Frequently asked questions
Real questions garage-door repair company owners ask before and after setting up DoorCall AI. Can't find yours? Email us directly.
What DoorCall AI is
What is DoorCall AI?
DoorCall AI is an AI phone receptionist built specifically for independent garage-door repair companies. It answers incoming calls that a company forwards to it, has a conversation with the caller to identify the garage-door problem, checks the caller's address against the company's configured service area, books a real appointment from the company's actual calendar availability (or takes a message if it can't), and instantly notifies the business owner by SMS and email with a summary of the call.
Is DoorCall AI a chatbot or a phone service?
It's a phone service. Callers dial the garage-door company's existing phone number as usual; DoorCall AI answers by voice, in real time, using AI-generated speech. There is no chat widget or text-based interface for the caller — it is a voice conversation, exactly like calling a human receptionist.
How much does an AI receptionist cost for a garage door company?
DoorCall AI costs $199 to $449 per month depending on plan and call volume: Starter is $199/month for up to 100 answered calls, Growth is $299/month for up to 300 answered calls plus calendar booking and emergency escalation, and Pro is $449/month for up to 750 answered calls plus multiple dispatch calendars and advanced routing. All three plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required to start. Full feature-by-feature comparison is on the pricing page.
Setup and call forwarding
How long does it take to set up DoorCall AI?
Most garage-door companies complete setup in 15 to 20 minutes. The onboarding flow pre-loads a standard garage-door service catalog, safety rules, and a call script, so there is no blank-page setup — you review and adjust company info, service area, business hours, and the AI's greeting rather than building it from scratch.
Do I need a new phone number to use DoorCall AI?
No. You keep your existing business phone number and forward calls to DoorCall AI. Forwarding can be set to always-on, only when your line is busy, or only after a set number of unanswered rings, and it can be turned off at any time through your carrier without contacting DoorCall AI.
How do I forward my business line to DoorCall AI?
Most US carriers support either star codes (commonly *72 to enable call forwarding and *73 to disable it) or conditional forwarding rules set in your phone system or carrier portal, so your team can answer first and DoorCall AI catches only what you miss. Exact steps depend on your carrier or phone system, and DoorCall AI provides the specific forwarding number and instructions during onboarding.
Safety and AI disclosure
Does DoorCall AI tell callers they're talking to an AI?
Yes, always. DoorCall AI introduces itself as a virtual assistant at the start of every call; the exact disclosure wording is configurable by the business but the disclosure itself is never optional or removable. DoorCall AI does not build tools that let a business impersonate a human receptionist.
What does DoorCall AI do in a real emergency, like a trapped car or an unstable door?
For life-safety situations (injury, fire or fumes, a vehicle running in an enclosed garage, a door actively falling) DoorCall AI gives immediate safety guidance and directs the caller to call 911 — it never poses as an emergency dispatch service. For urgent-but-safe situations, such as a car trapped behind a broken spring or a home that won't secure, it books the earliest available appointment slot or escalates immediately to the business owner, according to rules the business sets.
Will DoorCall AI tell a caller how to fix a broken spring or cable themselves?
No. DoorCall AI never instructs a caller to touch, adjust, or attempt to repair a garage-door spring or cable, since both are under dangerous tension. This is a hard-coded safety rule, not a configurable setting.
Booking and scheduling
Can DoorCall AI actually book appointments on my calendar?
Yes. DoorCall AI reads real availability from the business's connected calendar (Google Calendar, or the built-in DoorCall calendar if none is connected) and only offers time slots that availability engine actually returns, honoring business hours, minimum notice, same-day cutoffs, and buffers between jobs. It never invents or guesses an appointment time.
What happens if DoorCall AI can't check my calendar or find an opening?
If the calendar can't be read, or no matching slot exists, DoorCall AI collects the caller's preferred time window and contact details and creates a callback request instead of guessing a time — the business is alerted so a person can follow up and confirm a real appointment.
Can DoorCall AI transfer a call to a real person?
Yes, when the business configures a transfer number. Businesses choose which situations trigger a live transfer — for example, the caller explicitly asking for a person, a critical safety issue, or a commercial emergency. If a transfer attempt fails, DoorCall AI keeps the caller's details as a lead and immediately alerts the business rather than losing the call.
AI receptionist vs. answering service
How is DoorCall AI different from a human answering service?
A traditional answering service uses human agents working from a generic script who typically just take a message. DoorCall AI is purpose-built for garage-door repair: it recognizes specific failure types (broken torsion spring, door off track, trapped vehicle, opener failure), asks the intake questions relevant to that specific problem, checks the address against the company's real service area, and books directly into the company's calendar rather than only relaying a message. It also runs 24/7 without staffing costs, shift coverage, or per-minute agent billing.
Will DoorCall AI replace my front-desk staff?
Most companies use DoorCall AI as backup coverage, not a full replacement: calls are forwarded to DoorCall AI only when the line is busy, goes unanswered, or during after-hours periods, so a human still answers first whenever available. Some solo operators and very small companies do use it as their only receptionist.
Recording, data, and billing
Are calls to DoorCall AI recorded?
Only if the business enables recording in its settings. When recording is on, a disclosure is stated on the call and recordings are access-controlled to that business's workspace. Call-recording consent laws vary by US state, so businesses should confirm their specific requirements with an attorney before enabling recording.
What happens if I go over my plan's included call volume?
DoorCall AI keeps answering calls — it never stops answering or drops calls once a plan's included volume is reached. The dashboard shows a usage warning at 80% of the plan allowance. There are no automatic overage charges: if a workspace consistently exceeds its included volume, DoorCall AI contacts the business about moving to a plan that fits rather than adding a surprise charge to the invoice.
Is there a contract or can I cancel anytime?
DoorCall AI is billed monthly with no long-term contract. Plans can be changed or canceled at any time from the billing page, and every plan starts with a 14-day free trial that requires no credit card to begin.
Still have questions?
Try the interactive demo call, or start your 14-day free trial — no credit card required.