Most boiler companies sit on a valuable list without knowing what is in it. A short audit tells you how many real customers you have, what equipment they own, when they were last serviced and what you may send them. Those four facts decide whether a plan launch or reminder campaign will work. This guide shows how to run the audit yourself, with or without our help.
Step 1: Find every place customer data lives
Short answer: list every system that holds customer names, addresses or job history before you touch any records.
Typical places include:
- the CRM or field-service software
- the accounting system, which may hold customers the CRM doesn't
- spreadsheets kept by the office or a former manager
- the phone system's call history
- paper job cards or install binders
Write down each source and roughly how many records it holds. If customer information is spread across three or more places, plan to merge into one before doing anything else.
Step 2: Take a baseline count
Short answer: write down five numbers now, so you can measure progress later.
| Baseline number | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Total customer records | Count from your main system |
| Likely duplicates | Same phone or address appearing more than once |
| Records with a last-service date | Filter for any service visit date |
| Records with equipment type | Filter for a boiler or combi entry |
| Records with documented consent | Filter for a consent field with a date |
Don't worry if some numbers are low. The point is to know where you stand. These are the same figures we use at the start of our service data and reporting work.
Step 3: Merge duplicates carefully
Short answer: match on phone number and service address, then review before merging.
Duplicates usually come from a customer calling from two numbers, a spelling change, or a record created in both the CRM and accounting system. Match on phone number and service address first, then email. Review each match before merging, because two people at the same address can be different customers, such as a landlord and a tenant.
Keep the oldest service history and the most recent contact details. Never discard the record that shows the original install.
A practical tip: export the list before you merge anything and keep that untouched copy somewhere secure until the clean-up is finished. If a merge goes wrong, you can always check what the original record said.
Step 4: Add equipment and service details
Short answer: use invoices and install records to fill equipment type, approximate install year and last service date.
Go through recent invoices and install packages and record, for each household:
- equipment type: combi, system boiler, boiler with indirect tank, other
- approximate install year, if your records show it
- last service date and the tech who did it
Only record what your documents show. A blank field is better than a guess. Equipment details help in two ways: techs arrive prepared, and you can plan reminders around the households that most need a visit.
Step 5: Sort consent status
Short answer: tag every contact as express, implied with a date, or unknown, based only on what you can show.
ISED's guidance on getting consent explains express and implied consent, and notes that implied consent can be time-limited. For each record:
- Is there a recorded "yes" to texts or emails, with a date and method? Tag express.
- Is there a business relationship with a recorded date, but no explicit "yes"? Tag implied, dated, and ask a lawyer how long you can rely on it.
- Is there nothing? Tag unknown.
Then add opt-in wording to invoices, plan sign-ups and your website, so the unknown group shrinks over time. Our reminder sequences guide explains how the tags are used.
Step 6: Check privacy basics
Short answer: limit who can see and export the list, and know which privacy law applies to you.
Customer lists are personal information. The federal privacy commissioner's summary of privacy laws explains that a federal law covers most private businesses, while Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec have their own private-sector laws. Practical basics:
- give list access only to people who need it
- remove access for former staff and vendors
- avoid emailing spreadsheets of customer data around
- keep exports for a project only as long as needed
Step 7: Segment the clean list
Short answer: split the list into a few groups that each get a different message.
A simple segmentation for a boiler company:
| Segment | Who | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Plan members | Active plan, renewal date known | Visit reminder; renewal sequence |
| Recent customers | Serviced in the last 2 years, not on a plan | Reminder plus plan invitation |
| Lapsed customers | Last serviced 3+ years ago | Re-introduction, by permitted channel |
| Install-only | Installed by you, never serviced | Plan invitation at a natural moment |
| Unknown consent | Any of the above, no consent record | Post or next-visit opt-in |
Each group has a different purpose. Plan members need scheduling; recent customers need an invitation to join the maintenance plan; lapsed customers need a gentle reason to come back.
Step 8: Set a routine so it stays clean
Short answer: decide who records what at each visit, and check the list every quarter.
Lists decay quickly. People move, change numbers and replace equipment. Agree on a short routine:
- the tech records equipment type and condition after each visit
- the office records consent at booking or at invoice
- someone checks duplicates and missing fields every quarter
Common mistakes
Short answer: guessing, deleting and over-segmenting.
- Marking everyone as consented to make the campaign bigger.
- Deleting old customers who may still be good candidates for a visit.
- Building twelve segments when four would do.
- Cleaning once and never again.
- Leaving former staff with access to the list.
Once you have your baseline numbers, you can see whether to start with a plan launch, reminders or a clean-up. If you want help reading them, call, text or email; the free 7-day review on our pricing page includes a look at how your service pages and search visibility support the program.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a list audit take?
For a company with a single CRM and a few thousand records, an afternoon or two for the baseline. A full clean-up across several systems can take a few weeks.
Should we delete old customers?
Archive rather than delete, unless you have a privacy reason to remove records. An old customer may still have the same boiler and be a good candidate for a visit.
What if we have no consent records at all?
That is common. Treat those contacts as unknown, reach them by post or at the next visit, and add opt-in wording to invoices and plan sign-ups going forward.
Can a spreadsheet work instead of a CRM?
For a small company, a well-kept spreadsheet can work for a while. Once you have a plan with renewal dates, software that sends reminders and tracks renewals saves real time.