6 Months, Thousands of Calls: What We Learned Running AI Voice Agents in Real Window & Door Dealerships
We thought we knew what would work. After 6 months of real customer calls, we discovered we were wrong about almost everything.
We thought we knew what would work. After 6 months of real customer calls, we discovered we were wrong about almost everything. And that's exactly why our agents outperform everyone else.
Here's the truth most AI vendors won't tell you: the first version of their product doesn't work well. Ours didn't either.
But we did something different. We spent 6 months in the trenches with real dealers, handling thousands of real customer calls. We A/B tested everything. We failed. We learned. We optimized.
The Voice That Closed the Deal
We A/B tested 12 different voice personas.
The polished "customer service representative" voice we assumed would win? Bombed.
The slightly casual, warm "helpful neighbor" voice? 34% higher appointment conversion.
Why? Window and door customers are inviting someone into their home. The voice needs to feel like someone they'd actually want in their living room.
Most vendors pick a voice once and forget it. We test weekly.
The Question Order That Changed Everything
Our initial script asked for the customer's address early in the call. Standard industry practice.
Drop-off rate: 23%.
We moved qualification questions about project scope before asking for personal information.
Drop-off rate: 8%.
That's a 65% reduction in abandonment from one simple change.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| "What is your address?" (first question) | "Can you tell me a bit about your project?" (first question) |
| 23% drop-off | 8% drop-off |
| Felt like interrogation | Felt like conversation |
Conversations That Actually Feel Natural
Early AI voice agents had an uncanny valley problem: they'd talk over customers, respond before people finished speaking, or pause awkwardly at the wrong moments. Callers hung up feeling like they were talking to a broken machine.
We invested heavily in solving this. Our agents use cutting-edge speech technology with model-integrated end-of-turn detection—the AI knows when you've actually finished your thought versus just taking a breath. Ultra-low latency (~260ms) means responses feel immediate without being jarring. Built-in barge-in handling lets callers interrupt naturally, just like a real conversation.
But fast isn't always better. We obsessively tuned how the agent reads back critical information—appointment times, addresses, phone numbers, emails—with natural breathing room and clear pacing. When you're confirming a $15,000 appointment, the caller needs time to absorb.
The result: conversations that flow naturally, with 18% higher completion rates compared to our early versions.
The Opt-Out Revolution
Some customers don't want to talk to an AI. Period.
Our approach: identify transparently when asked, offer immediate off-ramps, but don't lead with it. The agent opens naturally:
"Hi, this is Tom with West Coast Windows & Doors. I'd love to hear about your project. What kind of windows or doors are you thinking about?"
When a caller asks "Am I talking to a robot?" the response is immediate and honest:
"Yes, I'm an AI assistant powered by WindowEdge AI. Would you prefer to speak with a live agent instead?"
When callers request a transfer, the agent asks one clarifying question first. If they mention new windows or doors, it offers a choice:
"I'm trained to help schedule design consultations for new window and door projects. Can I take care of that for you, or would you still like to be transferred?"
This is where attitudes shift. The skepticism melts away. "Oh, you can actually do that?"
Customers who chose to continue with the AI had 2.3x higher conversion rates than customers who felt they had no choice. When people opt in, they're actually engaged.
Smart Validation
Incorrect addresses mean wasted sales appointments. Wrong service areas. Installers driving to the wrong side of town.
We added real-time Google Maps address validation during the call.
The ROI: massive improvement in sales rep satisfaction. Zero wasted drive time to addresses that don't exist.
Smart Filtering
Not every caller is a fit for your business. Commercial buildings. Glass-only repairs. Hardware replacements. Outside your service area.
We stack questions strategically. The most frequent disqualifiers come first.
"Thanks Sarah, can I get your zip code please?"
Service area check happens in the first 30 seconds. If they're outside your territory, we save everyone's time immediately.
If a caller mentions "foggy windows" or "failed seals," the agent catches it:
"We don't replace just the glass, but if you're interested in full window replacement, we can definitely help. Would you want to consider that?"
The result: call duration reduced by over 30% on calls that weren't going to convert anyway.
When a caller needs something outside your wheelhouse, the agent provides actual value:
"We don't do glass-only replacement, but if you search for 'top rated glass shop' in your area, you should find some great options."
The caller leaves with a positive impression. Your team spends time on leads that actually fit.
Myths We Killed in 6 Months
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Best voice is ultra-professional" | False. "Helpful neighbor" wins. |
| "Faster is always better" | False. Micro-pauses beat machine-gun replies. |
| "Hide the AI at all costs" | False. Honest when asked + easy off-ramps increased conversion 2.3x. |
| "AI skeptics will never engage" | False. Once they see it's conversational, attitudes shift fast. |
| "Phone scripts don't need updating" | False. Weekly A/B testing compounds gains. |
The Never-Ending Pursuit
Here's what separates us: we never stop testing.
- Continuous model evaluation across every major LLM, STT, and TTS provider
- Weekly A/B testing of prompts, voices, and conversation flows
- Real-time monitoring of conversation quality metrics
Your competitors using generic chatbots? They deployed once and forgot. We're optimizing while you read this.
Built for Dealers, by Dealers
We built WindowEdge AI because we were tired of watching installers answer phones in the truck instead of finishing jobs.
30+ years in the trade. 2-week implementation. Zero-risk pricing.
This isn't generic AI slapped onto your phone system. This is battle-tested intelligence built specifically for window and door dealers.
The agent you deploy today will be better in six months. Every improvement we make benefits every dealer on the system. Your competitive advantage compounds over time.
Ready to See What 6 Months of Learning Can Do?
Every insight in this post is already built into WindowEdge AI agents. You don't have to run the experiments yourself.
Because while you're reading about these improvements, your competitors might already be using them.
