The seven questions to ask on every emergency call

Second trips kill margin. Most of them trace back to something nobody asked on the first call.

The script

1. Where is the problem? Get the full service address, including unit number and gate codes.
2. What is happening right now? In the caller's own words, before offering any diagnosis.
3. When did it start? A heater that has been out for three days is a different job from one that failed an hour ago, and it changes how you schedule.
4. What is the make and model? A photo of the label texted over takes the caller thirty seconds and saves your tech a trip to the supplier.
5. Has anything been shut off already? Water, gas, or the breaker.
6. Who will be on site, and how do we reach them?
7. Anything else the tech should know before arriving? This is where you find out about the dog, the locked side gate, and the elderly parent upstairs.

Why it works

Seven questions, about ninety seconds. Written down and asked the same way every time, they are worth more than most software.

The catch is consistency: the script only pays off if every call gets it, including the ones that come in at 11pm. That is the same problem as covering after hours.