What does an answering service cost for a small shop?
Most answering services charge one of three ways: by the minute, by the call, or a monthly plan with a set number of minutes or calls. What you really pay depends on how many calls you miss and the extras in the fine print.
Ours is $199 a month, locked for 12 months, for our first three shops.
Bayline is a demo plumbing shop. Call like a customer with a leak.
The three ways they charge
- By the minute. You pay for talk time. Long, chatty calls cost more. Ask how each call is rounded.
- By the call. One price per call, short or long. Ask whether hang-ups, spam and wrong numbers count.
- A monthly plan. A set price that covers a number of minutes or calls. Ask what happens when you go over.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is there a setup fee?
- Do nights, weekends or holidays cost extra?
- What happens in a busy month, when I go over my plan?
- Are spam calls, hang-ups and wrong numbers billed?
- Is there a contract, or can I cancel anytime?
- Does it answer every call, or only the ones I miss?
What changes the cost for your shop
The biggest thing is how many calls go to the service. If you only forward the calls you miss, it handles far fewer calls than if it answers everything. After that, it’s how long calls run and whether you need nights and weekends covered.
What we charge
Founding price, first three shops: $199 a month, locked for 12 months. 14 days free. No setup fee. Cancel anytime.
- After hours, weekends, and calls you miss during the day
- About 500 minutes a month, roughly 150 calls
- Emergency calls sent to your cell
- A text and email for every call
- Set up and tested with you, tuned every week in the first month
The regular price
Regular price after the first three shops: $299 a month plus $250 setup.
Call the demo first and hear it for yourself. It’s an AI voice, and it tells callers so. Works for any plumbing or HVAC shop in the US with a phone.