Results
The problem we needed to solve…
Ashley (the founder of Sparks Makeup Artistry) approached us to help solve the problem of missing calls from leads while she was “on the brushes”. Being a mobile makeup artist it is nearly impossible to answer every call or respond promptly, this problem only becomes more difficult during hectic times like peak bridal seasons.
Our Solution – Missed call SMS chatbot
We created an SMS chatbot that would send leads a “Sorry I missed your call…” message if their call went unanswered or they left a message. Once the lead responded the chatbot would ask them a series of questions relating to their booking (time, date, occasion, contact details, etc), then store that information so it could be actioned, and let the lead know that their booking would be confirmed shortly.
Our ideal solution would have directly integrated into Ashley’s booking platform, however, this was not possible due to the application not providing API access. Still, this process allowed Ashley to capture an additional average of 14 leads and convert those into 5 bookings (approx. Conversion Rate of 35%) per month.
Technology Used
- Twilio – SMS service to send messages to leads
- Zapier – automation tool used to link systems
- Google Sheets – online spreadsheet to store lead information
Return On Investment
Thanks to the SMS chatbot Ashley was able to increase the total number of monthly bookings and reduce admin hours.
Time saved
| per Week | per Month | per Year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours saved | 5 | 20 | 240 |
| Value of time saved (@$135/hour) | $675 | $2,700 | $32,400 |
Cost of the solution
Given we needed to create this solution from scratch the initial research, prototyping, and setup were significant. Sparks Makeup Artistry paid $1,500 for their solution, followed by an ongoing monthly service fee of $179. Based on the average revenue generated by the 5 additional bookings per month, they will see a return on their initial investment before the end of the second month of using the SMS Chatbot.
For every $1 spent on the ongoing service fee, the SMS Chatbot generates a little over $3 in revenue.
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding the Problem | $500 | Half day workshop @$1,000 per day |
| Prototype & Refine Solution | $1,000 | One day @ $1,000 per day |
| Software | $80 | $30/month = Twillio monthly fee $50/month = Zapier monthly fee |
| Ongoing service fee | $99 | Monthly service fee |
| Total | $1,500 (initial) + $179 (ongoing) |
Owner
I engaged with Matt and Team at QB&Co Consulting due to needing to find a solution to missing calls due to being on the tools / in my line of work “on the brushes” as I’m a Mobile hair and makeup artist I can’t always be on my phone/emails responding to clients promptly, especially during peak bridal seasons. As a result of investing in the SMS chat bot this has reduced my admin hours and I’ve found that responding back to clients in a prompt manner definitely helps convert inquiries into bookings much quicker. With the help of call logs and the SMS responses I can track where my leads are coming from and how many converted over into paid clients. I would highly recommend giving Matt a call to discuss your business pain points especially if you are in the service industry and need to boost your client/booking conversions.
