Why after hours matters
People look for a business when they're free, not when you're open
A contact form sent at 9pm gets a reply the next day at best. By then the customer has often asked someone else.
Phone answering services cover the phone, usually billed per call or per minute. But a growing share of first contact happens on your website, where a visitor wants an answer in the moment and would rather type than call.
An after-hours assistant on your website answers the common questions straight away, takes the details of anyone who wants a quote or a callback, and hands you a clean list of leads when you open.
How it works
What happens to a website inquiry at 9pm
It answers from your facts
Prices you publish, services, the area you cover, and your opening hours. It knows your business is closed right now and says so.
It takes their details
Name, phone or email, and what they need, so you can call back without a round of questions.
You get the lead, without being woken
An alert goes out right away. Reminders wait until you open, unless it's an emergency and you've asked to be woken.
What you get
Overnight coverage that knows it's overnight
Knows your hours
It works on your time zone and opening hours, so "are you open now?" gets a true answer.
Emergencies first
For trades that take emergencies, urgent problems are marked urgent. A gas smell or sparks get safety advice to call 911 before anything else.
A morning list
Leads captured overnight are on your Leads page with the full conversation, and a morning reminder if nobody has picked them up.
No per-call billing
Plans are a flat monthly price with a message allowance, and no hidden charges. Reaching the allowance adds a charge only if you've switched on auto top-up.
Your callback promise
Set a promise like "by 10am" and it tells customers exactly that. Without one, it never invents a time.
Never goes dark
Even past your allowance it keeps answering from your facts and taking details, instead of switching off.
In practice
A Sunday-night inquiry to a law firm
- I think I need help with a custody arrangement. Are you open?
- I'm an AI assistant for the firm, not a lawyer, and chatting here doesn't make you a client. The office opens Monday at 9am. I can take your details so an attorney can get back to you. What's your name and the best number?
Says it's an AI and not a lawyer, and knows the office is closed
- Dana Brooks, (555) 010-0789. We're in Travis County.
- New lead (Brooks & Lee Family Law): Dana Brooks (555) 010-0789 / custody arrangement, Travis County
Alert sent now; reminders held until Monday morning
What it won't do
What it isn't
It covers your website overnight. Be clear about what else still needs covering.
- It doesn't answer phone calls or voicemail. Pair it with your phone setup.
- It doesn't dispatch a technician or call anyone on your behalf.
- It won't give advice your business shouldn't give in chat, like legal, medical or tax advice.
- It can only answer from your facts; anything else is waiting for you in the morning.
Questions
After-hours answering questions
What is an after-hours answering service?
A service that responds to customers when your business is closed. Traditionally that means answering phone calls. Ours answers your website chat, from your own facts, and takes customers' details for you.
How much does an after-hours answering service cost?
Phone answering services are usually billed per call or per minute. Ours is a flat monthly plan, from a Free plan to paid plans starting at $29 a month, with no per-message charges.
Is there an AI after-hours answering service?
Yes. Ours is an AI assistant for your website that answers questions and takes leads around the clock. It doesn't answer phone calls.
Will it wake me for emergencies?
Only if you ask it to. Turn on waking for emergencies and urgent leads keep reminding you overnight; everything else waits until morning.
Does it work for law firms and medical offices?
Law firms, dentists, accountants and more each get their own rules. It says it isn't a lawyer, never collects health details for dental practices, and never gives advice those businesses shouldn't give in chat.
Keep exploring
Related use cases and features
- Appointment bookingTurn questions into booked appointments.
- Lead generationTurn website visitors into leads you can call.
- Answers from your websiteReplies from your own pages, and says when it doesn't know.
- Lead alertsNew leads sent to your phone and inbox in seconds.
- Handoff to youPasses the conversation to you when a person should answer.