Get found and trusted
Before the job
Help the right customer find you, trust you, and feel safe enough to call.
- SEO, helpful pages, directories, and Google Business Profile
- Google and Bing Search Ads
- Social proof, local posts, and local groups
The Egg Timer Method
How to implement the Egg Timer Method
A simple way to take the pressure out of your head and put it into a system your business can follow.
Built on Thames Boilers — 100+ Google reviews, 4,000 monthly visitors. Same method scaled London plumbing operators past £25M.
No contractFree scorecard — no card neededAudit refunded if it does not pay for itselfBuilt on a working trade business
The Egg Timer Method
Make more money from your existing customers without spending more on advertising.
The Egg Timer Method
Make more money from your existing customers without spending more on advertising.
Before you start
If everything relies on you remembering it, the business will always feel heavy.
Most trade owners are not short of work ethic. They are short of headspace. The Egg Timer Method gives each part of the customer journey a clear job, so leads, notes, advice, reviews, and reminders do not all sit on your shoulders.
The framework
Before the job. During the job. After the job.
That is the whole shape. Get found and trusted. Capture what happens on the job. Follow up while the customer still remembers you.
Capture what matters
During the job
Use simple notes, photos, forms, and checks so the job does not live in someone's head.
- Online booking and call handling
- Job forms, photos, and notes
- Written recommendations and customer sign-off
Follow up while it is still warm
After the job
Ask for reviews, follow up advice, send reminders, and bring good customers back.
- Review requests
- Follow-up on written recommendations
- Service reminders and refer-a-friend campaigns
Implementation guide
Six steps to take the pressure off
You can skim this first, then come back and work through it. Do not try to fix the whole business in one weekend. That is how owners burn out.
Step 1
1
Write down what happens now
Start with one sheet of paper. Write how a customer finds you, books in, gets the job done, and hears from you after. Do not make it look neat. You need to see where things are being held in your head.
- List every place leads come from.
- Write how a job gets booked.
- Circle anything you have to remember yourself.
Step 2
2
Fix how people find and trust you
The top of the egg timer is where people find you. This is your website, Google profile, reviews, photos, service pages, and adverts. The aim is not just more leads. It is better leads, from people who already feel safe calling you.
- Make your main services easy to find.
- Keep your Google profile clean and active.
- Track where each good lead came from.
Step 3
3
Make recommendations easy to write down
This is the bit most firms miss. If you spot a real problem on a job, it needs to be written down in a clear way. Not as a sales trick. As proper advice the customer can read later.
- Use a short form for the issue and fix.
- Add photos while you are still there.
- Send the customer a copy.
Step 4
4
Capture the job while it is fresh
The middle is the job itself. This is when trust is highest, but everyone is busy. Keep the process short. If it takes too long, your team will avoid it.
- Use a simple job checklist.
- Save notes and photos in one place.
- Make the next step clear before leaving.
Step 5
5
Follow up before the job goes cold
After the visit, the customer still knows you. This is the best time to ask for the review, follow up the advice, book the next service, or ask for a referral. Wait too long and it gets harder.
- Ask for reviews after good jobs.
- Follow up written advice quickly.
- Set service and safety reminders.
Step 6
6
Check the system once a week
You do not need a giant report. You need a simple weekly check. Where did leads come from? What was recommended? What was followed up? What got missed?
- Check leads, jobs, reviews, and follow-ups.
- Fix one leak at a time.
- Keep improving the system each month.
Audit first
Answer these before you buy another tool
These questions show where the pressure is really coming from. Often, the fix is simpler than you think.
- 1Where do your best leads come from?
- 2What makes people trust you before they call?
- 3What gets lost between the call and the job?
- 4What should be written down on every visit?
- 5What advice is said on site but never sent later?
- 6Who follows up, and when?
- 7What is still living in your head?
The hinge
Write the advice down while it is still clear.
If you find a real problem, the customer needs to know. Writing it down helps them understand it later, and it takes the follow-up out of your head.
- 1The recommendation must 100% solve the issue.
- 2It must be honest and true.
- 3It must be clearly and fully explained.
- 4It must include the consequences of not doing the work.
- 5It must be written down and signed off.
- 6The customer must be left or sent a copy.
Common mistakes
Where owners usually get stuck
I have made some of these mistakes myself. The trick is to keep the system plain enough that it works on a busy Tuesday.
Starting with automation
Automation will not fix a messy process. It just makes the mess move faster.
Treating the website as separate
Your website should feed the whole system. It is not just an online brochure.
Asking engineers to write essays
Your team needs a short form, not homework. Make it easy or it will not get used.
Following up without context
A follow-up works best when it mentions the real job, real photo, or real advice.
Your choice
Build it yourself, or get help
If you have the time and patience, you can build this yourself from this guide. If you are already tired, I can help map it, write it, build it, and get it working with you.
What I can help put in place
Clear pages, a better Google profile, review requests, simple forms, written advice, follow-up reminders, service reminders, and a weekly check. The goal is not more noise. It is less pressure on you.
Questions
Quick answers before you book anything
Is the Egg Timer Method only for plumbers and heating engineers?
No. It works best for technical trades and field-service businesses where a skilled person visits a property, diagnoses work, and can make honest recommendations on site.
Is this just a website package?
No. A website is part of the top of the egg timer. The method also covers what happens on the job and what gets followed up afterwards.
Do I have to use ServiceM8?
No. ServiceM8 is often a good fit, but the method is about the workflow. The exact tools depend on what is already in the business.
Can I implement it myself?
Yes. The method is explained publicly so a capable owner can build it. Lane Consultancy is for owners who want the system installed for them.
Next step
Find what is adding pressure.
Take the Egg Timer Revenue Leak Scorecard. It will show where the leaks are before you spend money fixing the wrong thing.
No contractFree scorecard — no card neededAudit refunded if it does not pay for itselfBuilt on a working trade business