Sources
Every third-party statistic and competitor figure we cite, with its source and date. We publish only figures we can attribute; we do not print unattributed industry claims.
Industry statistics
27% of calls to home-service businesses go unanswered.
Fewer than 3% of callers sent to voicemail leave a message.
62% of buyers call a business before making a purchase.
About 80% of calls from unknown numbers go unanswered.
Responding to a lead within an hour makes you about 7 times more likely to qualify it.
Harvard Business Review, “The Short Life of Online Sales Leads”, 2011
36% of consumers turn to a competitor if they can’t call a business; 48% say calling is very important.
Answering standard: 80% of calls within 20 seconds (the “80/20” service level).
Competitor comparison
From each provider’s public pricing and product pages, with the date we checked them. Prices and features change; check the source for the latest.
Jobber Receptionist
AI receptionist sold as an add-on at $29/mo on top of a Jobber plan; it transfers calls to you on keywords you set. checked Oct 1, 2026.
Jobber plans
Core $29/mo billed annually, $39 with a one-year commitment billed monthly, $49 month-to-month; higher plans cost more. checked Oct 1, 2026.
Smith.ai
Human receptionist plans $300–$2,100/mo by number of calls (30 to 300); AI receptionist plans $0–$500/mo, with transfer to a live receptionist. checked Oct 1, 2026.
Ruby
Live virtual receptionist plans $250–$1,725/mo by receptionist minutes (50 to 500). checked Oct 1, 2026.
Workiz
Plan prices not published (pricing on request). Genius Answering, an AI answering product with live transfer to your team, is sold separately. checked Oct 1, 2026.
Housecall Pro
Basic $59/mo billed annually. CSR AI, an AI answering add-on, sends a caller who asks for a person to a number you choose or to a Housecall Pro rep. checked Oct 1, 2026.
Answering-agency comparison
Figures cited on the answering-agency page, stated as advertised or as reported, with dates. Some have since changed; check each source for the latest. We do not call any competitor a “scam”; every claim is factual and sourced.
Arise Virtual Solutions
FTC enforcement action, July 2024: over $7M in consumer refunds (distributed 2025) under the Business Opportunity Rule and for worker misclassification; DC Attorney General settlement, 2024. Certification historically up to about $250 and unpaid (paid certification reported since Sept 2025); mandatory platform fee reported at 5% of invoice since June 2025; agents typically stand up an LLC. Figures as reported 2024–25.
Liveops
Independent-agent (1099) model; pay reported per talk-minute (about $0.25–$0.34), with idle time unpaid; agents pay their own background check and complete unpaid certification before earning. As reported 2024–25.
HighLevel (GoHighLevel)
Agency software with no operators supplied. $97/mo Starter, $297/mo Unlimited, $497/mo Agency Pro. checked Oct 1, 2026.