How eDivert Supports Island Gas & Plumbing with Overflow Calls and Customer Service

When you run a busy local service business, the phone doesn’t stop. Calls come in while you’re on a job, driving between sites, or deep in a repair that needs your full attention. And when customers can’t get through, they don’t always try again.

That’s exactly why we’re proud to be supporting Island Gas & Plumbing, covering Hayling Island to Chichester, with overflow call handling and customer service support — helping them protect their reputation, keep customers happy, and make it easy to book the excellent service they’re known for.

A trusted local team — and a phone line that never slows down

Trevor Thurgood, owner and lead engineer, runs Island Gas & Plumbing. His son, Billy, supports him, along with two other engineers covering the Hayling Island to Chichester area.

Behind the scenes, Lou Bover leads the office team, keeping everything moving—from scheduling and customer updates to the day-to-day admin that keeps a busy engineering team running smoothly.

Like many growing trades businesses, they’ve built a strong team and a great reputation. The challenge is simple: demand can outpace phone availability, especially during peak times.

The problem with missed calls (even when you’re doing everything right)

Overflow calls aren’t a sign something is wrong — they’re often a sign the business is doing well.

But when calls go unanswered, the impact can be immediate:

• Customers can’t book, so jobs are lost to the next company that answers
• People wait longer for updates, which increases frustration
• The office team gets pulled in too many directions
• Engineers get interrupted on-site, which slows down work and increases risk

For a business like Island Gas & Plumbing, where customers often need help quickly, first contact matters.

What we’re doing: building a first-call customer service model

At eDivert, we’re working with Island Gas & Plumbing to develop a first-call customer service model that supplements their existing team.

The goal is straightforward:

• No calls go unanswered
• No customers are left waiting to book
• The office team stays focused on scheduling, logistics, and customer care
• Engineers can stay on the tools without constant interruptions

As Trevor puts it:

“When we’re on jobs, we can’t always get to the phone quickly — but our customers still need an answer. Working with eDivert means enquiries are picked up straight away, details are taken properly, and we can call people back and get them booked in without anyone being left waiting.” — Trevor Thurgood, Owner & Lead Engineer, Island Gas & Plumbing

This isn’t about replacing the existing team — it’s about adding a reliable layer of support so every enquiry is handled properly, every time.

How overflow call handling supports the whole business

When we handle overflow calls, we act as an extension of Island Gas & Plumbing — professionally, consistently, and in a way that feels like their own team.

That means:

• Answering promptly during busy periods
• Capturing the right information first time
• Handling common customer questions clearly and politely
• Passing messages through quickly so the team can respond and book work efficiently

It’s a simple change that makes a big difference: customers feel looked after, and the team stays in control of the day.

Why this matters for customers

For customers, the experience is everything. They want to:

• Speak to someone quickly
• Feel listened to
• Know what happens next
• Get booked in without chasing

By strengthening the first-call experience, Island Gas & Plumbing can keep delivering the high standard of service they’re known for — even when the phones are busy.

Supporting growth without adding pressure

As demand increases, many businesses face a choice: add more admin capacity, or risk missed calls and slower response times.

Overflow support is a practical way to scale customer service without adding pressure to the engineers or the office team.

It helps Island Gas & Plumbing:

• Protect revenue from missed opportunities
• Maintain a consistent customer experience
• Reduce stress on the team during peak times
• Keep the diary moving with fewer gaps and less back-and-forth

Looking ahead

We’re excited to keep building this first-call model with Trevor, Lou, Billy, and the wider team—making sure every customer enquiry is handled quickly, professionally, and with care.

If you’re a trades business in West Sussex or Hampshire and you’re seeing more calls than your team can comfortably handle, we can help you put a similar model in place.

Want to talk it through? Get in touch with eDivert, and we’ll show you how overflow call handling can work alongside your existing team.