Phone system for tradespeople
The best phone system for a tradesperson is a cloud (VoIP) one, because your hands are full on a job and a missed call usually means the customer rings the next trade. It rings your mobile and a colleague together so a new-job call gets answered, overflows to a receptionist or the AI receptionist when you cannot pick up, and gives the whole team one number. There are no new phone lines or hardware to install, you keep your existing number, and it is unaffected by the 2027 switch-off.
Incoming call
07700 900 264
One new-job call, ringing your mobile and the office at once so it gets answered.
The calls a tradesperson can't afford to miss
Hands full on a job
When you are up a ladder, under a sink or holding a live cable, you cannot grab the phone. The caller hears it ring out and tries the next plumber or electrician on their list.
Missed calls are lost work
A new-job enquiry that goes unanswered is money walking away. Most customers do not leave a message, they simply ring round until someone picks up, so a missed call is usually a lost booking.
No office to catch calls
Most trades have no receptionist sitting by a desk phone. There is no one to catch a call while you are working, so enquiries land on a single mobile that is often busy or out of reach.
One number for the team
As you take on a mate or a couple of vans, customers should not have to guess which trade to ring. A single business number that reaches whoever is free keeps the firm looking joined up.
Book it while you remember
Job details scribbled on a scrap of paper get lost between sites. When the caller name, number and job land in your inbox, you can ring back and book it in before the day runs away.
Sound professional
Bigger jobs and commercial work go to firms that answer properly. A tidy greeting, a queue at busy times and a clear out-of-hours message make a one-van outfit sound like an established business.
Recommended setup for a trades business
You do not need a complicated system or an office to look the part. A handful of well-chosen building blocks covers almost every trade, from a sole plumber to a small heating or building firm, and you can switch any of them on without new lines or an engineer visit. You live on the mobile, so most of this runs straight from the app. Here is the setup we would recommend, with the reason each one earns its place.
- Ring groups - a call rings your mobile and a colleague together, so it is answered by whoever is free rather than ringing out while you are on a job.
- Call queues - when several enquiries land at once, callers hold in order with a short, reassuring message instead of a busy tone.
- Voicemail to email - any message left when no one can pick up lands in your inbox with the caller's number, so you can ring back between jobs.
- Auto attendant - an optional menu can split new jobs, existing customers and accounts so each reaches the right person first time.
- Business-hours routing - calls follow your working hours automatically, switching to an out-of-hours message when you down tools for the day.
- Number porting - keep your existing mobile or landline number so customers carry on dialling exactly as they do today.
Because trades live out of the van, the mobile app does most of the work - make and take business calls on your own mobile without giving out your personal number, see who is calling, and set yourself unavailable when you are on a job. You can also answer on a web browser or a desk phone if you run an office. See the full feature set for everything that comes in the box.
An example new-job call, step by step
An illustrative call flow for a typical trades business. Yours is set up to match how you actually work.
They ring to ask about a job - a leak, a fault, a quote - and want to speak to someone.
A ring group means whoever has a free hand picks up, rather than the call landing on one phone that is busy on a job.
The caller hears a short, friendly message - "thanks for calling, we will be with you shortly" - instead of ringing out to nothing.
The caller leaves the job details, and they are emailed to you and logged so nothing falls through the cracks.
The caller name, number and job are already in your inbox, so you ring back when you are off the tools and get it in the diary.
Business-hours routing plays an after-hours greeting with your reopening time and captures any emergency details for the morning.
AI receptionist for trades
When you are on a job and cannot pick up, or every line is busy, the optional AI receptionist answers in a natural voice, takes the caller's name, number and the job they need doing, and emails it to you so you can ring back and book it in. It is there to cover out-of-hours and overflow - a safety net so a new-job enquiry is captured rather than lost to the next trade on the list, not a replacement for picking up when you can. You decide when it answers: only when you are closed, only when your lines are busy, or both.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best phone system for a tradesperson?
The best phone system for a tradesperson is a cloud (VoIP) one. It rings your mobile and a colleague together so a new-job call is answered even when your hands are full, overflows to voicemail or an AI receptionist that captures the job details, and gives the whole team one number. There are no new phone lines or hardware, you keep your existing number, and it is unaffected by the 2027 PSTN switch-off.
How do I stop missing calls when I am on a job?
Use a ring group so a call rings your mobile and a colleague at the same time, rather than one phone that goes unanswered when your hands are full. If you are both working, the call holds briefly or goes to voicemail to email or an AI receptionist, which captures the caller name, number and job so you can ring back. A missed call usually means the customer rings the next trade, so the aim is that no call rings out to nothing.
Can the team share one number and can I keep my mobile number?
Yes. You can give the business one number that rings everyone who should pick up, so customers do not need to know which trade is free. You can also move your existing mobile or landline number to Voxora through number porting and keep it exactly as it is, so customers carry on dialling the same number.
Do I need an office or a receptionist?
No. Voxora runs from the mobile app, a web browser or a desk phone, so you do not need an office or a receptionist to look organised. Calls follow your working hours, overflow to voicemail or the AI receptionist when you cannot pick up, and the job details are emailed to you. A sole trader gets the same setup a small firm does.
How much does a phone system for trades cost?
Voxora is priced per user per month, so you only pay for the people who need a phone. The Standard plan is £6.95 per user per month and Pro is £9.95 per user per month, both before VAT, with UK call handling included. The AI receptionist is an optional add-on for out-of-hours and overflow cover. See the pricing page for what each plan includes.
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