FAQ
Questions owners usually ask
Straight answers, in plain language, about what the AI front desk does and what it costs. For anything not covered here, read who is behind it or book a Pilot Fit Call and ask directly.
The short answers
Is a real person answering?
No, and it does not pretend to be. The front desk is an AI, and it introduces itself as an AI at the start of every call. Callers always know who they are talking to. What they get is an answer right away and a way to request an appointment, which is what a caller with a broken door or a dead AC actually wants.
What does the front desk do on a call?
It greets the caller, then asks the questions a dispatcher actually needs: their name, a callback number, the service address, what is happening, and how urgent it is. Then it takes an appointment request in a real window on your calendar, under your rules, and sends you a summary right after the call.
Does it book the job, or just take messages?
Neither extreme. It takes appointment requests according to your rules, for you to confirm. The request lands in a real window on your calendar with the details your crew needs, and you get an alert after every call. You stay in control of the schedule, and the caller is never stuck leaving a voicemail and hoping.
Will it sound like a robot reading a script?
It should sound like a trained front desk following your rules. The voice and the conversation design are part of the build and testing process, and you hear and approve how it sounds before it ever answers for your shop. If the demo lines do not sound acceptable to you, do not buy the service.
Can it give prices?
Only the prices you approve in advance, such as a published service call fee. It will not invent a repair quote for a job nobody has seen. If a caller pushes for an exact price, it says so plainly and takes the appointment request instead.
What happens after hours and on weekends?
The same coverage, on the schedule you set. Nights and weekends are when home service emergencies happen, and they are covered the same way, under the same rules. The same applies to overflow during the day, when the whole crew is on jobs and the office phone rings out.
What if a caller needs a human right now?
The call follows the escalation rules we set together before launch. A caller who needs a person can be transferred to you, or flagged urgent with the details sent to you immediately. Nobody is left talking to a machine that cannot help them.
Does it replace my office staff?
Not necessarily. For many shops the better use is coverage when the team is busy, away from the phone, or off for the night. People still handle judgment, relationships, and exceptions.
What does it cost?
The pilot is $297/mo plus a $199 setup fee for the first 90 days, then $497/mo. Month to month, no contract. It covers one location, answering around the clock, appointment requests, an alert to you after every call, and a monthly proof report. A fair use allowance of about 1,000 minutes a month applies. If you go over, nothing shuts off and there is no surprise bill. We talk first.
Which businesses is this for?
Home service businesses where the phone is the business: garage door, HVAC, plumbing, and similar trades where an unanswered call is a job somebody else gets. The current pilot round is for garage door shops, one location, where the owner or a small crew is still the backup receptionist.
Can I hear it work before I decide?
Yes. Call Maya, the garage door demo line, at (480) 405-0158 and hear how she answers for yourself. There are also demo lines for HVAC (Ava, (480) 863-0200) and plumbing (Leo, (623) 400-7539). Talk to them the way one of your callers would.
Who is behind AutomationMD?
AutomationMD was founded by Christian Burris in Mesa, Arizona. He has built small businesses of his own, helped other owners with CRM and marketing automation, and also runs Matrix Medical Billing in Mesa. The About page tells the fuller story.
Hearing it beats reading about it.
Call Maya at (480) 405-0158 and put her through the questions your own callers ask. Then book a Pilot Fit Call and we will look at what your callers get today, what they should get, and whether an AI front desk fits your shop.