When it comes to the marketing debate of phone calls vs. online form submissions, many would argue that phone calls are more effective in closing high quality leads – and they’re not wrong. That being said, online forms shouldn’t be completely disregarded in terms of value. Maggie Stringham, Senior Account Manager at Spot On Solutions, suggests using both can help bring in leads to your cleaning and restoration business. 

Phone calls provide an immediate response

For companies who specialize in emergency restoration services, setting up a reliable phone calling system is crucial to getting leads. When a property is faced with a disaster emergency caused by a flood, fire or storm, people aren’t going to take the time to fill out an online form. With every passing second the damage worsens and they’re going to want to talk to an emergency response team ASAP. 

Failing to implement a phone call system on your site not only puts potential clients in a stressful situation, but it also presents an opportunity for your competitors to jump in and take away your potential leads.

“There is this gap of time that a person can go to another competitor’s website and start calling them, so you really risk losing opportunities by relying on form submissions rather than phone calls,” Stringham said. 

Gather more data

Phone calls also bring in loads of data and can provide a better overall picture of how your consumers are interacting with your brand. Thanks to call recording and tracking software, you can gain insights on where calls are coming from and what types of ads callers were exposed to before dialing. This information can help shape your marketing campaigns to better target potential customers. 

Provide better customer service

The personal aspect of a phone call can strengthen customer relationships far more than an online form will. Customers can find answers quickly and ask the questions that they need answers to right away.

Property disasters are high-stress and emotionally draining events for your customers. Personalized phone calls can go a long way in expressing empathy and helping customers navigate their way through dealing with the disaster. 

But let’s not completely overlook the value of online forms

While calls bring in significantly higher quality leads, forms can add great value when handled correctly. The best strategy – utilizing both of them to fulfill different purposes!

According to Stringham, forms are effective for cleaning and mold remediation companies who don’t necessarily deal with emergency disaster restoration. When the issue isn’t urgent, some people seem to prefer scheduling appointments through sending forms. They’re also a great backup source of contact in case a phone system runs into a problem. Even better, an instant messaging tool on your website gives your potential customers easy access to you and the convenience is unparalleled.

The bottom line is, having multiple avenues of contact can help you be more available to your potential customers if you have a solid response system in place. At Spot on Solutions, we can help you set up a phone or online form system to help your customers reach you in their time of need.