What Is Lead Response Time?
Lead response time refers to how quickly a business follows up after receiving a lead—whether it’s through a phone call, website form, or online platform. This simple metric often determines which business wins the job.
Speed always wins. And here’s why.
The Shocking Truth About Lead Follow-Up
According to industry research:
The average response time across all industries is 47 hours
Only 27% of leads are ever contacted at all
Responding within 5 minutes makes businesses 21x more likely to qualify a lead
Responding in under 1 minute can boost conversion rates by up to 391%
82% of consumers expect a reply within 10 minutes
The first business to reply gets up to 50% of the sales
These numbers aren’t just impressive—they’re staggering. Consumers no longer wait around. They want fast answers, and if the first business they contact doesn’t respond quickly, they move on to the next.
Real-World Example: The $1,700 Missed Opportunity
Consider a typical customer journey. A homeowner searches online for a service provider and calls the first few businesses listed. In many cases, no one answers. Messages are left, but no immediate response is received.
Eventually, one business calls back—within 10 minutes. That business books the job, performs the service the next day, and earns a $1,700 sale. The others? They eventually follow up—but it’s too late.
The lesson is simple: responding faster than the competition directly results in more booked jobs and higher revenue.
Why It Matters for Paid Advertising
Home service companies running Google Ads, Angi, HomeAdvisor, or any paid lead source are often paying $50–$150 per lead. But these leads are frequently shared with three to five other companies. If there’s no response within seconds or minutes, the chance of landing that job drops dramatically—yet the lead is still paid for.
This creates a situation where:
Leads are wasted
Ad budgets are burned
Competitors win the job—without better pricing or service
In today’s digital world, response speed is a core part of customer service and marketing ROI.
3 Immediate Steps to Improve Lead Response Time
Improving lead response time doesn’t require major investments—just a few smart adjustments.
1. Set Up Instant Notifications
Whenever someone fills out a contact form or submits a lead through an ad, an instant alert should be triggered. Tools like GoHighLevel, Zapier, or basic SMS integrations can send a text notification immediately.
This allows someone in the business to stop what they’re doing and make a quick call. Even if that person is out in the field, a 30-second call to acknowledge the lead can buy precious time and keep the job from going elsewhere.
2. Use Autoresponders
Autoresponders are automated messages that confirm receipt of an inquiry. Even a simple message such as:
“Thanks for reaching out! A team member will be in touch within the next few minutes.”
…can keep leads warm. It shows the business is on top of things and signals that help is on the way. Autoresponders can be configured through most CRM systems, email platforms, or lead management tools.
3. Track and Measure Response Time
If something isn’t tracked, it can’t be improved. Businesses should begin measuring how long it takes to respond to leads. Whether using manual logs or CRM tracking tools, analyzing average response time reveals missed opportunities and helps teams improve.
Example: If three leads came in at 9:00 a.m. and weren’t contacted until 1:00 p.m., that’s a four-hour delay—and likely three lost jobs.
Just being aware of these patterns can lead to faster action and higher close rates.
What Fast-Responding Companies Do Differently
The companies winning the most jobs aren’t necessarily the cheapest or the most experienced—they’re just faster to respond. Fast-responding companies:
Always answer the phone (or return missed calls within minutes)
Use voicemail-to-text and lead alerts to stay in the loop
Respond via text when calling isn’t possible
Hire virtual receptionists if needed
Treat lead follow-up as a high-priority task, not an afterthought
Half the battle is simply showing up before anyone else.
Final Thoughts: Minutes Matter
The bottom line is this: lead response time directly affects how much business is won—or lost.
Respond within 60 seconds when possible
Use tools to automate notifications and responses
Treat every lead like money sitting on the table
Measure and improve over time
For home service companies running paid ads, fast lead response is non-negotiable. It’s the difference between a booked job and a wasted budget.
