TCS tells businesses to update phone holiday hours before Thanksgiving

Towner Communications Systems is urging Central Missouri businesses to align phone-system schedules, greetings and on-hold messages with holiday closures before Thanksgiving on Nov. 26. The reminder is meant to prevent callers from hearing normal business hours when locations are closed through New Year's.

Why it matters: - Businesses that update their website hours but not their phone system can send callers mixed signals during the holiday season. - A mismatched greeting or stale on-hold message can frustrate customers and create avoidable missed calls while locations are closed or on shortened hours.

What happened: - Towner Communications Systems, Inc. is asking Central Missouri businesses to review phone-system holiday settings before Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. - The company is also telling businesses to check holiday schedules, greetings and on-hold messages before the holiday period runs through New Year's. - Tim Petty, TCS vice president of sales and marketing, said businesses should set holiday schedules and greetings before the holiday so callers know when they are open and how to reach them.

The details: - TCS says the first step is to confirm the dates and hours in the phone system's holiday schedule. - Businesses can set full-day closures, shorter opening hours and different schedules by location. - Businesses should also confirm how incoming calls route during holiday periods, including whether calls go to a holiday greeting, voicemail or a forwarding destination. - A holiday greeting can tell callers when the business will reopen and what to do next, such as leave a message, visit a website or use an after-hours contact option. - Any alternate contact information should be checked before it is recorded. - TCS says on-hold messages should get a separate review because seasonal references, outdated hours or old promotions can conflict with holiday greetings. - A test call can help staff hear the customer experience and confirm the call path works before a closure begins. - Everblu's published support resources document business and holiday time frames, editable auto-attendant greetings, call forwarding and on-hold messaging options. - TCS says it can help customers review and configure relevant settings in their existing phone environment, but available options depend on the platform, account configuration and call flow. - Businesses that want help with holiday phone setup can contact TCS. - Background on TCS business phone and VoIP solutions is available here.

Between the lines: - The guidance frames phone settings as part of the same hours-update process as websites and online listings, not as a separate cleanup task. - That approach reflects how customers experience a business: one wrong message can undermine the accuracy of every other holiday update.

What's next: - Businesses are expected to review holiday schedules and recordings before Thanksgiving so callers get consistent information once closures begin. - TCS says it will support customers that need help adjusting settings in their current phone system.

The bottom line: - Holiday hours are only useful if the phone system matches them.