Turn Emergency Services into Revenue-Boosting Opportunities

by Devon Osborne

Read it to me! Click the video below.

 

In the home services industry, emergencies are inevitable. Pipes burst, roofs leak, AC units fail during heatwaves—it’s part of the business. However, the real test for service area businesses is not the emergencies themselves, but how swiftly and effectively they respond to them.

 

The Challenge of Unpreparedness in Emergencies

Many contractors struggle with handling emergency calls effectively. When disaster strikes, customers don’t want to hear, “We’re fully booked” or “We’ll get to you tomorrow.” These types of responses lead to frustration, and often, lost business. For instance, a local roofing company that didn’t have a system in place for emergency leaks saw a wave of complaints and lost clients during a particularly stormy season.

 

The Fallout from Poor Emergency Responses

Customers who feel neglected during an emergency don’t just walk away—they may leave bad reviews, tell others about their negative experiences, and switch to your competitors. A single mishandled situation can cost your business more than just one job.

73% of customers will abandon a business after a poor service experience. That one bad review? It can have a ripple effect, influencing many potential customers. For home services contractors who rely heavily on word-of-mouth and online reputation, a poor emergency response can lead to more than just negative feedback—it can result in a significant revenue loss. Studies show that negative reviews can reduce revenue by up to 22%, especially for small businesses.

 

 

Building an Effective Emergency Response System

The difference between a business that thrives on emergency calls and one that falters is preparedness. Here are practical steps to help you succeed.

 

1. Dedicated Emergency Line: Set up a separate line specifically for urgent calls. This ensures that emergency requests don’t get lost in the shuffle of routine business. For example, a successful HVAC company in Arizona has an emergency hotline with trained personnel ready to triage requests based on severity. This allows them to prioritize customers who need immediate help and schedule non-urgent issues during less busy times.
2. 24/7 Availability (or Close to It): You don’t need to be available all day, every day, but it’s essential to have an emergency process in place for after-hours calls. A Denver-based HVAC company, for example, offers emergency repairs until midnight and has a process for technicians to follow up first thing in the morning if the issue isn’t urgent. This is critical because the home services industry is expected to grow by 18% between 2021 and 2026, and emergency services will be a significant part of that growth. The demand for fast, reliable service is only increasing.
3. Emergency Preparedness Training for Staff: Ensure that your technicians are trained for crisis situations. An ill-prepared team can cause more harm than good. A landscaping company in Texas once made the mistake of sending untrained workers to handle storm damage, only to worsen the damage. Now, they train their crew specifically for emergency storm response, significantly boosting client satisfaction and retention.
4. Real-Time Communication and Transparency: Clients appreciate knowing when help is on the way. By leveraging customer relationship management (CRM) tools, such as ServiceTitan, contractors can send text updates to let customers know when a technician is en route, easing stress during emergencies. This simple step can significantly reduce customer anxiety and build trust.
5. Follow-Up and Feedback: After the emergency is resolved, don’t let the relationship end there. Follow up with the client to ensure everything is working well and ask for feedback. This not only shows that you care but also increases the likelihood of a positive review. A roofing company in New Jersey made it a policy to call every customer 24 hours after an emergency service, which boosted their reviews by 40%.
6. Create an Emergency Response Team: If your business is large enough, consider building an emergency response team. These are employees who specialize in handling urgent issues and can be dispatched quickly. A company in Seattle formed a specialized emergency team for plumbing and electrical problems, allowing them to respond faster and more efficiently than their competitors.

 

By having these systems in place, you’re not just solving emergencies—you’re building lifelong customer relationships and ensuring your company’s reputation for reliability and professionalism.

 

Turning Crisis into Loyalty

Every emergency call presents an opportunity—not just to fix a problem but to build trust and create long-term relationships with customers. The contractors who rise to the occasion will stand out in a crowded market and become the go-to solution in times of crisis.