Cost-effective
Save on labor and overhead. Our AI-powered answering service provides contractors with the benefits a full-time receptionist at a fraction of the cost of a new hire or traditional human-powered answering service.
Meet Upfirst
Answering service for contractors
You focus on the job and let our contractor answering service pick up the phone for you. Our AI-powered service lets you effortlessly stay connected with clients and never miss a call.
Benefits
Why use our contractor answering service?
Quoting, scheduling, marketing, invoicing—you have enough on your plate. Let our contractor phone answering service take care of your calls. We’ll pick up for you, take a message, and send you a summary.
quick, easy setup
How our contractor phone answering service works
Sign up for an Upfirst account and customize your live answering service. It only takes a minute to connect your phone number or select a new one. Then you can choose your AI agent’s voice, set up a welcoming greeting, and fill it in on your business specifics. Want it to schedule appointments or add leads to your CRM? Just say the word. Train it like you would a new team member—only faster, because it’s AI.
Once you’ve set up your AI answering service, take it for a test drive with some practice calls. This step lets you fine-tune its responses, ensuring it handles calls just the way you want. Set clear guidelines for handling unexpected questions so that your AI stays on track and only provides information that’s been approved.
Ready to go live? Activate your AI agent and it will field calls on your behalf. You can have it screen caller and send them your way if that’s what you prefer. After each call, you’ll get an email summary with the caller’s name, number, and any other info you asked your AI agent to collect. Never stress about a missed call again.
Use cases
What can an answering service for contractors do for you?
Answer calls around-the-clock
A phone call is the first impression for contractors. When you send a caller to voicemail, it doesn't send the right message. With our answering service, your business can answer calls 24 hours a day and provide a better customer experience. Be there for every lead or customer no matter how busy you are or what time it is. Keep it simple by training your AI agent to take a message or integrate with other tools to use features like automatic scheduling.
Capture information from leads
Whether or not you answer the phone can be the difference between closing a sale or letting a lead go to one of your competitors. With our phone answering service for contractors, your prospects never have to wait. Train your AI agent to qualify leads and ask important questions such as their address, email, budget, or specific service needs. With our integrations, you can seamlessly pass all of this info to your CRM.
Take high-quality messages
The last thing you want to do after a long day is listen to rambling voicemails. With our answering service, you don't have to. Our software asks the right questions, takes notes during calls, and emails you an easy-to-read summary. All you have to do is quickly skim through your calls and prioritize follow-ups. Of course, if you do want to listen to call, all of the recordings are saved within your Upfirst account.
Schedule appointments with ease
Cut back on all the back-and-forth. Our answering service for contractors can ask your clients when they're available, check your calendar, and automatically book new appointment for you. Whether it's for a new prospect or a repeat customer, booking with our professional answering service is a convenient experience for you and your customer.
Pre-qualify calls and transfer them as needed
It takes minutes to train your AI agent to transfer calls. Just set up the phone number you want calls forwarded to and give your agent a quick script on what to say before passing the call along. This feature comes in handy when you want to screen callers first, making sure that only urgent calls interrupt you or your team. It’s like having a helpful assistant who makes sure your time is spent on the most important conversations.
Answer frequently asked questions
Tired of picking up the phone just to answer the same questions all the time? Whether it’s about pricing or where you operate, it can get repetitive. Save your day and cut down on customer wait times by teaching your AI to handle these common queries. This not only frees up your schedule but also ensures your clients get the answers they need quickly and efficiently. It’s a win-win: less repetition for you, faster service for them.
Maintain customer relationships
One of the most important things any contractor can do to encourage repeat business is to show client their time is valuable. Nobody likes to feel ignored or left waiting on the line. With a phone answering service, you can make sure your customers always feel attended to, even outside of business hours.
who we serve
Types of contractors who can benefit from our answering service
Plumbing 🔧
Managing multiple job sites and calls can be overwhelming, especially when you’re unsure if an incoming call is for an urgent burst pipe or just a leaky faucet. Our phone answering service can screen calls based on your preferences. We can identify emergencies for immediate forwarding and take messages for less urgent calls.
Property maintenance 🏡
Stay on top of tenant needs without constant interruptions. Our phone answering service helps by managing incoming calls for you, whether it’s a tenant reporting a maintenance issue or a question about a property. We pick up for you, take a detailed message so that you can review and reply on your own time.
HVAC 🌡️
Peak season for HVAC means your phone is ringing off the hook. When your hands are full troubleshooting systems or installing new units, it can be hard to answer the phone. We take care of it. Our AI answering service can be trained just like a real human to take messages for routine inquiries and maintenance scheduling.
Roofing 🔨
Ever feel like your phone is just as flooded as the homes you’re helping to repair? When you’re up on a roof, you need to be focused on the job at hand — not your phone. Our AI answering service for contractors acts like your own on-ground assistant, trained to handle the details, take messages and schedule appointments.
Cleaning 🪣
When you need to clean multiple properties in a day, the last thing you want is to be interrupted by a ringing phone. Missed calls can mean missed opportunities, whether it’s a new client booking or a current one needing to reschedule. That’s where our AI answering service comes in, acting like your behind-the-scenes support. We handle the calls and take detailed messages for you.
Landscaping 🌱
When you’re in a middle of a landscaping job, it’s not practical to take a call. It can slow down your schedule. But letting it go to voicemail could mean missing out on a new project. Our AI answering service provides the perfect solution. We manage incoming calls so that every potential client is addressed right away.
Painting 🖌️
It’s all too easy to miss calls when you’re up on a ladder or in the middle of buying supplies. Our AI answering service acts as your personal 24/7 receptionist. It can handle calls, take messages, and give every customer a warm welcome. Now you can grow your painting business without being on your phone all day.
Pool and spa 💧
The key to growing your pool business is providing good customer service and that begins the moment a customer reaches out. No matter the time, our answering service provides a professional, friendly experience to all of your callers. Whether it’s a customer or lead who is trying to get in touch, you can trust Upfirst to gather the right information.
Pest control 🐜
When a homeowner needs help, they’re looking for a quick response, not a voicemail. That’s where our contractor answering service steps in. We pick up right away, gathering all the details you need to take action. Plus, we can screen calls and immediately direct the urgent ones to you, ensuring you’re always there when your customers need you most.
Join the waitlist
Be one of the first to try Upfirst — an AI answering service for contractors that picks up the phone for you.