5 Automation Plays Every Contractor Should Steal

Most contractors don’t fail because of bad work. They fail because of bad systems.

This playbook walks through 5 simple automations that:

• Save you hours every week
• Stop money from leaking out of your schedule
• Make you look more professional than the “pickup-and-a-printer” competitors

In this post you’ll learn:

• How to automate appointment reminders
• How to follow up on quotes without feeling annoying
• How to prevent invoices from going “missing”
• How to keep customers in the loop during projects
• How to never lose a new lead again

🐾 Lead Dog Tip: Every automation you set up should either save you time or make you money in a measurable way. If it doesn’t do one of those, don’t bother.

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1. Automate Appointment Reminders

Missed appointments are one of the easiest ways to burn time and fuel.

Why this matters

• Customers forget. Life happens.
• Your crew still drives to the job.
• You eat the time, gas, and scheduling chaos.

A simple “Your appointment is tomorrow” reminder can cut no-shows dramatically.

What this automation should do

1. Send a reminder 24 hours before the appointment.
2. Send a second reminder 2–3 hours before with an “On our way soon” message.
3. Include:
   • Date and time
   • Technician name (if you use one)
   • Simple “Reply C to confirm / R to reschedule” option

Example reminder text

Reminder: Your appointment with Lead Dog Services is tomorrow at [time].
Reply C to confirm or R if you need to reschedule.

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2. Follow Up on Quotes Automatically

Most contractors lose work not because the quote is bad, but because the follow-up is non-existent.

Why this matters

• Homeowners get multiple quotes.
• The contractor who follows up professionally often wins.
• You don’t have time to manually chase every quote.

What this automation should do

1. When a quote is sent, start a 3–4 step follow-up sequence.
2. Space messages out over 7–10 days.
3. Keep the tone helpful, not pushy.

Example follow-up steps

1. Day 1: “Just making sure you got the estimate.”
2. Day 3: “Any questions I can answer before you decide?”
3. Day 7: “We still have availability on [dates] if you’d like to move forward.”

🐾 Lead Dog Tip: Add one line that removes pressure:
“If you decided to go another direction, no worries at all—just reply and we’ll close this out on our end.”

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3. Close the Loop on Every Invoice

You did the work. The customer is happy. Then the invoice gets buried in their inbox and you feel awkward chasing it down.

Why this matters

• Uncollected invoices crush your cash flow.
• The longer an invoice sits, the less likely it is to get paid.
• Chasing money manually is mentally draining.

What this automation should do

1. Send an “Invoice ready” message the moment it’s created.
2. Send a friendly reminder 3–5 days before the due date.
3. Send a past-due reminder with a professional tone if it’s late.

Example past-due reminder

Friendly reminder: Invoice #[number] for [project] is now past due.
You can pay securely online here: [link].
If you’ve already taken care of this, thank you—and you can ignore this message.

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4. Keep Customers in the Loop During Projects

Silence kills trust. The work might be going perfectly, but if the customer doesn’t know what’s happening, they start to worry.

Why this matters

• Clear communication = fewer “status check” calls.
• Happier customers leave better reviews and refer more work.
• You look like a premium operation, not a “truck and a text message” crew.

What this automation should do

Trigger short updates at key milestones:

1. Tech assigned to job – “Here’s who’s coming.”
2. Tech on the way – with live ETA if possible.
3. Project complete – with link for photos, review, and payment.

Example status text

Update from Lead Dog: Your project is in progress today.
Your technician: [name].
We’ll send another update once everything is complete and cleaned up.

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5. Capture and Respond to Every New Lead

Your marketing is working… but if you miss the initial contact, the lead is gone in minutes.

Why this matters

• Homeowners rarely wait more than 1–2 hours for a response.
• If you don’t answer, they just message the next company on Google.
• Speed to lead is one of the biggest levers you have.

What this automation should do

1. When a new lead comes in (web form, landing page, or call capture):
   • Create a new lead record instantly.
   • Text or email the customer with:
     • “We got your request”
     • When they can expect a reply.
2. Notify you or your team with all the lead details.
3. Set a follow-up task so no one forgets to call back.

Example new-lead confirmation

Thanks for reaching out to Lead Dog!
We got your request for [service] at [city].
A real human will review it and follow up by [time window] today.

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Implementation Checklist

Use this as a quick action list with your team:

Step 1: Choose Your Automations

• [ ] Appointment reminders (24 hours + 2–3 hours before)
• [ ] Quote follow-up sequence
• [ ] Invoice ready + reminder + past-due
• [ ] Project status updates
• [ ] New lead capture + confirmation

Step 2: Write Your Core Messages

• [ ] Keep each message short, clear, and friendly
• [ ] Avoid pushy language—focus on helping the customer decide
• [ ] Add clear links (estimate, invoice, photos, review)

Step 3: Set Up and Test

• [ ] Turn on one automation at a time
• [ ] Test using your own phone and email
• [ ] Confirm timing feels natural (not spammy)

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Lead Dog Playbook Summary

If you only remember one thing from this article, make it this:

Systems don’t replace good work. They showcase it.

Most contractors will keep doing everything manually until they burn out.

You’re different. You’re building systems that:

• Protect your time
• Protect your cash flow
• Make your business look and feel premium

Start with one automation from this playbook and get it live this week. Then stack the rest, one by one, until your business runs like a well-trained Lead Dog.