Call tracking assigns a different phone number to each marketing source, so every call arrives labelled with where it came from. Lead handling is what happens next: whether the call is answered, how it's handled and whether it becomes a booked job. This group has six line items, and it's the one we most often recommend before anything else on the services menu, because it's how you'll judge everything else.
What this group includes
Short answer: six items that turn "the phone's been busy" into numbers you can act on.
- Tracked numbers by channel. Separate numbers for Google Ads, Local Services Ads, Meta, print, vehicle wraps and the website. On the site, dynamic number insertion shows each visitor the number tied to the channel that brought them.
- Call recording review and booking-rate scoring. We sample calls each month and score them: was it a real job request, was it answered, was a visit booked, and if not, why not.
- Missed-call text-back. An automatic text to unanswered callers, written in your voice, so they wait for your callback instead of dialling a competitor.
- CRM and field-service software connection. Calls linked to customer records, so a call from a Google ad can be matched to the invoice it produced.
- Booked-job data sent back to Google Ads. Google's bidding then learns which searches produce jobs, rather than which produce long calls.
- After-hours routing and call scripts. We don't answer your phones. We map who should, write short scripts for your team, and set the routing rules so emergency calls reach someone.
Who it's for
Short answer: every HVAC company that spends money on marketing. It's especially urgent if:
- you run two or more paid channels and can't say which one books more jobs
- your office suspects calls are being missed at lunch, after 5 pm or during cold snaps
- you've changed agencies before and never knew whether the old one was working
Timeline
Short answer: tracking in a week, useful data in a month, firm decisions in a quarter.
| Week | Work |
|---|---|
| 1 | Number plan, tracking setup, website number swapping, recording notice |
| 2 | CRM or field-software link tested with real calls |
| 3–4 | First call review and booking-rate baseline |
| 5–12 | Monthly scoring, script changes, booked-job data flowing to ad platforms |
How we measure it
Short answer: three numbers, every month. Answer rate (calls answered by a person), booking rate (answered job requests that became a booked visit) and cost per booked job by channel.
Here's why booking rate matters so much. Suppose you receive 200 job-request calls a month and book 45% of them: that's 90 jobs. Raise booking rate to 55% with better scripts and faster callbacks, and you get 110 jobs from the same marketing spend. At $600 average margin per job, those 20 extra jobs are worth $12,000 a month, and they cost nothing in extra ads.
Reports name the channel, the calls, the booked jobs and the cost per job. If a channel can't show booked jobs after a fair test, we say so and recommend cutting it.
Privacy and consent, briefly
Short answer: tell callers you record, and text people only in ways the law allows. Call recordings contain personal information, and Canada's privacy laws apply to how you collect and keep it; the Office of the Privacy Commissioner summarises which law applies where, with Alberta, BC and Quebec running their own private-sector laws. Follow-up texts beyond replying to the caller's request fall under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation, which requires consent, sender identification and a way to opt out. We set things up with these rules in mind, but we don't give legal advice; check specifics with your own lawyer.
Mistakes to avoid
Short answer: careless setups do more harm than no tracking.
- Putting a tracking number on your Business Profile as the only number. Keep your main number as primary to protect your listing consistency.
- Counting every call as a lead. Existing customers, suppliers and sales calls inflate the numbers and flatter weak channels.
- Never listening to calls. The data shows that bookings dropped. Recordings show why.
- Recording without telling callers. It erodes trust and can create privacy problems.
For deeper operations detail on missed-call text-back and dispatch-to-review automation, hvac.run covers the systems side. To see how tracking fits into a plan, visit pricing or read the call tracking guide.
Frequently asked questions
Will call tracking numbers hurt our local SEO?
Not if it's set up properly. Your main number stays on your Business Profile and citations, and tracking numbers swap in on the website for visitors from specific channels. The problems come from replacing your main number everywhere.
Do we have to record calls?
No, but recordings are the only reliable way to know which calls were real job requests and how your team handled them. If you record, callers should be told, and you should check the privacy rules that apply in your province with your own advisor.
Can this work with our field-service software?
Usually, yes. Most call tracking tools can pass call data to common CRMs and field-service platforms, either directly or through a connector. We map what your system can accept during setup.
What is missed-call text-back?
When a call goes unanswered, the caller automatically receives a short text saying you'll call back and inviting them to reply. It recovers some callers who would otherwise phone the next company on the list.