The math
- Repairs run $150–$600 minor and $900–$2,500 for compressor-class work (Housecall Pro); a full replacement runs $5,000–$12,500 (This Old House) — and you can't tell which is ringing.
- 27% of home-services calls go unanswered, and under 3% of callers pushed to voicemail leave a message (Invoca). Of answered leads, 45% convert on the call (Invoca 2026 benchmarks).
- 41% of online-booked home-service jobs come in after hours (CallRail) — exactly when the shop line goes dark. The average missed call ≈ $1,200 (Housecall Pro).
"One replacement-consult call that rings out is a $5K–$12.5K job booking with whoever answered — and about one in four home-services calls rings out."
How she handles your calls
Covering every call with people means a $50K dispatcher plus an on-call rotation. Instead:
- A no-cool call in the July wave → a service call booked into your real dispatch slots, not a message.
- "When's my tune-up?" → a maintenance visit on the board before they hang up.
- "What would a new system run?" → a replacement consult, scheduled.
- No-heat with an infant in the house → your emergency dispatch protocol, plus a human, now.
What she won't do is deliberate. No trade advice over the phone, ever. A caller who smells gas gets one script — hang up, leave the house, call the utility or 911 — and a CO alarm gets the same. "Repair or replace" stays the tech's call after inspection. The boundary is what protects your license.
Quick answers
"How much to fix my AC?" — She quotes only ranges you've approved, plus your diagnostic-fee fact. Exact numbers wait for the tech.
"Can you come out today?" — Real dispatch slots from your calendar. Never an invented ETA.
"Can I talk to a person?" — Instant transfer to a team member, any hour.