name + email required
Locksmith answering service in Knoxville.
for locksmiths who need their customer calls answered.
when you cant answer, the next contractor may get the call.
you're fitting a lock. the next caller is standing outside their house with no way in. they could book another locksmith in the time it takes you to finish.
AI answering keeps the next job in play while you finish this one.
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.
built and set up by me, here in Knoxville. who i am →
- give the next customer a reason to stay
- know which job needs your callback
- keep working while it gets the details
keep the job in play before they call the next company.
a missed call can mean losing the lockout call. this gives the caller a conversation now, takes their details, and texts you the opportunity. you still win the work.
a family locked out of the house at 11pm
somebody wanting the whole place rekeyed after a move
illustrative locksmith call summary
CALLBACK PRIORITY
a family locked out of the house at 11pm
Alex · 865-555-0147
service address: example address
callback requested. no job confirmed.
FOLLOW-UP
somebody wanting the whole place rekeyed after a move
Sam · 865-555-0182
what it costs.
keep new opportunities in reach. add booking and quote 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
call back ready to talk about the job.
the first conversation gets the details that help you quote or plan a visit. your callback can move the job forward instead of starting from scratch.
- where exactly they are and whether they're somewhere safe
- house, car, or business, and whether they have id on them
- if anybody else has a key closer than you are
when the next job is easiest to miss
a late-night lockout. someone waiting outside may call another locksmith while you finish the current job.
illustrative call patterns, not measured demand for your business. urgency labels support your callback decisions; they are not a safety assessment or emergency dispatch.
how your locksmith calls become a useful callback.
a lockout begins with where the caller is and whether it involves a home, vehicle or business. a rekey enquiry starts with a different scope. configure the line around the locksmith services and areas you cover, so you get the location and request while your hands are occupied on another job.
what you get to work with.
an exact location and working callback number matter when someone is waiting outside. whether another key is available can be recorded, as can the caller's statement about identification. for a planned rekey, the callback can move into the number of locks and the property's needs.
what stays with your business.
capturing a statement about ID does not verify identity or authority to enter. your business performs its own checks, accepts the job and confirms arrival time. the answering line does not grant access or dispatch a locksmith.
these are setup examples for your answering service. questions follow the services and service area you define; callers can leave an answer unknown. you still assess and accept the work.
how much work could be going to somebody else?
these are estimates. put in your call volume and average job value to see your own numbers.
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.
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.
does answering a lockout call verify that the caller owns the property?
no. intake gathers the request and contact details. any identification information is caller-reported. you remain responsible for checking authorization before providing locksmith services, and for confirming whether you can attend.
how does this work for locksmiths?
the AI answers your forwarded calls as your locksmith, gets the name, the callback number, the address and what they need, then texts it to you. it knows your service area. we configure the intake around calls such as a family locked out of the house at 11pm and somebody wanting the whole place rekeyed after a move.
isn't calling them back enough?
sometimes. but an unanswered caller may contact another company and start talking price or availability. answering gives you a chance to stay in the running. it doesn't guarantee the job; it gives you an opportunity to win it.
do i keep my number?
yes. you keep your number and it forwards, either after a few rings or on every call. nothing changes about how customers reach you.
what happens after the call?
you get a text with the caller, callback number, address and what they need. you decide when to call back. Front Desk can also book the appointment on your calendar.
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 quote follow-up and review requests. 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.
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 to ask me anything before setup.
give the next job a reason to stay with you.
try the HVAC demo: say your AC stopped cooling. your own answering line is configured for your locksmith, not this demo business. calls are recorded; no technician is dispatched.
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.
answering for related trades.
cover more than one trade? compare the call details for your other services.