Glossary

What Is a After-Hours Answering?

After-hours answering refers to phone coverage for a business outside its regular operating hours — evenings, early mornings, weekends, and holidays.

For most businesses, after-hours represents a significant share of total incoming call volume. Professional service clients often call from their own workplace, meaning evenings and weekends are when they have time to search for and contact a lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor. Service businesses see emergency calls any time of day or night.

After-hours answering can be handled in several ways:

  • Voicemail: Calls go to a recorded message. Most callers (80% or more) hang up without leaving a message.
  • Personal forwarding: Calls forward to your mobile. This eliminates work-life separation.
  • Human answering service: A call centre handles after-hours calls. These services typically charge 50–100% more for after-hours coverage.
  • AI answering service: Software handles all calls at the same flat rate regardless of time. No after-hours premium.

The Cost of Missed After-Hours Calls

After-hours calls often represent high-intent inquiries. A potential client calling at 8 PM has made a decision to seek professional help and is ready to engage. Missing that call means they call a competitor who answers.

For professional services, a single missed client intake can represent thousands of dollars in lost revenue. For service businesses, a missed emergency call can represent a job and the long-term relationship it creates.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do AI answering services charge more for after-hours calls?

No. AI answering services charge a flat monthly rate regardless of when calls come in. This is a significant advantage over human answering services, which typically apply 50–100% premiums for evenings, weekends, and holidays.

What percentage of business calls come after hours?

For most service businesses, 30–40% of calls come outside regular business hours. For professional services where clients are working professionals themselves, the proportion is often higher.

Can I configure different responses for after-hours vs business hours?

Yes. Most AI answering services allow time-based configuration. After hours, the AI might say "Our office is closed but I can help you book an appointment or take a message." During business hours, the AI offers to connect the caller directly.

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