Nick D'Urbano, CRO and co-founder of Distance, brings a wealth of experience from e-commerce to transforming service industries with AI. He shares insights on how to fix revenue leaks in call intake processes and highlights the significance of AI in capturing leads effectively. The conversation dives into AI's evolution in customer service, emphasizing human-like interactions and proactive engagement strategies. D'Urbano also discusses using AI across multiple channels to truly connect with customers, enhancing their experience and boosting revenue.
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insights INSIGHT
E‑Commerce Playbook Applies To Trades
E-commerce growth methods map directly to service businesses because both drive traffic into a conversion funnel.
Treat calls as the checkout step and optimize that funnel like an e-commerce site.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Fix Conversion Before You Scale Ads
Before increasing marketing spend, fix your middle-of-funnel conversion and call intake processes.
Measure answer rates, after-hours performance, and CSR quality to stop leaking paid leads.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Automate Intake, Keep Humans For Account Care
Use AI to triage repeatable intake tasks (qualify, set expectations, capture info) rather than replace account managers.
Train the AI on your script so it answers consistently and stores transcripts and analytics.
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AI isn’t just hype, it’s already changing how service companies capture leads, close deals, and keep customers happy. In this episode, Chris and Brandon dive into the most practical, boots-on-the-ground conversation we’ve ever had about AI for the trades.
Our guest, Nick D’Urbano, CRO and co-founder of Distance, brings a wild career path, from Deloitte M&A to running growth for Victoria’s Secret overseas, to his mission of helping restoration, plumbing, and HVAC companies stop letting revenue slip through the cracks
Why you should listen:
[00:03:37] Nick’s career path and how e-commerce growth strategies translate perfectly into service industries.
[00:10:19] Why your call intake process is probably leaking revenue—and how to fix it before spending more on marketing.
[00:16:30] The cost of missed calls, after-hours gaps, and the “storm surge” scenario where AI can save six-figure jobs.
[00:23:35] Offensive vs. defensive AI strategies—when to focus on lead capture vs. protecting the leads you’ve already paid for.
[00:33:37] How far AI voice has come—and why it’s no longer the clunky, robotic call bot you’re picturing.
[00:44:21] Using AI across different channels (voice, SMS, chat) to meet customers where they’re at—in real time.
[00:50:51] The opportunity to use AI for proactive customer check-ins to prevent small frustrations from turning into slow-pay invoices.
[01:01:47] The three main ways Distance helps companies capture more leads and book more jobs.
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