Scorpion's New Industry Report Reveals a Disconnect Between Homeowners and Local Service Businesses

National research highlights increasing pressure on local home services businesses to deliver speed, trust, and convenience.

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Scorpion, the leading provider of digital marketing and technology solutions for local businesses, today announced the launch of its new 2026 State of Home Services Marketing Report. Based on responses from 2,000 homeowners and nearly 1,000 home services business leaders, the report highlights a growing disconnect between what homeowners want and what businesses deliver.

"Homeowners are moving faster and expecting more than ever," said Jamie Adams, Chief Revenue Officer at Scorpion. "Businesses that are easy to find, have great reputations, answer the phone or respond quickly to inquiries, and consistently deliver quality work will be the ones that grow. Those that don't deliver in each of these areas will not."

The study shows that 83% of homeowners start their search online, and 22% now use AI tools such as ChatGPT to research or find recommendations. At the same time, 55% of business leaders struggle to differentiate themselves from competitors, and 80% are unsure how to appear in AI-driven search results.

Trust and convenience now drive hiring decisions. 87% of homeowners will not hire a business rated below 4 stars, yet 67% of business leaders struggle to consistently collect reviews. The research also found that  56% of homeowners want 24/7 scheduling or a way to communicate after hours, yet 66% of businesses say providing after-hours customer service is their top challenge.

According to the study, many businesses inconsistently track marketing performance. 67% cannot connect marketing spend directly to revenue, while 78% use two or more marketing vendors, making it more difficult to track efforts. Scorpion works with leading CRMs and FSMs to connect marketing performance to revenue generation. As ServiceTitan's Only Preferred Digital Marketing Partner,  Scorpion helps businesses connect marketing and operations data in a single dashboard, tracking leads, booked jobs, and revenue so companies can invest in what works, improving ROI and maximizing revenue.

"It's not enough to show up where homeowners are," Adams said. "The businesses that optimize marketing efforts to revenue outcomes will see the strongest growth in 2026."

The report concludes that growth in 2026 will go to businesses that adapt to homeowner expectations, streamline communication, and integrate marketing and operations into a cohesive strategy. Companies that prioritize visibility, trust, and convenience at every step are positioned to win more leads, convert them into booked jobs, and maximize revenue.

To download the full 2026 State of Home Services Marketing Report, visit scorpion.co/HSreport. 

Survey Methodology
To stay ahead of digital marketing trends, Scorpion launched its "Consumer Search Trends" initiative in 2023. The 2026 State of Home Services Marketing Report is based on two national surveys conducted in late 2025: a study of 2,000 U.S. homeowners aged 25 and older who hired a trades professional within the past 18 months, and a study of 944 home services operators, marketers, and executives across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lawn, pest, and roofing industries. The survey was completed in partnership with independent market research firm Dynata.

About Scorpion
Scorpion is the leader in helping local businesses succeed through RevenueMAX, a complete collection of digital marketing solutions created to drive maximum revenue to local businesses. Scorpion is pushing the industry forward past a focus on leads and toward a focus on what truly matters: revenue growth. Backed by award-winning AI and more than 20 years of marketing expertise, Scorpion wins local businesses more clients, more revenue, and most importantly, better ROI. With Scorpion, there's no guesswork, only growth. Learn more at Scorpion.co.

Contact Information:
Kaliee Butler
Scorpion Public Relations
[email protected]

SOURCE Scorpion