AI phone answering service. Every call answered. Even the ones you can’t take.
Get a local number and an AI that answers it like your best receptionist: questions, quotes and new customers, from what you’ve taught her. When a call needs you, your iPhone rings.
(512) 555-0188
Inbound · Maya · Cedar Valley main line
- From
- (512) 555-0188
- To
- (512) 555-0142
- Duration
- 0:34
- When
- Today, 4:12 PM
Phone call audio
Transcript
- Maya Thanks for calling Cedar Valley Heating and Air. This is Maya. How can I help?
- Caller Hi. Our air conditioner is running, but it’s blowing warm air.
- Maya Oh, that’s frustrating. When did you first notice it?
- Caller About an hour ago. It’s already getting pretty hot in here.
- Maya Okay. What’s your name and the street you’re on?
- Caller I’m Alex. 42 Willow Lane.
- Maya Thanks, Alex. Are you looking for someone today?
- Caller If possible, yeah.
- Maya I can pass that to the service team. Is this the best number to reach you?
- Caller Yep. This number.
- Maya Got it. They’ll call you back to confirm availability.
- Caller Perfect. Thank you.
Summary
Same-day service request sent to the team with Alex’s details.
Conversation outcomes4 of 4
- Issue
- AC running, blowing warm air
- Started
- About an hour ago
- Caller
- Alex, 42 Willow Lane
- Wants
- Someone today, if possible
A real recorded call, in the real Calls page. Press play to hear it.
Cedar Valley Heating and Air is a sample business.
What you get with AI phone answering.
- A local business numberSearch by area code and buy one in seconds.
- Every call answeredDay and night, from what you’ve taught Maya.
- Your iPhone rings when it mattersPick up, or let Maya take it.
- A transcript of every callWith the recording and the caller’s details.
How it works
How AI phone answering works, from number to first call.
Buy a local number, teach Maya your business and choose who picks up. It all happens in the Calls page of your dashboard, and she’s answering before you close the tab.
Calls
Assistants that answer your phone, the calls they take and the numbers they use.
2 numbers
Buy number- (512) 555-0142Active Main line · Austin, TX Voice
Maya - (512) 555-0187Active Spring promo · Austin, TX Voice Maya
JessKnowledge
The sources Maya can search while she’s on a call.
- Services and prices.pdf Document
- cedarvalleyhvac.com Website
- Emergency policy Text
- Get a local number Search by area code and buy one in seconds.
- Teach Maya your business Documents, your website or a few notes.
- Choose who picks up Your team first, or Maya. Set your hours once.
- Read every call Recording, transcript and details in your app.
Three ways to answer
Choose who picks up your business phone.
One setting per number. Change it any time, and set business hours so evenings and weekends go to Maya.
Your team first, Maya as backup.
Your iPhones and the dashboard ring together during your hours. Nobody free in time, or after hours? Maya answers.
When someone calls: Ring people first- Call comes in
- Mike’s and Jess’s iPhones ring for 20 s
- No answer or after hours: Maya picks up
Maya takes every call.
Best when you’re never free to pick up, or for a line that only handles questions and new enquiries.
When someone calls: AI answers- Call comes in
- Maya answers in your business’s name
- Details and transcript in your app
Maya first, you when it matters.
Maya answers, and during your hours puts the caller through to your team when they ask, or when she suggests it and they agree.
When someone calls: AI answers and can transfer- Call comes in
- Maya answers and helps
- Caller wants a person: your iPhone rings
Closed for the night? See how the after hours answering service splits your day.
No hold music
Monday rush? Eight calls, eight answers.
Every call gets its own Maya, so a busy morning never means a busy signal, a queue or voicemail.
- 8calls right now
- 0on hold
- 0to voicemail
- (512) 555-01880:42
“Do you service Round Rock?”
- (737) 555-01101:05
“Our water heater is leaking.”
- (512) 555-01610:18
“How much is a drain cleaning?”
- (512) 555-01420:51
“Can someone come Thursday?”
- (737) 555-01930:07
“Is this Northside Plumbing?”
- (512) 555-01271:22
“I need a quote for a remodel.”
- (512) 555-01750:29
“Do you take Amex?”
- (737) 555-01540:36
“No hot water since this morning.”
Monday, 8:02 AM · Northside Plumbing, a sample business
On your iPhone
An AI answering service that rings your iPhone.
Your business number lives in the SmallForce app, next to your personal one. Pick up when you can. When you can’t, Maya does.
Northside Plumbing · business line
(512) 555-0188
Calls
AllMayaYou
- Water heater leaking, Cedar Park8:02 AM · transcript Answered
-
Supplier about the valve order9:40 AM · transcript You - Quote request, kitchen remodel11:15 AM · transcript Saved
- “Do you take Amex?”12:41 PM · transcript Answered
- Rings like a normal callEven when your iPhone is locked, through the SmallForce app.
- Your team rings togetherThe first answer stops the others ringing.
- Pause when you’re busy30 minutes, an hour or 8 hours. Maya covers.
- Every call in one listRecordings, transcripts and details, yours or Maya’s.
- Get the iPhone app
What it costs
AI phone answering, priced by the minute.
No per-call fees. Move the slider to see how many credits a month of calls uses.
$149 a month
The plan includes 4,000 SmallForce Credits, and Maya comes with every other AI employee.
24 credits a minute
Calls are charged by the minute, so a short question costs a short call.
500 credits a number
Each local number, every month. Most businesses need one.
About 145 minutes included
What’s left of the plan after one number, if calls were all you used.
Fits in the $149 plan, with 620 credits left for your other AI employees.
Compare
AI answering service, live service, receptionist or voicemail?
The four ways small businesses answer the phone. If every caller must reach a person, or calls need licensed triage, hire a person or a staffed service: Maya is built for the questions, quotes and messages most businesses get.
| Feature | AI phone answering | Live answering service | In-house receptionist | Voicemail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answers every call, 24/7 | Yes | Depends on the plan | Business hours | No |
| Calls at the same time | Each call gets its own Maya | Depends on staffing | One at a time | None |
| Knows your business | From your own material | A short script | Yes, once trained | No |
| Rings your iPhone when it matters | Yes, in the app | Often by patching | They walk over | No |
| Recording and transcript | Every call | Varies | Rarely | Audio only |
| How you pay | $149 plan + credits a minute | Monthly plan + per-minute or per-call fees | A salary | Free |
Maya comes with the $149 plan.
So does every other AI employee. Calls use 24 SmallForce Credits a minute, and a local number uses 500 a month.
By business
Phone answering for your kind of business.
The same AI phone answering service, set up for the calls your trade gets.
-
HVAC and plumbing No-heat and no-AC calls, sorted from routine questions. HVAC answering service -
After hours Nights and weekends answered, and only emergencies wake you. After hours answering service -
Real estate Showing requests and listing questions, day or night. Real estate virtual assistant
- Property managers Tenant maintenance calls, leasing questions and a number per building. Property management answering service
- Calls from your website Visitors talk to Maya, or video call your team from the page. Website video calls
- Meet Maya The AI receptionist behind the phone line. AI receptionist
- What missed calls cost you A free calculator for the calls you don’t pick up today. Missed call calculator
FAQ
AI phone answering, answered.
The questions people ask most about AI answering services, answered straight.
What is an AI phone answering service?
It’s an AI that answers your business phone in a natural voice. It answers questions from your own information, takes down the caller’s details and gets urgent calls to you. With SmallForce, Maya answers a local number you get in seconds, and every call comes with a recording and a transcript.
How much does an AI phone answering service cost?
Maya is included in the $149 a month SmallForce plan with every other AI employee. Calls use 24 SmallForce Credits a minute and a local number uses 500 a month, so the plan’s 4,000 credits cover one number and about 145 minutes of calls. Top-up packs are in billing.
See plans and pricing Can I get AI to answer my phone?
Yes. Get a local business number from SmallForce, teach Maya about your business and choose who answers: Maya on every call, your team first with Maya as backup, or Maya first with a hand-off to you during your hours.
Is there a free AI phone receptionist?
You can talk to Maya for free in the live demo on this page, in your browser with no sign-up. Answering your own business number needs a SmallForce plan.
Can an AI answering service work on my iPhone?
Yes. Install the SmallForce iPhone app and your business number rings it like a normal call, even when the phone is locked. Pick up yourself, or let Maya answer when you can’t.
Get the iPhone app Can it answer more than one call at a time?
Yes. Every call gets its own session with Maya, so callers never wait on hold or hear a busy signal, even when several call at once.
Can it transfer calls to me?
Yes, during your business hours. Set your number to AI answers and can transfer, and Maya puts the caller through to your team when they ask for a person, or when she suggests it and they agree. Outside your hours she takes the details instead.
Can I keep my existing business number?
Not yet. Maya answers a SmallForce number, and moving an existing number over isn’t available today. Most businesses get a new local number in seconds and put it on their website and Google Business Profile.
Does it answer after hours?
Yes. Set your business hours and Maya answers every call outside them: evenings, weekends and holidays. Inside them, your team can ring first.
See the after hours answering service Will callers know they’re talking to AI?
You write the greeting. We recommend saying it’s an AI assistant, and in many places you must tell callers the call is recorded.
Try it free
Don’t take our word for it. Call her.
Ask Maya anything, the way your customers would. Then give her your own number and your own business to answer for.
Live demo · voice or video
Up to 3 minutes · no sign-up
Trouble connecting? Open the demo in its own tab