If you're a tradesperson who works on site, you've faced the same dilemma: you can't answer the phone while you're working. So what do you do?
Two popular options: a call answering service (a real person who picks up for you) or automation (a system that texts the caller back instantly). Here's an honest comparison.
| Call Answering Service | Automation (Text-Back) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £150–£500/month | £30–£80/month |
| Availability | Business hours (or 24/7 at extra cost) | 24/7, always on |
| Response time | 30 seconds to 2 minutes | Immediate (under 5 seconds) |
| Personality | Human, can upsell, build rapport | Text only, functional |
| Missed calls captured | 90-100% (answered live) | 100% (every missed call triggers a text) |
| Booking integration | Depends on service | Built-in (text contains booking link) |
| Setup time | 1-2 weeks | Same day |
| Commitment | Usually monthly contract | No contract, cancel anytime |
When a Call Answering Service Makes Sense
If you handle complex enquiries that need a conversation — quoting, explaining, reassuring — a human voice is better. A good answering service can:
- Take detailed job specs (pipe sizes, boiler models)
- Qualify leads before passing them on
- Book appointments directly into your calendar
But you pay for it. Expect £200-400/month for a half-decent service, and up to £500+ for 24/7 coverage.
When Automation Wins
Most trade enquiries are simple: "I have a leak, can you come?" or "How much for a boiler service?" These don't need a conversation — they need speed.
Automation wins on:
- Cost — £30-80/month vs £200-500 for a human
- Speed — text arrives in seconds. Customer doesn't wait
- Coverage — 24/7, weekends, bank holidays. No shifts to cover
- Conversion — the instant text catches the customer before they call the next competitor
The Honest Answer: Both Have a Place
The trades we work with who handle missed calls best use a two-tier approach:
- Automated text-back for every missed call — instant, 24/7, catches everything
- Human call-back during business hours for serious leads that need a conversation
The automation costs pennies per lead. The human only gets involved when there's real value on the line.
What We'd Recommend
If you're a sole trader or small team, start with automation. It's cheaper, faster, and covers you when you're actually working (which is when most missed calls happen).
If you're a larger operation with 5+ engineers and a constant stream of enquiries, a hybrid is better: automation for after-hours and while you're on jobs, answering service for the main office line during peak hours.
But here's the thing — most trades don't even have the automation. They're running on voicemail and hoping for the best. Getting the text-back system in place is a huge step up, and it costs less than a tank of fuel.
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