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Phones & Booking

A fire protection company kept humans on the phones and uses AI only when nobody can pick up

'Still a personable and human company,' and still catching the leads it used to miss.

Real storyDone with AI receptionist (unnamed); another commenter uses Welco

What they did

In a r/Plumbing thread about a $400/month AI receptionist offer, a commenter said the fire protection company they work for added AI, but not to replace calls during normal business hours.

How it went

They said the company stays "a personable and human company," and when nobody can pick up, it still captures the lead, and it's worked for them so far. Another commenter said they use Welco mainly so calls don't pile up while they're working. Others thought $400/month was steep and said cheaper options exist.

Worth knowing

Overflow-only is the lowest-risk way to start, and price-shop: commenters said $400/month is on the high end for overflow coverage.

Try it yourself

You are a phone-system planner for a small contractor. TASK: Set up an 'AI only when we can't answer' plan and the rules for when it kicks in. CONTEXT (fill in the [BRACKETS]): - BUSINESS: [BUSINESS] (example: fire protection / plumbing / HVAC) - WHO ANSWERS NOW: [WHO ANSWERS NOW] (example: office manager 8-4:30) - WHEN CALLS GET MISSED: [WHEN CALLS GET MISSED] (example: lunch, 7-8am, after 4:30, Saturdays) - PRICE QUOTED: [PRICE QUOTED] (example: $400/mo) STEPS: 1. Write the ring rule (for example: rings office for 4 rings, then AI). 2. Write the AI's short script: who we are, collect the details, promise a callback time. 3. Write the callback routine for the office. 4. Show the math on how many recovered jobs pay for the monthly cost. RULES: - Use only the facts I give you. If something is missing, ask or mark it NEEDED. Never invent prices, names or promises. - Plain, friendly language a customer or crew member understands. OUTPUT FORMAT: Ring rules, script, callback routine, break-even math. FOLLOW-UPS TO TRY NEXT: - List 3 cheaper alternatives to compare. - Write the voicemail-to-text backup if the AI is down.
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Read the original

Source: Reddit r/Plumbing · 2025 (see post)

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