What Your Dispatcher’s Doing Wrong (And How It’s Costing You Big)
Dispatching is one of the most overlooked roles in a home services company. Whether you’re running an HVAC business, a plumbing business, or managing a team of roofing contractors and electrical contractors, your dispatcher is the gatekeeper between a ringing phone and booked revenue.
If your dispatcher isn’t handling calls effectively, you’re leaving thousands of dollars on the table—and worse, you’re frustrating your technicians and customers.
Listen to the full podcast episode here →
Why Dispatching Matters More Than You Think
Every call that comes into your business is an opportunity worth hundred, sometimes thousands, of dollars. As one expert put it:
“When the phone rings, think of it as a $300 check. If you hang up without booking, you’ve just thrown it away.”
A skilled dispatcher doesn’t just shuffle technicians like chess pieces—they research, prioritize, and assign jobs in a way that maximizes both revenue and customer satisfaction.
For example, dispatchers who use contractor management services and contractor management software can identify:
- The age of the home and equipment using tools like Zillow or permit data.
- Which technician (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or roofing) is best suited for the job.
- Potential upsell opportunities such as HVAC maintenance, plumbing sales training, or electrical upgrades.
Common Mistakes Dispatchers Make
- Treating Calls Like Transactions
Many dispatchers think their job is just to “book the call.” In reality, they should be analyzing every lead. A roofing contractor or plumbing contractor could miss a high-value replacement opportunity if the dispatcher doesn’t ask the right questions.
- Not Researching Before Assigning
Smart dispatchers pull up maps, permit records, or even Google Earth to check neighborhoods with recurring issues like sewer line backups. That extra step could mean sending a drain cleaning technician instead of wasting a general service call.
- Assigning the Wrong Tech to the Wrong Job
Sending a new HVAC technician to a complex commercial HVAC installation is a recipe for customer frustration. The right hvac business software and electrical contractor software can help prevent mismatches.
The Ripple Effect Across All Trades
Poor dispatching affects every trade:
- HVAC Contractors: Missed opportunities for hvac installation, hvac repair, and hvac maintenance—all of which impact hvac salary, hvac performance metrics, and overall hvac services.
- Plumbing Contractors: Inefficient call handling can stall your plumbing business growth. Skilled dispatchers support plumbing sales training by filtering leads that are more likely to need replacement systems.
- Roofing Contractors: From metal roof contractors to roofing and siding contractors, dispatch mistakes can mean lost jobs or delays that damage your reputation as the best roofing contractor in town.
- Electrical Contractors: The wrong scheduling wastes time and hurts customer trust. With the right systems, an electrical business coach can help you integrate smarter dispatching into your operations.
How Coaching Improves Dispatch Performance
This is where hvac coaches, trades business coaches, and business coaching for trades come in. Coaching helps your team:
- Understand the true financial value of every call.
- Use tools like hvac business training, hvac coaching, and hvac business classes to master dispatch strategy.
- Build stronger communication between the office and field.
A contractors coach or electrical business coach can work directly with your dispatcher to turn them into a profit center instead of just a call-taker.
Final Takeaway
Dispatchers are the unsung heroes of any trades business. When they’re trained, equipped with the right contractor management software, and guided by strong coaching, they can directly boost sales, technician efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
If you want your hvac business, plumbing business, roofing business, or electrical business to grow, start by looking at how your dispatcher handles the phones.
🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode here →
