Responsiveness

How responsiveness is measured

Your responsiveness score is based on the average time between when you receive a referral and when you accept or decline it. The faster your average response time, the higher your score. Referly measures this across all referrals you've received and calculates the average automatically.

New accounts with no referrals received yet start with a neutral default score of 12 points — right in the middle. This prevents new accounts from being penalized for having no history, while still leaving room to improve.

Why responsiveness matters so much

When a contractor sends you a referral, their customer is waiting. They're expecting a call. Every hour that passes without a response from you is an hour your partner's customer spends wondering if the referral was a mistake. That's your partner's reputation on the line — not just yours.

A contractor who responds within an hour is a contractor worth partnering with. A contractor who takes three days is a contractor who costs you customers.

Responsiveness is also the factor most under your direct control. You can't instantly change how many partners you have. You can't retroactively complete more referrals. But you can respond to the next referral you receive within the hour. That one change, applied consistently, can meaningfully improve your trust score.

Does declining count against my responsiveness?

No. Declining a referral quickly is actually good for your responsiveness score. A fast decline is far better than a slow acceptance. Your partner needs to know as soon as possible so they can send the referral elsewhere. Declining within 30 minutes contributes to a strong responsiveness score just like accepting does.

Tips for improving your responsiveness

• Enable email notifications. Referly sends you an email the moment a referral arrives. Make sure you're checking the email address associated with your account.
• Set a response policy. Decide in advance: you will respond to all referrals within 2 hours during business hours. Treat it like a commitment to your partners.
• Respond even if you can't take the job. A quick decline is better than silence. Your partner can move on, your customer isn't left waiting, and your responsiveness score gets the credit.
• Check Referly when you check your messages. Make it part of your routine. Same cadence as checking texts or voicemails.

What if I'm on vacation or unavailable?

Extended unavailability will hurt your responsiveness score, and more importantly, it will hurt the contractors who are sending you referrals. If you're going to be unavailable for more than a day or two, let your active partners know directly so they can route referrals elsewhere. A quick message to your partners goes a long way toward maintaining the trust your score represents.