AI receptionist vs answering service
An AI receptionist and a traditional answering service both pick up when you cannot. They do not do the same job. Flowly AI is an AI phone answering service for trades in British Columbia. It answers in your company name, says it is an AI, books the job into your calendar, including Google Calendar, and emails a summary after every call. A traditional answering service usually takes a message. A hired receptionist can book the job, usually on weekday hours, and often costs $2,500 to $4,000 a month. Missing the call books nothing. Flowly AI plans are $249, $449, and $649 CAD a month, with no setup fee. Call it live at +1 (778) 718-2438. Flowly AI Solutions is in Langford, BC.
Call it live +1 (778) 718-2438
Versus a traditional answering service
A traditional answering service puts a person on the line, often in a call centre, and that person usually writes down a message. You still have to call the customer back and book the job. Nights and weekends are often a higher tier. Flowly AI books the visit on the call, into your calendar, and the summary arrives by email. You keep your number with conditional call forwarding. There is no porting.
Versus hiring a receptionist
A person at the desk can book work and knows the sound of a regular customer. They also take lunch, sick days, and evenings off. Covering nights means another hire. The range already used on this site for that wage is $2,500 to $4,000 a month, before you staff the hours you are actually missing. Flowly AI Starter is $249 CAD a month for after-hours and weekends. Pro is $449 CAD a month for 24/7, emergency phone dispatch, and warm transfer.
Versus missing the call
A missed call does not leave a booking or a summary. The caller moves to the next company on the list. One missed $400 job a month pays for Starter. That is the math on this site. It is not a claim about your average ticket, and it is not a promise of revenue.
Which plan matches the job
Choose Starter if you only need nights and weekends. Choose Pro if the phone should be answered every hour and a no-heat call, a burst pipe, or a power outage should ring your on-call tech. Choose Fully Loaded if you have more than one number or want a custom knowledge base and 2,500 minutes. Annual billing is two months free. Extra minutes are $0.49 CAD. GST is not charged. The 14-day trial requires a card.
Side by side
Same facts as the paragraphs above, in a table you can scan.
Who answers
- Flowly AI
- An AI, in your company name. It says it is an AI.
- Answering service
- A call-centre agent, often reading a script.
- Hired receptionist
- A person on your payroll, during their shift.
- Missed call
- Nobody. The call rings out or hits voicemail.
Booking
- Flowly AI
- Books into your calendar, including Google Calendar, on the call.
- Answering service
- Usually takes a message and leaves the booking to you.
- Hired receptionist
- Can book if they are at the desk and know the schedule.
- Missed call
- Nothing is booked.
Hours
- Flowly AI
- Starter covers after hours and weekends. Pro and Fully Loaded are 24/7.
- Answering service
- Set by the contract. Nights often cost extra.
- Hired receptionist
- Usually weekday hours, unless you pay for another shift.
- Missed call
- No hours. The phone is unanswered.
Emergencies
- Flowly AI
- Pro and Fully Loaded phone your on-call tech with the address and the problem.
- Answering service
- Often a message you see in the morning.
- Hired receptionist
- Only if someone is on shift to make the call.
- Missed call
- The caller phones the next company.
Price
- Flowly AI
- $249, $449, or $649 CAD a month. No setup fee. Annual billing is two months free.
- Answering service
- Varies. Often a monthly fee plus a per-minute rate.
- Hired receptionist
- Often $2,500 to $4,000 a month, and nights need a second shift.
- Missed call
- One missed $400 job a month pays for Starter.
Your number
- Flowly AI
- You keep it. Conditional call forwarding. No porting.
- Answering service
- Often forwarding, sometimes a new number.
- Hired receptionist
- They answer your number while they are working.
- Missed call
- Callers already have it, and it is not answered.
After the call
- Flowly AI
- An email summary every time. Flowly AI does not send text messages.
- Answering service
- A message, if one was taken.
- Hired receptionist
- Notes, if they were written down.
- Missed call
- No record of the call.
| Flowly AI | Answering service | Hired receptionist | Missed call | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who answers | An AI, in your company name. It says it is an AI. | A call-centre agent, often reading a script. | A person on your payroll, during their shift. | Nobody. The call rings out or hits voicemail. |
| Booking | Books into your calendar, including Google Calendar, on the call. | Usually takes a message and leaves the booking to you. | Can book if they are at the desk and know the schedule. | Nothing is booked. |
| Hours | Starter covers after hours and weekends. Pro and Fully Loaded are 24/7. | Set by the contract. Nights often cost extra. | Usually weekday hours, unless you pay for another shift. | No hours. The phone is unanswered. |
| Emergencies | Pro and Fully Loaded phone your on-call tech with the address and the problem. | Often a message you see in the morning. | Only if someone is on shift to make the call. | The caller phones the next company. |
| Price | $249, $449, or $649 CAD a month. No setup fee. Annual billing is two months free. | Varies. Often a monthly fee plus a per-minute rate. | Often $2,500 to $4,000 a month, and nights need a second shift. | One missed $400 job a month pays for Starter. |
| Your number | You keep it. Conditional call forwarding. No porting. | Often forwarding, sometimes a new number. | They answer your number while they are working. | Callers already have it, and it is not answered. |
| After the call | An email summary every time. Flowly AI does not send text messages. | A message, if one was taken. | Notes, if they were written down. | No record of the call. |
Questions
What is an AI receptionist and AI phone answering service?
An AI receptionist, also called an AI phone answering service, answers a business phone in a natural voice. Flowly AI does that for HVAC companies, plumbers, electricians, roofers, landscapers, garage door companies, and general contractors in British Columbia, Canada. It speaks in the company name, tells callers it is an AI, books the job, and emails a summary. It is not a phone menu, and it does not text the caller.
AI receptionist vs a traditional answering service: which is better?
A traditional answering service usually takes a message and leaves the booking to you. Flowly AI answers in your company name, books the job into your calendar, and emails a summary. On Pro and Fully Loaded it phones your on-call tech for emergencies you define, such as no heat, a burst pipe, or a power outage. Starter starts at $249 CAD a month with no setup fee. A hired receptionist often costs $2,500 to $4,000 a month and does not cover nights unless you staff them. One missed $400 job a month pays for Starter.
How much does an AI answering service cost for an HVAC company or a plumber?
For an HVAC company or a plumber, Starter is $249 CAD a month ($2,490 a year) with after-hours and weekend coverage and 300 minutes. Pro is $449 CAD a month ($4,490 a year) with 24/7 coverage, 1,000 minutes, emergency dispatch by phone call, and warm transfer. Fully Loaded is $649 CAD a month ($6,490 a year) with 2,500 minutes, more than one number, and a custom knowledge base. Annual billing is two months free. Extra minutes are $0.49 CAD. There is no setup fee. GST is not charged. The first 5 clients can lock Pro at $349 CAD a month for 12 months.
Does an AI receptionist work for emergency calls such as no heat, a burst pipe, or a power outage?
Yes, when you define the rule. On Pro ($449 CAD a month) and Fully Loaded ($649 CAD a month), a call about no heat, a burst pipe, or a power outage places a phone call to your on-call tech with the address, the caller's number, and what is wrong. You also get an email summary. Starter answers after hours and emails you, without that live phone dispatch. This is not a 911 service.
Can an AI book appointments into Google Calendar?
Yes. Flowly AI books service calls, estimates, and inspections into your calendar during the call, including Google Calendar when that is the calendar you use. The caller leaves with a time. You get an email summary after every call. Summaries are sent by email. Flowly AI does not send text messages.
Do I have to change my phone number?
No. You keep the number customers already call. Flowly AI uses conditional call forwarding. There is no porting. You can add a new number as well if you want one. Callers still dial your company.
Can it handle after-hours and weekends only?
Yes. Starter is $249 CAD a month, or $2,490 CAD a year, and covers after-hours and weekends only, with 300 minutes. Pro is $449 CAD a month for 24/7 coverage, 1,000 minutes, emergency phone dispatch, and warm transfer. Fully Loaded is $649 CAD a month with 2,500 minutes. You do not have to buy 24/7 coverage.
Is caller data private, and is it stored in Canada?
Flowly AI Solutions is in Langford, BC and follows BC PIPA and Canada's PIPEDA. Caller audio, transcripts, and contact details are used to answer the call, book the job, and email a summary. Voice and AI providers may process and store that data outside Canada, including in the United States. Stripe handles payment and may also store card data outside Canada. Flowly AI does not sell personal information. Email sanan.shah@flowlyai.ca to access or delete it.