Most sales calls for answering services go the same way. The rep gives you a polished pitch, you ask a few questions, and you walk away with no idea whether the service will actually do what you need.
The fix is having a list of questions ready. These eight are the ones that flush out the answers that matter.
This is the canonical test. A good service answers with specifics: greeting, triage questions, booking, transfer logic, recap. A bad one answers with "we handle that" and pivots to a feature list.
If the rep can't walk you through the call end-to-end, the system probably doesn't handle it end-to-end either.
Get a number. Not a range, not a "depends on usage" — an actual estimate. Per-minute services tend to dodge this because the answer is uncomfortable ($300–$600 for a busy month). Flat-rate services should give you the exact monthly fee.
Follow-up: "What if I have a 400-call month?" If the price doubles, you've found out it's effectively per-call.
You're asking how customizable the system is. The right answer involves a setup form, a phone call with you, or a short onboarding session where you tell the service what to charge and where you'll go.
If the answer is "we use a generic script" or "the agents will ask you each time," walk.
The answer should be specific. "Urgent calls" is not specific. "Anything the AI can't confidently handle, anything outside your service area, anything flagged as a safety concern" — that's specific.
If the rep gets vague here, the transfer logic isn't built. You'll either get every call (which defeats the purpose) or no calls (which loses you jobs).
Direct calendar integration is non-negotiable for a locksmith. If the service has to call you to schedule, you've lost the speed advantage that's the whole point.
Ask which calendars they integrate with — Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, Google Calendar, whatever you use. If yours isn't on the list, that's a real cost.
The good ones — human or AI — go live within hours. Vallo takes about five minutes to set up. Some human services are same-day. Some are 2–3 weeks.
Long setup times often correlate with long contracts. The rep is buying time to lock you in.
You want to hear what the service sounds like answering a real call, not a demo. Most reputable services will share a sample recording (with the customer's permission) or let you call a test number.
If they won't, that's a tell.
Month-to-month is the standard now. Any service requiring a 12-month contract for an unproven product is a bad trade. Ask about cancellation fees, data export (you should own your call recordings and customer info), and how quickly the cancellation takes effect.
If the answer involves a "60-day cancellation notice," that's two months of paying for a service you're trying to leave.
Most answering services pass questions 1–4 with flying colors and fall apart on 5–8. The flip side: a few of the newer AI services answer all eight cleanly because they were built around them.
Ask the questions on every sales call. The differences will be obvious within ten minutes.
If you want to hear how Vallo answers all eight, start a free trial. The setup takes five minutes and there's no card required — you can hear it answering your phone before you commit to anything.
