What do you do with business calls when you are on holiday?
Decide before you go: either someone else answers, or the caller hears a clear message that says you are away, when you are back and how to leave details. Then check the list on your first morning back and reply to the newest first.
Written by Ryan Nicholls, Founder of Archline Digital Solutions Ltd, who builds websites, booking and quoting systems for businesses in Chippenham and across Wiltshire. Updated 6 November 2026.
01
Pick one of three options
- Someone you trust answers, takes details and tells you only about anything urgent.
- The phone goes to a greeting that says you are away and when you will be back.
- An automatic text goes to every caller, with a link to leave details and a date when they will hear from you.
The right choice depends on how much work you lose if a caller has to wait. If a week is too long for your customers to wait, cover the phone.
02
Set the message before you leave
A greeting that says “we are away until [date], leave your name and number or text this number and we will reply on our first day back” turns a dead end into a plan. Record it a day early, then ring your own number from another phone to check it plays.
03
Tell the people who ring most
Regular customers and anyone waiting on a quote should hear from you before you go. A short message saying when you are away and when you will be back stops the chase and tells them they have not been forgotten.
04
Plan the first morning back
Block the first hour for the list that built up. Reply to the newest unknown numbers first, because they are the most likely to have already looked elsewhere, then work back through the rest.
05
If you want the phone covered every time
If you are away often, or on jobs most of the day, an automatic reply that holds every caller until you are back saves you setting this up each time. We can talk through it on a free 20-minute call and tell you honestly if a simpler habit would do.
Also
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