The One Sales Secret You’re Ignoring (And It’s Costing You Thousands)

Listening to your intake calls is the fastest, cost-effective way to improve your close rate and grow revenue.

 
If you’re not listening to your intake calls, you’re leaving money on the table.

Most owners think the only answer to more sales is to throw more money at Google and Meta ads, pay plumbers higher referral fees, get on another TPA program, or find the next “great” lead gen company.

But the fastest, most cost-effective way to improve your close rate is to listen to what’s already happening on your phones.

I listen to a lot of intake calls  . . . . the ones where a homeowner has just discovered water pouring through their ceiling or a basement full of sewage. Not only water damage jobs, but damage from fires, suspected mold and even trauma cleanup calls for help.

And I’ll be honest: a lot of what I hear makes me cringe.

It’s not because people don’t care. It’s because no one ever trained them how to handle those situations.

There’s often no empathy. No urgency. No confidence being transferred to the caller that they’ve reached the right company. What the caller needs to feel in those first 30 seconds is “Thank God, I called the right place.” But what they often get is hesitation or uncertainty.

What’s Really Happening on Your Phones

If you listen to even a few calls, you’ll start to hear the same patterns:

• Not creating urgency with the caller
  
• Missing opportunities to build trust
  
• Promising to “call back” instead of booking the inspection right now
  
• Sounding unsure instead of confident and reassuring
  
• Ending the call without setting clear expectations
  

You’d be shocked how many small adjustments can make a huge difference. The intake call is where the job is won or lost.

Why Listening Matters

The call taker’s job isn’t just to answer the phone. It’s to reassure the caller, create urgency, and make it clear that help is on the way. They should be saying things like:

• “I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this — we can absolutely help.”
  
• “We have a crew ready to respond right away.”
  
• “We’ll be there within two hours, and we’ll come prepared to start work immediately.”

That kind of language builds confidence and keeps the homeowner from calling the next company on Google.

The LBNT Framework

I teach my clients a simple way to review their intake calls: LBNT, which stands for:

• LB = Like Best: What did I like best about how I handled this call?
  
• NT = Next Time: What will I do differently next time?

The person who took the call should listen to their own recording and answer those two questions first. Then, the owner or manager listens to the same call using that same framework and compares notes.

It’s not about catching mistakes — it’s about helping people hear themselves and improve naturally. It works every time.

A Real-World Story

I worked with an owner last month who swore his office team was “pretty solid” on the phones. When we started reviewing calls together, he was shocked. His people weren’t lazy, they just didn’t know what to say. They weren’t trained to show empathy or urgency.

Within a few weeks of listening, coaching, and practicing LBNT, their booking rate almost doubled. Same marketing, same leads . . . just better conversations.

That’s the power of listening. You’re probably already recording calls - they are pure gold if you listen to them and use them to train your team.

Why should you care?

You’re already paying for the lead, one way or another. Through marketing, SEO, or referrals. So make it count.

Your intake process should end with an inspection booked, a clear next step, and a homeowner who feels relieved, not uncertain. If the call ends with them feeling uncertain, they are like to reach out to another restoration company who makes them feel like they made the right choice.

By listening regularly and coaching your team with intention, you’ll book more jobs, strengthen your reputation, and create a much better first impression with every new call for help.

My Challenge for You

Pull five recent intake calls this week. Listen to them yourself, then have your team do the same.

Use the LBNT framework. Compare notes.
Then pick one small thing to improve on every future call.

You’ll be amazed how fast your revenue grows when every call starts sounding like confidence, urgency, and care.