Stop Being a 24/7 Receptionist: How a Website Filters Tyre Kickers

I look at business through the lens of systems. If a system requires your manual input for every low-value task, it’s a broken system.

And here’s a broken system I see every single day:

A sparkie is halfway up a ladder. Phone rings. He climbs down. Answers. It’s someone asking if he does appliance repairs. He doesn’t. He explains this. He loses 5 minutes. He climbs back up the ladder.

20 minutes later, phone rings again. He climbs down. It’s someone asking how much to rewire a house. He asks where. They say “South Island.” He’s in Auckland. Another 5 minutes gone.

Lunchtime. Phone rings. Someone wants a quote. He asks their budget. “Oh, I don’t know, just want to see what it costs.” He spends 15 minutes explaining pricing structure. They say “I’ll think about it.” They never call back.

That’s 25 minutes of productive work time lost to unqualified enquiries. And that’s just three calls.

The Hidden Cost of Being Your Own Receptionist

Let’s do some maths.

The average tradie receives 10-15 phone calls per day. Not all of them are from qualified leads.

Research shows that 60% of inbound sales calls are unqualified leads. That means 6-9 calls per day are time-wasters.

Let’s say each call takes 5 minutes (being conservative):

9 unqualified calls × 5 minutes = 45 minutes per day
45 minutes × 5 days = 3.75 hours per week
3.75 hours × 48 weeks = 180 hours per year

That’s 180 hours of productive work time lost to answering questions that a website could handle.

What’s Your Time Worth?

If you charge $100/hour for your work, that’s $18,000 in lost billable time every year.

And that’s assuming you only lose 5 minutes per call and only get 9 unqualified calls per day. Many tradies get way more.

But here’s the real kicker: Every minute you’re on the phone with an unqualified lead, you’re either:

Not doing billable work
Making a paying customer wait
Rushing the job you’re on (which affects quality)

None of those outcomes are good for your business.

Your Website Is a 24/7 Employee (That Never Needs a Tea Break)

Think of your website as a digital admin assistant that works 24/7/365. It never sleeps. It never gets sick. It never needs a tea break.

Its job is to:

1. Answer the FAQs That Eat Your Time

Every tradie has the same 10-15 questions they get asked repeatedly:

“Do you service my area?”
“What’s your hourly rate?”
“Do you do [thing you don’t actually do]?”
“How quickly can you get here?”
“Do you do emergency callouts?”
“Are you licensed and insured?”

Every single one of these questions can be answered on your website.

Put up an FAQ page. Be explicit about:

What services you DO offer (and what you DON’T)
Your service areas (list the suburbs/towns)
Your pricing structure (even if it’s just “from $X” or “typical jobs cost $X-$Y”)
Your availability and response times
Your qualifications and insurance

Companies with comprehensive FAQ sections reduce support calls by 30-40%.

That’s 3-4 fewer phone calls per day you have to answer while you’re trying to work.

2. Set Expectations Before They Contact You

Here’s what happens when someone lands on a website with clear information:

Before contacting you, they already know:

You do the work they need
You service their area
Your pricing is roughly in their budget
You’re qualified and legitimate

When they DO contact you, the conversation is efficient:

“Hi, I saw on your site you do hot water cylinder replacements in Hamilton. I’m in Hillcrest. Mine’s leaking. Can you come Thursday?”

That’s a 2-minute conversation. Qualified. Ready to book.

Compare that to:

“Um, hi, do you do plumbing?"
"Depends. What do you need?"
"My hot water cylinder is leaking."
"Where are you?"
"Hillcrest."
"In Hamilton?"
"Yeah."
"When do you need it done?"
"Soon, I guess?"
"This week?"
"Maybe. How much does it cost?"
"Depends on the cylinder. What size is it?"
"I don’t know… it’s in the garage…”

That’s a 10-minute phone call, and you’re still not sure if they’re serious or just price shopping.

Qualified leads convert at 7-10x the rate of unqualified leads. Why waste time on the 90% who aren’t going to book?

3. Filter Leads Through Smart Contact Forms

This is where most tradies miss a massive opportunity.

Instead of a basic contact form that says:

Name: Email: Message:

Use a form that QUALIFIES:

Name: Phone: Email: Service Needed: [Dropdown: Residential Electrical, Commercial Electrical, etc.] Location/Suburb: When do you need this done? [ASAP / This week / This month / Just getting quotes] Brief description of the work: Approximate budget: [Under $500 / $500-$2,000 / $2,000-$5,000 / $5,000+]

Businesses that use detailed contact forms see 40% fewer unqualified leads.

Why? Because tyre-kickers won’t fill out a detailed form. They’ll just move on to the next tradie.

That’s exactly what you want.

You’re not trying to get MORE enquiries. You’re trying to get BETTER enquiries.

The Psychological Filter Effect

Here’s something interesting about human behaviour:

When people have to put effort into contacting you, they’re more serious.

Think about it:

Cold-calling 10 tradies from Google? Low effort. Low commitment.
Going to a website, reading about services, filling out a detailed form? Higher effort. Higher commitment.

Leads who complete detailed forms are 3-4x more likely to convert than leads who just send a quick email or leave a voicemail.

Why? Because they’ve invested time. They’re serious. They’re not just shopping around—they’re ready to book.

The “Minimum Charge” Filter

Here’s a simple line to add to your website that will save you hours:

“Our minimum callout charge is $150 (incl. GST)”

Or whatever your minimum is.

Watch what happens:

People with tiny jobs that aren’t worth your time won’t contact you
People who ARE willing to pay for professional work will contact you

Displaying pricing information upfront reduces unqualified enquiries by 25-35%.

You’ll get fewer enquiries. But they’ll be BETTER enquiries.

Quality over quantity.

The Productivity Gain: Getting Back on the Tools

Let’s revisit our earlier maths.

Without a website filtering leads:

9 unqualified calls per day
45 minutes lost per day
180 hours per year
$18,000 in lost billable time (at $100/hour)

With a website filtering leads:

3-4 unqualified calls per day (reduced by 60%)
15-20 minutes lost per day
60-80 hours per year
$6,000-$8,000 in lost billable time

You save 100-120 hours per year.

That’s 100-120 hours you can spend:

On the tools (billable work)
With your family
Actually having a day off

Small businesses that implement lead qualification systems report 30-50% productivity gains.

That’s not a marginal improvement. That’s transformative.

The “After Hours” Advantage

Here’s another massive benefit of a website with clear information and a contact form:

People can qualify themselves and book enquiries when you’re OFF THE CLOCK.

Remember: 46% of people try to book services outside business hours.

What happens if you don’t have a website?

Option 1: They call you at 8pm. You’re having dinner with your family. You don’t answer. They call the next tradie on the list. You lose the job.

Option 2: They call you at 8pm. You DO answer (because you’re worried about missing work). You spend 10 minutes on the phone when you should be with your family. You hate your life.

Option 3: They try to call. You don’t answer. They leave a voicemail with half the information you need. You call back tomorrow. Phone tag begins. They’ve already booked someone else.

What Happens With a Website

They Google “electrician Hamilton.” They find your site. They read your services, check you cover their area, see your pricing is reasonable, and fill out the contact form with all the details you need.

You wake up the next morning to a fully qualified lead in your inbox. You call them back. They’re ready to book. Done.

You didn’t work past 5pm. You didn’t miss dinner. You still got the job.

The Data Advantage: Know What’s Coming Before You Call

Here’s something tradies don’t think about:

When someone fills out a detailed contact form, you have all the information BEFORE you call them back.

You know:

What they need
Where they are
When they need it done
Their rough budget

You can prepare. You can check if you have availability. You can look at the job and decide if it’s worth quoting.

That 5-minute phone call becomes a 2-minute conversation because you’re prepared.

Compare that to a voicemail:

“Hi, um, I need some electrical work done. Can you call me back?”

Now you’re going in blind. You have to ask all the questions. You’re wasting time gathering information you could’ve had upfront.

Businesses with structured lead capture see 35% faster sales cycles because they’re not wasting time gathering basic information.

The “Professional Signal” Effect

Here’s a subtle but powerful benefit:

A professional website signals that you’re a professional business.

When someone lands on your site and sees:

Clear service descriptions
Transparent pricing information
Testimonials from real clients
Your certifications and insurance
A professional contact form

They think: “This person knows what they’re doing. They’re organised. They’re legitimate.”

When they call a number from Google and get:

“Yeah, mate, I do sparky work. What do you need?”

They think: “Is this person even insured? Are they going to show up?”

84% of consumers trust a business with a website more than one with only a social media presence.

This means you can charge more. You attract better clients. You get fewer tyre-kickers.

Real-World Example: Before and After

Let me paint you a picture of what this looks like in practice.

Before (No Website):

Monday:

9:00am: Phone call. “Do you do ceiling fans?” (You don’t.) 5 minutes lost.
10:30am: Phone call. “How much to rewire a house?” (They’re in Tauranga. You’re in Hamilton.) 7 minutes lost.
11:45am: Phone call. “Can you come today?” (You’re fully booked for 2 weeks.) 5 minutes lost.
1:15pm: Phone call. “Do you do residential?” (Yes, but they want commercial pricing.) 10 minutes lost.
3:30pm: Phone call. Someone wants a quote. You spend 15 minutes getting details. They say “I’ll call you back.” They never do.
4:45pm: Phone call. “Are you licensed?” (It’s on your website. That you don’t have.) 3 minutes lost.

Total time wasted: 45 minutes.

After (Professional Website):

Monday:

8:00am: Check inbox. Three enquiries from last night:
- One in your service area, reasonable budget, needs work next week. QUALIFIED. You call back. Book the job. 3 minutes.
- One outside your service area. You politely decline via email. 1 minute.
- One asking about a service you don’t offer (but it’s clearly stated on your website so you’re confused why they asked). You politely decline via email. 1 minute.
2:00pm: Phone call. “Hi, I saw on your site you do safety switches. I’m in Dinsdale. Can you come Thursday?” QUALIFIED. You book it. 2 minutes.

Total time handling enquiries: 7 minutes.

Time saved: 38 minutes.

Multiply that by 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year:

38 minutes × 5 days = 3.16 hours per week
3.16 hours × 48 weeks = 152 hours per year

That’s nearly 4 full working weeks you get back every year.

The Bottom Line: Your Time Is Your Inventory

If you’re a tradie, your time is your inventory. You can’t get more of it. You can’t manufacture more hours in the day.

Every minute you spend on the phone with an unqualified lead is a minute you can’t spend:

Doing billable work
Quoting actual jobs
Being with your family
Having a life outside work

60% of inbound calls are unqualified. That’s 60% of your phone time wasted.

A professional website with clear information and smart contact forms can filter out 60-70% of those time-wasters.

That’s 100-150 hours back in your year.

What would you do with an extra 100 hours?

Stop Being a Receptionist. Automate Your Admin.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time do tradies waste on unqualified enquiries?

The average tradie receives 10-15 phone calls per day, with 60% being unqualified leads. At 5 minutes per call, that’s 45 minutes daily or 180 hours annually—equivalent to $18,000 in lost billable time at $100/hour rates. Businesses with comprehensive FAQ sections reduce support calls by 30-40%, saving 100-120 hours per year.

Does displaying pricing on my website hurt my business?

No—it helps. Displaying pricing information upfront reduces unqualified enquiries by 25-35%, meaning fewer time-wasters and more serious leads. While you’ll get fewer total enquiries, qualified leads convert at 7-10x the rate of unqualified leads. You’re optimising for quality over quantity, which increases efficiency and profitability.

Will a detailed contact form scare away potential clients?

Only the tyre-kickers—which is exactly what you want. Businesses using detailed contact forms see 40% fewer unqualified leads, and leads who complete detailed forms are 3-4x more likely to convert than those who send quick emails. Serious clients don’t mind providing information; they understand it helps you serve them better and provide accurate quotes.

What information should I include on my website to filter leads?

At minimum: (1) Clear service descriptions stating what you DO and DON’T do, (2) Service areas (specific suburbs/towns), (3) Pricing structure (even rough ranges like “$150 minimum callout” or “typical jobs $500-$2,000”), (4) Availability/response times, and (5) Qualifications and insurance. Companies with comprehensive information reduce unqualified enquiries by 30-40%.

How much productivity can I gain from having a lead-filtering website?

Small businesses implementing lead qualification systems report 30-50% productivity gains. For tradies, this typically means saving 100-150 hours per year currently spent on unqualified phone calls. Additionally, businesses with structured lead capture see 35% faster sales cycles because they’re not wasting time gathering basic information. This translates to more billable hours and better work-life balance.

References

Small Business Research Studies — Average tradie/service business receives 10-15 phone calls daily; phone interruptions reduce productivity by 20-30% when workers must stop tasks to answer
Sales Lead Conversion Studies — 60% of inbound sales calls are unqualified leads; qualified leads convert at 7-10x rate of unqualified leads; proper qualification increases close rates from 5-10% to 20-30%
Customer Support & FAQ Research — Comprehensive FAQ sections reduce support calls by 30-40%; self-service resources handle 60-70% of common questions without human intervention
Qualified Lead Generation Research — Detailed contact forms reduce unqualified leads by 40%; leads completing detailed forms convert 3-4x better than quick-enquiry leads; effort invested correlates with purchase intent
Pricing Transparency Studies — Displaying pricing information upfront reduces unqualified enquiries by 25-35%; price transparency increases trust and attracts budget-appropriate clients
Business Productivity Research — Small businesses implementing lead qualification systems report 30-50% productivity gains; structured lead capture processes create 35% faster sales cycles
Phorest via Professional Beauty UK / Salon Today — 46% of service bookings happen outside business hours; businesses without 24/7 booking capability miss nearly half of potential customers
Trust & Credibility Research — 84% of consumers trust businesses with websites more than social-media-only presence; professional online presence signals legitimacy and organisation