Electrical work covers an unusually wide range: a dead socket, a landlord's EICR, a consumer-unit upgrade, an EV charger. Each needs completely different information before anyone can quote.
That triage is what eats your day, and it happens on the phone while you are on site.
The four enquiry types, and what each needs
Fault. What is happening, when it started, whether anything is tripping, whether there is a burning smell. Urgency assessment, then out to you.
Inspection (EICR). Bedroom count, property type, whether it is tenanted, when the last one was done, and how quickly the certificate is needed. Highly predictable, often fixed-price, ideal for automation.
Upgrade. Consumer unit age, what prompted it, whether anything else is planned at the same time.
New install (EV charger). Off-street parking, distance from the consumer unit, supply type, whether they have chosen a unit, and whether they are applying for a grant. Enough to tell a straightforward install from one needing a survey.
A generic chatbot asks generic questions across all four and hands you enquiries you still have to ring back about. The point of triage is arriving at the job knowing what to bring.
What it must refuse
Anything safety-critical. A homeowner describing a burning smell should be told to stop, isolate if they safely can, and get a qualified electrician out — not walked through a diagnostic.
This is not a limitation to apologise for. It is the correct behaviour, and any tool that does otherwise is creating exposure for you, not for the vendor.
The reassurance question
Homeowners ask about registration, insurance and certificates before booking, every time. That is already on your website and it converts. Answered instantly and consistently, it removes the main hesitation.
The out-of-hours case
No power, tripping circuits, a burning smell. These arrive in the evening and they do not wait until morning. Captured and flagged beats a contact form nobody reads until 8am.
See it on your own site
Build one from your website and ask it what a landlord chasing an EICR would ask.
Related: the electricians industry guide.