How can a tree service handle after-hours emergency calls?

Start by defining what counts as an emergency for your company, such as a tree on a house, a blocked road or driveway, or a limb hanging over a structure.

For anything touching a power line, the first message is always the same: stay far away, assume the line is live, and call the utility and 911. Your company does not touch it until the utility says it is safe.

Give whoever answers a short script: safety first, then name, address, phone number, a short description and photos if the caller can take them from a safe distance. Tell the caller what happens next and when.

Decide in advance who is on call and whether you take after-hours work at all. If you do, set your after-hours terms before you pick up the phone, not during the emergency.

Log every after-hours call and follow up the next business morning, even if you could not go out that night. Check your greeting every few months so the hours are right.