Answering Service

What Answering Service does

AnsweringService.com, operated by ReceptionHQ LLC (an Arizona-incorporated LLC headquartered in Phoenix), provides 24/7 virtual receptionist and telephone answering services to small and mid-sized businesses primarily in the United States, with international overflow staffing in the UK, Australia, and Jamaica. The company's core offering is structured as four service tiers — MessageExpress (basic message-taking starting at $25/month), Answer (virtual receptionist with warm call transfers starting at $75/month), MyAssistant (complex task handling with CRM integration starting at $49/month), and AI Call Answering with live backup (launched in 2025) — complemented by add-on modules including toll-free numbers, custom IVR, call diversion, voicemail-to-email, and virtual address services. Technology architecture combines a trained US-based human receptionist workforce with a hybrid AI layer featuring named personas (Ginger, Piper, Eric) and seamless AI-to-human escalation, supported by global call routing, IVR customization, and CRM/calendar integrations.

The business operates on a subscription-plus-usage revenue model with monthly plans ranging from $10 to $2,380, excess usage charges from $0.90-$3.15 per call, setup fees on complex tiers, and add-on subscription revenue. Distribution is primarily direct-to-customer through a self-serve website with 7-day free trial, supplemented by an inside sales team for mid-market and high-volume accounts; the company also runs a customer referral program and partner program. Customer segmentation is vertical-led, with dedicated industry solutions across legal, real estate, property management, IT, hospitality, automotive, HVAC, and funeral/deathcare, targeting SMBs whose principals cannot answer every call personally. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and 11-50 employees.

Name

Answering Service

Legal name

ReceptionHQ LLC

Website

https://answeringservice.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AnsweringService.com, operated by ReceptionHQ LLC, provides 24/7 virtual receptionist and telephone answering services to small and mid-sized US businesses across verticals including legal, real estate, HVAC, and IT, combining US-based live receptionists with hybrid AI technology on a subscription-plus-usage pricing model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Virtual Receptionist Services

NAICS

Telephone Answering Services (561421), Telephone Call Centers (56142)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

General Customer Service & Contact Center Operations (BPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contact Center Speech AI (agent assist, IVR automation) (HDAAAFAL), Contact Center Operations & Tools (ACD/IVR/CRM/WFM) (EDABACAA), Workplace Automation & Self-Service (RPA for IT, Chatbots, Virtual Agents) (BPAEAIAI)

Keywords

• Virtual receptionist services
• 24/7 call answering
• Business telephone answering
• AI call answering
• Inbound call handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans (MessageExpress, Answer, MyAssistant): Monthly subscription plans with included call/message allowances. Customers pay a base monthly fee and excess usage charges for calls/minutes beyond allowance. Multiple tiers from basic message-taking ($25/month) to comprehensive virtual assistant ($875-$1,665/month).
2. Usage-based Charges: Pay-per-call and per-minute charges for excess usage beyond plan allowances. Call transfer fees, SMS message charges, and after-hours surcharges. Excess call rates from $1.10-$3.15 per call depending on plan.
3. Add-on Services: Additional revenue from toll-free numbers ($10/month), additional local numbers ($10/month), virtual address ($69/month), Plus Pack upgrades, IVR setup ($120-$237) and monthly access ($10-$55).
4. Setup and Service Fees: One-time setup fees for MyAssistant ($50+) and IVR systems. Roster management setup fees ($25-$75). Reactivation fees for suspended accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AnsweringService.com provides 24/7 virtual receptionist and business telephone answering services through a tiered portfolio: MessageExpress for basic message-taking, Answer for virtual receptionist with call transfers, MyAssistant for complex task handling with CRM integration, and AI Call Answering with Live Receptionist Backup (using AI personas Ginger, Piper, and Eric) for hybrid AI/human call handling. The service includes multi-channel message delivery, customizable IVR, call diversion, voicemail-to-email, toll-free numbers, and a virtual address, delivered primarily through US-based receptionists with international overflow support and a 7-day free trial.

Product overview

AnsweringService.com offers a tiered portfolio of virtual receptionist and telephone answering solutions for businesses of all sizes. The core offering consists of four main service tiers: MessageExpress (basic message-taking), Answer (virtual receptionist with call transfers), MyAssistant (complex task handling with CRM integration), and AI Call Answering (hybrid AI/human solution). These core services are complemented by add-on communication tools including Toll-Free Numbers, Custom IVR, Call Diversion, Voicemail-to-Email, MessageCenter, and Virtual Address. All services operate on a month-to-month model with no lock-in contracts, starting from $25/month for the entry-level MessageExpress plan. The company provides 24/7 coverage with US-based receptionists and international overflow support, plus a 7-day free trial for new customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MessageExpress Basic business telephone answering service that takes messages from incoming calls and delivers them to the business owner via email and SMS. Targeted at small businesses and solo operators needing affordable, professional message handling without call transfer capabilities.
• Answer (Virtual Receptionist) Full virtual receptionist service that answers calls, provides warm call transfers to multiple staff or departments, uses customizable greetings, and answers common company questions. Designed for businesses needing professional call handling with the impression that the receptionist is in-house.
• MyAssistant (Virtual Assistant) Comprehensive virtual assistant service handling complex call workflows including order taking, payment processing, appointment scheduling, CRM data entry, and conditional scripted call flows. Designed for businesses needing virtual receptionists who directly interact with web-based tools and CRMs.
• AI Call Answering with Live Receptionist Backup Hybrid AI/human answering solution using named AI receptionists (Ginger for friendly customer interactions, Piper for precise professional conversations, Eric for calm urgent support) for 24/7 instant call answering with seamless handover to live human receptionists when needed. Designed for businesses wanting AI efficiency combined with human empathy across customer interactions.
• Toll-Free Numbers Virtual toll-free phone number service sold as an add-on to answering service plans, enabling businesses to present a national presence to customers.
• Customized Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Custom Interactive Voice Response system with professional voice prompts that let callers navigate menu options and route themselves to the right department or information. Available as a standalone subscription or attached to call answering services.
• Call Diversion Call routing service that automatically diverts incoming calls to the AnsweringService.com team when business lines are engaged or after a specified ring duration, preventing missed calls.
• Voicemail-to-Email Service that captures business voicemails and delivers them as email messages, allowing business owners to read and manage voicemail communications via email rather than calling in.
• Virtual Address Virtual business address service providing a professional mailing presence for businesses that do not maintain a physical office, offered at $69/month.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average Speed of Answer under 10 seconds (3 rings)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ruby.com (Ruby Receptionists): Ruby is a direct competitor offering 24/7 virtual receptionist and live chat services to SMBs across legal, real estate, and similar verticals. Overlaps closely on core messaging, pricing tiers, and customer target.
• Smith.ai: Smith.ai provides AI-augmented live receptionist and outbound sales services, with comparable hybrid AI + human architecture. Direct overlap on SMB customer base, vertical specialization (legal, real estate, consulting), and per-call pricing model.
• AnswerConnect: AnswerConnect is a 24/7 answering service and virtual receptionist provider targeting SMBs in legal, medical, HVAC, and property management. Closely comparable service tiers, pricing model, and vertical mix.
• PATLive: PATLive offers live virtual receptionist and answering services with US-based receptionists, month-to-month plans, and similar vertical specialization. Direct head-to-head competitor on pricing structure and SMB customer base.
• Abby Connect: Abby Connect is a US-based virtual receptionist and answering service targeting SMBs in legal, real estate, financial services, and home services. Overlaps on core service offering, customer segments, and pricing model.
• VoiceNation: VoiceNation provides live answering services and virtual receptionist solutions for SMBs with 24/7 coverage and tiered monthly plans. Direct overlap on service delivery model and target customer segments.
• Davinci Virtual: Davinci Virtual offers virtual receptionist, live answering, and virtual office solutions including virtual address and live chat. Strong overlap on the broader virtual communication services portfolio.
• Specialty Answering Service (SAS): SAS is a US-based answering service specializing in industry-specific virtual receptionist solutions across legal, medical, HVAC, and funeral verticals. Highly comparable vertical specialization and 24/7 coverage model.
• Moneypenny: Moneypenny offers 24/7 live answering, virtual receptionist, and switchboard services with comparable tiered plans and SMB/mid-market positioning. Direct overlap on call handling, messaging, and overflow services.

Emerging players

• Bland AI: Bland is an AI-native voice platform enabling automated inbound/outbound phone calls at scale, targeting the same SMB and mid-market buyers as AnsweringService.com but with a pure-AI (no human backup) model. Represents the disruptive direction of the category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ANS_SERV_US
• Facebookfacebook.com/answeringservicedotcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/answering-service
• Instagraminstagram.com/answeringservice_dot_com

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Answering Service