. - Batch Calling Agent - runs outbound campaigns to a list of recipients. - Business - select the business this agent belongs to. - Company Name - spoken on the call (e.g., "ABC Plumbing"). Used wherever appears. - Agent AI Assistant Name - what the agent calls itself on the phone. Used wherever appears. - Voice - preview and pick a voice from the library. See Voice Selection. - Timezone - used for call hours and scheduling. Defaults to America/LosAngeles. Write the greeting and goal Persona customization controls the name, voice, tone, and conversation style. It cannot make the agent claim to be human, deny being AI, or present itself as the business owner or a human employee. The agent always identifies itself as AI, and this cannot be turned off. On outbound calls the platform prompt requires the first spoken sentence to be , inserted before your configured greeting without rewriting the stored greeting text. The default inbound greeting introduces the agent as an AI Assistant too; keep that identification when you customize it. On every call the agent answers honestly whenever asked whether it is AI, a bot, robotic, virtual, automated, or recorded. - Custom Greeting - the first line the agent says when the call connects. Max 500 characters. Supports and . - Main Goal - a one-sentence objective for every call. Max 2000 characters. For a Batch Calling Agent, this is personalized per recipient via the batch variables. Add knowledge (optional but recommended) On the Knowledge Base tab, upload your service list, price sheet, FAQ, or policy documents. Supported file types: . See Knowledge Base. Connect a calendar (optional) On the Integrations tab, choose a scheduling service. External services need credentials and connection validation. Open Schedule uses written rules and creates Jobs bookings on an AI text calendar. See Scheduling Integrations. Assign a phone number Open Voice Agent → Manage Business Phones and either buy a new number or select an existing one. Assign it to your new agent and toggle Accept inbound and/or Use for outbound as needed. See Phone Numbers. Save Click Save. The agent is live within a few seconds. Make a test call 1. Call the phone number you assigned to the agent. 2. Let the agent greet you. 3. Ask about a service, request pricing, or try booking an appointment. 4. Open Voice Agent → Call Logs to hear the recording, read the transcript, and see the AI summary. Common next steps - Route your existing office line to the agent - see Call Forwarding Setup. - Verify your real business number as caller ID so outbound calls show your number - see Caller ID & Trust Hub. - Complete a Trust Hub profile so US carriers don't flag your outbound calls as spam - see Caller ID & Trust Hub. - Tune personality, rules, and closing questions - see Agent Configuration. Troubleshooting The agent isn't answering inbound calls. - Confirm the phone number is assigned to the agent and Accept inbound is on. - Check the agent's Timing (call hours) - calls outside your configured hours go to voicemail or are declined. - If you are forwarding your own office line, confirm the forwarding rule points to the correct agent number. The agent sounds robotic or rushed. - Try a different voice from the library. - Shorten the greeting - long greetings feel unnatural. The agent gives wrong answers. - Check your Knowledge Base - outdated pricing or conflicting documents are the most common cause. - Add or refine a Custom Rule in Agent Configuration for edge cases. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Inbound Call Handling **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/inbound-call-handling/ How your Answering Agent handles incoming calls - call hours, voicemail, and when callers reach a human. An Answering Agent takes inbound calls to your business - answering questions, quoting pricing from your Knowledge Base, and booking appointments. This page covers how inbound calls are routed, what happens outside your configured call hours, and how the voicemail message is used. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents, and open an Answering Agent. How inbound calls reach the agent An inbound call reaches the agent in one of two ways: 1. A caller dials your agent's assigned phone number directly. Useful if you publish the purchased number as your business phone. 2. A caller dials your existing office line, and that line is forwarded to the agent's number. The more common setup - most businesses keep their established number and forward unanswered calls. See Call Forwarding Setup. The agent needs a number assigned with Accept inbound on. See Phone Numbers. Call hours (Timing) Every agent has a weekly day-and-time picker under the Timing tab of the editor. This controls when the agent takes inbound calls. - Default: every day, - the agent answers any time. - Per-day periods: you can set multiple windows per day (e.g., and ). - Timezone: combined with the Timezone field in Basic Info. Always set both. What happens during call hours - The agent picks up on the first ring. - The Custom Greeting plays. - Normal conversation - questions, quoting, booking, transfer, message-taking - all available. What happens outside call hours - The call goes to the Voicemail Message (if configured). - The caller hears the voicemail text, can leave a message, and hangs up. - The interaction is still logged in Call Logs so you can follow up. Voicemail Message Configured under Advanced → Voicemail Message in the agent editor. - Max length: 1000 characters. - Default: - Placeholders: , , . The voicemail message plays when an inbound call arrives outside your configured call hours, or when the agent is otherwise unavailable. For Answering Agents, keep the voicemail friendly and promise a callback - e.g., Avoid anything that sounds like a marketing pitch - voicemails aren't the place for promotions. What the agent does on a call The name, voice, and tone form an AI persona. They never allow the agent to claim it is human, deny it is AI, or present itself as the owner or a human employee. If a caller asks whether it is AI, a bot, automated, or whether the call is recorded, the agent answers directly and honestly. A typical inbound call: 1. Greeting - the Custom Greeting from Basic Info. 2. Service identification - if Service Identification is on in Personality, the agent asks what the customer needs using your configured prompt. 3. Answering - the agent handles questions using your Knowledge Base. Pricing questions go through your Pricing toggles in Personality. 4. Booking - if the customer is ready, the agent collects the required Collection Fields and books the appointment via your Scheduling Integration. 5. Closing - the agent optionally runs through any enabled Closing Sentences, asks "Anything else I can help with?" if that toggle is on, and says goodbye. For the full configuration reference see Agent Configuration. Escalating to a human If you have Call Transfer enabled, the agent can transfer a live caller to a human based on your configured Transfer Criteria. See Call Transfer. If transfer is disabled and the customer insists on a human, the agent politely offers to take a message and records the request for manual follow-up. Best practices - Match call hours to your real availability. If your team is only staffed 9–5 but your agent is configured 24/7, you may get late-night appointment requests you can't serve. Keep the windows realistic. - Set a clear voicemail. Outside call hours, voicemail is what the customer hears - make it reassuring and specific about when they'll hear back. - Forward unanswered calls. Most businesses get the best results by forwarding their existing line to the agent after 3–4 rings. See Call Forwarding Setup. - Don't auto-transfer every call. Let the agent handle the common stuff. Transfer is for genuine edge cases - see Call Transfer. Troubleshooting The agent isn't picking up inbound calls. - Confirm the phone number is assigned to the agent and Accept inbound is on. - Confirm the current time is inside the agent's call hours (check Timezone too). - If you're forwarding from another line, confirm the forwarding rule still points to the correct agent number. The agent is picking up calls at 2 AM - we don't want that. Open the Timing tab and set specific day/time windows (e.g., Monday–Friday ). Calls outside will go to voicemail. The voicemail message is playing even during business hours. Confirm the agent's Timezone matches your actual timezone. A common issue is setting the call hours correctly but leaving Timezone on the default, which shifts the hours by several hours. Customers complain the greeting is too long. Shorten the Custom Greeting (max 500 characters). Long greetings feel unnatural and make customers impatient. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Voice Agent Integrations **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/integrations/ Connect messengers and CRMs to your voice agent so call summaries, bookings, and extracted data flow out automatically. The Integrations tab of the voice agent editor connects the agent to your messaging and CRM tools. When a call finishes, the summary, transcript, extracted customer data, and booked appointments are pushed out to whichever integrations you enable here. These are the same integrations available on a source's Integrations tab - they're just attached to a voice agent's call events instead of a source's lead events. Enabling Slack here, for example, will post call summaries into the Slack channel you connect. Enabling HubSpot will push the lead into HubSpot after the call. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → open an agent → Integrations tab (the last tab). For Lead Calling agents, integrations are configured at the source level rather than on the agent. The Integrations tab shows a notice with a link to open your Sources page - the rest of this page does not apply to Lead Calling agents. Two sub-tabs The Integrations tab has two sub-tabs side by side: - Messengers - outbound messaging channels. Use these to push call summaries or appointment confirmations to your team or directly to the customer. - CRM - push leads, contacts, and appointments from calls into your customer database or pipeline tool. Each card has an Enable / Disable button plus a config panel you expand to enter credentials and map fields. Scheduling vs Integrations These are two different tabs in the same editor: - The Scheduling tab is where you configure the calendar platform the agent books into (Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, HousecallPro, Quickbase, Open Schedule). See Scheduling Integrations. - The Integrations tab (this page) is where you connect messengers and CRMs to the agent's call events. They are independent - you can have one without the other. Messengers Each messenger has its own config panel - phone number(s) for SMS, a Telegram chat ID, or a Slack channel. Once enabled, the agent posts a summary to that destination after every analyzed call. CRM Enabling an integration You must save the agent at least once before the Integrations tab is available. On a brand-new agent, the tab shows a "Save Agent First" notice. 1. Click the integration card to expand its config panel. 2. Enter the credentials and field mappings the integration needs. 3. Click the card's action button to enable or disable it. Each integration's detail page (linked above) covers its specific fields, authentication flow, and what data gets pushed. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Knowledge Base **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/knowledge-base/ Upload service lists, price sheets, FAQs, and policies so the agent answers questions accurately on live calls. Your agent's Knowledge Base is the set of documents it references during calls. When a caller asks a question about pricing, service areas, policies, or anything specific to your business, the agent looks through your uploaded files and responds based on what's there. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → open an agent → Knowledge Base tab. Supported file types - - tabular data, great for price sheets and service catalogs. - , - Word documents. - - exported web pages. - - Markdown. - - existing printable documents (service menus, brochures, policy documents). - - plain text. - , - Excel spreadsheets. What to upload Anything the agent needs to answer customer questions with confidence. The most common uploads: Service list Every service you offer, with a one-line description. Helps the agent identify what the customer needs and confirm that you offer it. Price sheet Exact prices, price ranges, or "starting from" prices. The agent quotes whatever is written. If pricing varies, say so explicitly: - - Service area Which cities, zip codes, or regions you cover - and which you don't. Keeps the agent from promising service you can't deliver. FAQ Common customer questions with the exact answer you want the agent to give. Include both the question and the answer - it helps the agent match wording variations. Policies Cancellation, warranty, payment methods, deposit requirements, emergency fees, senior discount, etc. Any policy a caller might ask about. Brand-specific product info If you service specific brands or have parts you do and don't stock, spell it out. Saves the agent from promising something impossible. Uploading Open Knowledge Base On the agent editor, click the Knowledge Base tab. Add files Drag and drop or click Upload. Choose one or more supported files. Wait for indexing Files take a few seconds to process. Once indexed, the agent can reference them on the next call. Save the agent Click Save to commit. The agent will use the new files on the next call. Removing or re-indexing a file From the Knowledge Base tab you can: - Remove a file - it's no longer referenced on future calls. - Re-index a file - useful if you've replaced the file content and want the agent to pick up the new version. Upload the new version by removing the old file and adding the replacement. How the agent uses it During a live call, when the agent encounters a question that needs specific knowledge ("how much for a water heater install?", "do you service Glendale?"), it looks through the Knowledge Base for the relevant information and answers based on what's there. The agent doesn't make up prices. If the price isn't in your files and Pricing Enabled is on, the agent typically offers a free estimate instead of inventing a number. The agent is only as good as your Knowledge Base. If you find yourself listening to calls and wincing at wrong answers, it's almost always because the answer isn't in the uploaded files - or the file has stale information. Keep the files current. Formatting tips - Use clear headings. beats a wall of text. - Spell out units. instead of just . - Be explicit about what you don't do. - Avoid conflicting prices. If two files say different prices for the same service, the agent will pick one and you may not like which. - Don't mark up with marketing language. "We're the BEST plumbers in town!" doesn't help the agent answer a specific question. Pairing with Custom Rules For edge cases that don't fit cleanly into a document, use Custom Rules in Agent Configuration instead. Rules are short, conditional instructions (). The Knowledge Base is for reference material; Custom Rules are for behavior. Troubleshooting The agent isn't using information from my file. - Confirm the file was uploaded to this specific agent (Knowledge Base files are per-agent; they aren't shared unless you clone the agent). - Confirm the file type is supported. - Confirm the file isn't a scanned image inside a PDF - scanned PDFs without OCR text are effectively empty to the agent. Use a text-based PDF or re-export. The agent is quoting old prices. Remove the old file and upload the current version. Then test with a call that specifically asks about the price. The agent refuses to quote a price, even though it's in the file. Check Pricing Enabled under the Personality tab - if it's off, the agent won't quote pricing regardless of what's in the Knowledge Base. The agent is confidently wrong about something in my file. Restructure the section. Lists and tables work better than dense paragraphs. If a specific question is important, add it explicitly as an FAQ: --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Outbound Calling **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/outbound-calling/ Automatically call new leads or make a manual outbound call. Rules for the from-number, to-number, and call hours. There are two ways to make outbound calls with NZ Leads: - Automatic lead calling - a Calling Agent auto-dials every new lead from your connected sources. - Manual outbound - you kick off a single call to a specific number right now. For multi-recipient campaigns, see Batch & Campaign Calling. Getting here - Configure a Calling Agent: In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → Create New Agent (select type Calling Agent), or edit an existing one. - Make a manual outbound call: From the agent detail view, use the Make Call action. Automatic lead calling (Calling Agent) A Calling Agent is tied to a business and its connected lead sources. Every time a new lead arrives from one of those sources, the agent calls the lead's phone number the instant the lead is created. How it works A new lead arrives A lead is created in NZ Leads from one of your connected sources (for example, a Facebook Lead Ads form submission or a Google Local Services Ads lead). The agent is triggered The agent sees the new lead, pulls the lead's name and phone number, and initiates an outbound call. The call connects When a live person answers, the agent identifies itself as AI first. The platform prompt requires the first spoken sentence to be , then continues the customer's configured greeting without changing the stored text. This identification cannot be turned off, and persona settings never allow the agent to claim it is human or deny that it is AI. - If the lead answers, the agent runs its normal conversation - greeting, service identification, pricing, booking, etc. - If the call goes to voicemail, the agent leaves the Voicemail Message. - If the call isn't answered, it's logged as missed and the next scheduled follow-up applies (if configured elsewhere in your flow). The call is logged Full transcript, recording, AI summary, and extracted data appear in Call Logs. See Call Logs & Analytics. Required setup - Agent type: Calling Agent. - Business: selected. - Phone number: assigned with Use for outbound enabled. - Voicemail Message: filled in (required for Calling Agents). Max 1000 characters. - Knowledge Base and Scheduling Integration: recommended so the agent can quote and book live. Manual outbound calls You can place a one-off call through an existing agent - useful for calling a specific lead right now or testing a new prompt. 1. Open the agent in Voice Agent → Voice Agents. 2. Click Make Call (or the equivalent action in the agent detail). 3. Enter the customer's phone number (E.164 format with leading ) and optional context fields (name, service, notes). 4. Click Call. The from-number (caller ID) is the phone number assigned to the agent with Use for outbound enabled. If the agent's business has caller ID verification set up and Use caller ID for lead is on, the customer sees your real business number instead. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. From / to number rules - The from-number must be a phone number assigned to the agent with Use for outbound enabled. - The to-number can be any E.164-formatted number the agent has permission to dial. - The country code of the from-number should match the to-number for acceptable connection rates. Cross-country calls are technically possible but often flagged or priced differently. Consent and opt-outs - Only call numbers for which your business has a valid basis to contact. - The system checks the account suppression list before each outbound call is created. - Natural-language requests such as "stop calling", "take me off your list", and "don't call again" suppress the number immediately. The agent confirms the opt-out and ends the call. - Planned calls to a newly suppressed number are canceled. If a provider-side batch cannot remove one recipient, the full pending batch is canceled to prevent the call. - Outbound attempts and opt-outs are stored with the lead-source snapshot and suppression state so the contact chain can be audited by phone number. Call hours The agent's Timing (call hours) applies to outbound calls too. A lead that arrives outside configured call hours is not called immediately - it's queued and called once call hours begin. Speed matters on outbound. Leads contacted within the first five minutes are dramatically more likely to engage. Set your call hours as wide as your agent can responsibly cover, and make sure automatic lead calling is enabled for your key sources. Voicemail Message Required for Calling Agents. See Advanced → Voicemail Message. - Max length: 1000 characters. - Default: - Placeholders: , , . Keep it short (under 15 seconds spoken). Mention who you are, why you're calling, and the best number to reach you. Showing your real number as caller ID By default, the customer sees the system phone number you purchased. To have them see your real business number, verify it as caller ID and toggle Use caller ID for lead on for outbound calls. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. US outbound traffic benefits significantly from a completed Trust Hub profile. Without it, carriers are more likely to flag your calls as spam, lowering pickup rates. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. Troubleshooting New leads aren't being called automatically. - Confirm the agent type is Calling Agent. - Confirm the agent has a phone number with Use for outbound enabled. - Confirm the agent's business is linked to the source that's producing the leads. - Check the current time - leads outside call hours are queued until call hours begin. The outbound call shows the wrong caller ID to the customer. - If you want them to see your own business number, verify it as caller ID and turn on Use caller ID for lead. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. - If you want them to see the system purchased number, turn Use caller ID for lead off. Outbound calls keep being marked as spam by carriers. - Complete a Trust Hub profile for the business. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. - Use a local-area-code phone number that matches the region you're calling. The agent is leaving long voicemails. Shorten the Voicemail Message. Aim for one or two sentences. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Voice Agent **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/ AI voice agents that answer your phone, call new leads, and run outbound campaigns. Voice Agent is the AI phone system inside NZ Leads. You configure one or more agents, assign them a phone number, and the agent handles calls on your behalf - answering inbound calls, calling new leads the moment they arrive, or running outbound campaigns to a list of recipients. Getting here In NZ Leads, click Voice Agent in the main navigation. Inside you will find: - Voice Agents - the list of agents for your business. Create, edit, clone, or delete. - Call Logs - every call your agents have made or received, with transcript, recording, summary, and extracted customer data. - Batch Calls - ongoing and completed outbound campaigns. - Manage Business Phones - buy phone numbers, verify your own number as caller ID, and complete Trust Hub compliance. Agent types Every agent is one of three types. Pick the type that matches how you want it to work. Set up & configure Phones & compliance Features used during calls Review & monitor Key concepts - Agent - one AI persona with its own voice, greeting, goals, knowledge base, and assigned phone number. - Phone number - the number the agent operates on. Purchased inside Manage Business Phones and then assigned to an agent for inbound, outbound, or both. - Caller ID - the number the person being called sees. By default it is the purchased system number; you can verify your own business phone so your real number is displayed instead. - Trust Hub - a US compliance profile (business identity, industry, registration ID, authorized representative) that reduces the chance carriers flag your outbound calls as spam. - Call log - the record of a completed call, including transcript, recording, AI summary, extracted customer data, appointment booked, disconnection reason, and duration. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Phone Numbers **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/phone-numbers/ Buy and manage the phone numbers your voice agents use for inbound and outbound calls. Phone numbers in NZ Leads are purchased through Manage Business Phones and then assigned to one or more voice agents. An agent can accept inbound calls on its assigned number, place outbound calls from it, or both. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Manage Business Phones. Buying a number Open the purchase dialog Click Buy a number in Manage Business Phones. Search Filter by country code and area code to find a number that fits your market. Numbers in your customer's local area code have noticeably higher answer rates on outbound calls. Confirm purchase Select a number from the results and confirm. The number appears in your list within a few seconds. Each number is billed at $10/month. See Pricing. Your numbers list Each number in Manage Business Phones shows: - The number itself in E.164 format (e.g., ). - SID - a unique identifier for the number. - Creation date - when the number was purchased. - Business - which business the number belongs to. - Caller ID verification status - verified or unverified. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. - Trust Hub status - configured, pending, not-configured, or error. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. Assigning a number to an agent Numbers must be assigned before an agent can use them. 1. In Manage Business Phones, find the number. 2. Click Assign to agent and pick the agent from the list. 3. Set per-agent toggles: - Accept inbound - the agent answers calls that come in to this number. - Use for outbound - the agent places outgoing calls from this number. 4. Save. You can assign the same number to an agent as both inbound and outbound - or split them. A common setup: one number for inbound only (your public business line) and a separate local-area-code number for outbound calling campaigns. Using your own number for outbound caller ID The purchased number is what the customer sees by default when your agent calls them. If you want them to see your real business number instead, verify it as caller ID - see Caller ID & Trust Hub. Removing a number To release a number you no longer need: 1. In Manage Business Phones, find the number. 2. Click Remove. 3. Confirm. Removing a number is immediate. Any agent using it will stop receiving and placing calls on that number. If you have a Trust Hub profile attached, confirm the profile still has at least one number attached afterwards or future compliance may require resubmission. How numbers are used by each agent type - Answering Agent - requires a number with Accept inbound enabled. Customers call this number (directly, or forwarded from your main office line). - Calling Agent - requires a number with Use for outbound enabled. The agent places one call per new lead from that number. - Batch Calling Agent - requires a number with Use for outbound enabled. The batch origin phone number must match the country code of the recipients in the batch. Troubleshooting Calls to my purchased number aren't reaching the agent. Confirm the number is assigned to an agent and Accept inbound is enabled. Also check the agent's Timing - calls outside configured call hours go to voicemail or are declined. See Inbound Call Handling. Outbound calls from my number are being flagged as spam. Complete a Trust Hub profile for the number's business. See Caller ID & Trust Hub. I want callers to see my existing business number, not the purchased one. That's caller ID verification - see Caller ID & Trust Hub. I want to forward my existing office line to the agent instead of giving out a new number. See Call Forwarding Setup. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Scheduling Integrations **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/scheduling-integrations/ Connect Cal.com, FieldPulse, GoHighLevel, HousecallPro, Quickbase, or Open Schedule so the agent can book appointments. Your voice agent can check real availability and book appointments during a live call. Connect a supported scheduling platform, use Built-in Booking with weekly hours, or use Open Schedule with written scheduling rules and a Jobs calendar. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → open an agent → Scheduling tab. Scheduling and Integrations are two different tabs in the agent editor. This page covers the Scheduling tab (calendar booking). For CRM and messenger hookups (HubSpot, Slack, SMS, etc.), see Voice Agent Integrations. Choosing a platform Each option has its own required fields. Built-in Booking is selected by default; switch only if your bookings live in another calendar. Built-in Booking Built-in Booking is NZ Leads's own scheduling system. Set up a CRM Calendar, then select Built-in Booking as a standalone booking option without connecting an external provider. - Select a Calendar created under CRM → Jobs → Create new calendar. No external API key is required. - The agent offers slots from that Calendar's timezone, weekly hours, appointment length, and current active Jobs. - Required customer information comes from the Calendar's Information to collect settings. - A confirmed appointment becomes a scheduled Job on the Calendar. See Calendar setup for booking rules and Jobs for the records and schedule created from bookings. Cal.com - API key - from your Cal.com account. - Event Type ID - the specific event the agent books against (e.g., "30-min consultation"). - Timezone - IANA timezone (e.g., ). Determines how the agent talks about slot times. FieldPulse - API key - from your FieldPulse account. - Company ID - your FieldPulse company identifier. - Timezone - IANA timezone. GoHighLevel - API key - from your GoHighLevel account. - Calendar ID - the specific calendar to book against. - Location ID - your GoHighLevel location. HousecallPro - API key - from your HousecallPro account. - Timezone - IANA timezone. Quickbase - Appointments table link - open your appointments table in Quickbase and copy the browser URL. - User token - a Quickbase user token assigned to the app that holds the table. - Click Connect. NZ Leads picks the start, end or length, status, and customer detail fields automatically; click Edit to change them. - Set the Appointment length and Working Hours. The agent offers only times inside your working hours that don't overlap appointments already in the table. - Click Test & preview open times to see how many existing appointments were found and the next open times. See Book appointments in Quickbase for the full setup and advanced options. Open Schedule - No external API key or credentials. - Write or edit scheduling rules directly in Job Scheduler settings. Saving updates the attached AI calendar in Jobs. - Choose Create AI calendar automatically to save those rules on a new Jobs calendar. Attach an existing AI calendar to share bookings with a source. - The agent reads booked job times and service addresses before offering an exact time, then reserves the full appointment window after the customer agrees. Validating the connection The voice agent screen doesn't contact the platform when you save, so double-check credentials before you go live. A booking that fails during a call is shown as an error on the Scheduling tab. For Quickbase, click Test & preview open times to check the connection and see the next open times. When credentials rotate (team members leaving, key rotation schedules), update them here before the next campaign. A dead API key is the single most common cause of missed bookings. Collection Fields Before booking, the agent collects a configurable list of customer details. Each field is an item with an enable toggle; you can add up to 50, and each is up to 500 characters. Defaults (all enabled): - Customer Name - Service Address - Phone Number Common additions: Email, Zip/Postal Code, Preferred Day, Preferred Time Window, Gate Code. The agent collects fields one at a time and does not re-ask for information the customer already provided earlier in the call. Appointment Summary Template How the agent verbally confirms the booking at the end of the call. - Max length: 1000 characters. - Default: - Placeholders: , . Examples: - - What happens during a booked call Customer agrees to book The customer says yes to scheduling. The agent proposes specific times based on real availability from your connected calendar (or asks preferences, for Open Schedule). Agent collects required fields The agent asks only for the enabled Collection Fields it doesn't already have. Name and phone are often already known (from the inbound caller ID or the lead record); the agent skips those. Appointment is created - Built-in Booking - a scheduled Job is created on the selected CRM Calendar. Open CRM → Jobs, then use the Calendar or List tab to review it. - Cal.com / FieldPulse / GoHighLevel / HousecallPro - the appointment is created directly in your calendar. You'll see it in your normal scheduling tool. - Quickbase - a new record with the customer's details is created in your Quickbase appointments table. - Open Schedule - a scheduled Job is created on its AI text calendar. Open CRM → Jobs to review it. Agent confirms verbally The agent speaks the Appointment Summary Template, then closes the call. Call is logged The Call Log for that call shows the booked appointment with date, time, service, and customer info. See Call Logs & Analytics. Troubleshooting No Calendar is available for Built-in Booking. - Open CRM → Jobs and create a Calendar for the same business as the Voice Agent. - Return to the Voice Agent's Scheduling tab and select it. A Built-in Booking time is no longer available. - Another scheduled, in-progress, or on-hold Job may already reserve that slot. - Refresh availability and offer one of the remaining times. Bookings fail with an error on the Scheduling tab. - Re-check the API key - most platforms will not tell you which portion is wrong, only that it's invalid. - Confirm the IDs (Event Type / Company / Calendar / Location) come from the same account that owns the API key. - Check that your API key has booking-write permissions, not just read-only. The agent offers slots but the booking never appears in the calendar. - Confirm the calendar has available slots in the window the agent offered. - Confirm the timezone in the integration matches the timezone of the calendar. A mismatch often causes slots that "look" available to be outside actual working hours. The agent isn't checking availability, only collecting info. - Check that the attached AI text calendar has scheduling instructions. - For external scheduling services, check the Scheduling tab for a booking error and re-check the credentials. The customer asks for a time that isn't available. The agent offers the nearest available alternatives. If the customer insists on an unavailable slot, the agent uses your Transfer Criteria (if enabled) to send the call to a human, or takes a message. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. --- ### Voice Selection **Source:** https://nzleads.com/docs/voice-agent/voice-selection/ Pick the voice your agent speaks with - American voices, with previews. Every agent speaks in one voice. You choose the voice in the agent editor, and you can preview every option before committing. The voice is tied to the agent, so changing it affects every call that agent makes from that point on. Getting here In NZ Leads, go to Voice Agent → Voice Agents → open an agent → Basic Info tab → Voice. Available voices American voices (English) Eleven voices with a neutral American accent. Mix of male and female, with a range of tones from warm and friendly to professional and direct. - Andrew - Jason - Joe - Max - Steve - Cimo - Kate - Della - Nia - Marissa - Nina Previewing a voice Each voice in the list has an avatar icon and a play button. Click play to hear a short sample clip of that voice speaking a typical greeting. Preview as many as you want before selecting - the preview doesn't commit anything. How to pick A few practical tips: - Warm and friendly voices work well for service businesses - plumbing, HVAC, garage doors, cleaning. Customers feel less like they're talking to a machine. - Direct and professional voices work well for medical, legal, or high-value B2B where the customer expects efficiency. - Match the name - if you name the agent "Sarah", pick a voice that sounds like a Sarah. Inconsistency between the assistant name and the voice is the most common complaint. - Test with a real call - previews are short. After you pick a voice, make one test call and listen to a full minute of conversation. Changing the voice on an existing agent You can change the voice at any time: 1. Open the agent in Voice Agent → Voice Agents → Edit. 2. On the Basic Info tab, click Voice and choose a new one. 3. Save. The new voice is used on the next call. Previously recorded calls keep the original voice. If you're running an A/B test between two voices, clone the agent, swap the voice on the clone, and route half your calls to each. Compare booking rates after a week. Troubleshooting A voice sounds different on a real call than in the preview. Previews are short clips. Real conversations include inflection, pauses, and handling of unusual words (customer names, addresses). Listen to a full recording in Call Logs for the honest picture. The voice mispronounces our company name or a technical term. Add a phonetic spelling to the Knowledge Base or to a Custom Rule (e.g., ). See Agent Configuration. I can't hear any previews. Check that your browser allows audio playback from this site. Reload the page and try again. --- Questions? Email support@nzleads.com. ---