How Allied Experts Streamlined Referrals and Built Customer Trust with GTR

Running a home performance business means finding ways to manage customer relationships while growing your sales efficiently. Allied Experts, based in Cherry Hill, NJ, helps homeowners optimize their energy systems to save on energy bills. They’ve been offering services as part of the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, helping customers improve their HVAC and insulation systems.

Lisa Sommer, Allied Ambassador, shared how critical referrals are to their business: “Referrals are about 25% of our business, and they close with a higher rate than any other lead source.” But while referrals were vital, the process had been problematic. Referrals were often poorly vetted, and advocates (those sending referrals) were frustrated by a lack of feedback or rewards for their efforts.

That’s when Lisa turned to Get The Referral (GTR) to help streamline their process. “People weren’t getting paid on time, and referrals would get lost in the system. We were looking for a program that would just be inclusive of everything so that we could reward advocates.” With GTR, Lisa knew they could reward referrals at different stages of the process, including for completed appointments, energy audits, and even when referrals went through the program.

The Impact of GTR on Allied Experts’ Referral System
The implementation of GTR went smoothly, although COVID-19 did slow the initial rollout. However, Lisa is now focused on doubling the number of referrals the company collects, saying, “This year my goal is to double the referrals we got from last year because I know we can do better.”

Lisa uses the GTR dashboard daily to track referrals, ensuring everything progresses smoothly and advocates receive rewards. “With GTR, I like the ease of knowing exactly where all referrals are in one spot. I can look on a daily basis to see at what process the referrals are in the project and send to the advocates an automatic notification about their rewards and payments.”

Why the Referral System Works for Allied Experts
One feature Lisa appreciates most about GTR is how it pays advocates at different stages of the referral process. “I personally like the fact that we pay rewards in different stages: advocates get one little payment, and then they get a big payment. It’s not their fault if somebody doesn’t go through the whole program, but they still get a payment for referring us.”

This structure has been especially valuable when referrals come back months later. “We’ve had times where referrals come back six months later, and they have decided to do it, and then the advocate is surprised because they’re getting this big chunk of money.”

Simplifying the Process with QR Codes
In addition to the tiered payment system, Lisa mentioned how QR codes have helped overcome technology barriers with older sales team members and customers. “The QR codes helped a lot with our median age group (45 to 64), and now I have not had one person even in their 90s ask for help. That’s great! ”

Why Allied Experts Chose GTR
For Lisa, working with GTR was an easy decision. “Just because of the ease of the whole process, how it connected to our CRM. Everything that we’ve done through GTR has really been, for lack of a better word, a simple process! ” The simplicity and support from the GTR team, especially Albert, has helped Lisa feel confident in the system, even when she admits, “I’m not as computer literate as young kids, and it means a lot to me to hear—Lisa, we got you, you’re good! ”