After-hours
answering service.
Life isn’t 9-5, after-hours call answering makes sure your
business is there for customers 24/7.
Hear how
we
sound.
Win new clients
after hours.
Answer every call, qualify every lead, and schedule follow-up appointments 24 hours a day.
Be the business that always has a real person answer.
Services
Be there whenever you're needed.
24-hour call answering services to support customers and grow your business.
Always-on call answering
Support your customers 24/7 and win new business around the clock.
After-hours
Stop missing customer calls in the evenings, over night, and on weekends.
Capture leads
Gather the details you need with custom scripting and software integrations.
Efficient dispatch
Direct urgent calls and jobs to your on-call staff based on your schedule.
Schedule appointments
Schedule your next step on the call. Includes reminders and calendar integrations.
Instant notifications
See notifications, calls, and new inquiries on the go in the app, by SMS, or by email.
Missed calls are
missed jobs.
You're busy. But missed calls and not following up on leads quickly results in lost customers. After-hours answering keeps you open for business even when you're not working.
In our customers’ words.
Plans that include more.
Get a plan that's built to give you more time and flexibility, support your clients, and
work with your processes.
Get your quote.
Discover some of the top features and benefits of a live answering service.
Frequently asked questions.
Have questions?
Call us (800) 461-8535 or
email us sales@answerforce.com
How to get started with an after-hours answering service?
Missing calls, but not sure how to solve the problem? Here are the three steps you need to take to start winning more customers:Step 1: Know what types of calls you get and how you want to prioritize them, e.g. emergency call outs and inquiries.Step 2: Sign up with AnswerForce. We will work with you to build a script customized for your needs.Step 3: Forward your calls to your new AnswerForce receptionists. You can view calls, messages, appointments, and more in the AnswerForce app, at any time.
Why have an after-hours answering service?
Your business should be there for potential customers when they need you. Scaling your team is difficult, and having people on call is expensive. Having an after-hours answering service gives you the always-on availability to answer incoming calls, and you only pay for the time you use.After-hours answering service can help you to:
- Stop missing calls after hours.
- Capture and qualify new leads so your sales team knows which leads to prioritize.
- Schedule appointments, estimates, and follow-up calls on the first call.
- Dispatch on-call team members and provide them with job details.
- Improve your speed to lead. Our virtual receptionists can answer calls 24/7 and make outbound calls to new web inquiries in minutes.
Can I customize the scripts for after-hours calls?
Yes! To provide the best customer experience, your call scripts must fit the caller's needs and call type. In addition to your fully customizable main script, you can create different scripts for certain dates or times of day.Some common custom scripts include:
- After-hours scripts: Calls during the day might be transferred to your office, but after-hours calls need to be split. Emergency calls go to your on-call team, and inquiries are captured for your office team to follow up on the next day.
- Holiday scripts: With different opening hours, people taking vacations, and other business changes, you might want a custom script to cover certain holidays.
- Surge scripts: After a weather event when you see a massive surge in calls, you may want a simpler script. Surge scripts may capture only core information and send it to the right people, right away.
- Script notes: In addition to dedicated scripts, AnswerForce allows you to add temporary notes to your script for small changes like closing your office for half a day.
What types of businesses use after-hours answering services?
All kinds of businesses have after-hours call answering services. Whether you offer emergency/on-call services or want to ensure you capture leads whenever a new customer calls, 24/7 availability is key for growth.
- Plumbers, HVAC, electricians, and other home service businesses that offer emergency on-call services use after-hours answering services to capture job details in a professional manner and then dispatch the on-call technician.
- Restoration businesses use after-hours answering to capture the first notice of loss call, including all the job details needed to dispatch a technician. They also use 24/7 virtual receptionists to make sure they meet service level agreements for third-party administrators and network calls.
- Roofers, solar and EV charging installers, and construction businesses use after-hours services to capture leads and do outbound calls to follow up on new inquiries through their website and third-party advertising.
- Lawyers, IT service providers, and medical services use call answering after hours to do lead intake and ensure they don’t miss out on business opportunities.
- Small businesses use after-hours answering services to make sure they are available for their customers day and night. It’s hard to scale a small team to 24/7, with an answering service it’s much easier and more affordable.