Know what's been done to the house — and what's still original — before you open the panel.
Electrical permits tell you what's already been upgraded: panel, service, solar, generator, EV charger. Year built points at panel type and wiring era. And more than any other trade, Safety shows up as what the homeowner most wants to be true.
Scout Brief
Nguyen · Panel upgradeWhat the brief emphasizes for electrical
- PermitsWhat's been done
- Electrical permits — panel, service upgrade, solar, generator, EV charger — tell you what's already been done to the house and what's likely original.
- Home agePanel type and wiring era
- Year built points at panel type and wiring era, which drives the rewire and panel conversations.
- Safety as the Win ConditionMore than any other trade
- Safety shows up as what the homeowner most wants to be true. The brief frames it that way when the signals are there.
- Lifestyle signalsA want, not a failure
- An EV charger or a generator visit is a want, not a failure — the brief leans toward Research and Value plays.
- StormWind and lightning
- Events near the address, for generator and surge conversations.
Job families and how to use the brief in each
| Family | What to look for in the brief | Plays you'll see most | First move at the door |
|---|---|---|---|
| EV charger | Home age, panel permits, tenure, Research signals | Research, Value, Convenience-driven Comfort | Ask about the car and the daily routine before the panel |
| Generator | Storm history, home size, tenure, Peace of Mind / Safety | Research, Family, Value | Ask what happened the last time the power went out |
| Panel upgrade | Home age, permits, what else is planned (EV, solar, addition) | Safety-driven Trust, Value | Show them the panel; explain what it can and can't carry |
| Rewire | Home age, permits, tenure, home value, Family signals | Trust, Family, Safety | Prove the issue with what you find; plan the second conversation |
| Service | Call notes, past visits | Emergency, Trust | Fix it; look at the panel while you're there |
At the door — questions that confirm the read
| Family | Three questions |
|---|---|
| EV charger | 1) Which car, and when does it charge? 2) Where does it park? 3) Any plans for a second EV, solar, or a pool? |
| Generator | 1) What happened last time the power went out? 2) What has to stay on — medical, freezer, well pump? 3) How long do you plan to be here? |
| Panel / rewire | 1) What made you call — tripping, flickering, an inspection report? 2) Has anyone shown you the panel? 3) Who else needs to be part of this? |
Dispatching electrical
- Panels, rewires and generators carry the money. Rank on those job types and protect them.
- EV charger visits are Research Plays — send the tech who knows the products and the incentives cold.
- Service calls convert to panel work when the tech runs Trust and looks at the panel every time. Track that job type's close rate on its own.
Everything else, same as every trade
Text, phone call, or on the job
At assignment or at On My Way — by text, Slack, Teams, a phone call, or in the job itself. Brief delivery.
Close rate by job family and by play
EV charger, generator, panel, rewire and service as their own rows with a ranked list of techs inside each. Close-rate reporting.
Wind and lightning on every brief
The weather layer and the Storm badge, for the surge and generator conversation. Storm response.
Questions people ask
Does the brief know whether the panel is original?
It knows what the permits say. No electrical permits on file since a 1987 build means the panel and wiring are likely original; a 2019 service-upgrade permit changes the read. The tech confirms at the panel.
Why is Safety the win condition so often in electrical?
Because more than in any other trade, what the homeowner most wants to be true is that the risk is handled — for the family, for code, for the inspection. The brief describes the proposal in those words when the signals are there.
Which play do EV charger visits usually get?
Research. The homeowner has usually chosen the car and read about chargers. Send the tech who knows the products and the incentives cold, and open with the car and the daily routine before the panel.
Which scheduling software does it connect to?
ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, Jobber and JobNimbus. Electrical jobs are matched to the trade by the words in your job type names.
Keep reading
See a Scout Brief built on a real appointment from your schedule.
A 30-minute walkthrough. We pick a recent sales visit, build the brief and the audio, and walk through Today's Play as if your tech were about to knock. You decide if it changes the call.