After-hours call answering

Live and AI services that answer when no one is in the office.

Buyer's guide

When a family calls at 2 a.m., someone or something has to answer. Small homes usually choose between a live answering service staffed by people and an AI system that answers by chat, text or phone.

Live services cost money per month or per minute. Director On Call publishes plans from $219.95/month for 50 minutes. AI options such as FuneralBot ($500/month) cover more channels, but a grieving family may be talking to software. Whatever you choose, ask how the first call is passed to your on-call director and how quickly. Also ask whether calls are recorded, how calls are billed (by minute or by call), and whether there is a free trial. Answering Service for Directors (ASD), for example, offers a free trial of at least 30 days with no contract or upfront payment.

Read our guide to after-hours call answering options for a side-by-side view.

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