Learn more: 24/7 HVAC Call Answering
As a HVAC contractor, staying on top of every incoming call is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and growing your business. But even the most organized teams can miss calls, especially during busy or unpredictable times. Understanding when and why your business is missing calls can help you improve your response time and ensure you’re never losing valuable opportunities.
Why HVAC Businesses Miss Calls
1. People Often Call Outside Business Hours
A lot of homeowners do their research and make service calls after their own workday—sometimes as late as 8 or 9 PM. Weekends and holidays are also popular times to call, especially for bigger decisions like new installations or scheduling seasonal maintenance.
2. Most People Won’t Leave a Voicemail
Around 80% of callers won’t bother leaving a message if they hit voicemail. Instead, they’re likely to call the next HVAC company on their list. That means missing one call often means losing a job.
3. Calls Drop During Lunch or Shift Changes
Even a quick break can lead to a missed opportunity. Midday (especially between 12–2 PM) is when many people take their own lunch and finally have a moment to call—right when your team may be away from the phones.
4. Emergencies Don’t Wait
When an HVAC system breaks down, especially in extreme weather, customers need help fast. If no one picks up, they’re moving on. These urgent calls often come at inconvenient hours—nights, early mornings, weekends—when your regular staff might not be available.
5. It’s Easy to Miss Patterns
Without tracking or tools in place, it’s hard to know exactly when and why you’re missing calls. A few missed calls here and there may not seem like a big deal, but over time they add up to lost revenue and frustrated customers.
When are HVAC businesses missing calls?
Think you’re not missing calls? Think again. Almost all HVAC businesses are missing calls, and counting voicemails isn’t the way to check. 80% of customers won’t leave a voicemail when they call – they’ll move on to the competition. Find out how many calls you’re missing is the first step in answering them! The most common times are:
- Lunchtime – between 12 and 2 – people have their lunch at the same time as your CSRs are having theirs.
- After hours – people have time to do research and call after work – whether that’s at 5.30 pm or 9pm.
- Weekends and holidays – these are when most people have the time to think about new projects or to schedule a service.
Related: When HVAC businesses miss calls (and how to always answer)
What does your current setup look like?
Lots of HVAC businesses struggle to be available 24 hours a day without always having the same people on call. It’s hard, but is also hurting your growth. Now is the time to make a plan before it gets busy.
Take some time to work ON your business instead of IN it. Even if it’s just an hour. What is your current process for bringing in new leads? How do customers schedule a service?
Once you know what you think it is, secret shop your business and find out what the process is really like for customers. Call at lunchtime, late in the evening, or on a Saturday afternoon. You’ll quickly find the gaps.
Now take a look at where there are places you can improve the customer experience and get to the sale quicker.
How to Stop Missing Calls as HVAC Contractors
Missing calls can mean losing out on jobs and unhappy customers. Here’s a simple walkthrough to help you stay on top of things and make sure you don’t miss another important call.
1. Identify Missed Calls
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Recognize the patterns of missed calls, such as during lunch hours (12:00 PM – 2:00 PM) or after business hours (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM).
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Track missed calls and analyze why they’re happening, using tools to monitor customer contact preferences.
2. Understand the Causes of Missed Calls
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Identify the common reasons for missed calls, including staffing issues during peak hours and unavailability of employees.
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Address customer concerns early, as many may not leave voicemails.
3. Create an Actionable Call Flow and Scripting System
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Design efficient call flows that categorize calls into emergency and non-emergency types.
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Develop customer-friendly scripts to capture essential information (e.g., name, issue, urgency).
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Customize scripts based on the needs of your business and customer types.
4. Build a 24/7 System for Continuous Call Handling
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Decide on your business’s availability (e.g., 24/7 coverage or after-hours outsourcing).
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Work with third-party services like AnswerForce to manage calls outside of business hours.
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Integrate your third-party services with your internal systems for seamless call tracking and scheduling.
5. Develop an On-Call Calendar to Avoid Burnout
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Create a rotation system for on-call staff to prevent burnout and ensure adequate coverage.
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Track on-call staff availability and ensure quick responses to emergencies.
6. Optimize for Seasonal Demand
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Prepare for busy seasons by pre-scheduling maintenance visits and managing customer expectations.
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Adjust your on-call staff schedule during off-peak seasons to optimize resources.
7. Leverage Technology to Optimize Call Handling
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Use a CRM system to track leads, customer interactions, and manage appointments and follow-ups seamlessly.
Conclusion
Missing calls as an HVAC contractor can result in lost business opportunities and dissatisfied customers. Identifying when missed calls are most likely to occur—such as during lunch hours, after business hours, or on weekends—can help you address this issue. By improving your call-handling processes, utilizing technology, and ensuring around-the-clock availability, you can reduce missed calls and enhance customer satisfaction. Taking the time to implement these changes will not only help retain current customers but also drive business growth.
For continuous support and seamless call management, AnswerForce is here to ensure no call goes unanswered, helping you stay on top of your customer communications.