Request job photos before the owner calls back

When photos could help, the workflow can create a random opaque bearer token associated with the active lead. The customer opens a focused page rather than receiving access to the owner's workspace. Possession of the link grants access to that upload action, so the customer should not forward or publish it.

The bearer token is lead-scoped, expires after 7 days, and is single-use: the server accepts it once for a valid upload and then marks it used. An expired or already used link requires the business to create a fresh token. These are bearer-token controls rather than a URL-signature scheme.

The request should explain what kind of image would be useful and that sharing is optional. It should never instruct a customer to climb, open equipment, enter a contaminated area, approach an electrical hazard, or otherwise take a risk. A missing photo leaves an information gap; it does not prevent the owner from reviewing the inquiry.

The customer upload page accepts JPEG, PNG, WebP, or GIF images, with a maximum 5 MB per file. These explicit accepted image types and size limits make the request understandable before submission. Unsupported or oversized input is rejected instead of being silently treated as a usable job photo.

File validation is a product boundary, not proof that an image is trustworthy or relevant. A supported format can still be blurry, misleading, incomplete, or unrelated. The owner reviews what was attached and decides whether to ask for another angle, request different details, continue by phone, or arrange an appropriate professional assessment.

Accepted photos are attached to the lead record with their stored media details. That keeps an image next to the service request, location, urgency language, callback preference, notes, and message history. The owner does not have to match an anonymous attachment from a separate mailbox to the right caller.

The attachment is useful across the owner workflow. It can support a callback, help prepare an estimator's questions, or show that more information is needed. The image does not automatically change lead status, create a quote, or authorize work. Deterministic app rules and explicit owner actions control those operational outcomes.

LeadGreeter does not diagnose a leak, equipment fault, roof condition, pest issue, structural concern, finish problem, or appliance failure from an uploaded image. Visual information can narrow the owner's questions, but it cannot establish hidden causes, site safety, code requirements, material compatibility, dimensions, or the complete scope of work.

A strong summary should state what the customer sent and what remains unknown. The owner can open the actual photo, compare it with the conversation, and apply trade expertise. If a customer labels an image incorrectly or the view is ambiguous, the workflow preserves that uncertainty instead of converting a guess into a business commitment.

Job photos may contain addresses, occupants, possessions, licence plates, documents, or other personal details beyond the visible trade problem. The business should request only relevant images, explain its purpose, and ensure it has authority to collect and use them. Customers should avoid including people or unrelated private information where practical.

An opaque, lead-scoped bearer link limits the upload path, but it does not remove the business's privacy responsibility. Account owners remain responsible for their instructions, access practices, retention needs, downstream sharing, and compliance obligations. Staff should review images only for legitimate service purposes and avoid copying them into tools the business has not approved.

LeadGreeter supports stored photo records through configured local or object-storage paths, with controlled media access in the application. Exact hosting, retention, backup, regional, and deletion requirements depend on deployment and customer policy. The public workflow should not make a broad storage assurance that the actual environment and agreements do not support.

If photos move through an integration, CRM, field-service platform, message, or download, that destination creates another copy with its own access and retention rules. The customer business chooses those destinations and is responsible for using authorized systems. LeadGreeter's bearer-token and owner access controls do not govern every external copy.

Useful prompts vary by workflow. A plumber may request a fixture and surrounding area, an HVAC owner may ask for equipment and thermostat labels, and a roofer may request safely visible interior and ground-level exterior damage. The wording should seek context without coaching the customer toward a diagnosis or unsafe position.

Test supported and unsupported file types, images above and below 5 MB, expired or invalid links, multiple photos, missing uploads, and explicit opt-out. Then review the owner experience: the lead should show which photos arrived, preserve their relationship to the conversation, and leave a clear next action for human review.