How a Tree Surgeon in Tendring Stopped Missing Enquiries and Took Back His Workday With An AI Receptionist
(Smart automation for trades on the move)
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Jack Hale runs Heartwood Tree Company, a well-respected tree surgery and firewood supply business in Tendring, Essex. As a qualified arborist (TechArborA), his days are filled with the physical demands of managing trees, delivering logs, and providing expert advice to homeowners across the area. Behind the scenes, though, he was stuck in a constant tug-of-war between being out on the job and keeping up with a relentless stream of incoming calls.
Key Takeaways
Every call answered
No more checking missed calls after finishing a job up a tree or driving the truck.
Sales calls filtered out
Rose filters out marketing and sales calls so Jack only spends time on genuine customers.
Full details via WhatsApp
Complete enquiry details delivered straight to Jack's preferred channel for follow-up.
Firewood pricing handled
Rose provides up-to-date pricing and explains different options to callers.
Headspace restored
With interruptions removed, Jack now has time to plan new woodland management services.
Evenings reclaimed
No more mental load of remembering callbacks or chasing partial details.
The Phone Problem
For Jack, the phone was both a lifeline and a liability.
Whether it was a homeowner needing urgent tree pruning or a regular customer asking for a bulk firewood delivery, the phone never stopped. Mixed in with the genuine enquiries were marketing and sales calls that broke his concentration for no benefit.
Being up a tree or driving a truck meant answering in the moment wasn't always possible. With each missed call came a missed opportunity, or at best, another item on his growing list of callbacks.
"I'd finish a job, check my phone, and have five missed calls. Some were quick to return. Others? Gone."
— Jack Hale, Heartwood Tree Company
The Real Cost
It wasn't just about losing potential work. It was the mental load, trying to remember who called, what they wanted, and when he'd promised to get back to them. It disrupted his flow, ate into his evenings, and made it harder to deliver the premium service Heartwood Tree Company is known for.
Missed Opportunities
Each missed call was a potential lost customer who'd simply ring someone else.
Mental Overload
Trying to remember who called, what they wanted, and when to call back disrupted his focus.
Work-Life Blur
The pressure ate into his evenings and made it harder to deliver premium service.
That's when Jack came to us at Steady Bow ARROW, where we specialise in AI receptionists for trade and service businesses.
Enter Rose
We work with owner-managed service businesses - people like Jack, whose companies live and die by inbound calls. The goal is simple: stop missed calls, capture every enquiry, and free the owner from constant phone interruptions. For Heartwood Tree Company, that solution took shape as an AI receptionist called "Rose".
Meet Rose
An AI receptionist trained specifically around Heartwood's workflows
Nuisance Call Filtering
Filters out obvious marketing and sales calls automatically
Firewood Expertise
Provides up-to-date pricing and explains different wood options
Smart Data Capture
Captures name, address, and preferred delivery day for every enquiry
WhatsApp Handoff
Asks permission to follow up via WhatsApp - Jack's preferred channel
We trained Rose specifically around Heartwood's workflows. She doesn't just answer the phone; she handles the full enquiry journey.
When someone rings about firewood, Rose provides up-to-date pricing, explains the different options, and captures the caller's name, address, and preferred delivery day. She then asks for permission to follow up via WhatsApp, as Jack prefers to manage ongoing conversations there.
The Difference Was Immediate
Where Jack had been juggling half-finished conversations and chasing callbacks, the process became smooth and predictable.
A Real Example: Derek's Order
Derek, a local homeowner, called looking for seasoned logs for winter. Rose took the call while Jack was halfway up a tree in Ardleigh. She confirmed the type of firewood Derek wanted, the quantity, the price, and his delivery address. She then sent Jack the full details on WhatsApp. Jack reviewed the message, confirmed the order, and arranged delivery - all with no phone tennis and no chasing.
of calls answered professionally
lost enquiries since Rose went live
in completed orders during winter season
planned for next year with freed-up headspace
"It's like having someone in the office full-time. Except they know exactly what to say and never miss a beat."
— Jack Hale
What Jack appreciates most is the consistency. Every call is now answered. Every enquiry is captured. Every customer gets a professional first impression, whether Jack is on site, in the yard, or taking a rare day off.
The Personal Shift
Since Rose went live, Jack has seen a clear uplift in completed orders, particularly firewood during the busy winter season. No more back-and-forth trying to piece together partial details, no more notes scrawled on the dashboard, just clear, actionable messages that let him focus on delivering first-class tree care and firewood to the people of Tendring.
There's been a personal shift too. With the pressure of constant interruptions removed and nuisance callers no longer breaking his focus, Jack feels more in control of his workday. He's now had the headspace to plan new woodland management services for next year, something that kept getting pushed back when the phone ruled his schedule.
"It's not just about saving time. It's about having headspace again."
— Jack Hale
Heartwood Tree Company's results capture exactly what we set out to do with Steady Bow ARROW: build AI receptionists that fit real trades, real workflows, and real customers. The tech sits quietly in the background, doing the heavy lifting on the phones, so business owners like Jack can get back to the work that actually matters to them.
"Rose doesn't just answer the phone. She gives me back my time, my focus—and my evenings."
For a business built on reputation, that kind of reliability is worth its weight in firewood.
And here's the kicker:
You get your own 24/7 AI Receptionist that answers every call, set up for you in days, for less than your phone bill.
No contracts. No hidden fees.
Most trades spend £10K+ a year trying to solve this with admin staff or answering services.
⚡Guaranteed Results
Book four real jobs in 60 days using our tools - or get your money back.
No stress. No risk. Just leads, sorted.
Talk to Arrow now, and hear for yourself how we capture leads and handle a real potential customer enquiry.
Ben Milsom is the Founder and Director of ARROW, with more than a decade of experience in digital marketing and customer service. A certified Google Partner and best-selling author on phone-first marketing and AI voice technology, he specialises in AI automation, marketing, and the psychology of sales. Through ARROW, he helps service businesses answer every call with AI Receptionists that capture leads and give owners peace of mind.