Answering service questions, answered plainly.

An answering service answers a business's phone when nobody there can — at night, at weekends, or while everyone is on a job. It used to mean a human call center taking messages for many businesses at once; it now also means AI voice agents that answer, ask questions and write the details down. For a contractor, a useful one does four things: works out what is wrong, takes down the caller's name, callback number and service address, recognizes an emergency, and either books the job or gets it to whoever is on call.

Yes. Human answering services such as Ruby, Abby Connect, AnswerConnect and Smith.ai still sell monthly plans, AI answering services have joined them, and field-service platforms including Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan now sell AI receptionists of their own. What has changed is the price: published human plans work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 a minute for the minutes in the plan, while paid AI plans start around $29–$99 a month, and two are free for a small number of calls.

Usually, if calls that would have become jobs are going unanswered. Invoca's 2026 home-services benchmark says roughly 48% of calls to home-service businesses don't reach a person, and SearchLight's February 2026 study of Google Local Services Ads found each ad call or message turned into about $487 of paid work for HVAC and $390 for plumbing, among contractors who track their ads closely. At anything near those numbers, one saved job a month pays for most AI plans. It is not worth it if someone already answers nearly every call live, or if the phone rings a few times a week.

AI receptionists are worth it when the calls they catch are worth more than they cost, and not when your calls need judgment they cannot supply. The money is rarely the hard part — one recovered job in the trades is worth hundreds of dollars. Quality is: speech recognition mishears, language models make mistakes, and no AI receptionist, Wakeman included, can guarantee that every call is answered, understood or booked correctly. Listen to real recordings before you buy, and ask to hear what it does with an emergency.

Not entirely, and a vendor who says it can is overselling. An AI receptionist can answer several calls at once at 2am, capture the details and offer the appointment windows you set. It cannot use judgment the way an experienced office person does with an upset regular, a billing dispute or a job that does not fit the script, and it will sometimes mishear. Most small shops use one for the calls nobody is free to take — nights, weekends and the phone ringing while everyone is on a job — and keep people for the rest.

Ask six questions, in writing. What does each minute cost once the included minutes run out? Can the cheapest plan actually book a job, or does it only text the caller a link? Are spam calls billed? If you set a spending limit, does it cut a caller off mid-call, or let the call finish? Which job software does it put jobs into? And what does it say to a caller who smells gas? Any vendor that will not answer all six on a sales call will not answer them when your bill arrives.

A live answering service works out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on published plans — about $165 to $2,100 a month. AI answering services start at $29–$99 a month, and home-services specialists from $149 (Wakeman) to $449 (Sameday) and up; Avoca publishes no price. Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with minutes included. Read it in context

A few have free tiers: Smith.ai's AI Receptionist includes 25 calls a month, then $3.00 a call, and Phonely includes 100 minutes a month. Jobber includes its AI Receptionist on its Plus plan, which itself lists at $499 a month. Wakeman is free for 14 days or 500 minutes, whichever comes first, with no card. Read it in context

Three plans: After Hours at $149/mo with 300 minutes included, then $0.59 a minute; Front Desk at $349/mo with 750, then $0.39 a minute; and Dispatch at $829/mo with 2,000, then $0.29 a minute. Tax is extra. Spam calls are never billed. You set a monthly limit: when you reach it, new calls ring your on-call phone instead, and a call already going can finish a little over it. If the first month isn’t worth it, email info@wakeman.ai within 30 days of your first payment and we refund it in full. Read it in context

The trial runs 14 days or 500 minutes of answering, whichever comes first. Pick a plan to keep Wakeman answering. If you don’t, it stops answering and new calls ring your on-call phone instead. There is no card on file, so nothing is charged unless you choose a plan — and choosing one early doesn’t cut the trial short: with more than two days left, the first charge comes when the free days end. Read it in context

After the minutes in your plan: $0.59 a minute on After Hours, $0.39 on Front Desk and $0.29 on Dispatch. Each call is rounded up to the next whole minute. Read it in context

Jobber’s AI Receptionist is included on Jobber’s Plus plan. On other plans it’s a paid add-on, and Jobber’s own pages disagree on the price: $29 a month on its pricing page, $99 on its features page (checked 24 September 2026). If your calls are simple and you already pay for Jobber, it may be the right answer. Wakeman is built for the calls that cost real money when they go wrong: it asks the questions a plumber or an HVAC tech would, rings whoever is on call during an emergency, and tells a burst pipe from a sales call. Read it in context

Yes, for your first month. If you pay for a plan and it isn’t worth it, email info@wakeman.ai within 30 days of your first payment and we refund that payment in full. It covers the first plan payment, once per business; extra minutes and later months aren’t included. Read it in context

Human services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 a minute for the minutes in their published plans — AnswerConnect is $395/mo for 300 minutes, Ruby $250/mo for 50. Front Desk works out at about $0.47 a minute. Wakeman writes each job down by default, and books a time only after you switch booking on. Read it in context

No setup fee and no minimum term. You can cancel through the self-service billing portal without a phone call, effective at the end of the current period. Some big answering services charge a setup fee, lock you in for 90 days, or charge you to take your number back. Ask any vendor about all three in writing. Read it in context

No. The number you already have stays yours, with your phone company. We never take it over, so leaving is easy. Read it in context

You set a monthly limit. When you reach it, new calls ring your on-call phone instead. A call already going can finish, so you may go a little over. Tax is extra. One thing to know: if the limit you set during the trial is at or below your plan's monthly price when you subscribe, it would run out before the first call. So we raise it to the plan price plus half, rounded up to the next $50 — for Front Desk ($349) that's $550. You can change it any time. Read it in context

A service that answers your business line while you are closed, so a caller at 9pm reaches someone instead of voicemail. A traditional one is a call centre that takes messages. Wakeman is an AI that answers in your company’s name, works out whether the call is an emergency, and writes the job down. Read it in context

Wakeman’s After Hours plan is $149 a month with 300 minutes included, then $0.59 a minute. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, and spam calls are never billed. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

You set your opening hours for each day of the week in Wakeman. Outside them, the calls your team misses are answered by Wakeman. Inside them, calls ring your team as they do today. There is no holiday calendar yet. Your hours are weekly, so to cover a public holiday that falls on an open day, mark that weekday closed before the holiday and set its hours back afterwards — otherwise Wakeman keeps treating that day as closed every week. Read it in context

Yes, whenever your hours say you are closed. If you close on Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday, that is when it answers. Read it in context

Yes. Every call Wakeman answers opens by saying it is an AI and that the call is recorded. Callers who ask for a person a second time, are angry, or have a complaint are put through to your on-call phone. If that phone is the same line that forwards to Wakeman, it can’t be rung without the call coming straight back, so Wakeman takes a message for you instead. Read it in context

When calls go unanswered during the day because everyone is on a job. After Hours leaves daytime calls with your team, so it will not catch those. From October 1, 2026 Google also charges Local Services Ads advertisers for some missed calls during business hours. Front Desk answers the calls your team misses at any hour. Read it in context

Some can, and it is the question worth asking, because many only take a message or text the caller a booking link. Wakeman can offer times and book the job once you switch booking on. Until then it takes the job down for you to confirm. Read it in context

Only the arrival windows you have set in Wakeman. It does not read your whole Jobber calendar, which is why booking starts off: you check the times it will offer before any customer hears them. Read it in context

Into Jobber when it is connected, with the client matched on phone number, the property created from the confirmed address, and the job assigned to your on-call tech when that tech is linked to a Jobber user. Without Jobber, you get the booked job by text. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet. Read it in context

Nothing is booked at an address it could not confirm. The call is still recorded and summed up, and flagged for you to follow up. Read it in context

Only the fees you have switched on in Wakeman, such as an after-hours call-out fee. It does not quote repair prices. Read it in context

Yes. Every account has a request page you can put on your website or Google profile. A customer leaves their name, number, address and problem, and you get a text, the same as a message taken on a call; with Jobber connected it becomes a Jobber request. Once you switch booking on, they can also pick one of the same times the phone offers. It sits alongside the phone line and does not replace it: callers are still answered and booked on the call, and nobody is sent a link instead. Read it in context

Make a few test calls first: a routine repair, a billing question, and one asking for a person twice (it puts a caller through on the second ask, not the first). Check what Wakeman wrote down, and check what reached your on-call phone. Call the Wakeman number directly, then call your own business number from another phone to make sure forwarding works. Leave booking off until you have checked the times it will offer. Keep test calls apart from real ones, and compare real jobs against the whole bill before you decide. Read it in context

Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750 or 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. Spam calls are never billed. You set a monthly spend limit. It is checked after each call ends, so the call that crosses it, and any calls happening at the same time, can take you a little over. Read it in context

It has safety words written in advance for a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage backups. When a caller describes one, Wakeman marks the call as an emergency and rings your on-call phone during the call. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

It can write booked jobs into Jobber. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet. Booking is off until you turn it on, because Wakeman doesn’t see your whole Jobber calendar. Once it is on, it offers only the times you have set in Wakeman, and each booked job goes into Jobber. Read it in context

Yes. We never move your number away at signup, so leaving is easy if it doesn’t work for you. Read it in context

Mostly the name. An answering service has traditionally meant a call centre taking messages, and a virtual receptionist a remote person or an AI answering as your front desk. What matters is what happens on the call: whether it tells a burst pipe from a routine job, writes the job down properly, and reaches your on-call phone when it should. Wakeman is an AI that does those three things, and it says it is an AI at the start of every call. Read it in context

It can be. On Front Desk and Dispatch, Wakeman answers the calls your team misses at any hour, day or night. On After Hours it answers only while you’re closed, by the hours you set. Like any phone service it can have an outage, so it doesn’t promise that every call is answered. Read it in context

Yes. Every call opens with a short notice that the caller is talking to an AI and that the call is recorded. A caller who asks for a person a second time is put through to your on-call phone. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a plumbing answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

It can take several calls at the same time, but not an unlimited number. Tell us before storm season so we can raise your limit and test it. Calls over the limit may wait or fail. Read it in context

Major flooding, a ceiling caving in and water reaching electrics are treated as emergencies, and Wakeman rings your on-call phone during the call. An ordinary leak is not: it is written down, and a leak marked urgent goes to your on-call phone as a text, without ringing it. Routine inspection requests are written down. It only offers inspection times once you have turned booking on. Read it in context

Booked inspections can be written into Jobber. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet. The times it offers come from the hours and bookings in Wakeman, not from your Jobber calendar. Read it in context

Most roofing calls are estimate and inspection requests that can wait for the morning, and After Hours ($149 a month) covers those while you are closed. The case for all-day cover is storm season, when calls come in faster than the office can pick up. Front Desk answers the calls your team misses at any hour. Read it in context

Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750 or 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. Spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a roofing answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

Sparks, arcing, scorch marks, smoke, water on a panel or outlet, or someone getting a shock are treated as emergencies, and Wakeman rings your on-call phone during the call. Ordinary faults are written down as routine jobs. It only offers times once you have turned booking on. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. You set a monthly spend limit. It is checked after each call ends, so the call that crosses it, and any calls at the same time, can go a little over. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

It takes the job down to start with. Once you turn booking on, it offers the times you have set in Wakeman and writes the booked job into Jobber. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet. Those times are not read from your Jobber calendar, which is why booking starts off. Read it in context

Yes. On After Hours ($149 a month) Wakeman answers only while you are closed, going by the opening hours you set. While you are open, calls ring your team as they do today. Front Desk answers the calls your team misses at any hour. Read it in context

Wakeman is one: an AI answering service set up for electrical work and your own list of services. It writes routine jobs down, treats sparks, arcing, scorch marks, smoke, water on a panel or someone getting a shock as emergencies, and rings your on-call phone during the call. It answers in English. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a electrical answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

It takes down reschedules and account questions as messages for your office, and writes new treatment requests down as jobs. It does not see your route or change a recurring schedule itself. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else pest control companies get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a pest control answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else lawn care companies get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a lawn care answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else cleaning companies get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a home cleaning answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else pressure washing companies get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a pressure washing answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else painters get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a painting answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

For home services first. Plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing and restoration have the deepest pages. A builder or general contractor can use it to answer missed calls and write down enquiries and bid invitations as messages. A caller with a problem on finished work is a call for a person: it takes a message, then tries to put them through to your on-call phone. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else builders and general contractors get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a construction answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

It writes down what the caller tells it, including where they are moving from and to. It checks one service address against its map; a second address is written down as the caller says it. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else moving companies get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a moving answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No. It answers your business line, not alarm signals, and it never dispatches police or fire. A caller who describes smoke or fire is told to get out and call 9-1-1 first, and Wakeman rings your on-call phone during the call. A caller who mentions a smoke detector can set that rule off too, even if it is only chirping. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else security installers get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a home security answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No. Wakeman writes into Jobber, which auto shops rarely use. For an auto shop it answers, writes down the car and the problem, and passes the message to you; your team books the bay. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else auto repair shops get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a auto repair answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No, and we would rather say so. The safety rules are the same in every trade: a gas smell, carbon monoxide, fire or smoke, water near electrics, major flooding and sewage. When a caller describes one, Wakeman gives safety steps written in advance and rings your on-call phone during the call. No heat, an active leak or no power is marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone. Everything else interior designers get asked about is written down as a job, using the list of jobs you give it in setup. It is an AI speaking, so it may not say those words exactly, and we cannot promise the call to your phone gets through. It is a safety net, not an emergency service. Read it in context

Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month with 300, 750, 2,000 minutes included, then 59¢, 39¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan. There is no setup fee and no minimum term, spam calls are never billed, and you set a monthly spend limit. Human answering services work out at roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on their published plans. Read it in context

Both names describe the same job, and so does "AI CSR". Wakeman is an AI receptionist: it answers the calls your team misses in your company’s name, and says it is an AI at the start of every call. Like a interior design answering service or a virtual receptionist, it writes each job down; unlike a message-taking service, it tells an emergency from a routine call and alerts your on-call phone for the dangerous ones. Read it in context

No. Jobber stays where your jobs live. Wakeman starts by taking jobs down for you to confirm. If you switch booking on, a confirmed job goes into Jobber — but the times Wakeman offers are the ones you set in Wakeman. It doesn't read your Jobber calendar. Read it in context

If your calls are simple, Jobber's is genuinely a reasonable answer and we would rather you knew that now. Try both on your own calls: does it ask the right questions for your trade, follow your service rules, reach whoever is on call, book the right time, and handle an emergency? Read it in context

From the integrations page in your Wakeman dashboard. You sign in to Jobber and approve the connection on Jobber's own screen. The access Jobber gives us is stored encrypted and never sent back to your browser. Read it in context

Yes. It reads your Jobber team, so the on-call technician you set in Wakeman maps to a real Jobber user and the job arrives already assigned rather than sitting unassigned until morning. Read it in context

Nothing goes into Jobber. The call is still logged, recorded and transcribed, and flagged for you to follow up — but Wakeman will not create a Jobber job at an address it could not confirm. Read it in context

We started with Jobber because Jobber lets any company connect to it. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet: it only lets approved partners connect, and we aren't one yet. Wakeman does not connect to ServiceTitan. If you use other software, talk to us before you sign up rather than after. Read it in context

Avoca does not publish a price. There is no trial and no self-serve signup — it is demo-and-quote only. Figures in the $1,000–$3,000/mo range circulate on third-party blogs, but the most careful of those sources states plainly that these are not published numbers and are inferences. Treat any specific figure you read, including that one, as unverified until Avoca gives it to you in writing. Read it in context

For a different company, very likely yes. Avoca raised $125M+ at a $1B valuation in April 2026, is officially approved by ServiceTitan, and serves large shops with a team from Avoca that sets it up for you. If you run $3M+ in revenue on ServiceTitan with office staff answering the phones, that is a serious product built for you. Wakeman is built for the 2–15 truck shop that Avoca's model does not reach down to. Read it in context

Not a stated one, but their own referral terms say who they count as a qualified lead: over $3M in annual revenue, two or more people answering the phones, and ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro. That is Avoca's own document rather than a third-party estimate, and it is a lower bar than the figures that circulate on comparison blogs. If you clear it, take their demo — we mean that. The shop we are built for is the one below it: the owner with nobody in the office to answer, because the phone rings on their own cell. Read it in context

Ask before you sign — of either of us. Avoca's list of connections names ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro and FieldRoutes, though it publishes pages for other software too; what that means for your setup is a question for their team, not for us to describe. Wakeman started with Jobber because Jobber lets any company connect to it. If you are on something else, we will tell you plainly that we can't put jobs into it yet. Read it in context

You should not, entirely. What you can do is check it: every claim here is either sourced to a named third party and labelled as such, or it is about Wakeman and is checkable by signing up. Note what this page does not do — it does not state Avoca's price as fact, does not quote a customer count, and does not claim Avoca is bad. Read it in context

Sameday publishes a Launch plan from $449 a month with 500 minutes and a Scale plan from $789 with 1,000 minutes; Enterprise is custom. Sign-up starts with a demo, and no free trial is advertised. Read it in context

Sameday. It describes itself as an official ServiceTitan technology partner and books into ServiceTitan. Wakeman does not write into ServiceTitan, and we would rather tell you that here than on a sales call. Read it in context

Both list Jobber. Wakeman puts confirmed jobs into Jobber when booking is on, finding the customer by phone number and adding the property from the checked address. Ask Sameday what its Jobber connection does before you choose — we have not tested it and will not describe it. Read it in context

Sameday's after-hours page advertises bilingual Spanish answering, while its pricing page lists multilingual voices under the custom Enterprise plan (both checked 23 September 2026). Wakeman does not support Spanish today. Read it in context

Ruby lists four minute bundles: $250 a month for 50 minutes, $395 for 100, $720 for 200 and $1,725 for 500 — roughly $3.45–$5.00 per included minute. It does not publish an overage rate. Each call is rounded up to 60 seconds and hold time counts. No setup fee and no contract (Ruby's pricing page and FAQ, checked 24 September 2026). Read it in context

No. Ruby's receptionists are people. It uses AI tools to help them, but does not sell an AI receptionist on its own. Wakeman is an AI receptionist, and says so at the start of every call. Read it in context

Ruby's integrations page lists Clio, Grasshopper, JobNimbus and Zapier; Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan are not on it. Wakeman writes confirmed jobs into Jobber once you switch booking on. Read it in context

Ruby's own pages say two things: its pricing page lists 24/7 Spanish, and its FAQ says bilingual receptionists work Monday to Friday, 5am to 6pm Pacific. Ask Ruby which applies to your plan. Wakeman answers in English. Read it in context

Per minute, Wakeman: Front Desk is $349 a month for 750 minutes, about $0.47 per included minute, against Ruby's $3.45–$5.00. What Ruby's price buys is a person on the line, which some callers prefer. Read it in context

$49 a month on its own for 100 minutes, or $39 a month as an add-on to RingCentral's phone system, then $0.50 a minute, billed in 30-second steps. There is a 14-day free trial (RingCentral's pricing page, checked 24 September 2026). Read it in context

RingCentral lists home services and construction among the industries it serves, alongside healthcare, legal, retail and others. It is a general AI receptionist: it routes calls by name, location or keyword, books into Google or Outlook calendars, and answers in six languages. Its page does not describe emergency handling. Read it in context

RingCentral to start: $49 a month for 100 minutes against Wakeman's $149 for 300. Per included minute Wakeman's Front Desk plan is about $0.47 and RingCentral's standalone plan $0.49, with RingCentral's overage at $0.50 a minute against Wakeman's $0.29–$0.59 by plan. Read it in context

Wakeman does, once you switch booking on. RingCentral's page names Salesforce, HubSpot and Zoho for CRM and Google and Outlook for calendars; it does not mention Jobber. Read it in context

It depends on the software you run and the size of the shop. On Jobber Plus, Jobber's own receptionist is included. Larger ServiceTitan operators with a CSR team usually look at Avoca or Sameday. For the lowest price, Dialzara starts at $29 and Rosie at $49, and Rosie answers in Spanish on every plan. Smith.ai suits shops that want people behind the AI. Wakeman is built for 2–15 truck plumbing, HVAC and electrical shops that want trade questions, an on-call ring for dangerous calls and a published price. Read it in context

General AI receptionists start at $29–$99 a month, with overage around $0.25–$0.50 a minute where it is published. Home-services specialists cost more: Sameday starts at $449 a month and Avoca publishes no price. Wakeman is $149, $349 or $829 a month. Prices from vendors' own pages, checked 24 September 2026. Read it in context

Because we wrote it, and leaving ourselves off would be its own kind of spin. To keep it useful, every price comes from the vendor's own page with the date we checked it, and every entry — ours included — says who it suits and who it does not. Read it in context

Avoca doesn't publish a price. Its site offers a demo, and its pricing page returns a “not found” error (checked 24 September 2026). Figures you find elsewhere are other people's estimates, not Avoca's. The alternatives on this page all publish at least a starting price, except Housecall Pro's CSR AI, which is sold separately. Read it in context

It depends on the software you run. On Jobber: Jobber's AI Receptionist, included on Jobber Plus, or Wakeman from $149 a month, which writes booked jobs into Jobber once you switch booking on. On Housecall Pro: its own CSR AI. For the lowest price or Spanish-speaking callers: Dialzara from $29 or Rosie from $49. If every caller must reach a person: Ruby. Read it in context

Sameday and Smith.ai both list ServiceTitan on their own pages. Sameday starts at $449 a month for 500 minutes and, like Avoca, starts with a demo; Smith.ai bills per call and has live receptionists behind its AI. Wakeman does not write into ServiceTitan. Read it in context

Yes. Wakeman is free for 14 days with no card, Rosie and Dialzara have 7-day free trials, RingCentral's AI Receptionist has a 14-day trial, and Smith.ai has a free plan with 25 calls. Sameday, like Avoca, starts with a demo. Read it in context

When you run ServiceTitan and want its deepest officially approved connection, already have office staff answering and want to train them, are past $3M in revenue with time for a setup project with Avoca's team, or want Avoca's own human reps to pick up what its AI can't handle. Read it in context

AI answering services run from free tiers and $29–$99/mo entry plans up to $449/mo and more for home-services specialists. Human answering services run $165–$2,100/mo, roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute. Field-service software now bundles its own: Jobber includes its AI Receptionist on the Plus plan and otherwise lists it as an add-on at $29 or $99 a month, depending on which of its pages you read. Prices checked on vendors' own pages on 21–23 September 2026. Read it in context

Most paid AI receptionist plans start between $29 and $99 a month: Dialzara $29 for 60 minutes, Rosie $49 for 250, RingCentral AIR $49 for 100, Goodcall $79 per agent, and Frontdesk $99 for 200. Extra minutes cost $0.25–$0.50 each where the price is published. Check whether the entry plan can book a job or only texts the caller a link — Rosie's and Dialzara's cheapest plans cannot book. Read it in context

Per minute, usually by a wide margin: extra AI minutes cost $0.25–$0.50 each where the price is published, against roughly $1.32–$5.00 per included minute on published human plans. Abby Connect, which sells both, now includes AI in every plan and prices an AI minute at half of one of its plan minutes — $1.65 on its Starter plan down to $1.38 on Growth, by its own figures. The trade-off is depth of handling rather than price alone. Read it in context

Two AI services have free tiers: Phonely (100 minutes a month, and no way to buy more — you upgrade to keep going) and Smith.ai (25 calls a month, then $3.00 a call). Jobber includes its AI Receptionist at no extra cost on its Plus plan, but Plus itself lists at $280–$499 a month. Everything else offers a trial at most. Read it in context

Of paid plans, Dialzara's $29/mo Lite plan has the lowest published entry price, though it has no calendar sync so it cannot book. Frontdesk (myaifrontdesk.com) dropped its $20 tier and now starts at $99/mo, or $79/mo billed yearly. Phonely and Smith.ai have free tiers. Read it in context

Most count every answered call, so ask before signing. Some carve spam out: Smith.ai filters known spammers before answering and lets you remove up to 10% of calls as spam, Jobber does not count spam or "no conversation" calls, and Goodcall does not count robocalls, blocked numbers or silent callers. Wakeman does not bill calls it classifies as spam. Read it in context

Because we need real calls from real shops more than we need your first 60 days of fees. Ten shops set up properly will teach us more than a hundred sign-ups we never speak to — and we would rather earn a write-up about your shop than make one up. Read it in context

You choose. Stay on Front Desk at $349 a month, switch to a smaller plan, or leave. If you leave, we walk you through switching the forwarding off on your phone, and that is the end of it. There is no card on file to charge. Read it in context

Up to 500 minutes of calls over the 60 days. We watch it with you and will tell you well before you get close. If it is ever used up, new calls ring your on-call phone instead, and nothing is charged. Read it in context

No. Your number stays on your trucks, your website and your Google listing. Your phone rings exactly as it does now, and only the calls nobody picks up are forwarded to Wakeman. Read it in context

Then After Hours ($149 a month after the free period) is the plan, and we will set it up that way. Front Desk is the default because it also catches the calls you miss during the day — which Google Local Services Ads charges for from October 1, 2026, if you run those ads. Read it in context

It says it is an AI assistant for your business at the start of every call, because callers deserve to know. After that it sounds like a calm person who knows plumbing, heating or electrical work. Listen to a call on our home page and judge for yourself. Read it in context

The founder, on (775) 510-2241 and info@wakeman.ai. Not a support queue. Read it in context