Join Me!

Brandon Don Rabovsky of Vulca and my client Nathan Shafer of Shafer Heating & Cooling invite you to learn about our AI Success Story.

Watch the Video

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This excerpt is from the YouTube video titled “The AI Episode: Brandon Rabovsky & Nathan Shafer – Shafer Heating & Cooling – Duchess of Ductless.” It introduces Vulca, a new platform designed to automate and streamline referral processes for home service businesses. The founders explain how Vulca creates a whitelabeled referral hotline, allowing customers to easily send referrals via text message, with AI parsing information directly into CRM systems like ServiceTitan.

The video discusses Vulca’s aim to be a catalyst in changing the perception of referrals, emphasizing convenience similar to services like DoorDash or Uber Eats.

Key Problems Addressed by Vulca:

Traditional referral methods are often clunky, involving online forms or manual checks, leading to missed payouts and lost business.

Businesses often rely heavily on paid leads (LSA, PPC, SEO) and overlook the potential of referrals from existing customers.

Lack of tracking and measurement for referral sources leads to lost opportunities.

How Vulca Works:

Vulca builds a whitelabeled referral hotline with a specific phone number for each business.

Referrals are made simply by sending a text message to this hotline.

AI parses the message, extracts information, and directly integrates it into ServiceTitan.

When a referred job closes in ServiceTitan, Vulca automates a notification for payment.

Customers have options for fast payment via Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Amazon, Visa, or future credit, which can increase customer lifetime value.

The system can be promoted by technicians using QR codes or through post-job automation requests, often personalized to the technician.

Benefits and Impact:

Drives revenue and ROI by focusing on high-quality referrals that close at an 85-90% clip compared to lower-quality leads.

Makes it easy to track and pay out rewards, preventing anyone from falling through the cracks.

Incentivizes all parties: customers receive rewards, and technicians are recognized for promoting referrals, fostering a culture where everyone acts as an extension of the sales team.

Encourages technicians to ask for referrals by appealing to empathy, not just the potential financial reward.

Nathan Shafer’s Experience with Shafer Heating & Cooling:

Nathan Shafer, Vulca’s first customer, reported over an additional $160,000 in sales generated in just four months through the platform.

They have 1,074 signed-up advocates and have generated 38 referrals.

Shafer Heating & Cooling pays up to 10% of the purchase price, capped at $1,000 for successful referrals. For example, a $27,000 job resulted in a $1,000 payout.

They’ve also expanded into B2B referrals, hiring a “relationship building coordinator” to visit around 200 businesses monthly, aiming to generate $1 million in B2B referrals within 12 months.

The coordinator adds value to partner businesses through training and relationships, receiving the same 10% up to $1,000 referral fee for clients sent.

Vulca believes that leveraging word-of-mouth and referrals—historically how trades grew—represents a significant and often overlooked revenue source. The platform focuses on building genuine relationships and making referral management efficient and profitable.

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