name + email required
keep the next job in play while you finish this one.
when you cant answer, the next contractor may get the call. Answer 865 answers as your shop, gets the details, and texts you so you can follow up.
enter your name and email. the number appears immediately after your request succeeds. try a recorded HVAC demo, configured for your trade when you sign up.
i'm in Knoxville, i built it, and i set it up for you myself. who i am →
roofers
on the job. away from the phone.
30 trades. AI-generated scenes, not customer photos.
of surveyed US consumers said they immediately call another business after an unanswered call. CallRail, September 2025; 1,000 respondents.
of home-service calls went unanswered in CallRail's benchmark. your rate may differ. CallRail, January 2025.
illustrative annual gross revenue opportunity: 25 calls/week × 52 × 14% missed × 50% new leads × 50% unrecovered × 40% close × $450. editable assumptions, not measured loss.
get the details before you call back.
it picks up as your shop. it gets the name, the number, the address, and what's wrong. then it texts you one line, so you can review what the caller needs before calling back.
you still call them back. that's your customer and your relationship and i'm not trying to get between you... i'm just making sure you knew they called.
what it costs.
start with the calls. add booking and follow-up when you need them.
Part Timer
you work. it answers.
$150 setup, one time
no per-call overages or volume cutoff.
- answers missed calls, day or night
- knows your shop, trade and service area
- texts the caller, address and problem
- flags urgent calls right away
- includes a local 865 number
calls, not minutes. no overage fees.
Front Desk
it answers. it books.
$250 setup, one time
no call limits.
- everything in Part Timer
- books available times with Cal.com
- uses your Google Calendar and agreed booking rules
- sends exceptions back for your callback
- agreed reminder and rescheduling messages, tested before activation
let callers request an available appointment while you work.
Teammate
the follow-up gets done too.
$500 setup, one time
no call limits.
- everything in Front Desk
- follows up on the quotes you supply
- review requests after you mark a job complete
- uses the quote and job status you supply
- checks exceptions and changes with you
less office work after the workday.
setup starts with an inquiry. details and costs are confirmed before activation.
name + email required for the recorded HVAC demo
put your own numbers in.
start with your call log. separate new enquiries from existing customers, and account for the calls you win back.
adjust detailed assumptions
14% is CallRail's January 2025 home-services benchmark. all other starting values, including trade job values, are illustrative assumptions. use your call log and job records. exclude spam, repeat enquiries and existing customers from your new-lead share. recovery means a later callback still gives you a chance to win the job.
current assumptions: 50% new leads, 50% recovered by callback and 40% close rate.
this scenario leaves about 18.2 potential jobs a year behind unanswered new enquiries.
illustrative annual gross revenue opportunity
calls × 52 weeks × missed share × new-lead share × unrecovered share × close rate × job revenue. this assumes every remaining enquiry could be answered. it is not measured loss, profit, or a promise that Answer 865 will win those jobs.
optional contribution analysis
job revenue minus the additional labor, materials and other costs of doing that job. use contribution, not the full invoice.
estimated calls handled: 16/month, including calls that are not new leads. this estimate does not set a guaranteed monthly bill or automatically change your plan. billing uses recorded usage and the written agreement.
$3,714 in the first year, including $150 setup. enter your job contribution to calculate break-even.
later years cost $3,564 at the current monthly price. this calculation does not promise additional jobs or net profit.
50 calls is not 50 minutes.
some services bill by the minute. compare the allowance, the setup fee, and whether a human or AI answers.
| plan and answering | monthly allowance | illustrative calls | setup |
|---|---|---|---|
Call Ruby 50 human receptionists, 24/7 | $250/mo 50 minutes | about 20 calls | $0 |
Call Ruby 100 human receptionists, 24/7 | $395/mo 100 minutes | about 40 calls | $0 |
Answer 865 Part Timer AI answering, 24/7 | $297/mo 50 calls | 50 calls, no minute meter | $150 |
a long call costs the same as a short one on Part Timer. compare the conversation and the features too: human and AI services are different products.
AnswerConnect publishes current US pricing through a quote form. request its current quote for a comparison.
Ruby prices and $0 setup checked September 17, 2026 on Ruby's pricing page. calls assume 2.5 minutes each and are rounded down to whole calls. that is an illustration, not measured call length or a guaranteed allowance. billing increments, included work and extra charges can change the result. check each provider's current terms.
the person behind your line
Jay Campbell
Founder, Answer 865 · Knoxville, TN
built here. supported here.
you run the jobs.
i look after the line.
i'm Jay. i built Answer 865, and i work with you directly to get it right for your shop.
based in Knoxville, serving trades businesses across East Tennessee, including Maryville, Oak Ridge, Farragut and Sevierville. we set your answering line around the places your crew actually covers, your hours and the jobs you take. a caller outside that area should not get a promise you cannot keep.
your shop, in your words.
i learn your work, service area and priorities. then i build those into your line.
tested before your customers call.
i run it through the calls your trade actually gets before we turn it on.
need a change? text me.
you reach the person who built it. i make the changes myself.
Answer 865 is run by me as a sole proprietor. email me directly. the examples on this page illustrate the service; they are not customer results.
my background and other projectsyour line answers around the clock.
i handle support personally, monday through friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern. i aim to reply within 2 hours during those hours. otherwise, expect a reply by the next business day.
what people ask.
what happens when somebody calls?
your existing number forwards to an AI answering line, either on every call or after the ring delay you choose. it answers as your shop, asks for the caller, callback number, service address and what they need, then texts you a summary.
does it pretend to be a person?
it is an AI assistant configured to answer as your business. it is instructed to say so when asked. try the recorded HVAC demo and decide whether the conversation fits your customers.
what does it do with an emergency?
it uses the urgency rules we set for your shop and flags calls for your attention. AI can mishear or classify a call incorrectly, so you still review the summary and call back. it does not dispatch emergency help or replace 911.
do i have to change my phone number?
no. you keep your number and it forwards, either after a few rings or on every call, whichever you want. nothing about how customers reach you changes.
what counts as a call?
each incoming call the service answers counts once, including repeat callers. unanswered calls do not count. confirmed spam, wrong numbers and hangups before a conversation starts are excluded after review. ask me to review a call if the count looks wrong; i correct confirmed counting mistakes.
what happens at 51 or 101 calls?
i review the call count after each billing month. 51 to 100 calls fits the $397 Part Timer bracket; above 100 fits the $597 Front Desk plan. if the count exceeds your current bracket, we discuss whether it was a one-off spike or volume you expect to continue before i propose a higher bracket or plan. there is no automatic increase. i give at least 30 days notice before a change starts in a future billing period and quote any extra setup work before an upgrade. there are no per-call overages or volume cutoffs. if reviewed usage fits a lower bracket or plan, you can downgrade at renewal.
how does booking work?
you connect the Google Calendar you use for the shop and we agree on the appointment types, duration, service area, notice and practical hours you want to offer. Front Desk uses Cal.com to show a matching open time and confirm that appointment. emergencies, out-of-area calls and requests that need your judgment or confirmation come back to you for a callback. any reminder or rescheduling messages are agreed, configured and tested before activation.
how does Teammate know what to follow up on?
before activation, we agree how you will supply each quote and completed-job status, then configure and test the messages and timing with you. Teammate only follows up from that agreed input. it can keep a quote or review request from being forgotten, but it cannot decide a quote won, know a job finished without your update or guarantee a response.
what does it cost?
Part Timer starts at $297 a month for answering and texts. Front Desk is $597 with booking. Teammate is $997 with configured follow-up. setup is $150, $250 or $500. month to month, subject to the terms. cancel before your next renewal.
what does the first month cost?
the first month plus setup totals $447 for Part Timer up to 50 calls, $547 for Part Timer up to 100, $847 for Front Desk or $1,497 for Teammate. setup is billed once when the line is built. monthly service is billed in advance. after the first month, only the monthly fee renews. service is month to month. setup is nonrefundable once the line is built.
how do i cancel?
email or text me before your next renewal. service continues through the period you already paid for, then stops. there is no cancellation fee and no partial-month refund. setup is nonrefundable once the line is built.
how much am i actually losing right now?
that depends on how many missed calls are new job enquiries, how many you recover with a callback, your close rate and the job value. the calculator shows an illustrative gross revenue opportunity using inputs you can change. it is not measured loss or a promise of recovered jobs.
are you local?
yes, i'm Jay Campbell in Knoxville. i build and support your line personally. support hours are monday through friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern. i aim to reply within 2 hours during those hours. otherwise, expect a reply by the next business day. email jay@thejaycampbell.com if you want to ask me anything first.
for your trade, specifically
every one of these has its own page, because a fence company and a plumber are not missing the same call.
call it and see. takes a minute.
enter your name and email. the number appears immediately after your request succeeds. try a recorded HVAC demo, configured for your trade when you sign up.