A homeowner notices that her kitchen lights keep flickering and the fuse box has tripped twice today. She searches online and messages an electrician's website: "My electrics keep tripping, what should I do?" There is a big difference between a faulty appliance and a dangerous wiring fault. The electrician's website must not guess.
Electrical fault enquiries need a safety-first reply.
Decision 1: is it an emergency
Some situations are dangerous: burning smells, smoke, sparks, scorch marks, exposed wires, buzzing from the fuse box or anyone receiving a shock. These must be directed to emergency services immediately. A power cut affecting the street is a matter for the network operator. The website should publish this guidance clearly.
Decision 2: never diagnose
A website assistant must never diagnose an electrical fault or suggest DIY fixes. Electrical work is dangerous. The assistant can capture what is happening for an electrician to assess.
Decision 3: what to capture
For a non-emergency fault, capture what is happening, when it started, which rooms or circuits are affected, whether there are any warning signs, whether the problem is getting worse and the address. Capturing the right details is covered more broadly in receptionist screening questions.
Example conversations
These scripts use information an electrician might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Homeowner: My electrics keep tripping. What should I do? Assistant: The electrician will need to look at this. If you notice burning smells, smoke, sparks or buzzing, please contact emergency services straight away. Otherwise, could you share what happens when it trips, which rooms are affected, when it started and your address, so an electrician can get back to you?
Homeowner: There's a burning smell coming from a socket. Assistant: Please treat this as an emergency and contact emergency services now. The electrician's safety page explains what to do while you wait, if it is safe.
Decision 4: when a website assistant helps
An assistant helps capture non-emergency faults at any hour, share published prices and explain what services the electrician offers. It saves the electrician from answering routine questions while working.
Decision 5: when it does not
An assistant is not a substitute for emergency services or a qualified electrician. It should never attempt to talk someone through a repair.
Explaining costs
Homeowners want to know what a fault-finding visit costs. Publishing callout and hourly rates, or a typical range, helps. Asking about budget gently is covered in qualifying by budget without being pushy.
Working with your hands full
Electricians cannot answer messages while working. Barbers face the same problem, as described in barbershops and the questions asked mid-cut.
Decision 6: planned work versus faults
Many messages to electricians are not faults at all. Homeowners ask about new sockets, lighting, rewires, consumer unit upgrades and EV chargers. These are planned jobs that need a quote, not an urgent visit. Separating planned work from faults at the first message helps the electrician prioritise, and capturing room counts, photos and timelines speeds up quoting.
Replying to captured faults
The AI reply generator can help electricians draft clear, calm replies to captured enquiries.
Safety in other professions
Specialist clinics also route urgent concerns away from the website, as described in specialist clinics and the questions before a first consultation. The principle is the same: admin online, assessment by a professional.
How SpideyChat handles it
SpideyChat for electricians answers from your own pages, directs emergencies to emergency services and captures faults for you. It does not diagnose. You can see handover on the demo, and compare plans on the pricing page.