Discovery Call Framework

Purpose: The structure for the first real sales conversation — usually a 15-25 minute phone call before the estimate visit, always used for remodels and larger restoration scopes. The goal is not to sell. The goal is to understand the situation well enough that Tara walks into the site visit already knowing what matters to this customer.

When discovery happens

• Roofing and exterior work: discovery is often folded into Rosa's first call plus a few minutes at the start of the site visit. A separate call is optional.
• Remodels ($15k-$150k): always a dedicated discovery call before we schedule the visit. Too much scope ambiguity otherwise.
• Insurance restoration: discovery includes claim status questions — has the adjuster been out, is there a scope document, what did the carrier say. See Insurance Restoration Customer.

The four-part structure

1. Situation (5 minutes)

What is actually going on with the property. Let them talk. Ask what they have noticed, when it started, what has changed. For remodels: what is driving the project now rather than last year.

• "Walk me through what you're seeing."
• "How long has this been going on?"
• "What made you decide to deal with it now?"

That last question surfaces the buying trigger, which shapes everything downstream. Cross-reference Buying Triggers.

2. Impact (5 minutes)

What it means to them. A leak is never just a leak — it is a stained ceiling in the room where the in-laws stay next month, or a property manager fielding tenant complaints. Understand the cost of doing nothing, in their words.

• "What happens if this waits until fall?"
• "Who else is affected by this?"

Do not manufacture urgency. If the honest answer is "it can wait," say so and set the follow-up cadence accordingly. That honesty is why referrals come back to us.

3. Fit and expectations (5 minutes)

• Confirm the five qualification items if not already done (Lead Qualification).
• Share how we work: free estimate, site visit, written estimate within 3 business days of the visit, no firm prices before Tara has seen it.
• Share the honest range for the work and watch the reaction. Ranges only — never a firm number on a call.
• Ask what a good outcome looks like to them. Sometimes the answer is "never think about my roof again for 25 years" and sometimes it is "get me through the sale of this house." Different jobs.

4. Next step (2 minutes)

Book the estimate visit before hanging up. A discovery call that ends with "I'll get back to you about scheduling" is a lost deal half the time.

• "Tara's out your direction Thursday — morning or afternoon better for you?"
• Confirm decision-makers will be there.
• Tell them exactly what happens next: visit, then a written estimate within 3 business days, then a follow-up call to walk through it.

Move the GHL card to Estimate Scheduled when the visit is booked.

Notes discipline

Everything goes on the GHL contact record before the next call starts: trigger, impact, decision-makers, expectations, any red flags. Tara reads these notes before every site visit. A discovery call that lives only in a rep's memory is worth nothing to the rest of the team.

What not to do on discovery

• Do not quote firm prices. Ranges only, per Pricing and Estimating Rules.
• Do not promise schedule dates. "Typically we can start within X weeks" needs Pete's confirmation first.
• Do not talk down other contractors, even the bad ones. Facts about how we work, not opinions about how they work.
• Do not oversell the visit. It is a look and an honest estimate, not a hard-close appointment.

Related

• Lead Qualification
• Buying Triggers
• Buyer Pain Points
• Insurance Restoration Customer
• Estimate Scheduling SOP
• Closing Principles