AI answering service for contractors
Answer Every Call Your Techs Can’t.
Inboxsmith answers 24/7, captures the work, and pings your on-call tech, so the calls you can’t reach turn into jobs instead of voicemail. Plans start at $47 a month. Industry estimates put missed calls at $3,700 to $10,000+ a month for a typical shop.
- ✓Answers 24/7 and captures every job, with calendar booking on Full-Time and Pro
- ✓Screens telemarketers and pings your on-call tech for real emergencies
- ✓Three flat plans from $47 a month, published $0.20/min overage, never a per-call meter
Keep your number. No risk. Month to month. Cancel anytime.
What are missed calls costing you?
Pick your trade, set your week, and see the month. Every number is editable.
How many calls did you miss this week?
$0
About 3 in 4 voicemail callers just call the next guy.
One Receptionist Across All Your Trades
Every trade, every plan. The receptionist is tuned to your trade’s emergencies, a burning smell and a burst pipe don’t wait in the same line as a quote request.
HVAC
Emergencies: No heat or cooling, gas leak
Dual seasonal peak, highest lifetime value
~$385 avg job →
Plumbing
Emergencies: Flood, sewage backup, no water
Mild
~$340 avg job →
Electrical
Emergencies: Power out, burning smell, sparks
Mild
~$295 avg job →
Roofing
Emergencies: Active leak, storm damage
Storm-driven, biggest tickets
~$8,200 avg job →
Pest control
Emergencies: Stinging-insect swarm, wildlife indoors
Spring peak, highest call volume
~$185 avg job →
Garage door
Emergencies: Door stuck open/unsecured, snapped spring
Cold-weather peak
~$420 avg job →
Average tickets and seasonality notes are industry estimates.
What Is A Contractor Answering Service?
A contractor answering service picks up the calls your crew can’t, after hours, weekends, and overflow when call volume spikes. Traditional services put live agents on the line; the meter typically runs per call or per minute. An AI answering service like Inboxsmith holds the conversation: it answers 24/7, triages emergencies, books a window your office confirms, and pings your dispatcher.
You’ll see the category under a few names, live answering service, virtual receptionist, call center, AI receptionist. What matters is the same for HVAC and plumbing shops, electricians, roofers, pest control, garage-door pros and construction companies: every call answered, urgent calls routed to your on-call tech, and routine jobs booked without pulling anyone off a ladder.
How It Works
From missed call to booked job, without pulling a tech off the truck. Every call comes back to you as an email recap.
You train it in minutes
Point Inboxsmith at your Google Business Profile or website and it learns your services, hours and service area. We build and tune the rest for you.
It answers every call
Picks up 24/7 in your company name, discloses it is automated, screens telemarketers, and triages a true emergency from a routine job.
You get the job, not a voicemail
It books the time window or transfers the emergency to your on-call tech, then emails you a full recap of every call.
Shown: the Full-Time plan
The Play-By-Play
Every beat of a real after-hours call, the caller’s side and the dispatch side working behind it.
Pick a plan and watch it handle the same call.
Listen: the Full-Time call
Simulated call.
9:47 PM · 📞 Call · Incoming · After hours
Inboxsmith: Thanks for calling Summit Air & Heating. I’m the automated dispatcher, and this call’s recorded. What’s going on?
Caller: My AC just died and it’s 92° in here. Can anyone come out tonight?
9:47 PM · 📞 Call
Inboxsmith: Okay, no cooling in this heat qualifies as an emergency. What’s the service address?
Caller: 412 Maple Court, Fairview 07022, off Route 9.
9:48 PM · 📞 Call · Intake
Inboxsmith: Got it. Your first name and the best number to reach you, in case the line drops?
Caller: Dana. 555-0142.
9:48 PM · 📞 Call + 🛠️ Dispatch
Inboxsmith: Thanks, Dana. Callback 555-0142, address 412 Maple Court, I’ve got it. I’m connecting you to Mike, our on-call tech, right now. One moment while it rings.
Email alert · Mike + office inbox: Emergency: AC out, 92° inside. 412 Maple Court, Fairview 07022, off Route 9. Dana, 555-0142. Connecting the caller to the on-call line now.
System: Ringing Mike on the on-call line ⏳
9:49 PM · 🛠️ Dispatch → 📞 Call
Mike: Got it, I’m free. Put him through.
Inboxsmith: Mike picked up, Dana. I’m connecting you to him now.
9:49 PM · 🛠️ Dispatch · After the call
Inboxsmith: Mike answered, so the emergency’s his and he’s on the line with Dana. Call summary emailed to the office with the recording and transcript attached; it leads the morning recap.
If Mike doesn’t pick upNo booking, and no second number dialed. The dispatcher takes the full message, the dead AC, the address and Dana’s number, emails the recap to Mike and the office, and tells Dana that Mike will call him back the moment he’s free.
If it’s a routine call insteadNo transfer at all. The dispatcher takes the full message, tells the caller the office will call back first thing, and drops it in the morning recap with the recording and transcript. Nobody’s night gets interrupted for a job that can wait.
9:47 PM · 📞 Call · Incoming · After hours
Inboxsmith: Thanks for calling Summit Air & Heating. I’m the automated dispatcher, and this call’s recorded. What’s going on?
Caller: My AC just died and it’s 92° in here. Can anyone come out tonight?
9:47 PM · 📞 Call
Inboxsmith: Okay, that qualifies as an emergency, what’s the address?
Caller: 412 Maple Court, Fairview 07022, off Route 9.
9:48 PM · 📞 Call + 🛠️ Dispatch
Inboxsmith: Got it... I’m pinging the on-call tech right now. They’ve got 60 seconds to respond, so hang tight. If they’re free, they head your way tonight.
To Mike · on-call tech: Emergency: no AC at 412 Maple Court, Fairview 07022. Can you take it tonight? 60 seconds to claim it.
System: Waiting on Mike to confirm, 0:60 ⏳
9:48 PM · 📞 Call · During the wait
Inboxsmith: Alright, while we wait, what’s your first name, and the best number to reach you?
Caller: Dana. 555-0142.
9:49 PM · 🛠️ Dispatch → 📞 Call
Mike: I’ll take it. 35 minutes out from Maple Court.
Inboxsmith: Good news, Dana. Mike’s on his way, about 35 minutes out. You’re set for tonight.
9:49 PM · 📞 Call
Inboxsmith: Okay, any special directions or notes for Mike, anything that’d help him find you easier?
Caller: Google Maps points to the front of the street, I’m at the end on the right. There’s a Ford truck in the driveway.
9:50 PM · 📞 Call · Wrapping up
Inboxsmith: Perfect, I’ve passed that along to Mike. You’re all set for tonight, Dana. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Caller: No, that’s everything. Thanks so much.
Inboxsmith: Anytime. Hang tight, help’s on the way. Have a good night, Dana.
9:50 PM · 🛠️ Dispatch · After the call
Inboxsmith: Confirmed, Mike’s en route, ETA ~10:25 PM. Dana’s number and directions are on his phone; call summary emailed to the office.
If Mike doesn’t respond in 60 secondsThe dispatcher asks the caller right on the line: “Are you available between 8 and 10 tomorrow morning?”, and books the first morning window. Your office confirms.
If Mike frees up a few minutes lateHe’s already got Dana’s name and number, he calls him directly and still takes the job tonight.
9:47 PM · 📞 Call · Incoming · After hours
Inboxsmith: Thanks for calling Summit Air & Heating. I’m the automated dispatcher, and this call’s recorded. What’s going on?
Caller: My AC just died and it’s 92° in here. Can anyone come out tonight?
9:47 PM · 📞 Call · Smart department routing
Inboxsmith: That’s a service emergency, so I’m handling it on the dispatch line and going straight to your on-call tech, not the office queue. What’s the address?
Caller: 412 Maple Court, Fairview 07022, off Route 9.
9:48 PM · 📞 Call + 🛠️ Dispatch
Inboxsmith: Got it... I’m pinging the on-call tech right now. They’ve got 60 seconds to respond, so hang tight. If they’re free, they head your way tonight.
To Mike · on-call tech: Emergency: no AC at 412 Maple Court, Fairview 07022. Can you take it tonight? 60 seconds to claim it.
System: Waiting on Mike to confirm, 0:60 ⏳
9:48 PM · 📞 Call · During the wait
Inboxsmith: Alright, while we wait, what’s your first name, and the best number to reach you?
Caller: Dana. 555-0142. Quick question, roughly what does an after-hours visit run?
9:48 PM · 📞 Call · Answered from your price sheet
Inboxsmith: An after-hours diagnostic visit is $149, and it’s credited toward the repair if you go ahead.
Caller: Okay, that works. Thanks.
9:49 PM · 🛠️ Dispatch → 📞 Call
Mike: I’ll take it. 35 minutes out from Maple Court.
Inboxsmith: Good news, Dana. Mike’s on his way, about 35 minutes out. You’re set for tonight.
9:49 PM · 📞 Call
Inboxsmith: Okay, any special directions or notes for Mike, anything that’d help him find you easier?
Caller: Google Maps points to the front of the street, I’m at the end on the right. There’s a Ford truck in the driveway.
9:50 PM · 📞 Call · Wrapping up
Inboxsmith: Perfect, I’ve passed that along to Mike. You’re all set for tonight, Dana. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Caller: No, that’s everything. Thanks so much.
Inboxsmith: Anytime. Hang tight, help’s on the way. Have a good night, Dana.
9:50 PM · 🛠️ Dispatch · After the call
Inboxsmith: Confirmed, Mike’s en route, ETA ~10:25 PM. Dana’s number, directions and the $149 quote from your price sheet are on his phone; call summary emailed to the office.
If Mike doesn’t respond in 60 secondsThe dispatcher asks Dana right on the line, “Are you available between 8 and 10 tomorrow morning?”, and books the first morning window. Your office confirms.
If Dana asks for a service you might not offerPro answers from your approved price sheet and service menu only, so it quotes exactly what you’ve listed and never invents a number or promises work you don’t do. Anything off-menu becomes a note for your office.
The Calls That Decide Your Month
Answered while everyone else’s phone goes to voicemail.
Three coverage styles, one receptionist: the 2:14 a.m. burst pipe is after-hours coverage, the heat-wave call caught while your line was busy is overflow, the missed-call catcher, and the Saturday quote is weekend coverage.
Every plan covers all three situations. The plan decides the minutes and what happens next: a message on After Hours, a booked window on Full-Time and Pro.
2:14 AM · After hours
Burst pipe, shut-off valve stuck
2:14 AM · 📞 Call
Answered & triaged as an emergency
Name, address and the problem captured
2:15 AM · 🛠️ Dispatch
On-call plumber pinged
60 seconds to claim it, job details on their phone
2:19 AM · 🛠️ Dispatch
Plumber confirms, heading out tonight
Nobody free? First morning window, office confirms
July heat wave · Overflow
No AC, office line busy
11:02 AM · 📞 Call
Overflow answered while your line is busy
Caller never hits voicemail
11:04 AM · 📞 Call
Same-day window offered
Your office confirms the time
11:05 AM · 🛠️ Dispatch
Your office pinged with the job details
Saturday · Weekend
Weekend quote call
Sat 3:40 PM · 📞 Call
Answered, job details captured
Instead of your competitor’s voicemail
Sat 3:43 PM · 📞 Call
Monday-morning window offered
Your office confirms Monday
Mon 8:00 AM · 🛠️ Dispatch
Your office opens with the job details waiting
Want the real thing? Start the free 7-day pilot and hear it on your own line.
60 seconds
Your on-call tech's window to claim an emergency call
Every call
Answered, booked, and recapped to your inbox
24/7
Nights, weekends, and overflow answered
What Happens To The Calls You Can’t Answer?
Every shop already handles missed calls one of four ways:
One way
Answer everything yourself
Every ring interrupts a job, and after 6 PM the phone keeps going. You didn’t start a business to be chained to it.
Jobs lost every time you’re on a roof, under a sink, or up a ladder.
Second way
Let it go to voicemail
An emergency caller at 2 a.m. doesn’t leave a message, they hang up and dial the next company on the list.
The job is gone before you even hear the voicemail.
Third way
Hire a per-call answering service
A message-taking service bills per call, and booking and overage often cost extra on top.
The busier your season, the bigger the bill.
Fourth way
Set up a DIY AI tool yourself
The self-serve AI receptionists work, if you spend nights configuring greetings, calendars and routing, then keep tuning them.
Your evenings, and calls handled wrong while you tinker.
The fifth way: done for you.
Inboxsmith is built, tuned and run for you, triage tuned to your trade. It answers 24/7, books the job into a window your office confirms, and pings your on-call tech in under a minute, on a flat monthly plan from $47, with your minutes included.
Simple, Flat Pricing
Three plans. Pick the coverage you need. No per-call fees, no setup fee.
After Hours
$47/mo
Cover nights, weekends and overflow. Keep answering your own phone by day.
- ✓250 minutes a month included
- ✓Custom message taking for up to 2 call types, built for you
- ✓Live emergency transfer to your on-call tech
- ✓Telemarketer screening, do-not-call request and a screened-call log
- ✓Website widget: text chat and voice
- ✓Email recap after every call
7 days or 300 minutes. Then $47/mo. Cancel anytime.
Full-Time
$147/mo
Every call answered and booked into your calendar, day and night.
- ✓1,000 minutes a month included
- Everything in After Hours, plus:
- ✓Custom message taking for up to 5 call types, built for you
- ✓Warm transfers: your AI briefs your tech before connecting
- ✓Calendar booking with Calendly, Cal.com, and Google Calendar (via their sync)
7 days or 300 minutes. Then $147/mo. Cancel anytime.
Pro
$297/mo
Full-service and custom-trained on how your shop actually runs.
- ✓2,000 minutes a month included
- Everything in Full-Time, plus:
- ✓Unlimited call types, built for you
- ✓Custom training on your documents and price sheets
- ✓Smart department routing: each caller goes to the right person
- ✓White-glove setup and priority support
7 days or 300 minutes. Then $297/mo. Cancel anytime.
Went over? $0.20 / min after your included minutes, billed to the whole minute, never a per-call meter.
All plans include
- ✓Answers 24/7, in your company name
- ✓Live emergency transfer to your on-call tech
- ✓Telemarketer screening and a screened-call log
- ✓Email recap after every call
- ✓Website widget: text chat and voice
- ✓Call recordings, transcripts and summaries
- ✓Keep your existing business number
- ✓Published overage: $0.20 / min after your included minutes, billed to the whole minute
- ✓No per-call fees and no setup fee
- ✓Month to month, cancel anytime
Keep your number. Month to month. Cancel anytime.
Questions Contractors Ask Us
How much does an AI receptionist for contractors cost?+
Inboxsmith runs three flat monthly plans: After Hours at $47, Full-Time at $147, and Pro at $297, priced by included minutes rather than truck count. Go over and it's a published $0.20 a minute, never a per-call meter, so a storm spike won't blow up your bill. No setup fee and no per-call fees, and you can start with a free 7-day pilot.
How is this different from a traditional answering service?+
An answering service takes a message. Then someone has to call the customer back, and by then they've booked your competitor. Inboxsmith books the job: it captures the name, address and issue, offers a time window your office confirms, and fires the details to your dispatcher in under a minute. It's the difference between “we'll have someone call you” and “you're on the schedule.”
Will it sound like a robot?+
It introduces itself as an automated assistant, then sounds like a natural conversation, the current generation is a long way from the old robotic systems. The best test is to hear it: we can play a recorded call or let you call a demo line and try to break it.
Do I have to change my phone number?+
No. You keep your existing business number, the one on your trucks, cards and ads. We simply forward your line to Inboxsmith so it answers the calls you can’t.
My software (Housecall Pro / ServiceTitan) already has an AI, why would I need this?+
If you're on Housecall Pro MAX with CSR AI or ServiceTitan's Voice Agent, keep it, those book against your live calendar and they're solid. Inboxsmith is for the rest: owner-operators on Jobber, Workiz, regular Housecall Pro, or just a cell phone. It's flat-fee and fully done-for-you, and it works across all your trades whether or not your software has an API.
Is an AI receptionist compliant with robocall rules?+
Yes. Inboxsmith is inbound-only by default, it answers people calling you, so outbound robocall rules don’t apply. The assistant discloses that it’s automated up front, the call is recorded with disclosure, and it never invents prices or appointment times: it reads your real prices and offers windows your office confirms.
Can it handle emergency calls?+
Yes, emergency triage is built per trade. A “no heat with a newborn” or an active flood is routed to your on-call line immediately, while a routine job gets booked into a window. If a caller reports gas, smoke or fire, the assistant tells them to hang up and call 911 before anything else.
What is the difference between a live answering service and an AI answering service?+
A live answering service puts a human agent on your line, a good fit when you want a person, and the meter typically runs per call or per minute. An AI answering service answers 24/7 whatever the call volume. Inboxsmith runs three flat monthly plans from $47, always discloses it’s automated, and adds trade-specific emergency triage and in-call booking.
Can Inboxsmith dispatch my on-call tech for emergencies?+
Yes, that’s the dispatch loop. When a call qualifies as an emergency, your on-call tech gets pinged with the address and the problem, and has 60 seconds to claim the job while the caller stays on the line. If nobody’s free, it books the first morning window right on the call, and your office confirms.
Can I use Inboxsmith only for after-hours or busy times?+
Yes. Call forwarding decides what Inboxsmith answers, everything, after-hours only, or just the overflow when your line is busy. The After Hours plan ($47/month) is built for exactly that: nights, weekends and overflow, while you keep answering your own phone by day. Or add the Missed-Call Catcher so nothing that hits a busy signal goes to voicemail. Either way, you can widen it to every call whenever you’re ready.
See What Your Phone Is Worth
Run a free 7-day pilot. We answer the calls you’d otherwise miss and send you a full report of what came in. No risk, keep your number and cancel anytime.
The free pilot runs up to 7 days or 300 minutes, whichever comes first. A card on file verifies your business, you’re never charged during the pilot.
