What 24 7 Communications does

A Message Center, Inc., doing business as 24/7 Live Answering Services, is a US-based business process outsourcing provider of live-operator answering services headquartered in Millville, New Jersey. Founded in 1962 by Belle Grubert as Blackhorse Answering Service and incorporated in 1990, the company is now led by third-generation family owner Shaun Grubert. The firm operates a 24/7/365 contact center delivering live phone answering, virtual receptionist, call center, order taking, appointment scheduling, and Tier 1 customer support, with specialized HIPAA-compliant medical answering services and dedicated property management triage services. Its technology platform combines AI-enhanced personalization — including real-time customer profiling, smart call routing, and agent recommendation — with trained US-based human receptionists, marketed under the 'People Answering People' philosophy.

The company primarily serves SMB and mid-market US businesses, with two anchor verticals: medical practices (requiring HIPAA-compliant after-hours coverage, on-call physician dispatch, and EHR integration) and property management companies (after-hours emergency triage, maintenance coordination, leasing inquiry handling). Additional verticals include service companies and educational/private organizations. Customers engage via direct phone (800.248.2255) and website inquiries, with no self-serve or product-led onboarding; no channel partners, resellers, or marketplace listings are disclosed.

A Message Center's business model is subscription-based recurring revenue plus usage fees, structured as a Monthly Contracted Rate combined with per-call or per-minute charges, with custom quotes based on call volume and service complexity. Customization is central to the offering: onboarding includes protocol design, script customization, technology integration, agent training, and staged go-live. The firm relies primarily on content marketing, organic SEO, industry certification badges, and direct sales rather than paid acquisition. With no disclosed external investors, M&A activity, or executive turnover, A Message Center presents as a stable, family-controlled operation with 60+ years of operating history and multiple industry certifications (NAEO, ASTI, ATSI, HIPAA).

Name

24 7 Communications

Legal name

A Message Center, Inc.

Website

https://amessagecenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A Message Center, Inc. is a US-based, family-owned live answering service provider in Millville, NJ, offering 24/7 phone answering, virtual receptionist, and HIPAA-compliant medical and property management triage for SMB and mid-market US businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Answering Services / Business Process Outsourcing (Contact Center)

NAICS

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

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency, After-Hours & Hotline Contact Centers (BPAAAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Customer Service & Contact Center Operations (BPAAAAAA), Omnichannel Patient Communications & Contact Center (Voice/SMS/Email/Chat) (HLACAEAC), Nurse Triage & Clinical Call-Center Teletriage Platforms (HLALAJAC), Telehealth Contact Center, Virtual Front Desk & Messaging (HLALAKAG), Appointment Setting, Dispatch & Scheduling Centers (BPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Live answering services
• Virtual receptionist services
• Medical answering service
• Property management answering
• After-hours call center

Headquarters

HQ city

Millville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Live Answering Service (Subscription + Usage): Monthly contracted rate (subscription) plus per-call or per-minute usage fees. Pricing is customized based on call volume, service complexity, and customization requirements. The company offers tiered service levels including basic message taking, virtual receptionist, call center services, and specialized medical or property management triage.
2. Virtual Receptionist Services: Dedicated virtual receptionist coverage billed as part of the monthly service contract, with pricing varying by hours of coverage and scope of services (call handling, scheduling, dispatch, message delivery).
3. Medical Answering Service: HIPAA-compliant medical answering service with BAA, triage protocols, and EHR/practice management integration. Uses two-part pricing: Monthly Contracted Rate plus per-call or per-message usage fees. Pricing varies by call volume, complexity, and customization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

A Message Center (24 7 Communications) provides 24/7 live-operator answering services, virtual receptionist coverage, call center support, order taking, appointment scheduling, and Tier 1 customer service for businesses across the United States. The company specializes in HIPAA-compliant medical answering for healthcare practices (with on-call physician dispatch and EHR/practice management integration) and after-hours emergency triage for property management companies (covering maintenance, leasing, and tenant inquiries). Services are delivered from a US-based operations center in Millville, NJ, combining trained human receptionists with AI-assisted customer intelligence and routing.

Product overview

A Message Center provides a suite of business communication solutions centered around live, US-based answering services. The core offering consists of 24/7 phone answering with live operators, virtual receptionist, call center services, order taking, appointment scheduling, and Tier 1 customer support. Specialized vertical services include HIPAA-compliant medical answering services for healthcare practices and dedicated property management answering services. The company positions itself as a BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) contact center with a 'People Answering People' philosophy, emphasizing human agents over fully automated solutions. Services span medical, service companies, educational, and private organizations, with 24/7 availability including holidays.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Phone Answering & Live Message Taking Round-the-clock live operator service answering phone calls and taking live messages for businesses, so prospective and current clients always reach a live person rather than voicemail. Targeted at SMB and mid-market businesses that need to capture every inbound call.
• Virtual Receptionist Dedicated virtual receptionist coverage that handles inbound calls, takes messages, and performs receptionist functions for businesses whose staff is overwhelmed by phone volume. Designed for SMB and mid-market businesses seeking to free internal staff from constant phone interruptions.
• Call Center Services Comprehensive call center service for small businesses, providing professional customer service support, overflow handling, and inbound call management delivered by trained US-based agents.
• Order Taking & Appointment Scheduling Service allowing customers to place orders and schedule appointments via trained employees, supporting business operations and customer convenience for small and mid-market businesses.
• Tier 1 Customer Service Support First-line customer service support that answers frequently asked questions, provides first-call resolutions, and documents and triages larger issues for escalation to internal teams. Designed for businesses that need an outsourced Tier 1 support layer.
• Medical Answering Service HIPAA-compliant medical answering service for physicians, medical practices, and healthcare organizations, handling after-hours calls, weekends, holidays, and overflow periods with medically-trained agents. Capabilities include signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), encrypted message transmission, on-call physician dispatch, appointment scheduling, prescription refill intake, new patient inquiry qualification, and integration with EHR and practice management systems.
• Property Management Answering Service Specialized 24/7 answering and triage service for property management companies, handling tenant inquiries, maintenance request management, emergency dispatch, leasing support, and appointment coordination for property showings and inspections. Includes protocol-based escalation for maintenance emergencies, urgent situations, and routine requests.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of prospects will move on until they reach a live person
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Talkdesk: Talkdesk is a large cloud contact center platform offering inbound and outbound voice, virtual agent, and AI-powered automation for enterprise customers. While distinct from boutique live answering, it represents the broader incumbent incumbent technology stack competing for the same customer communications budget.

Direct peers

• Abby Connect: Abby Connect is a US-based virtual receptionist and live answering service targeting SMBs and professional services firms. Its service model and customer profile align closely with A Message Center's SMB-focused offering.
• VoiceNation: VoiceNation provides live answering, virtual receptionist, and after-hours call handling to SMBs across the US. Its core product offering and target customer base closely align with A Message Center's main service lines.
• AnswerConnect: AnswerConnect is a US-based live answering service provider offering 24/7 inbound call handling, virtual receptionist, and customer support across SMB and mid-market segments. It is one of the most direct competitors to A Message Center across its core service offerings.
• Signius Communications: Signius Communications provides live answering, voicemail, and messaging services to businesses across the US. It is a long-standing direct competitor in the traditional answering service space.
• PATLive: PATLive operates a US-based live answering service catering to SMBs and small medical practices, with HIPAA-compliant medical answering. It directly competes with A Message Center on medical and property management verticals and 24/7 coverage.
• Ruby Receptionists: Ruby (formerly Ruby Receptionists) is a US-based virtual receptionist and live answering service known for strong brand, hospitality-trained operators, and SMB focus. Its offering closely mirrors A Message Center's virtual receptionist and Tier 1 customer service lines.
• MAP Communications: MAP Communications provides 24/7 live answering, call center, and virtual receptionist services to SMB and mid-market customers across the US. Its service menu and target customer base overlap heavily with A Message Center.
• Specialty Answering Service: Specialty Answering Service is a US-based answering service that emphasizes 24/7 live operator coverage and vertical specialization (including medical and property management). It competes directly with A Message Center on the same verticals and customer types.

Emerging players

• Smith.ai: Smith.ai combines AI-driven call handling with US-based live agents to serve SMBs and mid-market customers. Its AI-human hybrid model overlaps with A Message Center's positioning and represents the next-generation competitive threat in the space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a-message-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 24 7 Communications