Google LSA Disputes: How to Get Refunds for “Wrong Number” Leads

You’re paying good money for Google Local Services Ads, expecting calls from customers who need your pest control services. 

But what happens when you pick up the phone and it’s someone looking for a plumber, a pizza shop, or just a flat-out wrong number? 

Each one of those junk calls costs you money, and paying for leads that go nowhere is a quick way to drain your marketing budget. The good news is that you don’t have to absorb that cost.

Google has a dispute process that lets you get your money back for these invalid leads. It’s a simple process, but you do need to be consistent to make it work. By regularly disputing bad leads, you can claw back a significant amount of cash. For some pest control companies, this can mean saving over $500 every single month. 

Let’s walk through how you can turn those frustrating junk calls back into cash for your business in our guide to the Google LSA dispute process for pest control. 

What Qualifies for a Refund Under the Google LSA Dispute Process for Pest Control?

First, you’ve got to know which leads you can dispute in the first place, since Google is specific about what it considers an invalid lead. While you might get frustrated with price shoppers, those calls don’t qualify for a refund.

You can get a refund for leads that fall into these categories:

• Wrong Number: The caller was trying to reach a different business entirely.
• Spam/Solicitation: The call is from a salesperson trying to sell you something or it’s just a robocall.
• Wrong Service: The customer is looking for a service you don’t offer. For example, if you only handle general pests and they need wildlife removal.
• Wrong Location: The customer is outside your designated service area.
• Duplicate Call: The same customer contacts you about the same job within 30 days.

This guide focuses on the “wrong number” calls because they’re common and easy to prove. You paid for a pest control lead, and you got something else entirely. That’s money you’re entitled to get back.

Google LSA Dispute Process: Pest Control Guide

Getting your refund is all about following the process found inside your Google LSA dashboard. It only takes a minute once you know where to look. Follow these steps for every junk lead you receive.

1. Log in to Your LSA Dashboard: Go to your Google Ads account and navigate to your Local Services Ads dashboard.
2. Find the “Leads” Tab: Once you’re in the dashboard, look for the “Leads” tab at the top of the page. This is where every call and message you’ve received through LSAs is logged.
3. Identify the Bad Lead: Scroll through your list of leads. You’ll see details for each one, including the date, time, and a recording of the call. Find the specific “wrong number” call you want to dispute.
4. Open the Lead Details: Click on the lead to open up its detailed view. Here you can listen to the call recording to confirm it’s the one you want to dispute.
5. Click the “Dispute” Button: In the top right corner of the lead detail view, you’ll see a button labeled “Dispute.” Click it.
6. Choose Your Reason: A menu will appear with options for why you’re disputing the lead. For a wrong number, you’ll select the most appropriate option, which is typically something like “Job not in my service area or for a service I don’t offer.” While there isn’t a specific “wrong number” button, this category covers calls that are not relevant to your business.
7. Add Your Notes: This is the most important step. In the notes section, be clear and concise. Write something like: “Invalid lead. Caller was looking for a different business and dialed the wrong number.” This simple explanation gives Google’s review team all the context they need.
8. Submit Your Dispute: After adding your notes, hit the “Submit” or “Continue” button. That’s it! Your dispute is now in the hands of Google’s team for review.

You’ll get an email notification about the status of your dispute, and you can also track it directly within the “Disputed” section of your Leads tab. If your dispute is approved, the credit for that lead will be applied directly to your account.

Consistency is Your Key to Savings

Disputing one bad lead might only save you $20 or $30. But how many of those calls do you get in a week? Or a month? Let’s say you get five invalid leads per week, and your average cost per lead is $25. That’s $125 per week you’re throwing away. Over a month, that adds up to $500.

If you do your best to make this dispute process a regular part of your weekly routine, you stop that slow leak in your budget. Don’t think of it as winning one dispute, but instead, as creating a system. Set aside 15 minutes every Friday to review the week’s leads and dispute the bad ones. This small time investment can have a big impact on your monthly marketing spend, allowing you to re-invest that money into getting more good leads.

Let Us Handle the Disputes for You

Running and growing a pest control business keeps you busy. You’re managing technicians, scheduling jobs, and putting out fires, both literally and figuratively. Finding time to review call logs every week can feel like one more task you just don’t have time for.

At IronChess SEO, we specialize in managing Google Local Services Ads for pest control companies. We handle everything from ad setup to lead management, and that includes disputing every single invalid lead on your behalf. We treat your ad budget like our own and work to get you the highest possible return on investment. 

If you’re tired of paying for wrong numbers, let us take care of it for you. Contact IronChess today, and let’s make sure you’re only paying for leads that grow your business.