Challenge
Rick’s team is hands-on. They're on job sites, handling estimates, troubleshooting panels, or meeting with clients. That makes it tough to answer every call as it comes in. For years, Rick paid people to answer the phones, hoping it would help. But even then, the system had cracks. "Most of the time, they still ended up saying, 'Let's call one of the electricians to answer the question.' So it was always one of my guys or myself who had to stop. They would have to call me back and so forth. It was just a bunch of wasted money."
The result? Missed opportunities, endless interruptions, and a lot of time spent retracing details with callers. Rick knew he needed a better solution, and something that would let him focus on jobs without sacrificing customer service or spending a fortune.
Solution
One night, Rick stumbled on Upfirst and decided to give AI call answering a try. "I gave them a shot, tried it out, and absolutely love it. It just fits with me like a glove. As long as I'll own this business I will be with Upfirst."
Setting up was quick. A.R.E. Louisiana’s virtual receptionist, Tiffany, was ready to answer customer calls 24/7. Rick added custom info like service offerings, hours, and typical questions to Upfirst’s knowledge base. Calls now get picked up instantly, and the AI can handle real conversations. "A lot of my customers don't even know it's any kind of bot AI. They just think it's a real person."
Whenever a call comes in, Rick gets a message within seconds, complete with a transcript, caller info, and even a recording if he wants to hear it. He can review what the customer needed before calling back, so he’s never guessing or fumbling for context. "When I call the customer, it's a continuing flow. It's not like 'Okay, what did you call about?' I already kind of know. I heard it. I already got the address. I got their email. I got their phone number. So, it's great."
Results
For Rick, the change has been night and day. There are no more constant back-and-forth callbacks, no more missed leads, and no more wasted payroll on receptionists who couldn’t actually help. "It's been pretty good because I can look at it. I can play it back and kind of hear what was discussed."
Even better, the customer experience improved. Clients rave about “Tiffany,” often assuming she’s a real team member. Rick has even played call recordings for colleagues to show how well Upfirst handles things. "How did my girl Tiffany handle it? Look how she handled it. You see that?"
With Upfirst, A.R.E. Louisiana finally answers every call, keeps every lead, and delivers the professional touch Rick’s built his business on for less than the cost of a single shift with a traditional answering service. "It's just awesome. So realistic, man. It's unbelievable."
Ready to see how easy it is to never miss a call again? Sign up for a free trial and let Upfirst handle your phones, so you can handle your business.
