Original version published April 2023
Taking a proper break matters. But for a lot of UK business owners, switching off is easier said than done. If you’re the person who answers the phone, going away can mean worrying about the enquiries you might miss while you’re gone.
It’s a fair worry. When someone calls and no one picks up, they often just ring the next business on their list. A holiday answering service is a simple way to stop that happening, so you can relax knowing your callers still reach a real person.
Table of contents
TL;DR
A short-term answering service covers your phone while you’re on holiday, so callers reach a friendly receptionist instead of voicemail. UK-based receptionists answer in your company name during the day, with our wider team covering overflow and after-hours for availability around the clock. There’s no lock-in contract, so you can switch cover on for a week or a month, then off again when you’re back.
Why missed calls matter when you’re away
For many small businesses, the phone is still where new work starts. A missed call isn’t always just a missed call. It can be a new customer, a repeat booking or a quote request that quietly goes to a competitor instead.
Most UK businesses are small. Government figures put the number of private sector businesses at around 5.7 million, with 99.9% classed as SMEs and many run by just one or two people (Business Population Estimates). When you’re that business and you’re away, there’s often no one left to answer.
The good news is you don’t have to choose between a proper break and your business. You can have both.
How a holiday answering service works
A short-term answering service is simply a team of professional receptionists answering your calls while you’re off. You forward your existing number to us and your callers carry on dialling the same number they always have.
When a call comes in, a receptionist answers in your business name, takes the details you’ve asked for and sends them straight to you by email, SMS or WhatsApp. You decide how involved you want to be: everything can wait until you’re back, or genuinely urgent calls can be put through or flagged right away.
What to look for in holiday cover
If you’re arranging cover, especially at short notice, a few things make all the difference:
- UK-based receptionists who answer during business hours and sound like part of your team
- Availability around the clock, with overflow and after-hours calls covered by the wider team
- No lock-in contract, so you only pay for the cover you need
- Quick set-up, ideally in minutes, for when you’ve left it to the week before
- Fast answering, within a few rings, so callers aren’t left waiting
- Message delivery by email, SMS or WhatsApp, so you can pick up anything important
- Flexible plans, whether you’d rather pay per call or per minute
That combination gives you proper cover without committing to anything long term.
How to set up cover in minutes
Getting started is quick:
- Tell us your business name, what you do and where you’d like messages sent.
- Choose how calls should be handled and what counts as urgent.
- Forward your calls from your keypad whenever you’re ready to switch cover on.
That’s it. Within no time you have a team ready to answer, and you can turn the service off again the moment you’re back at your desk.
Why choose ReceptionHQ for holiday cover
We’ve answered calls for UK businesses since 2011, so we understand what owners need when they step away. Our UK-based receptionists answer during the working day, and calls flow to our wider team in Australia and the US for overflow and after-hours cover. That gives you availability around the clock, with no after-hours surcharge.
Plans start from £15 a month, and we’re one of the few UK providers offering both pay-per-call and pay-per-minute options. On per-minute plans we bill by the second rather than rounding up, unlike many other providers. There’s no lock-in contract, so short-term holiday cover is genuinely short term. It’s ideal for sole traders and small businesses who don’t want to hand over a key or hire seasonal staff just to keep the phone answered.
You can also try the service free for seven days before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an answering service just for my holiday?
Yes. There are no lock-in contracts, so you can switch cover on for a day, a week or a month and turn it off when you're back.
Will callers know they're talking to an answering service?
No. Receptionists answer in your business name, so it feels like a member of your own team has picked up.
How quickly can I set up short-term reception cover?
In minutes. Once your account is set up, you forward your calls from your phone keypad whenever you want cover to start.
Does ReceptionHQ answer calls after hours?
Yes. UK-based receptionists handle your calls during business hours, and our wider team in Australia and the US covers overflow and after-hours calls, so there's availability around the clock.
How will I get my messages while I'm away?
Messages come through by email, SMS or WhatsApp, so you can glance at anything important and leave the rest until you're back.
How much does holiday cover cost?
Plans start from £15 a month, and you can try the service free for seven days.
