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Applause Overview

How It Works

Applause is a review generation platform that automates review requests and provides technician incentives. The system is managed by the Lokal team and requires no manual setup or action from your team once it is live.

  • Integration and Trigger: The platform integrates directly with your CRM (ServiceTitan or HouseCall Pro). The primary trigger is when a technician marks a job as completed in the CRM app.
  • Automated Exclusions: The system is set up to exclude review requests for certain job types (like estimates) based on the criteria in your CRM. Additionally, the system can exclude requests for jobs where a “No Survey” tag is applied by the technician via a form (like the Clear Future Form in ServiceTitan) before the job is completed.
  • Review Request: An SMS containing a branded link is automatically sent to the customer immediately after the job is completed. This link tracks the review back to the specific job and technician.
  • Message Timing: Messages are only delivered during your established message sending hours (e.g., 8 AM to 8 PM). If a job is completed outside this window, the delivery is delayed until the service window opens.
  • Reminders: If the customer does not open the link, a single reminder message is sent with a 24-hour delay.
  • Bonus Trigger: The system is configured to charge a bonus (Spiff) only when the customer leaves a 5-star review. If the review is 4-stars or lower, no bonus is charged to the company and the technician does not receive the Spiff.

Why It Works

Applause drives review generation through an incentivized, performance-based model that benefits both the technician and the company.

  • Technician Motivation: Even a small monetary incentive creates measurable behavior change. Technicians have a direct financial reason to ask every customer for a review and to ensure they deliver excellent service, which intensifies them to do the best job. This leads to consistent and organic asking for reviews.
  • Customer Action: The program makes it easy for customers to leave reviews by framing the positive review as a way to “tip” or “bonus” the technician on the company’s behalf without the customer spending their own money. This mechanism drives action and generates genuine reviews that build reputation.
  • Real-time Rewards: Technicians are rewarded instantly (no waiting for payday) with bonuses that hit their account right away.

What It Provides

The platform provides review generation, automated responses, performance tracking, and direct financial rewards.

  • Review Generation: Automated and targeted review requests sent via branded SMS links.
  • Incentives: The ability to create bonuses and spiffs tied to KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to motivate performance. The Spiff amount for a 5-star review can be set (e.g., $5 or $10).
  • AI Auto-Replies (Optional): The system can automatically respond to positive reviews (e.g., 5-stars) on your behalf using AI-generated text.
  • Low-Rating Management: For reviews below a set threshold (e.g., 4-stars and lower), the system bypasses AI auto-reply and triggers an immediate email notification to designated admin accounts for manual, personalized follow-up.
  • Accounting/Payroll: Applause fronts the money for technician bonuses and then bills your company weekly (or bi-weekly) for the total amount of processed Spiffs. The system also provides weekly invoices and payroll information for tax and accounting purposes.

Requirements

To go live with Applause, certain information and procedural steps must be completed.

  • CRM Preparation: Any existing review automations or auto-reply features (e.g., from Podium or ServiceTitan Marketing Pro) must be paused or disabled to prevent duplicate requests.
  • Financial Information: The company must provide banking information for weekly ACH payments, which is the recommended method as it has no processing fee. Required details include:
    • Bank Name
    • Bank Account Number
    • Routing number
    • Account type (checking/savings)
  • Technician Invites: A list of technicians who should receive application invites must be provided. Technicians need an email address in the CRM for invites to go out.
  • Exclusions: Confirm the list of job types to be excluded from review requests (typically estimates and non-service visits).

App Overview (Technicians)

The Applause mobile app is for technicians and functions as a direct incentive and gamification tool.

  • Setup: Technicians receive a link to register with their email, phone number, and a secure password, typically to the email associated with ServiceTitan. They must download the app to access the full platform functionality.
  • Cash-Out System: The app operates like a cash-out application. Technicians can instantly cash out the tips and bonuses they earn directly to their connected bank account, without waiting for payday.
  • Team Activity, Competitions & Leaderboards: The app provides a gamification component, allowing technicians to track their performance in real time. The leaderboard feature promotes healthy competition, showing who performs better and encouraging high performance behaviors.
  • Manager Visibility: Branch managers gain instant, real-time visibility into technician performance, eliminating manual tracking and allowing them to identify areas for coaching or recognition.