Your phone is your lifeblood. When you can't pick up, Upfirst answers on the first ring, handles the conversation, and sends you a summary. 24/7, starting at $24.95/mo.
"With Upfirst, someone who would’ve been on hold now gets help right away. Whether they just want to know the exam fee or refill a prescription, the AI can handle it. Clients love that."
"We’re often busy with pets and can't always get to the phone. Now every call gets answered and we get a clear summary so we can respond fast."
"Your AI, she’s amazing. She sounds great and is very responsive. Residents love it because they feel heard, and prospects get the information they need right away."
"Upfirst fit our non-profit's budget and ended up giving us more flexibility and control over calls than we got with our previous answering service."
How it works
Sign up, tell us about your business, and let Upfirst handle calls for you.
Tell us how you'd like your calls handled, what information to collect from callers, and any special instructions. We follow it every time.
No matter your call volume, we've got you covered. Your customers will always reach a helpful voice instead of frustrating voicemail.
Each call summary lands in your inbox immediately, showing who called and why. Plus, recordings and transcripts are always available.
24-hour call handling service
For most small businesses, the phone is where new customers show up first. A missed call means a missed job, a lost appointment, or a lead that goes to the next name on Google.
A call handling service answers your business calls when you can't. It picks up, follows your instructions, collects the right information from the caller, and sends you a summary so you can follow up on your own time.
With Upfirst’s call handling service for business, we make sure that every call is answered. It’s like having a professional receptionist that never takes a minute off. Whether it’s booking appointments, answering FAQs, or routing calls, our AI answering service handles your inbound calls 24/7 while you focus on what matters most.
From law firms to landscapers to educators, Upfirst can help any small business handle their calls professionally for less effort and money.
When you miss a call, that customer calls someone else. It happens fast. Our answering service picks up every call on the first ring, day and night. During peak hours, after hours, weekends, holidays. Your callers always reach a helpful voice, not voicemail. It's the kind of coverage that used to require a full-time receptionist or an expensive call center contract
Upfirst does more than answer. It asks the right questions, collects caller details, and qualifies leads based on your criteria. New inquiries go straight to your inbox with a summary of who called and what they need. Your team follows up with context instead of a vague "someone called."
Hiring staff to answer phones drives up costs, especially for small businesses. Upfirst gives you the same coverage as a professional receptionist who answers calls and books appointments, at a fraction of the cost. Plans start at $24.95/mo compared to $165+/mo for traditional call handling services.
Whether you need overflow support, out of hours answering, or 24/7 service, Upfirst has everything you need to make handling calls easy.
Answer calls around the clock, including holidays, weekends, and after hours. Never miss a customer, no matter when they call.
Book appointments directly to Google Calendar, Outlook, Clio, or Acuity Scheduling. Your calendar stays organized without you answering a single call.
Ask the right questions to filter prospects. Focus your sales team on leads with the highest potential and skip the tire-kickers.
Answer calls in English, Spanish, and 35+ other languages. The AI switches languages automatically based on the caller.
Set exactly how you want calls handled with your instructions. Update your preferences anytime.
Send booking links, directions, menus, or any helpful information to callers via text during the call.
Handle call volume spikes without missing a beat. When your team is busy or on other lines, Upfirst picks up automatically.
Automatically filter spam calls, robocalls, and quick hang-ups. These calls are not counted toward your monthly usage, so you only pay for real conversations.
Capture every detail from callers when you can't respond right away. Complete messages are delivered straight to your inbox by email, text, or both.
Get instant summaries after every call with caller details, what they needed, and what action was taken. Delivered by SMS, email, or both.
Connect to your CRM and other tools through Zapier. Call data, contacts, and appointments flow to HubSpot, Jobber, or wherever your team works.
Get a dedicated business number included at no extra cost. Start with a new line or keep your existing number with call forwarding.
Cancel or change your plan anytime. Pay month-to-month with no penalties and no commitment.
Your AI remembers returning callers by name. It picks up where the last conversation left off, so customers never have to repeat themselves.
When a caller needs a real person, the AI briefs you on who's calling and why before you pick up. If you can't answer, it tries the next number on your list or takes a message.
See how many calls were answered, average call duration, transfers made, and texts sent. The dashboard tracks trends over time so you know how your call handling is performing.
Quick, easy setup
Tell your call handling assistant your preferences, and get back to work in under 15 minutes. No complex setup required.
Start a free trial and add the basics about your business. Choose your AI receptionist's voice, customize its greeting, and pick a dedicated phone number.
Add common questions your callers ask, instructions for different call types, and any details your AI should know. Load it all into the Knowledge base. Your receptionist follows these instructions on every call.
Make a few test calls to hear how everything sounds. Adjust your scripts, greetings, and call handling rules until you're satisfied. You can update these anytime from your dashboard.
Forward calls from your existing business line to your Upfirst number. Choose to forward every call or only the ones you can't answer yourself. Your AI receptionist handles the rest, answering FAQs, booking appointments, transferring calls, and sending you summaries after each one.
Whether you need to pass a lead to Hubspot or schedule an appointment in your calendar, you can use Zapier to pass caller info from Upfirst to any app.
Don't see your question about our overflow call handling service answered here? Our support team is here to help. Get in touch today.
How much does a call handling service cost with Upfirst?
Our call handling service has simple, flexible pricing with no setup fee and no contract. You can start with a 14-day free trial to see how it works for your business. Plans begin at $24.95 per month for 30 calls, $59.95 per month for 90 calls, $159.95 per month for 300 calls, and $299 per month for 600 calls. Each plan includes full access to the Upfirst AI receptionist so your callers get fast, reliable support.
I don't want to change my current phone number. Am I able to keep it?
Yes. Most users keep their existing business phone number and just set up call forwarding to Upfirst.
Does Upfirst support other languages?
Yes. Upfirst can speak more than 30 languages. The AI receptionist can switch languages automatically based on the caller and can also translate call transcripts into your preferred language.
Can Upfirst notify me about calls?
Yes. You can receive call summaries by text message and/or email. Each summary includes caller details, call notes, and any actions the AI took, so you always know what happened.
How much knowledge can I load into the AI?
You can add as much information as you need (however, keeping it to information you think is most relevant for calls is best). Upfirst can store detailed FAQs, product information, service explanations, pricing policies, workflows, forms, and custom scripts. The AI can reference this knowledge instantly during live calls.
How does Upfirst deal with spam calls?
We automatically filter spam calls, quick hang ups, and calls that last less than 15 seconds. These calls are not counted toward your monthly usage so you only pay for real customer conversations.
Can I use Upfirst only for after hours or overflow calls?
Yes. You can route calls to Upfirst only during certain hours or only when your team is busy. Many businesses use the call handling service just for after hours, weekends, or peak times.
Can the AI transfer calls to my team in real time?
Yes. Upfirst can transfer calls to you or your team when a caller needs to speak with a real person. You can set rules for when call transfers should happen, who it should go to, and what the AI should say before transferring.
What is the difference between a call handling service and an answering service?
They're closely related. An answering service typically focuses on picking up calls and taking messages. A call handling service does more. It can answer caller questions, book appointments, qualify leads, transfer calls, and send follow-up texts. Upfirst covers both: every call is answered, and every call is handled according to your instructions.
How does AI call handling compare to a live answering service?
A live answering service uses human operators who follow a script. They work well but charge per minute, which adds up during busy periods. AI call handling answers instantly with no hold times, works 24/7 without shift scheduling, and costs a flat monthly rate. Upfirst plans start at $24.95/mo compared to $165+/mo for many live services. The trade-off is that complex or sensitive conversations may still benefit from a human touch, which is why Upfirst includes warm call transfers to your team when needed.
What types of businesses use call handling services?
Any business that receives phone calls and can't always answer them. Upfirst works with law firms, HVAC companies, dental offices, property managers, landscapers, salons, insurance agencies, and more. The common thread is that these businesses rely on phone calls for new customers, but their teams are often busy with hands-on work and can't always get to the phone.
Don't keep your clients waiting. Our call handling service for small businesses can help answer every call.
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