Unlocking “Free Money” with AI: How Home Service Contractors Can Finally Fix Lead Management

Let’s get real—lead management in home services is broken. If you’re paying $300 per lead (or more!) and only booking a third of those calls, you are quite literally leaving “free money” on the table. Why? Because the tools, processes, and mindsets of the past can’t keep up. If you want to thrive in today’s AI-powered market, you need to build faster, smarter, and actually use the data you already have.

In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley welcomes Utku “Dave” Kaynar, CEO of OnePath and one of the sharpest minds in AI for trades. Utku shares the story of transforming contractors’ operations by automating the entire lead journey—so every call, form, chat, and LSA lead is answered instantly and booked before someone else steals the job.

If you’re sick of patchwork tech, missed opportunities, and manual workarounds, this conversation is your wake-up call—and your roadmap to automating profits.

Why You Should Listen

Utku’s approach is a hands-on, battle-tested automation that fixes what’s costing contractors millions. If you want to:

• Plug the leaks in your lead pipeline
• Respond to customers faster than any competitor
• Boost your booking rates without spending another dime on marketing
• Integrate systems (finally!) so you have one version of the truth
• Futureproof your business in an AI-first world

…you won’t want to miss this episode.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why 70% of Your Leads Are Falling Through The Cracks
  Utku breaks down the big problem in contracting: most leads go unanswered or get lost between disconnected systems. Learn how top performers are plugging these gaps—and how much money you could be recovering.
• The End of Siloed Tech (and “Death by a Million Cuts”)
  Stop hiring people just to babysit broken integrations! Utku and Jennifer discuss how agentic AI networks and a true data “hub” kill spaghetti-code workflows and Zapier nightmares.
• How to Build a 24/7 Lead Engine (That Never Calls in Sick)
  Discover why speed is non-negotiable and how AI enables you to answer every form, chat, call, or aggregator lead within 30 seconds. No more missed after-hours revenue or overstaffing your front desk.
• Personalized Customer Journeys—at Scale
  Learn how new AI platforms don’t just automate follow-ups, but tailor the journey for every individual—handling urgency, special requests, and rebooking so your bookings skyrocket.
• Real Security and Integration Concerns—What to Watch For
  Utku drops essential warnings about security missteps (think: recorded credit cards exposed) and why most current “AI” tools can actually put your business at risk if you’re not careful.
• From “Operations Chaos” to “Lean Profit Machine”
  Drawing on lean management and Six Sigma, the episode covers how AI-enabled companies can (and should) run at 25-30% EBITDA—with no more excuses or hidden inefficiencies eating up your profits.‍
• The Future Is AI-First, Not Human-First (but Humans Always Matter)What do customers really want: phone calls or frictionless convenience? Hear hard numbers on who still wants to talk, when empathy matters most, and how to serve every customer on their terms.