Storm season for tree companies: phones, triage, crews and follow-up

The first two days are about three things: keep people safe, answer every caller, and put jobs in the right order. Do not try to be fast at everything. Be clear.

Hour one: check your own people. Make sure your crew and their families are safe. Share one clear message: who is working, where to meet, and who decides priority.

Next: open the phones. Turn on your storm greeting and text-back. Put one person on the phones whose only job is to collect addresses, photos and danger level. Do not let your best climber also answer calls.

Then: sort the list. Put every request into one of three groups, written next to the name. Keep the list in one shared place, such as a spreadsheet, so everyone sees the same order.

Scout if roads are safe. A photo often tells you what truck and crew a job needs before you drive out.

Tell people where they stand. Many callers do not need you tonight. They need to know where they are in line. A short text such as "We have your request. Emergencies come first. We will update you as soon as we can" saves you many follow-up calls. Only say what you can keep.

At the end of each day, count. How many jobs are done, how many are open, how many calls went unanswered, who needs rest. Adjust the next day.

In normal weather, about 27% of calls to home-service businesses go unanswered, and under 3% of those callers leave a voicemail (Invoca). In a storm, many more people call at once and your line will jam. The caller who does not reach you calls the next company. A plan with four layers keeps that caller.

1. Call forwarding to more than one person

Set your main number to ring a second and third phone when the first is busy. A trusted person at home can take overflow. They do not need to be a tree expert. They collect the address, the danger level and a photo, then add it to the shared list.

2. Missed-call text-back within 30 seconds

When a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a text from your business number right away. In a storm, the text should say what to do in an emergency, ask for the address and a photo, and say that emergencies come first. See more on the storm season page for tree companies.

Texting has rules, such as consent and honoring "stop". Replying to someone who just called you is different from sending a blast to strangers. Read our texting rules guide, and ask a lawyer about your own case.

3. An AI receptionist for overflow

An AI receptionist can answer when every person is busy. It asks the same triage questions every time, takes the address and sends you a summary. It should never promise a price or an arrival time you did not approve. Core includes one with 300 minutes a month, and storm weeks use minutes fast, so check the pricing page and plan for it. Tell callers they are talking to an automated assistant.

4. A short storm message

Record a greeting and set a text reply. Keep both short and calm. Here is a starting point, change it:

"Thanks for calling [your company]. We are working through storm calls in order of danger. If anyone is hurt, call 911. If a tree is touching a power line, stay back and call your utility. Please text us your address, a photo of the tree and your phone number, and we will get back to you as soon as we can."

Do not promise exact times. If you say "within an hour" and cannot do it, a good first impression becomes a complaint.

Add a notice to your website and Google Business Profile too. Say you are in storm mode, how to reach you and what to do in an emergency. For the streets you work in, the door hanger builder makes a simple printable leave-behind. For the bigger picture, read our guides on missed calls and the AI receptionist.

Many homeowners will file a claim after a tree hits their house, fence or car, and they will ask you for papers. Your job is to give clear records. It is not your job to decide what the insurer pays, and you should not promise coverage. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice.

• The name, address and date of the job.
• Photos before you start, during the work and after you finish.
• An itemized estimate or invoice that lists the work, such as removing a tree from a roof, cutting and hauling, and tarping.
• Your company name and phone number, and proof of your own insurance if they ask.
• A note of what you did to prevent more damage, like covering a hole in a roof.

Keep each customer's file in one folder, named the same way every time. When an adjuster calls two weeks later, you will find it in a minute.

Do not sign anything that lets you deal with the insurer for the homeowner unless you understand it and a professional has read it. Do not say "insurance will cover this." Say "I can give you a detailed invoice and photos for your claim." Be careful about deductibles: rules about waiving them differ and can cause trouble. Ask a professional.

By week two, the emergencies are done and everyone is tired. This is when companies drop the ball: leads sit in a notebook, quotes never go out, and customers feel forgotten. A good follow-up week wins repeat work and good will. Work down this list:

1. Call back every lead you did not reach. A short "sorry for the wait, are you still looking for help?" can save a job.
2. Send every promised quote. A quote that arrives fast beats a perfect one that arrives late.
3. Finish open jobs. Cleanup, stump grinding, hauling, and anything you tarped or left half-done.
4. Check on completed jobs. A quick text: "Is everything okay? Do you need anything else?" You catch problems early.
5. Close the paperwork. Send invoices, and photos for customers who need them for claims.
6. Thank your crew. Pay on time and give real rest. They will help you next season.
7. Offer follow-up visits. Suggest a risk check or pruning for trees that survived. Tell people honestly what you see, and do not push work they do not need.

Neighbors who watched your trucks all week are good new leads. A door hanger on the streets you worked is a polite hello. Use the door hanger builder and keep the words honest: no fake urgency and no claims you cannot prove. Lirevon's system keeps these follow-ups in a lead inbox so nobody gets lost. See our services.

After a big storm, out-of-town crews show up. Some are good. Some take deposits, do poor work or vanish. Homeowners get burned and start to doubt every truck on the street, including yours. You do not need a big budget to stand apart. You need to be easy to check.

• Be reachable. A phone number that is answered or returned, a website, and a Google profile with photos and reviews.
• Show your name. Company name on the truck, shirts and quotes.
• Put it in writing. A written quote with the scope, the price and how you will be paid.
• Be ready to show insurance and licenses where your state or city requires them. Rules differ, so check yours.
• Skip pressure door knocking. Some places limit door-to-door selling, especially after disasters. Check local rules and leave a hanger instead of pushing for a yes.
• Stay after the storm. The best proof you are reliable is that you still answer the phone months later.

If you travel to help another area, say so honestly. Do not use a fake local name or address.