Customer expectations in home services continue to rise, and home service customer experience is now a decisive factor in how homeowners choose contractors. A new report from Housecall Pro examines how digital convenience, transparent pricing, and consistent communication are reshaping homeowner decision-making across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other residential trades. The findings suggest that technical skill and price remain important, but they are no longer enough on their own to win the job.
Housecall Pro releases new report highlighting changing customer service standards in home contracting
SAN DIEGO — Dec. 15, 2025 — Housecall Pro, a leading software platform for home service professionals, announced the release of its new report, The New Home Service Standard: How Systems, Not Just Skills, Win the Customer. The study explores how customer expectations have evolved and how contractors that use internal systems and AI-enabled tools to reduce friction in the customer journey gain a competitive advantage.
Based on a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. homeowners, the report finds that today’s customers value professionalism, responsiveness, and clarity as much as technical competence and affordability. Features such as online booking, upfront pricing, and seamless communication now play a central role in contractor selection.
Specific findings from the report include:
- 72 percent of homeowners would pay up to 10 percent more for a contractor with a stronger customer service reputation
- 97 percent expect transparent pricing before deciding to hire
- Approximately three out of four homeowners would refer a provider after receiving excellent service
- A majority of homeowners, 53 percent, are comfortable with AI handling an initial chat or phone interaction
“Homeowners pay attention to the small things. How fast you respond. How clear the price is before you show up. How well you document the work after you leave,” said Roland Ligtenberg, co-founder of Housecall Pro. “The best Pros pair strong craftsmanship with a smooth experience from booking to follow-up. Systems and AI team members handle the busywork so the tech can stay focused on the customer.”
The report also identifies a significant opportunity for service businesses. Despite rising expectations, nearly 20 percent of homeowners say they cannot remember the last time a contractor truly impressed them with exceptional service.
“That gap is the opportunity,” Ligtenberg said. “Repeatable systems around the customer turn every visit into a trust-building moment. You earn more referrals, you stay top of mind, and you become the first call when something breaks again.”
Trades professionals can access the report’s key findings here:
https://www.housecallpro.com/resources/home-service-customer-service-report-trends-statistics
The full PDF report is available here:
https://www.housecallpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/120425-Customer-Service-Report.pdf
For more information about Housecall Pro, visit housecallpro.com.
About Housecall Pro
Housecall Pro is a top-rated field service software platform trusted by over 200,000 home service professionals. With powerful tools for scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, customer communication, automation, and AI team members, Housecall Pro helps businesses save time, grow revenue, and deliver standout service. Founded in 2013, Housecall Pro supports Pros with innovative technology, a strong community through Champion the Trades™, and TradeWire™—the go-to newsletter for 500K+ Pros in the trades. Learn more at housecallpro.com.
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Why home service customer experience is reshaping contractor selection
The report reinforces a shift already visible across the home services market. Homeowners increasingly apply the same expectations they have from retail, banking, and healthcare to service contractors. Speed of response, clarity of pricing, and consistency of communication now shape trust just as much as the quality of the work itself.
For contractors, the message is straightforward. Customer experience is no longer a soft metric or a branding exercise. It is an operational discipline that influences referrals, repeat business, and long-term competitiveness. For manufacturers, distributors, and technology providers serving the trades, the findings offer insight into how buying behavior is evolving at the homeowner level and where investment priorities are shifting.
As systems, automation, and AI become more accessible across the trades, the competitive bar continues to rise. Contractors that combine technical expertise with a reliable, professional customer experience are better positioned to stand out in a crowded market. The Housecall Pro report makes clear that winning the job today requires more than skilled hands. It requires a deliberate focus on how the customer experiences every step of the interaction.
