Summer is one of the busiest seasons for UK service businesses. Hot spells and summer storms can push up call volumes up and the calls tend to arrive in unpredictable bursts. A phone answering service gives you a simple way to cope: professional receptionists answer the overflow in your company name, so callers reach a person instead of voicemail.
ReceptionHQ has handled calls for UK businesses since 2011, so we see this seasonal surge play out every year and understand the needs of business owners across different sectors.
Table of contents
TL;DR
Summer lifts call volumes for trades and service firms in two waves – heat-driven demand (cooling, refrigeration, pest control) and storm-driven demand (roofing, plumbing, drainage). The businesses that win this work are the ones that keep answering the phone. A call handling service handles the overflow and after-hours calls, so a sudden spike doesn’t turn into lost leads.
Why do business calls spike in summer?
Summer combines two things that drive phone calls: extreme heat and sudden storms. Both create urgent, time-sensitive problems, and people pick up the phone when something needs fixing now.
When temperatures climb, demand jumps for anything that keeps people, buildings, food and vehicles cool. The UK’s increasingly hotter summers are making this sharper each year. During the current heatwave, the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning, with record temperatures expected (forecast to reach as high as 39°C).
Hot, humid spells often break into thunderstorms and heavy downpours. That brings a second wave of calls: leaks, blocked drains, roof damage and flooding. This can easily result in job enquiries or emergency call out requests spiking for plumbers or roofers.
There are around 5.7 million private sector businesses in the UK, and 99.9% are SMEs, according to the government’s Business Population Estimates. Many are run by one or two people. For them, a ringing phone and a job on site at the same time is a genuine squeeze.
Which industries see the biggest summer call spikes?
The sharpest spikes hit weather-dependent trades, but plenty of seasonal businesses feel it too. Here’s where summer drives the most calls.
| Industry | Why summer drives more calls |
|---|---|
| Air conditioning and HVAC | Cooling installs and emergency repairs surge as temperatures rise |
| Refrigeration engineers | Fridges, freezers and cold rooms fail in the heat, and food businesses need fast call-outs |
| Electricians | Fans and cooling units strain circuits, causing trips and faults, on top of new installs |
| Pest control | Warm weather fuels wasps and other pests; the BPCA links hot spells to a rise in wasp activity |
| Vehicle and mobile mechanics | Car air-con re-gas and overheating breakdowns climb |
| Roofing | Summer storms bring damage and emergency repairs, on top of seasonal projects |
| Plumbing and drainage | Heavy downpours cause leaks, blockages and flooding |
| Estate and letting agents | The property market and letting enquiries pick up over summer |
| Tourism and hospitality | Peak season means more booking and enquiry calls |
| Retail and eCommerce | Summer sales and seasonal demand lift order and support calls |
Even if your trade isn’t listed, the pattern is the same: more calls, arriving in bursts, often while you’re already busy. Our construction and trades cover and small business answering service are built for exactly this.
What does a missed summer call actually cost?
A missed call in summer is rarely just one missed call. When someone’s fridge has failed or their roof is leaking, they want it sorted ASAP. If you don’t answer, they ring the next firm on the list.
Callers won’t wait long, especially in an emergency. Call waiting and handling can strongly influence whether you win the job, and overall customer satisfaction. There’s also a marketing cost: if you’re paying for ads or for an SEO consultant to ensure your website is ranking well on Google, an unanswered call means you’ve paid to generate a lead and then lost it at the final step.
The good news is this is fixable. Even better, you don’t need to hire seasonal staff or chain yourself to the phone.
What our clients say.
“ReceptionHQ are invaluable in providing call answering and messaging services. We don’t have to worry about missed calls or the impact of this on our day-to-day business.”
— Lainton Services
What our clients say.
“ReceptionHQ are invaluable in providing call answering and messaging services. We don’t have to worry about missed calls or the impact of this on our day-to-day business.”
— Lainton Services
Why can a phone answering service simplify handling a summer surge?
A phone answering service for businesses is there to answer the calls you can’t, in your company name, and get the details to you straight away. You stay on the tools; your callers still reach a real person, usually within a few rings.
Imagine the hottest week of the year, your phone ringing constantly, and your callers still greeted by a friendly, professional voice. If you’re receiving multiple calls at the same time, they can all be answered.
Most businesses that experience higher call volumes during summer use ReceptionHQ in one of three ways at this time of year:
- Overflow cover: We pick up when your line is engaged or you’re flat out, so a rush of calls still gets answered.
- After-hours cover: Calls that come in during evenings, weekends and early mornings still get handled.
- Seasonal cover: Set up a temporary answering service just for the busy months, with no lock-in contract, whether you want overflow call answering, an after hours answering service or all calls answered 24/7.
The best phone answering service for seasonal coverage
Here’s how ReceptionHQ works in practice. UK-based receptionists answer your calls during business hours, with calls flowing to our wider team in Australia or the US after hours and during unforeseen peaks in call volumes during standard business hours.
This enables us to provide 24/7 coverage for businesses that need it, with no after-hours surcharge, to keep costs as low as possible for you. It also ensure calls are answered as fast as possible, which reduces the risk of call abandonment.
Our staffing levels in the UK during standard hours are always intended to cover the expected call volumes, however on occasions when no local receptionist is available to answer within an acceptable timeframe the call will be routed to an equally skilled receptionist in Australia or the US.
We offer transparent pricing starting from £15 a month and we’re one of the few UK virtual reception service providers offering both pay-per-call answering and pay-per-minute plans. On our per-minute plans, we bill by the second rather than rounding up to the minute, which many other providers do to their own benefit.
You can also try our answering service free for seven days.
How to prepare your business for the summer call spike
A little planning before can make the season far less stressful for you.
- Look at last summer’s pattern: Check when your calls peaked, whether that was heatwaves, storm weeks or weekends, so you know when cover matters most.
- Decide which calls to forward: All of them, only the ones you’re unable to pick up or only those that come in after hours. You can forward from your existing number, so callers dial the same number as they always have.
- Brief your answering service: Set a simple greeting, advise what details you want captured and provide instructions around when a call is urgent enough to be put through to you.
- Review and adjust: As the season builds, fine-tune your call-handling rules.
- Set up fast message delivery: Get messages by email, SMS or WhatsApp so you can act on hot leads quickly.
Don’t let a hot, busy summer turn into missed calls and lost work. Start your 7-day free trial or see our answering service pricing to find the right plan for your business.
Frequently asked questions
Why do business calls increase in summer?
Summer brings two drivers: extreme heat (cooling, refrigeration, pest control) and summer storms (roofing, plumbing, drainage). Both create urgent problems, so people call straight away. Seasonal businesses like estate agents and hospitality get busier too.
Which industries get the most calls during a heatwave?
Air conditioning and HVAC firms, refrigeration engineers, electricians, pest controllers and mobile mechanics see the sharpest heatwave spikes. When storms follow the heat, roofers, plumbers and drainage specialists get a second wave.
How can I handle a sudden spike in calls without hiring staff?
A phone answering service answers your overflow and after-hours calls in your company name, then sends you the details. You get cover for the busy months without recruiting, training or committing to a contract.
What is a phone answering service?
It's a service where professional receptionists answer your incoming calls on your behalf, take messages, transfer calls and book appointments.
Does ReceptionHQ answer calls outside business hours?
Yes. UK-based receptionists handle your calls during business hours, and our wider team of receptionists in Australia and the US answers when they can't and also handles after-hours calls, so there's cover available around the clock.
How much does a call answering service cost?
ReceptionHQ plans start from £15 a month. You can also try the service free for seven days.
Can I use an answering service just for the busy summer months?
Yes. There are no lock-in contracts, so you can use short-term cover for a single season, a staffing gap or a heatwave week, and stop when things quieten down.
