Lead response SLA checklist local service teams can adopt this week

Worksheet

Copy/paste lead response SLA

Start with targets that match current staffing. A realistic SLA that is reviewed every Friday beats an aggressive promise nobody can keep.

Lead source: {{phone | web_form | Google_message | social_DM | referral | marketplace}}
Lead type: {{urgent | estimate | booking | question | warranty/callback | stale_lead}}
Target first reply: {{within_5_min | within_15_min | within_1_hour | same_business_day | next_business_day}}
First owner: {{role_or_person}}
Backup owner: {{role_or_person}}
Escalation trigger: {{urgent_safety | high_value | angry_customer | no_owner | no_reply_after_target}}
Approved first reply script: {{script_name_or_link}}
CRM label/status: {{new | contacted | needs_info | booked | estimate_sent | follow_up_due | closed}}
Customer promise allowed: {{what_can_be_said}}
Customer promise forbidden: {{price | arrival_time | diagnosis | guarantee | discount | refund | policy_exception}}
Review cadence: {{daily_queue_check | Friday_20_min_review}}
Metric to watch: {{response_time | booking_rate | follow_up_due | no_owner_count}}

Suggested starting windows

• Urgent safety-sensitive requests: reply as soon as staffed, route to the dispatcher/owner, and avoid diagnosis or exact arrival claims until confirmed.
• New phone/web leads during business hours: aim for a first touch inside 5–15 minutes when staffing allows.
• After-hours non-emergency leads: send an acknowledgment and next-business-day window instead of pretending the team is dispatching now.
• Estimate or quote follow-ups: assign an owner and due date so the lead does not stay in “sent estimate” forever.
• Stale leads: cap the sequence and stop after the approved final closeout message.

Pair this with the speed-to-lead benchmark and the lead routing checklist before changing ad spend.

Escalation and stop rules

A response SLA should protect the team from overpromising. These stop rules keep AI drafts, front-desk replies, and CRM automations inside safe boundaries.

• Do not invent availability. If the schedule is unknown, say a dispatcher will confirm the window.
• Do not diagnose from a short message. Ask for photos or route to a qualified human when risk is involved.
• Do not quote final price. Use approved estimate, inspection, deposit, or financing language only.
• Do not ignore opt-outs. Respect SMS/email consent and stop rules immediately.
• Do not blame staff from one data point. Improve routing, ownership, scripts, and queue visibility before assigning fault.

Owner-safe AI prompt for the weekly SLA review

You are helping a local service business review lead response SLA performance. Use only the anonymized rows below. Do not invent missing numbers, customer intent, staff mistakes, revenue, availability, diagnoses, prices, or promises. Return: (1) leads that missed the target first-reply window, (2) lead sources without a clear owner, (3) escalation triggers that appeared, (4) one script/routing rule to test next week, and (5) missing data that prevents a fair decision. Rows: {{paste anonymized lead rows}}.

Human-review rule: a manager must verify response times, opt-outs, urgency, staff notes, refunds/warranty issues, and customer-sensitive details before changing scripts or assignments.