Answering service for small business
An answering service for small business that picks up when you can't.
Day or night, we answer on your existing number, get the caller's name, number, area and what they need, and email you the details. Callers you miss who say yes to texts get a text back from your shop's name.
See how it works in about a minute and a half. Sound on.
How our answering service works
- You keep your number. We email you simple steps so the calls you miss come to us: a short code you dial on your phone. Nothing to reprint.
- We pick up right away. No hold music. Our call answering handles callers who talk over it and sounds natural.
- We get the details. Name, number, area, what they need and a good time to call back. Then we read it back to the caller.
- You get one email. Who, where, what and when, in your inbox. You call the customer back and add the job to your own calendar.
Missed a call? Callers who say yes to texts get a text back from your shop's name, and their replies come straight to you.
What you get with our answering service
Answers right away
No hold music. It handles callers who talk over it and reads the details back.
Emails you the job
Every call lands in your inbox as one email: who, where, what and a good time. Missed a call? Callers who say yes to texts get a text back from your shop's name.
Keeps your number
We forward missed calls from the number you already have. Nothing to reprint.
Included
It's part of System, $279/mo. If you pay for an answering service now, you can drop it.
Hear it first
- Call our demo line at (856) 522-4614 and pretend you're a customer. It's a demo, so no call details go to a real shop. Demo calls are 2 minutes max.
- Try asking like a customer would: “My AC stopped blowing cold. Can someone come out tomorrow?” or “Are you open till 10?”
After-hours answering service
Plenty of calls come in after you've locked up: at dinner, late at night, on a Saturday. Those callers still need someone, and they'll keep dialing until they find a shop that answers.
- Same answer every hour. We answer at 9 PM the same way we do at 9 AM, weekends too.
- The details wait in your inbox. You decide when to call back.
- A text back if they want one. Callers who say yes to texts hear from your shop's name, so they know the message got through.
After-hours answering is part of the same plan. One flat monthly price, day or night.
Answering service for contractors and trades
When you're on a roof, under a sink or in a crawl space, you can't grab the phone. That's usually when the next customer calls.
We answer while you work and get what you need to call back with a plan:
- What's wrong, in the caller's own words. “My AC stopped blowing cold.” “The kitchen sink's leaking.”
- Where the job is, so you know if it's on your route.
- A good time to call back, so you're not stuck playing phone tag.
It works the same for plumbers, HVAC, electricians, roofers, landscapers, pest control, cleaning crews and more.
How to pick the best answering service for your small business
There's no single best answering service for every shop. A plumber who gets calls at night needs something different than a salon that books a week out. Ask any service these questions, us included.
- How do they bill? Most live services sell a bundle of minutes and charge for every minute over. A busy month can cost more than you planned.
- Do you keep your number? You shouldn't have to reprint your truck, your cards or your sign.
- What do you get after each call? You want a message you can act on: name, number, where, what and a good time.
- What happens to the callers you miss? A quick text back keeps them from calling the next shop on the list.
How much does an answering service cost?
Live answering services mostly charge by the minute. You buy a monthly bundle of minutes, then pay for each extra one. Some charge by the call instead.
| What you're paying for | Published price |
|---|---|
| Live service, 50 minutes a month | $75 to $165/mo |
| Live service, 200 minutes a month | $289 to $422/mo |
| Each extra minute | $1.55 to $2.28 |
| Call answering with us | Part of System, $279/mo |
What the $279 covers. Call answering day or night, a text back to missed callers, your website, your Google profile kept current, every lead and quote followed up, past customers brought back, and reviews and referrals asked for. One flat monthly price, billed monthly.
Live answering prices are from three services' published pricing pages, checked Oct 16, 2026. Those services are staffed by people, and some include extras like scheduling or bilingual answering, so compare what each plan covers.
Three plans
- System · $279/mo. Website, Google profile, reviews, calls answered, every lead followed up and past customers brought back.
- System+ · $697/mo. Everything in System, plus ads run for you. $200/mo in ad spend included.
- System++ · $947/mo. $400/mo in ad spend included.
Billed monthly, or prepay yearly at signup. No setup fees. Live within 1 to 3 days of paying. Postcards are an add-on. Compare plans
Answering service questions, straight answers
What is the best answering service for small businesses?
The one that answers every call, bills in a way you can predict and gets you details you can act on. Compare how each service charges, whether nights and weekends cost extra, whether you keep your number and what happens to the callers you miss. With us, call answering is part of System at $279/mo, one flat monthly price.
How much does an answering service typically cost?
Live answering services mostly sell a monthly bundle of minutes. On the published pricing we checked Oct 16, 2026, 50 minutes ran $75 to $165 a month and 200 minutes ran $289 to $422, with extra minutes at $1.55 to $2.28 each. With us, call answering is included in System at $279/mo, with no setup fees.
Do people still use answering services?
Yes. Plenty of small businesses use one for after-hours calls and for the hours when nobody can get to the phone. Customers still call when they need something done soon, and a caller who hits voicemail can just call the next shop.
What do virtual receptionists do?
They answer calls in your business name, take messages and pass them to you. Some also transfer calls, book appointments or take payments. Ours answers right away, gets the caller's name, number, area, what they need and a good time, reads it back and emails you the details.
What is the best way to answer business phone calls?
Pick up fast and say your business name. Get the basics: who's calling, how to reach them, where the job is, what they need and a good time to call back. Read it back so nothing's wrong. When you can't pick up, have your calls answered for you so they don't go to voicemail.
Is there an after-hours answering service for contractors and trades?
Yes. We answer day or night, weekends too, the same way at 9 PM as at 9 AM. You get the details by email and decide when to call back. It's part of System, $279/mo.
What happens when I miss a call? Do callers get a text back?
We answer the calls you miss and email you the details. Callers who say yes to texts also get a text back from your shop's name, and their replies come straight to you. Texting turns on once the carriers approve it, about 1 to 2 weeks after signup.
Does it book jobs on my calendar?
No. It takes the details and emails them to you. You call the customer back and add the job to your own calendar.
Updated