Get more out of your account, one guide at a time.

1. In the left menu, open Opportunities, then the Pipelines tab. (In some accounts, pipelines live under Settings → Pipelines.)
2. Find the pipeline you want to change and click its edit (pencil) icon.
3. You'll see every stage in order, with options for each one.

1. Rename: click into a stage name and type the new one. Use words your team already uses, like "Estimate booked" instead of "Appointment set."
2. Add: add a new stage and position it where it belongs in your process.
3. Reorder: use the arrows (or drag handle, depending on your view) to move stages up or down. Stages should read left to right in the order a deal moves.
4. Click Save.

Tip: keep it between 5 and 8 stages. If a stage never has anything in it, merge it into its neighbor.

1. Before deleting a stage, open the pipeline board and move any opportunities out of it into the right stage.
2. Check whether any automation uses that stage as a trigger or action (for example "when an opportunity moves to Quoted"). Update those workflows first.
3. Then delete the stage and save.

Watch out: automations that point at a deleted stage stop working. When in doubt, rename the stage instead of deleting it.

Use a separate pipeline when a group of deals follows a different process. Common examples:

• New customers vs. renewals or memberships
• Residential vs. commercial jobs
• One pipeline per service line, like "Consultations" and "Treatments"

1. In Pipelines, click Create pipeline.
2. Name it, add your stages and save.
3. Update any forms or automations that should send new leads into it.

• Drag an opportunity card from one stage to the next on the board view, or open the card and change its stage.
• Set the opportunity value so your pipeline total reflects real dollars.
• Mark deals Won or Lost when they're done so they stop cluttering open stages. Add a lost reason so you can spot patterns.
• Use the stage visibility settings to choose which stages show in the funnel and pie charts on your dashboard.

Tip: the side panels collapse, which helps on smaller laptop screens.

1. Open a conversation from the chat list.
2. In the composer at the bottom, use the channel selector to choose SMS, email, Facebook, Instagram or another connected channel. The composer remembers the last channel you used.
3. Type your reply, attach a file or photo if needed, and press send (or Ctrl/⌘ + Enter).

Tip: reply on the channel the customer used. Someone who texted usually wants a text back.

1. In the channel selector, choose Internal Comment.
2. Write your note. Type @ and a teammate's name to notify them.
3. The customer never sees internal comments. They stay on the timeline for your team.

Example: "@Maria customer prefers mornings, quote sent Tuesday."

• Use the Filter icon to narrow by channel, tags, owner or date. Filters can be combined.
• Use the unread count and the New divider to see what's waiting.
• Select threads with checkboxes to Mark as read/unread or Star them in bulk.
• Archive finished conversations to clear your list without deleting them. Unarchive anytime.

• Set the contact's owner in the contact panel so the right person handles follow-up, then filter by owner to see your own list.
• Agree on a reply-time goal, like "every new message answered within one business hour."
• Use saved replies and templates for questions you answer every day.
• Download the mobile app so you can reply from the job or between appointments.

• Only send marketing texts to people who opted in. Replying to someone who texted you first is fine.
• When someone replies STOP, they're unsubscribed automatically. Don't try to work around it.
• Keep sensitive details (like health or financial information) out of texts.
• Business texting requires A2P registration. See the A2P guide.

1. In the left menu, open Automation, then Workflows.
2. Each workflow shows whether it's Published (running) or Draft (off).
3. Click a workflow to open the builder.

Read it top to bottom like a recipe: "When a form is submitted, text them right away, create a call task, wait two days, and if they haven't replied, send a follow-up."

1. Open the workflow and click the step you want to change.
2. Edit the message text or the wait duration. Use custom values like {{contact.first_name}} to personalize.
3. Click Save action, then Save the workflow.

Watch out: changes apply to people who reach that step after you save. People already past it won't get the new version.

1. Create a test contact using your own phone number and email.
2. Trigger the workflow the way a customer would, like submitting your own form.
3. Check the workflow's execution logs or enrollment history to see each step run.
4. When it works, switch it from Draft to Publish and save.

Tip: build one workflow per job. Several small workflows are easier to fix than one giant one.

• Double messages: two workflows with the same trigger can both fire. Check before publishing a new one.
• Re-entry: decide whether someone can go through a workflow more than once, and set that option on purpose.
• Stop on reply: add a condition so follow-ups stop when the customer responds.
• Quiet hours: don't schedule texts in the middle of the night.
• Turning one off: switch it back to Draft instead of deleting it, so you can turn it on again later.

• Pick one job to start: answer common questions, book appointments, or capture lead details.
• Write down your hours, services, service area, prices you're comfortable sharing, and your booking rules.
• List what it should never do: quote custom prices, give legal, medical or financial advice, or promise anything you haven't approved.
• Decide when it should hand off to a person.

1. Go to AI Agents → Conversation AI and click Create Bot.
2. Choose a setup method. Guided Form Setup is easiest; pick General Q&A or Appointment Booking.
3. Set the Brand Voice (friendly, professional, short replies).
4. Under Bot Training, add your FAQs, website pages or documents so it answers from your information.
5. Under Bot Goals, choose what it collects (name, phone, email, address) and which calendar it books into.
6. Choose the channels it covers, like SMS, website chat, Facebook and Instagram.

Tip: run Suggestive for a week or two. Every edit you make to its drafts shows you what to add to its training.

1. Go to AI Agents → Voice AI and create a new agent.
2. Write the greeting. We recommend it says it's a virtual assistant, for example "Thanks for calling Ridgeline Plumbing, this is the virtual assistant."
3. Add your business information and the agent's goals (answer questions, collect details, book appointments).
4. Assign a phone number. Voice AI works with numbers on the Alcreo phone system (LC Phone or Twilio), not numbers set up as a phone menu (IVR).
5. Set working hours, for example after hours and weekends only.
6. Add actions: call transfer to a person for emergencies or anyone who asks, appointment booking into your calendar, and contact updates.

• Text or call it yourself and ask your five most common questions.
• Ask something it shouldn't answer. It should take a message or hand off, not guess.
• Book a test appointment and confirm it lands on the right calendar.
• Try a transfer and make sure the right phone rings.
• Turn on notifications for questions it couldn't answer, and add those answers to its training.

• Update its training when prices, hours or services change.
• Review a few conversations each week.
• Keep humans in the loop for complaints, complex quotes and sensitive topics.
• Call recording and AI-disclosure rules vary by state. Telling callers they're speaking with a virtual assistant is the safe default.

*Unlimited AI agents are subject to fair use. Standard phone and texting usage applies.

• ✓Your website is live and public (not "coming soon" or behind a login).
• ✓The business name on your site matches your registration and your legal or DBA name.
• ✓The site shows what you do and how to contact you.
• ✓A privacy policy is linked in the footer, and it says mobile information won't be shared with third parties for marketing.
• ✓Terms and conditions are linked in the footer and describe your texting program and how to opt out.
• ✓Forms that collect phone numbers have an unchecked consent box for texts, with message-frequency, rates and STOP/HELP language.

Shortcut: the compliance add-on covers the policy items above automatically.

• Legal business name exactly as registered (and DBA if you use one)
• EIN / Tax ID, or note that you're a sole proprietor without one
• Business address, website, and a contact person's name, email and phone
• Business type and industry

Tip: the name and EIN must match IRS records exactly. A mismatch is a common brand rejection.

1. Go to Settings → Phone System → Trust Center.
2. In the A2P Messaging (SMS) card, open Brand & Campaigns.
3. Choose your brand type (standard brand with a Tax ID, or sole proprietor) and enter your business details.
4. Submit. Brand review comes before campaign approval.

1. In Brand & Campaigns, open the Campaigns tab and click Create Campaign.
2. Pick your messaging volume and setup method. The chat widget setup generates an opt-in widget for your site; manual setup is for businesses that collect consent another way.
3. Choose your use case: marketing, informational (appointment reminders, updates) or mixed.
4. Describe who sends and receives messages, what they're about and how people opt in.
5. Add sample messages that include your business name and opt-out language. Don't use custom fields like {{first_name}} in samples.
6. Enter your public privacy policy URL and terms URL.
7. Complete the website compliance checklist, click Review Application, fix anything flagged and submit.

Open View required fixes on the rejected campaign to see the carrier's reason. Don't create a second campaign while one is pending.

• Go to Settings → Phone System → Phone Numbers and confirm your number shows A2P Verified.
• If it doesn't, link the number to your approved campaign.
• Keep your policies current. If your texting changes (for example, you start sending promotions), your policies and consent language should match.

Registration and carrier fees are set by the carriers and passed through. Approval timing depends on the carriers and varies. Passing the review checklist doesn't guarantee approval.

• You pay Google directly for leads. You set a weekly budget, and your monthly spend stays at roughly that budget times the average weeks in a month.
• Charged: a call you answer or return, a text or email, a voicemail, a booking request, or a missed call during business hours where the caller stays on the line more than 20 seconds.
• Not charged: spam and duplicates, and repeat contacts from the same customer within 15 days.
• Credits: Google may credit low-quality leads automatically within 30 days, and you can report others for review. Some categories, like health care and tax services, don't get automatic credits.

Good to know: Google screens every business and makes the final eligibility decision. Results and lead volume aren't guaranteed.

Local Services Ads are only available for certain categories and areas. Requirements vary:

• Home services: urgent trades like electricians, HVAC, plumbers, locksmiths and garage door companies get extra screening, including checks on service professionals.
• Professional services: professional licenses, such as a state bar check for lawyers or a license check for real estate agents.
• Health care: provider and practice licenses, and NPI verification for some providers.
• Restaurants: only need a verified Google Business Profile, but can't get the Google Verified badge.

Not sure? Use the quick eligibility check or book a call and we'll tell you before you do any paperwork.

• ✓A verified, public Google Business Profile that matches your ad
• ✓Your legal business name and registration, exactly as registered
• ✓Licenses your trade or profession requires
• ✓An insurance certificate, usually general liability (need coverage? Alcreo Insurance)
• ✓Owner and business details for background checks
• ✓Your service areas, job types, business hours and a starting weekly budget
• ✓Google reviews (some categories need them to start)

1. Go to Google's Local Services Ads sign-up page and sign in with the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
2. Enter your business name, address and phone, and link your Business Profile.
3. Choose your category, service areas and job types.
4. Set your business hours and a starting weekly budget.
5. Add your payment method. Google bills your card directly for leads.
6. Start the screening steps on your dashboard right away.

1. In your Local Services Ads account, open the Admin menu and choose Access and security.
2. Click the plus (+) button.
3. Choose Administrative access (Standard also works).
4. Enter SEO@alcreomedia.com and click Send invitation.
5. Open a support ticket to let us know. We'll accept and confirm.

You stay the owner and can remove our access anytime.

• Screening usually takes about 3–4 weeks after your documents are submitted.
• Upload documents exactly as requested, with your business name matching everywhere.
• Complete background checks quickly when Google emails them. Each person may get their own email.
• Forward anything confusing to us through a support ticket.

• Answer fast during your listed hours. Missed-call text back and the AI receptionist help.
• Rate every lead and report poor-quality ones for credit.
• Ask for reviews after every job. They help your ranking.
• Keep hours, job types and areas current so you don't pay for leads you can't serve.
• We review lead volume, cost per lead and booked jobs with you and adjust the budget.