239. Do Virtual Quotes REALLY Close More Jobs? (Contractor Sales Tips) - James Hatfield

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Oct 1, 2025

James Hatfield, Chief Revenue Officer at LiveSwitch, dives deep into improving customer interactions through virtual quoting. He highlights the crucial need for speed in the sales process, suggesting that modern buyers expect instant communication. Hatfield shares insights on balancing technology with a human touch, warning about the pitfalls of over-automation. He reveals how live video can enhance operations and improve quoting experiences, emphasizing that not all jobs fit virtual estimates—small visual tasks are ideal. A must-listen for contractors looking to elevate their sales game!

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INSIGHT

Use Live Video To Put Your Best Rep First

Live video lets your best salesperson be the first interaction without driving to a site.
Seeing what the customer sees replaces ears-only discovery and speeds decisions.

ANECDOTE

Secret Shop Lost By AI Gate

James secret-shopped power washers in Orlando and encountered an AI gate that lost a ready-to-buy customer.
The AI loop prevented immediate human contact and killed the sale.

ADVICE

Win By Racing To The Face

Prioritize speed: get a salesperson interacting with leads immediately (virtual or onsite).
Faster 'race to the face' interactions materially increase your chance to win the job.

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The modern buyer doesn’t want to wait. They expect instant answers, real-time communication, and a seamless experience from first click to final payment. Today, Liveswitch CRO James Hatfield is on the show to talk about how create a seamless and speedy experience for customers using virtual --quoting.

Here’s a hard reality:

The modern buyer doesn’t want to wait. They expect instant answers, real-time communication, and a seamless experience from first click to final payment.

But most trades businesses struggle to make that a reality for their customers.

Today, I’m joined by James Hatfield, CRO at LiveSwitch, to unpack a faster, smarter way to sell—without losing the human connection.

We’ll cover how expectations have shifted, where contractors are still falling short, and how to blend speed with authenticity in every step of the sales journey.

If you want to win the “race to the face” and elevate your customer experience, this one’s for you.

00:00 - Intro

02:03 - History of Liveswitch

04:15 - Balancing race to face vs. personalization

07:46 - What does the modern buyer expect from a sales process?

11:02 - What does the virtual quoting experience look like for customers?

16:37 - Benefits of tech-enabled sales

24:19 - Creating a tech-enabled review/referral process

27:04 - Claiming the property with QR codes

32:16 - Does EVERY customer really prefer tech-enabled sales?

34:20 - Other tech to add to your stack

39:08 - Final thoughts and wrap up