Lead Recovery FAQ for Local Service Businesses

Lead recovery follows up with eligible contacts your business already holds, such as unfinished enquiries, unsold estimates and past customers. Buying new leads introduces contacts through a separate acquisition channel. In both cases, review the relationship and contact permissions before outreach, and use the recorded enquiry to define a relevant next step.

Lead recovery returns to conversations your business already has: an unanswered enquiry, an estimate that did not progress, a missed call or a past customer whose current needs are unknown. It starts with the history behind that contact and asks whether there is a relevant next step. Buying new leads is a separate activity that introduces prospects through a third party or a new acquisition channel. The source, relationship and permissions need their own review in either case.

For local service businesses in Canada and the US, an existing record is useful context, not automatic permission to send another message. The date of the enquiry, consent records, communication preferences and known opt-outs matter. Database reactivation services focus on preparing and revisiting that existing list, while speed to lead services focus on responding to a new request.

The 14-day Lead Recovery Campaign is a defined starting scope for eligible existing-list outreach. Your team supplies accurate records and qualification criteria. Follow-up can clarify whether a customer still wants a conversation, but it does not establish that they will book, attend or buy. Assess the process against your own workflow rather than treating an old list as a predictable source of work.

It depends on the message, channel, recipient and consent records. Canada's CASL requires express or valid implied consent for commercial electronic messages. US TCPA requirements apply to covered calls and texts. An old CRM record is not permission by itself. Review the proposed contact approach with a qualified adviser before outreach.

In Canada, calls also need review under Canada's National Do Not Call List and the CRTC Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules. In the US, the TCPA covers autodialed and prerecorded or artificial voice calls and texts. The FCC's 2024 ruling confirms AI-generated voices count as artificial voice. Prior express consent applies to covered AI or prerecorded voice calls, subject to applicable exceptions, and covered telemarketing requires prior express written consent. The US National Do Not Call Registry and state rules also matter. Requirements depend on the situation. This is general information, not legal advice.

Requirements depend on the situation, including the channel, message purpose, recipient, consent records and previous opt-outs. An existing relationship is not blanket permission for every call or text. In Canada, Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) applies to commercial electronic messages. Express consent and qualifying, time-limited implied consent can have different requirements. Calls also need review under Canada's National Do Not Call List and the CRTC's telemarketing rules, including rules that can still apply when an exemption exists.

In the US, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) governs covered calls and texts. The FCC's 2024 ruling confirms that AI-generated voices fall within the TCPA's artificial or prerecorded voice provisions. Prior express consent requirements apply to covered AI or prerecorded voice calls unless an applicable exemption applies, and covered telemarketing calls generally require prior express written consent. The US National Do Not Call Registry and applicable state rules also need review. The exact obligation depends on the call and recipient, not simply whether a number appears in a CRM.

Before AI calling, SMS and chat outreach, provide consent and relationship records, enquiry dates, communication preferences and known opt-outs. Identification and opt-out wording do not cure missing permission. Have a qualified adviser review the proposed approach for your situation. This is general information, not legal advice.

It can if a message is unexpected or irrelevant. We review consent and contact history, use scripts you approve, identify your business and include an easy opt-out. Questions or concerns that need a person go through the agreed human handoff. A past relationship alone does not permit every message.

It can if the contact is unexpected, irrelevant or difficult to stop. No communication method can promise that every recipient will welcome a message. Begin by reviewing whether the person can be contacted for the proposed purpose, whether the earlier enquiry is still relevant and whether they have asked not to hear from your business. A past customer should not receive a message that ignores their history or treats completed work as an unfinished enquiry.

Approve scripts that identify your business, explain the reason for contact and ask a short, relevant question. Texts should include an easy way to opt out, and requests to stop must be respected. Agree on follow-up boundaries before launch rather than continuing because someone has not replied. AI lead reactivation uses existing enquiry context, while no-show follow-up services relate to a particular appointment. Those purposes should stay distinct.

Human handoff matters when someone has a complaint, asks a detailed question or wants to speak with a person. AI calling, SMS and chat supports the approved conversation, not unrestricted claims about your business. Your staff remain responsible for service advice and resolving customer concerns. Review the replies and opt-outs with the conversation context, rather than judging outreach only by whether an appointment was booked.

The AI follows scripts and questions you approve, rather than deciding what advice your business should give. Questions outside that script, including pricing or technical advice, go to your team through the agreed human handoff. Conversations are reviewed with you so the reply and its context can be discussed.