Make.com (formerly Integromat) handles more complex automation workflows than Zapier at a lower price point. For HVAC companies that need multi-step automations with conditional logic - like routing leads based on job type and urgency - Make is the better tool.

Lead Routing by Job Type

Workflow: When a new lead comes in, check the job type:

  • Emergency repair: Immediately text the on-call dispatcher
  • Maintenance/tune-up: Add to the scheduling queue and send confirmation email
  • Equipment replacement: Route to your sales team with a priority flag

This automation replaces manual lead sorting and ensures every lead goes to the right person instantly.

Automated Estimate Follow-Up Sequence

Workflow: When an estimate is created:

  • Day 0: Send estimate via email
  • Day 2: If not opened, send reminder text
  • Day 5: If not accepted, send follow-up with a time-limited offer
  • Day 14: If still pending, send final follow-up
  • Day 30: Move to "lost" pipeline and send a win-back offer

Weather-Triggered Marketing

Workflow: When temperature forecast exceeds 95F or drops below 30F:

  • Increase Google Ads budget by 50%
  • Send emergency service availability text to recent customers
  • Post seasonal content to Google Business Profile

HVAC businesses using Make automations save 10-15 hours per week on admin tasks by eliminating manual data entry and follow-up sequences.

Review Management Pipeline

Workflow:

1. Job marked complete in CRM

2. Wait 3 hours

3. Send review request text with direct Google link

4. If no response in 48 hours, send one follow-up

5. When review posted, notify the business owner

6. If negative (1-3 stars), send urgent alert for immediate response

Browse HVAC automation recipes

Get Started

Getting Started with Make

1. Sign up at Make.com (free plan includes 1,000 operations/month)

2. Start with one automation - lead notification or estimate follow-up

3. Test thoroughly before going live

4. Add complexity gradually

Make's visual workflow builder shows your automations as flowcharts, making them easier to understand and modify than text-based tools.

Worked Example: Make.com vs Zapier Cost

Same automations: lead routing + estimate follow-up + review management. Zapier: $19.99-49.99/month for 750-2,000 tasks. Make: $9/month for 10,000 operations. If you run 50 jobs/month × 5 automation steps each = 250 operations + lead routing + follow-ups = ~500 operations/month. Make handles this on the $9 plan. Zapier requires the $19.99+ plan. Savings: $130-490/year. Make is cheaper for complex, multi-step automations.

What Not to Do

  • Don't use Make for simple automations. If you need "new form → text alert," Zapier is simpler to set up. Use Make when you need conditional logic, loops, or multi-step workflows.
  • Don't build weather-triggered automations without guardrails. Auto-increasing your ad budget when temperature hits 95°F is smart, but add a maximum budget cap so a heat wave doesn't blow your monthly budget in 3 days.
  • Don't skip the testing phase. Make's visual builder makes it easy to build complex workflows - and easy to create expensive mistakes. Test with small volumes first.
  • Don't forget error handling. Add error notification steps to every workflow. When an API fails or data is missing, you need to know immediately.

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