Agents told to prepare for spike in calls after the B...

Estate agents are being urged to prepare for a surge in enquires after the Bank Holiday weekend.

Telephone answering service Moneypenny claims that calls to agents could soar by up to 47% after Bank Holiday Monday.

The firm's analysis of call data shows that calls to its property clients increased by 34% on May 3 – the day after the Bank Holiday earlier this month – when compared to the previous Tuesday.

Moneypenny says that traditionally the period after the second Bank Holiday weekend in May is the busier of the two – with call volumes traditionally 13% higher.

It has therefore calculated that calls to agents next Tuesday could be up to 47% higher than a 'normal' Tuesday.

“We typically see a spike in property calls after a Bank Holiday, but the Tuesday following the second three day weekend in May is usually one of the busiest,” says Samantha Jones, Commercial Manager for Property at Moneypenny.

“For many people it’s a particularly popular time to book off as it falls within half-term for much of the country.”

Moneypenny's research has also revealed that 62% of callers will not call back if they hear an engaged tone and 79% of callers will not call back if their call is unanswered.

“Bank holidays are estimated to cost the economy £2.3bn and can cause a real headache for employers,” says Jones.

“Having sufficient team members available is crucial to ensure that it’s ‘business as usual’, and you can continue to provide that same high level of service.”