How do I stop missing calls as a tradesperson?

Why trades miss so many calls

You can't answer with your hands in a boiler, on a ladder or under a car, and you shouldn't while driving. The calls that matter most, new customers with a job now, often come in exactly when you're busiest. And a new customer who reaches voicemail can simply ring the next name on the search results.

Habits that help on their own

Even without any new tools, these make a difference:

• Check missed calls at set times, for example before each new job and at lunch.
• Ring back new numbers first; existing customers are more patient.
• Change your voicemail to say when you'll call back and exactly what to leave.
• Put your opening hours and area on your Google listing so fewer calls are about basics.
• Keep a simple list of who you owe a call back, so none slip.

When habits aren't enough

Habits fail on your busiest days, which are also your best days for new work. That's when it pays to have something answer for you: a family member, a human answering service or an AI receptionist. The key is that it takes the details and you get them in writing straight away.

Step by step

1. Look at your call log. Count last month's missed calls from numbers you didn't recognise. That's roughly your lost-enquiry problem.
2. Fix your voicemail. Record a greeting that says when you'll ring back and asks for name, number, address and the job.
3. Divert calls you can't answer. Set your phone to forward calls you don't answer within about 20 seconds to a receptionist or answering service.
4. Reply the same day. Work through every captured enquiry before the end of the day, new customers first.

Questions