Choose what happens after the phone is answered
Taking a message and booking a job are different services. A useful message records the caller, location, problem and callback number. A booking also needs your service area, job types and available time. Decide which jobs require your judgement before anyone offers a slot or a price. That keeps a simple enquiry from becoming a promise you cannot deliver.
Keep control of after-hours work
Write down who is on call, what information they need and what happens if they do not answer. An answered phone does not guarantee a technician is available. G2 lists ServiceM8 and Tradify as live integrations; check your specific workflow in a walkthrough. If your software or job rules are different, confirm the booking route before switching on.
A call, from ring to next action
Agree the route before you switch on
You are on a job. A caller needs help at another property. This example flow depends on the rules and integrations agreed during setup.
- 1. Listen and collect
Collect the job, suburb and callback number
- 2. Follow the agreed rules
Within the routine scope
Use an agreed booking route or capture a callback request
Needs a person
Try the nominated person for calls outside the booking rules
- 3. Make the next action clear
Send the job details and the next action
If the contact is unavailable, use the agreed fallback. Do not promise that a transfer or request has been accepted.
Fictional example, not a customer recording
What could the conversation sound like?
A fictional enquiry about a leaking kitchen tap
Bring these situations to your demo
- A job outside your service area
- A caller asking for an exact quote
- A busy calendar with no suitable slot
- An after-hours call when the first contact does not answer
Caller
Can someone look at my kitchen tap tomorrow?
Example agent
I can take the details. Which suburb is the property in?
Caller
Penrith. I am home in the afternoon.
Example agent
Thanks. I will include your preferred time with the request. What is the best number to reach you on?
Next action: Callback request with the job, suburb and preferred time. An appointment is only confirmed through an agreed booking workflow.
Your numbers, your decision
What would cover the cost?
An illustration, not a forecast. The starting inputs are examples, not industry averages. Use the amount left from each additional job after materials, labour and other direct costs. An enquiry is not a completed job. All amounts exclude GST.
$10 above the fee in this illustration.
At this value, 10 additional completed jobs would cover the monthly fee. This comparison excludes other overheads and does not predict demand. Time value is not necessarily a cash saving.
Trades call answering FAQs
Can I use G2 only for missed calls or after hours?
That is a useful starting scope. Your existing phone service needs to support the appropriate diversion. Confirm when calls forward, how long your phone rings first and how to turn the diversion off during setup.
Can G2 book directly into my job software?
ServiceM8 and Tradify are listed as live G2 integrations. Ask to see your job types, service area and booking rules in the walkthrough. For other software, confirm the workflow before relying on direct booking.
Will it quote prices for jobs?
Only give the agent prices or wording you have approved. Work that needs an inspection, scope check or custom quote should become a callback or handover rather than an invented price.
What if the on-call tradie does not answer?
Agree a backup contact and a message procedure before launch. Test the unavailable-contact case too. A transfer attempt should not be described to the caller as a confirmed technician visit.
Is an answering service worthwhile for a small trade business?
Compare the monthly fee with the contribution from additional completed jobs and the admin time you could save. Use your own call records and costs in the cost illustration; it cannot predict how many jobs you will win.
What does G2 cost and what should I check before starting?
G2 costs $990 per month plus $1,500 setup, excluding GST. Before starting, confirm your phone diversion, supported software, booking permissions, handover contacts and fallback when nobody answers. Ask to test those scenarios in a walkthrough.
Hear it handle a call for your industry
Try the demo, then bring your software and call scenarios to a walkthrough. We can confirm the booking route, handover rules and setup for your business.
$990/month + $1,500 setup, excluding GST.
View pricing and what is included