Implementation Vault
Manager Guide.
A reference for understanding what the system is doing, how to tell if it is working, and what to look at when something feels off. You know your team. This helps you know the system.
Before you react
Is the System Performing as Expected?
When something in the pipeline looks off, run through this before making any changes. Takes about 15 seconds.
System Metrics
What to Watch and What to Ignore
The system produces a lot of data. Most of it is noise. Here is what actually tells you whether the system is healthy.
Worth Watching
Warm reply volume
How many leads replied to system messages this week. This is the clearest signal that the system is producing results.
Time from warm reply to human response
How quickly flagged replies are being picked up. The system created the opportunity. The speed of human follow-up determines whether it converts.
SLA breach count
How many new enquiries went past your response time target before being picked up. A rising number means something in the handoff is not landing.
Sequence completion rate
How many sequences ran to completion without being interrupted. Low completion rates can mean manual overrides are breaking the flow.
Manual override count
Contacts moved between stages or tags removed manually. Each one can trigger or cancel an automation. Worth knowing how often it happens.
Safe to Ignore
Total emails or SMS sent
High volume is by design. The number of messages sent is a function of database size, not performance.
Email open rates
Apple Mail pre-loads images, inflating open rates across the board. Open rate is an unreliable metric. Focus on replies.
Contacts who have not replied yet
Silence during a sequence is expected. Most sequences run over 7 to 14 days. A contact at day 3 with no reply is mid-plan, not lost.
Day-to-day lead count fluctuations
Lead flow is naturally uneven. A quiet Tuesday does not mean the system is broken. Look at weekly or fortnightly averages.
Exact numbers in each pipeline stage
Pipeline stages are automation triggers, not scorecards. Having 20 contacts in nurture is healthy. It means the system is working the database.
What Normal Looks Like Over Time
System output changes as sequences mature. Here is what to expect at each stage.
Week 1
Low output. Sequences are still building.
Most sequences have not completed their first cycle. Reply volume will be minimal. This is expected. The system needs 7 to 14 days before the first wave of replies comes through.
Week 2
First replies start arriving.
The earliest sequences begin completing. You will start seeing warm replies flagged in the CRM. Volume will still be low. This is the system starting to produce, not the full picture.
Week 3 to 4
Reply volume builds. Patterns become visible.
Multiple sequence cycles have now completed. You can start to see which message types get the most replies and which lead sources convert best. This is when the data becomes meaningful.
Week 5+
Steady state. The system is mature.
Sequences are running continuously. Revival outreach is cycling through the database. The system is producing a consistent stream of warm replies. At this point you are reading trends, not waiting for results.
When Something Comes Up
System Situations
Things that will come up about the system and how to handle them. Click any situation to expand.
Interpretation Guide
Red Flags vs Noise
Some things that look concerning are completely normal system behaviour. Others that look harmless are worth investigating. Here is how to tell the difference.
Worth Investigating
Warm replies sitting unactioned for 24+ hours
The system created the opportunity and it went cold before anyone picked it up. This is the most direct waste of system value.
Sequence completion rates dropping
Sequences are being interrupted before they finish. Usually caused by manual stage moves or tag changes. Worth checking the override count.
Tags being deleted or renamed
Tags drive automation logic. Removing or renaming them can silently break workflows without any visible error.
Contacts being moved between stages without a real event
Each stage change fires or cancels automations. Cosmetic tidying of the pipeline board causes real downstream effects.
Duplicate messages going to the same contact
Usually caused by unlogged phone calls. The system sent a follow-up because it did not know a conversation had already happened.
Revival contacts reporting they did not enquire
May indicate old or inaccurate database records. Worth reviewing the source data for that batch of contacts.
Looks Concerning, Actually Normal
No new leads for a day or two
Lead flow comes in waves from portals and website traffic. A quiet day is normal. Look at the weekly average.
Large number of contacts sitting in nurture
Nurture cycles run over weeks or months by design. A big nurture pool means the system is keeping your database warm. That is healthy.
Low reply volume in the first 2 weeks
Most sequences take 7 to 14 days to complete. The system has not had time to finish its first full cycle yet. Give it time.
A vendor asking about an email they received
The system sent a scheduled update and they noticed it. A question is engagement, not a complaint. It means the communications are landing.
The pipeline looks "slow" at week 2
Results lag system activity by 2 to 4 weeks. What you are seeing now reflects work the system did a fortnight ago. The current work will show up soon.
Contacts in the CRM with tags you do not recognise
The system uses tags internally for automation logic. Unfamiliar tags are not errors. They are part of how the system tracks where each contact is in their journey.
The Key Distinction
Red flags are usually interruptions to the system: overrides, deletions, unlogged activity. Noise is usually the system working on a longer timeline than you are used to. Most things that look slow are actually mid-cycle.
How It Works
System Reference
A quick overview of how a lead moves through the system, what each automation does, and what triggers what. Useful for answering questions confidently.
Lead Lifecycle
The typical journey of a lead from first contact to outcome.
1
Lead arrives System
From any source: portal, website, phone, DM, or valuation tool. The system captures it into the CRM automatically with source tagged.
2
Instant acknowledgement System
If it was a missed call, an SMS goes out within 60 seconds. If it was a form or portal enquiry, an email acknowledgement is sent. The lead knows you received it.
3
Sequence begins System
The system starts a timed follow-up sequence: a series of emails, SMS, or both spread over days. The content, timing, and channel are all pre-configured.
4
Contact replies Human
When a lead replies to any system message, the sequence pauses automatically and the contact is flagged for human follow-up. This is where your team picks up.
5
Human conversation Human
Your team continues the conversation the system started. They read the CRM timeline, see what was sent, and take it from there. Valuations, viewings, and offers happen here.
6
No reply: sequence completes or moves to nurture System
If a lead does not reply after the full sequence, they either move into a long-term nurture cycle or are marked as sequence complete, depending on the source and behaviour.
Core Automations
What each major automation does. Click to expand.
Missed Call Auto-SMS
Trigger
An inbound call that is not answered within the configured ring time.
What happens
Within 60 seconds, the system sends an SMS to the caller: a short, personalised message letting them know you received their call and will be in touch. The contact is created in the CRM with a task assigned.
What it prevents
Lost leads from unanswered calls. Without this, a missed call during a busy morning goes unnoticed until it is too late.
New Enquiry Follow-Up Sequence
Trigger
A new lead enters the CRM from any source: portal, website form, or manual entry.
What happens
A timed sequence of emails and SMS runs over 7 to 14 days. Messages are spaced to feel natural, not aggressive. If the lead replies at any point, the sequence pauses and the contact is flagged for human follow-up.
What it prevents
Leads going cold because nobody followed up. The system keeps the agency visible while the team focuses on active conversations.
Revival Outreach
Trigger
Contacts from the existing database who have not been contacted recently.
What happens
The system sends a carefully spaced sequence to old leads, past enquiries, and dormant contacts. The tone is casual and low-pressure. If they reply, they are flagged for human follow-up exactly like a new lead.
What it prevents
A dead database. Most agencies have hundreds of contacts who enquired months or years ago and never heard back. This turns them into live opportunities again.
Vendor Update Emails
Trigger
A vendor reaches a configured stage in the pipeline, or a scheduled interval passes.
What happens
Automated updates are sent to vendors at regular intervals covering activity, market conditions, and next steps. The content is pre-written to match your agency tone.
What it prevents
The "we never hear from you" complaint. Regular, consistent communication keeps vendors confident without requiring manual effort for every update.
SLA Alerts
Trigger
A new enquiry has not been responded to within your configured target time.
What happens
An escalation notification is sent to the designated person. The contact is flagged as SLA breached in the CRM so it is visible in the pipeline.
What it prevents
Enquiries sitting unnoticed for hours. The alert makes sure someone is aware and can act before the lead goes elsewhere.
Post-Completion Review Request
Trigger
A contact reaches the "Completed" pipeline stage.
What happens
After a configured delay, a review request is sent via email or SMS with a direct link to your Google Business Profile or preferred review platform.
What it prevents
Missed review opportunities. Asking for reviews at the right moment, automatically, means you capture them when goodwill is highest.
"You do not need to understand every automation in detail.
You just need to know what the system is supposed to be doing
so you can tell when something is off."
Bazema Operating Principle
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