HVAC Emergency Call Handling That Works 24/7
Intelligent triage. Instant routing. Zero missed emergencies. Built specifically for HVAC contractors who can't afford to lose high-value emergency calls.
The True Cost of Missed Emergency Calls
Why every missed emergency call costs you more than you think
Average Emergency Call Value
Emergency HVAC calls are worth 2.2x more than scheduled maintenance ($850 vs. $385). These are your highest-value opportunities, and they're time-sensitive.
Customer Lifetime Value Lost
When you miss an emergency call, you don't just lose that $850 job. You lose the customer's future maintenance contracts, referrals, and repeat business—worth an average of $2,400 over 5 years.
Won't Call Back
91% of homeowners with HVAC emergencies will call a competitor if you don't answer, and 68% won't call you back even if you return their voicemail within an hour.
Real Financial Impact
Scenario: Winter Storm
With Kestrel AI
One winter storm event pays for 17 months of Kestrel AI
Based on Growth plan at $1,997/month
How Emergency Calls Are Different
Why emergency HVAC calls require specialized handling
Urgency & Time Sensitivity
Emergency calls can't wait. A family with no heat in January or no AC in a Phoenix summer needs help NOW, not tomorrow. Every minute of delay increases the chance they'll call your competitor.
- • 0-5 minutes: 73% will wait for callback
- • 5-15 minutes: 42% will wait
- • 15+ minutes: 91% call competitor
Complex Decision-Making
Not all "emergencies" are equal. A gas smell requires immediate dispatch. No heat in 60°F weather can wait until morning. Effective triage requires understanding context, not just keywords.
- • Outdoor temperature & weather
- • Safety issues (gas, electrical, water)
- • Customer vulnerability (elderly, children)
- • Time of day & technician availability
Routing Protocols
Emergency calls need intelligent routing. Should this go to the on-call tech? Emergency dispatch? Next-day schedule? The decision depends on severity, customer status, and current capacity.
- • Critical: Immediate tech dispatch
- • Urgent: 2-4 hour response window
- • Priority: Same-day appointment
- • Standard: Next-day booking
High-Value Opportunities
Emergency calls convert at higher rates and command premium pricing. Customers in distress are less price-sensitive and more likely to approve additional repairs discovered during the emergency visit.
- • Emergency service premium: +40-60%
- • After-hours premium: +25-35%
- • Additional repairs approved: 67%
- • Maintenance contract conversion: 43%
Kestrel's Emergency Protocol System
Intelligent decision tree that handles every scenario
Emergency Decision Flowchart
How Kestrel AI triages and routes emergency HVAC calls
Initial Assessment
"What type of issue are you experiencing?" → Identifies problem category (heating, cooling, electrical, gas, water)
Severity Check
Cross-references problem with environmental factors and safety indicators
• Electrical burning
• No heat + temp < 32°F
• No AC + temp > 95°F
• No AC + temp > 85°F
• Water leak (active)
• System failure
• Reduced cooling
• Strange noises
• Intermittent issues
Customer Status Check
Looks up customer in ServiceTitan: existing customer, service history, maintenance contract status
Technician Availability
Checks on-call rotation, current dispatch load, and geographic proximity
→ Send SMS with details
→ Create ServiceTitan job
→ Add to priority queue
→ Send customer ETA
Final Routing Decision
Based on all factors, executes the appropriate action
Temperature Thresholds (Customizable)
Kestrel automatically adjusts emergency protocols based on outdoor temperature. You can customize these thresholds for your market.
Heating Emergencies
Cooling Emergencies
Case Study: Winter Storm Response
How one HVAC company handled 127 emergency calls in one night
Dallas HVAC Company • February 2024
Polar vortex brings record-breaking cold snap to North Texas
The Situation
On February 15, 2024, a polar vortex brought temperatures down to -2°F in Dallas—the coldest night in 30 years. Between 6 PM and 6 AM, a mid-sized HVAC company received 127 emergency "no heat" calls as furnaces across the city failed under extreme load.
The Challenge
The company had 8 emergency technicians on call, but their traditional answering service could only handle 3-4 simultaneous calls. During peak hours (10 PM - 2 AM), they were receiving 15-20 calls per hour. Without AI, they would have missed 80-90% of calls.
How Kestrel AI Responded
The Results
Revenue Impact
Operational Efficiency
Without AI answering, 87% of calls would have gone to voicemail or competitors
Integration with Dispatch Systems
Native integrations with ServiceTitan, Jobber, and FieldEdge
What's Integrated
- Customer lookup by phone number
- Service history retrieval
- Real-time appointment booking
- Emergency job creation
- Call recording attachment
- Automated call notes
What's Integrated
- Client lookup and creation
- Job scheduling
- Visit creation
- Request assignment
- Note logging
- Calendar sync
What's Integrated
- Customer database sync
- Work order creation
- Dispatch board updates
- Technician assignment
- Priority flagging
- Call activity logging
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about emergency call handling
Never Miss Another Emergency Call
Every missed emergency call is $850+ in lost revenue. Kestrel AI answers in 200ms, triages intelligently, and routes perfectly—24/7/365.
Sources & References
All statistics are based on verified industry data, customer case studies, and internal performance metrics. Calculations show methodology transparently. Customer data is anonymized or used with explicit permission.