The Christmas period is one of the few times of the year when field service teams can pause, reset, and prepare for the months ahead. Yet the weeks leading up to the break often feel rushed and disorganised, especially when engineers are still on the road and the office is dealing with last minute requests.
A simple checklist can remove that pressure. With the right steps in place, you can keep customers informed, maintain service standards, and support your team while they take a well earned break. This guide brings together practical actions inspired by leading SaaS resources and tailored specifically to the needs of field service businesses.
1. Update Your Google Business Profile for Christmas
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is often the first place customers look when they need to check whether you are open during the holidays. If the information is wrong or missing, you risk confusion and unnecessary calls. Updating your festive hours is straightforward and only takes a few minutes.
Start by signing into your Google account and searching for your business name. From there, you can edit your business information and update your hours. The “special hours” section allows you to add specific dates for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. This keeps your main weekly schedule as it is and avoids the need to change it back in January.
If you operate emergency callouts, make this clear in your profile. Customers appreciate knowing when your team is available. Google posts and images can also help. Seasonal photos — for example a decorated office, team Christmas jumper day or van graphics — can improve engagement and make your profile more relevant for festive searches.
Adding a few common holiday questions to your GBP Q&A section can reduce pressure on your office team. Questions such as “Are you open between Christmas and New Year?” or “Do you offer out of hours support during the festive period?” can be posted and answered in advance. This helps customers find the information they need without having to contact you directly.
2. Set Clear Automated Responses for Email and Enquiries
The days leading up to Christmas usually bring a rise in customer enquiries. Many people want reassurance about appointments, availability, or emergency support. An automated email response helps you manage expectations and prevents unanswered messages from building up.
Create an autoresponder that includes your closure dates, emergency contact details, and when customers can expect a reply. If your office is closed but engineers are on call, make this clear. Customers value clarity, and it reduces the chances of frustration if response times are longer than usual.
If you use messaging features within your Google Business Profile, make sure these are switched on only if someone will be checking them. Google may turn the feature off if messages are left unanswered for more than 24 hours.
This simple preparation supports smoother communication and helps your team disconnect properly during the break.
Hello,
Thank you for getting in touch. Our office is currently closed for the Christmas period and will reopen on [date].
If your enquiry is not urgent, we will respond as soon as possible once the team returns. Please expect a reply from [date] onwards.
If you need emergency support during this period, our on call engineers are available. You can reach the team on [emergency phone number]. Please note that response times may be slower than usual while we operate with reduced staff.
If you would like to check our holiday hours or service information, you can also visit our website or our Google Business Profile.
Thank you for your patience. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Christmas.
Kind regards,
[Your Company Name]
3. Confirm and Communicate Your Emergency Cover Arrangements
Many field service companies continue to offer limited emergency support over the holidays. Before your team clocks off, make sure the on call rota is finalised and shared across the business. Engineers who are working should have access to the right tools, stock, and system permissions.
Communicate emergency arrangements clearly to customers through your website, Google Business Profile, social media channels, and automated emails. Contract clients may also need individual updates, especially if their SLAs change during the festive period.
This level of transparency builds trust. It also prevents customers from calling your main office line expecting a full service when only priority issues are being attended to.
Fieldmotion Brochure
See how Fieldmotion helps field service teams manage jobs, schedule staff, create invoices, and communicate with customers — all from one easy-to-use system.
4. Update Social Media Profiles and Schedule Seasonal Posts
Your social channels play a useful role at this time of year. A pinned post outlining holiday hours and emergency arrangements helps anyone who checks your profile. You can also schedule seasonal posts to keep your brand active even when your team is offline.
Scheduling tools make this simple. Many businesses now use AI supported planning features to save time and keep a consistent presence across platforms. Marketing tools such as Buffer and Sprout Social make it easy to repurpose existing content or create quick updates that continue to perform well during quieter weeks.
Keeping your audience informed supports a positive customer experience and reduces the volume of direct enquiries during the break.
Option 1
Our team is getting ready for a well deserved Christmas break.
Our office will be closed from [date] to [date], reopening on [date].Emergency support is still available. If you need urgent help, call [emergency number] and our on call engineer will assist you.
Thank you for your support this year. We wish you a safe and enjoyable Christmas.
Option 2
Here are our Christmas opening hours.
Office closed: [dates]
Office reopens: [date]Emergency callouts will continue for customers who need urgent assistance. Contact [emergency number].
Wishing all our customers and partners a very happy Christmas.
5. Keep Customers Informed Ahead of the Break
Key customers and contract clients appreciate early communication. A short message outlining your holiday schedule, emergency procedures, and expected response times helps them plan their own work. It also prevents last minute requests falling into the final few days before the shutdown.
For businesses that manage high volumes of enquiries, updating the Q&A section on your Google Business Profile can save time. Add questions you are likely to receive and answer them directly on your listing. This reduces avoidable calls and gives customers an immediate source of reliable information.
This type of proactive communication reinforces trust and confidence. It also creates smoother workflows for your team as the holiday period approaches.
Hello,
As we approach the Christmas period, we want to keep you informed about our availability. Our office will be closed from [date] to [date], reopening on [date].
If you need emergency support during this time, our on call engineers are available on [emergency number]. Please be aware that response times may be slower while we operate with reduced staff.
If your enquiry is not urgent, we will pick it up as soon as the team returns. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Wishing you a safe and enjoyable Christmas.
Kind regards,
[Company Name]
6. Review Outstanding Jobs and Prepare Your January Schedule
A well planned finish makes for a strong start in the new year. Review any open work orders and decide what must be completed before the break, what can be rescheduled, and what needs new parts or additional preparation.
Rescheduling jobs into January helps you avoid a backlog and gives engineers clarity when they return. Many field service teams also carry out a stock check at this point, especially for parts needed in early January. This avoids delays when demand increases again in the first weeks of the year.
Clear scheduling aligns with the best practice guidance used in leading SaaS operational tools, where visibility and planning are essential for service consistency.
7. Strengthen System and Equipment Security
With fewer people in the office and fewer vehicles on the road, the Christmas period brings added security considerations. Take time to check that all devices, vans, and equipment are secure before the break.
This could include:
-
Updating passwords or user access where needed
-
Ensuring laptops and mobiles are logged out of shared accounts
-
Securing vans and valuable tools
-
Checking tracking systems, alarms, and office access controls
-
Confirming backups and automations are running as expected
These steps protect your assets while the business is quieter and reduce the risk of avoidable disruption when staff return.
8. Communicate Your Internal Holiday Plan
Your team needs the same level of clarity as your customers. Share a final internal message covering closure dates, emergency rotas, lone working expectations, and any last administrative tasks that must be completed before the break.
If you use a field service management platform, update team notices and internal dashboards so everyone has access to the same information. This helps avoid confusion, especially for engineers working on call.
Encouraging staff to switch off properly unless they are part of the emergency rota supports their wellbeing. Research from platforms like Mailchimp highlights how poor boundaries increase stress and burnout, so a clear internal plan benefits both individuals and the business.
Fieldmotion Brochure
See how Fieldmotion helps field service teams manage jobs, schedule staff, create invoices, and communicate with customers — all from one easy-to-use system.
9. Set Your Team Up for a Smooth Return in January
A successful shutdown is only half the job. Planning how your team will return in January ensures work starts quickly and without confusion. Before the break, outline the first week’s priorities, confirm which jobs are already booked, and check that parts and materials are ready.
Update your internal systems so engineers can pick up where they left off. This might include refreshed job notes, updated stock lists, or any workflow changes that begin in the new year. A clear plan helps the whole team start fresh and reduces downtime in one of the busiest months for many field service businesses.
Closing for Christmas should feel organised, predictable, and stress free. With a clear checklist and early communication, you can give customers confidence while protecting valuable downtime for your team. The break also gives your business a chance to reset, review processes, and prepare for a strong start in January.
If you want support digitising your workflows, strengthening communication, or managing your team more efficiently throughout the year, Fieldmotion can help. Our platform gives field service businesses a simple way to stay in control, even during the busiest seasons.
