What is a qualified appointment?

Why should the definition be in the contract?

Because qualified means something different to the seller and the buyer of appointments. Without a written definition nobody can tell whether the service is working, and with per-appointment pricing every invoice becomes an opinion.

A written definition also sets what the provider optimizes for. If a no-show counts, you will get no-shows.

How does the definition change by industry?

The structure stays the same; the criteria change. In HVAC it is a homeowner with a system in scope inside the service area. In roofing it is the property owner at the inspection. For a freight broker it is a logistics decision-maker at a shipper with freight on its lanes.

• Who: role and authority to decide
• What: need or job type in your scope
• Where: inside the area or lanes you serve
• When: a confirmed window, and the meeting is held

A template you can use with any provider

Use this as a starting point and adapt it to your business.

Counts

• The prospect has authority to decide, or is the agreed influencer
• The need is in your scope
• The location or lane is one you serve
• Name, need and window were confirmed before the meeting
• The meeting was held

Does not count

• No-shows (reschedule rules agreed in advance)
• Duplicates of contacts already in your pipeline
• Out-of-scope or out-of-area prospects

Market context (not Avantai results)

• Market figure. One pay-per-appointment provider lets homeowners request appointments from 1–4 companies. Source
• Market figure. Another charges only when a pre-qualified homeowner is booked on the calendar. Source

When this matters most

• When you pay per appointment or per meeting.
• When the ticket is high and sales time is expensive.

Not a fit

• When you buy raw leads and work them yourself. Then the definition is yours to apply.