Sound like a big company.
Pay like a small one.
A small business answering service gives you a professional, 24/7 front desk without hiring one: every call answered in your business's name, appointments scheduled, orders entered, and messages relayed instantly. ProTel serves insurance agencies, accountants, real estate offices, medical suppliers, trucking companies, and more — with live, AI, and hybrid plans sized to small-business budgets.
Proposal within 1 business day · Live within 3 business days
Built for the calls you can't afford to miss
A receptionist without the payroll
We handle staffing, training, sick days, and quality assurance. You get a full-time front desk for a fraction of one salary.
Catch revenue you're missing
Callers who reach voicemail hang up and dial your competitor. Answering every call — nights and weekends included — turns missed calls into booked business.
Grows when you do
Start with overflow or after-hours coverage and scale to full 24/7 reception. Rate plans adjust with your volume, without penalty fees.
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.
“I depend on ProTel for answering EVERY call my office receives — approximately 2,050–2,100 calls monthly. The professional and always courteous ProTel staff has handled all our calls beyond our imagination.”
— Portable Medical Diagnostics, client since 2002Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business answering service cost?
Far less than hiring: plans are quoted to your call volume, and you can adjust your rate plan as volume changes without a penalty fee. Request a proposal and we'll return it within one business day.
What if I don't have a business phone line yet?
We can issue you a line and answer it 24/7 as your virtual receptionist for a monthly line-rental fee — you get a professional presence from day one.
Which coverage model should a small business pick?
If budget is the priority, our AI receptionist provides true 24/7 coverage at the lowest cost. If your calls are nuanced or high-value, choose live agents. Most small businesses land on hybrid: AI answers instantly and a live agent takes over whenever a call needs a human.
Can you take orders from my website or ads?
Yes. Our in-bound sales and order entry service receives orders generated through media advertising or your website and enters them directly, with friendly customer-service support.
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