Preparing for the season when calls surge: a four-week checklist
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
Phone preparation for a holiday, season, promotion or ad campaign starts four weeks ahead. First, find the busiest days and hours in last year’s call history. Then work out two things: how many calls your line takes at once, and how many people you need in the busiest hour. Two weeks ahead, write a sheet with prices, lead times and hours; a week ahead, call your own number to test it. On the peak day check missed calls every hour, and afterwards hold a one-hour review.
Which days will peak: learn it from last year
Don’t guess your peak; take it from last year’s call history. Your PBX or telephony provider’s portal shows calls by day and hour. For many businesses the peaks fall in the same periods: Navruz, Ramadan and the Hayits, September, 11.11 and big sale days, the run-up to New Year, and your own promotions and ads. Write down your three busiest days and the two busiest hours of each.
The four-week checklist
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks before | Find the peak days and hours in last year’s history. Set a goal, for example “not a single missed call”. |
| 3 weeks before | Do the line and staff maths, plan shifts and a backup person. |
| 2 weeks before | Write one sheet: prices, stock, hours, delivery times, answers to the five most common questions, the transfer rule. |
| 1 week before | Update your hours on maps, Instagram and Telegram. At the peak hour, call your number from two or three phones at once. |
| 1 day before | Confirm shifts, prepare a callback list template, confirm tomorrow’s orders and visits. |
Lines and people: two sums
The first sum is the line. A city number or PBX may take only a few calls at once, and the rest hear a busy tone. Ask your telephony provider how many calls fit at the same time.
The second is people. For example, a call lasts 3 minutes on average plus a minute of notes, so one person answers at most 15 calls an hour. If 60 calls come in the busiest hour, you need 4 people for that hour. The numbers are only an example: use your own.
Peak day: hourly checks
- At the end of each hour, check missed calls and call them back at once.
- If one question keeps coming up, post the answer on Instagram and Telegram: calls drop.
- When a product or free slots run out, update the sheet immediately and tell everyone.
- Stagger lunch and breaks: not everyone should leave during the busiest hour.
- Log complaints separately: they’re the first job after the peak.
After the peak: a one-hour review
- Record the calls by hour and the share that went unanswered.
- Find the five most common questions: next time they go at the top of the sheet.
- Close out the missed-call list completely. The order to follow: clearing the call backlog after holidays.
- Write three sentences on what to change for the next peak and add them to this checklist.
Running the peak with an AI operator
An AI operator for incoming calls answers more than ten calls at once, with no queue and at night too. Sado’s team connects your number over SIP, your sheet becomes the operator’s facts, and your transfer rule is set up. AI outbound calls make the confirmation and reminder calls before the peak.
Instead of hiring seasonal staff, you pay only for talked minutes: the price is 800 so‘m a minute, with no monthly fee. For example, 400 calls on a peak day at two minutes each: 800 minutes × 800 = 640,000 so‘m. For promotions specifically: getting your phone ready for a promotion. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
How far ahead should we prepare for a peak season?
Start four weeks ahead: that’s enough time to check the history, plan people, write the answer sheet and test your number.
How do we find out how many calls our line takes at once?
Ask your telephony provider and test it yourself: call from two or three phones at the same time. If the third call hears a busy tone, the peak day will be the same.
Should we hire seasonal operators for the peak?
Finding, training and paying someone for a few weeks can be expensive. Compare in the calculator on the home page: with an AI operator you pay only for talked minutes.