Capture opportunities even when your team is clocked out for the day with our out of hours call management.
"With Upfirst, someone who would’ve been on hold now gets help right away. Whether they just want to know the exam fee or refill a prescription, the AI can handle it. Clients love that."
"We’re often busy with pets and can't always get to the phone. Now every call gets answered and we get a clear summary so we can respond fast."
"Your AI, she’s amazing. She sounds great and is very responsive. Residents love it because they feel heard, and prospects get the information they need right away."
"Listening to it, it sounds like they're actually one of the salesmen who's been working for us for a couple years. "
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How it works
Sign up, tell us about your business, and let Upfirst handle your calls.
Tell us about your business and how you’d like your calls handled, including any special instructions. We follow them every time.
We pick up each call on the first ring when it’s after hours, weekends, or holidays. Your callers will always reach a helpful voice, not a frustrating voicemail.
Get call summaries delivered to you via SMS and email. Get peace of mind as we answer your calls, collect lead info, set appointments, and more.
The affordable out of hours call management service
Whether you're a contractor or a lawyer, missed calls are missed opportunities. You're busy running a business, wearing a million hats, and the last thing you want to worry about is taking a client call after hours.
And yet, there could be a lot of money left on the table by missing these calls.
With an out of hours call handling service like Upfirst, you could capture the leads you might otherwise miss. Not only that, but your business appears more professional to callers when you’re always available to answer their questions.
Think of Upfirst as your 24/7 virtual receptionist, but smarter, more affordable, and infinitely scalable. We’re here to keep your business connected, no matter what your operating hours may be.
Learn about the key features from Upfirst's after hours answering service, designed to bring you peace of mind and answer your calls when you've clocked out.
Your receptionist is always on, handling calls day and night. No coffee breaks, no sick days – just consistent, round-the-clock service. Turn us on to take calls during the day or only after work hours. The choice is yours.
People still calling your business in the evening and reaching voicemail? These don’t have to be lost customers. Let an out of hours call handling service like Upfirst take those calls and we’ll handle them just the way you want.
From friendly greetings to specific FAQs, tailor your answering flow in a way that fits your business goals. Need to qualify leads one way or set appointments another? Or do you only want us to collect info and send it your way? Whatever it is, you’re in control.
Premium AI answering services don’t have to cost a fortune, especially if you’re a small business running on limited cash flow. Get every single call covered without the overhead of extra staff so you can keep pushing your business forward.
Responding quickly and professionally, even when you’re off the clock, builds trust and makes you look downright reliable. Let customers reach you after hours and watch happy callers become loyal customers.
We make after hours call answering affordable for small businesses, so you can capture more leads and help more customers without going over budget.
Keep your business open around the clock. Catch every caller, whether it’s the middle of the night or a holiday.
Let callers book time slots right over the phone. Send text links with your calendar or use Zapier to connect with CRMs.
Send urgent or emergency calls straight to you or your team based on your custom rules you set.
Ask callers the right questions to gauge interest and urgency. Collect the info you need and qualify leads.
Stay updated on when customers want to place orders with you with after hours support.
Speak your customers’ language with fluent English, Spanish, and more with bilingual answering.
Receive transcriptions and call recordings of every conversation. Get them delivered to you via SMS or email.
Capture detailed messages with an after hours message taking service. Never worry about missing details.
Quick, easy setup
During business hours, you’re there to answer the door. But after hours, you need a reliable virtual receptionist to pick up a continuous stream of calls. Here's how to get started:
Create your Upfirst account in minutes—it’s free to try. Forward your existing business line to Upfirst or select a new number with your preferred area code. It’s your call.
Add details about your business, craft a custom greeting, and set your call handling preferences. Make some test calls until you are happy with it. Your AI agent learns fast.
Once you're satisfied with how your virtual receptionist sounds, it's time to activate it. Sit back and let Upfirst answer for you. Enjoy easy-to-read call summaries and happier customers.
Use cases
No matter who your clients are and when they need to call on you, Upfirst's AI phone answering service has your calls covered.
Whether you run a plumbing biz, electrician team, or HVAC company, emergency calls don’t keep office hours—and neither do we. Upfirst makes sure your home services line never sleeps, so those 3 AM requests get routed straight to your virtual receptionist.
And for e-commerce & retail brands, we assist with every order inquiry, and answer product questions—even when your brick-and-mortar doors are closed.
Busy law firms and scrappy IT startups rely on us for secure, confidential handling of sensitive calls. If you run a professional service, every message is captured and escalated per your protocol.
Likewise, non-profit organizations—from local charities to community initiatives—lean on Upfirst to ensure no donation opportunity or urgent assistance call ever slips by.
In the world of hospitality & travel, last-minute cancellations and booking changes are par for the course. Upfirst fields calls for hotels, airlines, car rental, taxi services, and agencies 24/7, keeping your guests happy and your calendar up to date.
And if you’re in a niche like dental care, carpet cleaning, or education, we’ve still got you covered—just customize your call flow and consider it done.
Whether you need to pass a lead to Hubspot or schedule an appointment in Calendly, you can use Zapier to pass caller info from Upfirst to any app.
Have a question about our after hours answering service that isn't answered here? Get in touch with our team.
How much does an out of hours call handling service cost with Upfirst?
Upfirst offers simple pricing for after hours call handling with no setup fee, no contract, and a 14 day free trial. Plans start at $24.95 per month for 30 calls, $59.95 per month for 90 calls, $159.95 per month for 300 calls, and $299 per month for 600 calls. You can scale your plan as your after hours or overflow call volume grows.
How does getting set up with the after hours answering service work?
Setup is simple. Create your Upfirst account, add information about your business, any rules on how to handle certains calls, and set up any call transferring or scheduling rules you might need. After testing some calls and you're happy with how it sounds, just start forwarding your after hours calls to your Upfirst agent.
Can Upfirst schedule appointments for my business after hours?
Yes. Upfirst can schedule appointments through Google Calendar and Outlook. It can also send callers a link to your booking page or collect all the information your team needs to follow up later.
I get a lot of spam calls. How does Upfirst handle spam or unwanted calls?
Upfirst filters them out and tags them for you. We won't charge for spam calls, quick hang ups, or any call that lasts under 15 seconds. This helps keep your after hours answering service cost predictable and fair.
Is Upfirst able to support other languages?
Yes. Upfirst can speak more than 30 languages, automatically switch languages during a conversation, and translate transcripts into whichever language you prefer.
How will I be notified of calls that come in after hours?
You receive instant notifications by email or text with call details, transcripts, and any actions the AI assistant completed. Your team wakes up to a full record of everything that happened overnight.
Can Upfirst take a message and send call details to me?
Yes. Upfirst can collect messages, caller information, and next steps, then deliver the details to your email or phone. You can also send details to your CRM using Zapier.
How does Upfirst handle emergency calls after hours?
Upfirst follows your emergency workflow. It can escalate urgent calls, send alerts to your on call staff, or gather key details for next day follow up. You decide how emergency call routing should work and Upfirst carries it out consistently.
Don't let another call opportunity slip away when you've closed doors for the day - get started with Upfirst's after hours call handling for free.
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