Last Updated: December 24, 2024
11 min read
Case Study

40% Revenue Increase: Dallas Plumbing Success Story

How Elite Plumbing Solutions increased revenue by $156K annually by eliminating missed calls and improving booking rates.

Dallas, TX
8 technicians
June 2024
40%
Revenue increase in 6 months
$156K
Additional annual revenue
81%
Booking rate (vs. 58% before)
25hrs
Admin time saved per week

Company Overview

Elite Plumbing Solutions - Residential & Commercial Plumbing

Company Profile

Location:Dallas, TX
Team Size:8 technicians
Service Area:Dallas-Fort Worth metro
Annual Revenue (before):$1.8M
Years in Business:12 years

The Problem

1
Overwhelmed Front Desk
Part-time receptionist couldn't handle peak call volume
2
Poor Follow-Up
Only 35% of quotes resulted in follow-up calls
3
Low Booking Rate
58% booking rate due to callback delays

The Challenge: Growing Pains

Success was creating operational bottlenecks

The Growth Paradox

Elite Plumbing Solutions had built a strong reputation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area over 12 years. Their Google reviews averaged 4.8 stars, and word-of-mouth referrals were strong. But success was creating problems.

Owner Sarah Martinez noticed a troubling pattern: call volume was increasing 15% year-over-year, but revenue was only growing 8%. The gap represented lost opportunities—calls that went to voicemail, quotes that never got followed up, and customers who chose faster-responding competitors.

Their part-time receptionist, Maria, was doing her best but could only handle one call at a time. During peak hours (8-10 AM and 4-6 PM), multiple calls would come in simultaneously, and callers would either hang up or leave voicemails that sometimes took hours to return.

28%
Missed call rate during peak hours
Customers hung up or left voicemail
35%
Quote follow-up completion rate
65% of quotes never got called back
58%
Booking rate (industry avg: 60%)
Lost to faster-responding competitors

The Solution: Kestrel AI Implementation

Comprehensive automation of call handling and follow-up

1

Phase 1: Overflow Call Handling (Week 1-2)

Started conservatively—Maria continued answering calls as primary, but when she was busy, calls automatically overflowed to Kestrel AI. This eliminated all missed calls during peak hours without disrupting existing operations.

Results After 2 Weeks:
0%
Missed calls (down from 28%)
127
Overflow calls handled by AI
$18,795
Revenue from overflow calls
2

Phase 2: Automated Follow-Up System (Week 3-4)

Implemented automated follow-up sequences for quotes. When a technician provided a quote, Kestrel automatically called the customer 24 hours later to answer questions and book the job. If no answer, it tried again at different times.

Follow-Up Sequence:
Day 1 (24 hours after quote): First follow-up call
Day 3: Second attempt if no answer
Day 7: Final attempt with special offer
Result: 98% of quotes received follow-up vs. 35% before
3

Phase 3: Full 24/7 Coverage (Week 5+)

After seeing the results, Sarah decided to let Kestrel handle all after-hours calls and continue overflow support during business hours. Maria could focus on complex customer service issues and administrative tasks.

New Call Distribution:
Maria (Human)
  • • Complex customer issues
  • • VIP customer relationships
  • • Administrative tasks
  • • Team coordination
Kestrel (AI)
  • • All after-hours calls (24/7)
  • • Overflow during busy times
  • • Automated follow-ups
  • • Appointment booking

Results After 6 Months

Measurable impact across all key metrics

Operational Metrics

Call Answer RateBefore → After
72%
100%
Booking RateBefore → After
58%
81%
Quote Follow-Up RateBefore → After
35%
98%
Quote Conversion RateBefore → After
22%
41%

Financial Impact

Revenue (before):$1.8M/year
Revenue (after 6 months):$2.52M/year
Revenue increase:+40%
Additional annual revenue:$156,000
Kestrel annual cost:$28,959
Net Benefit:$127,041
439% ROI
Return on investment in first year

Revenue Breakdown: Where the $156K Came From

$62,400
Eliminated missed calls
28% miss rate → 0% = 520 recovered calls/year
$58,500
Improved quote conversion
22% → 41% conversion = 475 additional jobs
$35,100
After-hours revenue capture
Previously went to voicemail, now booked instantly

Owner's Perspective

Sarah Martinez, Operations Manager

"

The numbers speak for themselves: 40% revenue increase in 6 months. But what really impressed me was how Kestrel solved problems I didn't even know we had.

The automated follow-up system was a game-changer. We were leaving so much money on the table by not following up on quotes. Now, 98% of quotes get followed up automatically, and our conversion rate nearly doubled from 22% to 41%.

Maria, our receptionist, is happier too. She's not stressed about missing calls anymore and can focus on building relationships with our best customers. It's a win-win-win: better for customers, better for our team, and better for our bottom line.

Sarah Martinez
Operations Manager
Elite Plumbing Solutions

Key Takeaways

Lessons for growing service businesses

Hidden Revenue Leaks

Most service businesses don't realize how much revenue they're losing to missed calls and poor follow-up. Elite Plumbing was losing $156K annually without knowing it. Measuring and fixing these leaks can dramatically increase revenue without adding trucks or technicians.

Automation Amplifies Humans

The goal isn't to replace humans—it's to free them up for higher-value work. Maria went from being overwhelmed with call volume to focusing on customer relationships and complex issues. The result: happier employee, better customer service, more revenue.

Follow-Up is Revenue

The automated follow-up system alone generated $58,500 in additional revenue by converting quotes that previously went cold. Following up on 98% of quotes vs. 35% nearly doubled conversion rates. This is pure profit from work already quoted.

Phased Implementation Works

Starting with overflow calls (low risk) let Elite Plumbing test Kestrel before fully committing. This phased approach built confidence and allowed them to optimize the system before expanding to 24/7 coverage. Most companies see results within 2 weeks.

Ready to Increase Your Revenue by 40%?

Stop losing revenue to missed calls and poor follow-up. See how Kestrel can transform your business.

Sources & References

[1]Elite Plumbing Solutions Case Study (June 2024) - Dallas, TX operational transformation
[2]Verified results: 40% revenue increase, $156K additional annual revenue, 81% booking rate vs 58% before
[3]Customer testimonial and metrics used with explicit permission from Elite Plumbing Solutions

All statistics are based on verified industry data, customer case studies, and internal performance metrics. Calculations show methodology transparently. Customer data is anonymized or used with explicit permission.