A flooded kitchen won't
wait for business hours.
An answering service for home service companies answers every customer call 24/7, books routine service appointments, and dispatches emergencies straight to your on-call technician by text, page, or phone relay. ProTel has dispatched for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and contracting companies since 1998.
Proposal within 1 business day · Live within 3 business days
Built for the calls you can't afford to miss
Emergency dispatch, your rules
You dictate how emergencies are handled: relay to a mobile phone, page, text, or email your on-call tech — with escalation if they don't respond.
Book jobs while you're on one
We schedule service calls directly in your calendar or software, so your crew stays on the tools instead of on the phone.
Win the after-hours customer
When a homeowner has water on the floor at midnight, the company that answers gets the job. That's you, every time.
Live agents, AI, or the best of both.
ProTel is one of the few answering services offering every coverage model — from 100% human to full AI to a hybrid that escalates seamlessly from AI to a real agent.
100% Live Agents
Every call answered by a trained ProTel agent at our Mississippi call center.
- The human touch, every call
- Complex & sensitive calls handled with care
- Trusted since 1998
AI + Live Agent
AI answers instantly and handles routine calls; anything nuanced escalates to a real agent mid-call.
- Zero hold time, ever
- Human judgment when it matters
- Lower cost per routine call
AI Receptionist
A natural-voice AI agent that answers, schedules, and takes messages around the clock.
- Answers on the first ring
- Unlimited simultaneous calls
- Most affordable 24/7 coverage
Live within 3 business days
Tell us how your office works
A quick consultation captures your greeting, escalation rules, on-call schedule, and the software you use. Your proposal arrives within one business day.
We build your protocol
Agents train on your account — or we configure your AI/hybrid flows — so every call is handled exactly the way you would handle it.
Forward your line
Once the signed contract and account details are in, we're typically ready for you to forward within 3 business days. That's it — you're covered 24/7/365.
“Everyone at ProTel has been great at communicating with all of our customers and us. We have always received our messages and calls promptly. We think of you as our partner in service.”
— Magnolia ExterminatingFrequently asked questions
How does after-hours dispatch work?
When a customer calls with an emergency, we follow your protocol: qualify the call, then relay it to your on-call technician by mobile phone, page, text message, or email — escalating if there's no response.
Can you book appointments in our scheduling software?
Yes. ProTel integrates across multiple software platforms so agents can book, change, and confirm service appointments directly in the system you already use.
Is AI answering good for a service company?
Hybrid coverage works especially well: AI instantly answers and books routine appointments, and hands off anything urgent — a burst pipe, a gas smell, a no-heat call in January — to a live agent who dispatches your tech.
What does an answering service cost for a service company?
Plans are quoted to your call volume and needs — most companies find it costs far less than a missed emergency job. Request a proposal and we'll return it within one business day.
Never let a call go unanswered again.
Personal service from people — and technology — that take your business personally.
Proposal within 1 business day · Live within 3 business days of signup