Ace Medical Company has built its reputation on quality—both in its surgical instruments and the customer service that backs them. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ace Medical distributes and manufactures high-performance medical devices for surgeons, hospitals, and clinics across the country. With every call, the team wants to be as responsive and helpful as possible. But as the business grew, that wasn’t always realistic.
Challenge
Ace Medical’s phone rings for all sorts of reasons. About a third of their daily calls are from current or prospective customers: placing orders, requesting quotes, or asking about specialized devices. But the rest? Prank callers, logistics companies, cleaning crews, and service providers pitching something Ace Medical rarely needs. Every call mattered, but not every call deserved the same attention.
Their previous answering service helped with basic coverage. But whenever a caller had a detailed question—anything beyond “take a message”—the service would hand them off to someone at Ace. "If a customer had a specific question, it was always like, 'I gotta get you over to someone,'" Ace’s owner explained. That meant more interruptions, more back-and-forth, and a greater risk of missing opportunities to serve real buyers quickly.
Solution
Ace Medical switched to Upfirst, drawn by the ability to program their virtual receptionist with in-depth knowledge pulled straight from their website. The setup was quick: they forwarded their main line, loaded product and FAQ details into the Upfirst dashboard, and started testing live calls right away.
"What I really liked was I can program it with knowledge, and the knowledge all comes from the website," the owner said. Now, when a customer calls, Upfirst can answer detailed product questions, ask the right qualifying questions, and even offer to take an order or provide a quote. If the caller’s ready to buy, Upfirst collects the necessary info and seamlessly hands them off to the right team member for a quote. "It just goes down the sequence of what the customer needs to know, and then it's like, 'Can I get you a quote for this?'"
For sales calls and other distractions, Upfirst acts as a filter, politely handling the conversation, gathering enough info to identify solicitors, and preventing unnecessary interruptions. "It pretty much weeds all those out," the owner reported. Even regular customers (and sometimes family members!) can’t tell they’re speaking to AI—not a live staffer—thanks to Upfirst’s natural conversation flow.
Results
With Upfirst, Ace Medical achieved:
- Fewer interruptions: Sales pitches and irrelevant calls no longer reach the team. Only real buyers or important partners get through.
- Higher-quality conversations: Legitimate customers get answers fast, whether they’re asking about bipolar forceps, spine instruments, or surgical scissors.
- Faster order handling: Upfirst collects key details and smoothly transitions buyers to the quoting process, so every order gets taken care of.
- Professional image, 24/7: Every caller is greeted by a knowledgeable, courteous receptionist. Never a missed call, never a rushed answer.
And the best part? "Most people can’t even tell," said the owner. "My dad sometimes calls my office number by accident. He’ll have whole conversations with the thing and he just won’t stop. He has no clue."
Ace Medical didn’t need to overhaul their business to improve customer service. They just needed a smarter way to answer the phone. Upfirst’s virtual receptionist gave them the control and professionalism they wanted, at a fraction of the cost of their old service. With time saved and more qualified buyers on the line, Ace Medical can keep its focus where it matters: delivering durable, innovative medical devices that help providers deliver better care.
Ready to see what a custom receptionist can do for your business? Sign up for a free trial.
