8-minute read · by Philippe, who runs a home-service business in Québec
For a service business in Québec, no longer missing calls costs from about a hundred dollars to nearly $4,000 a month depending on the solution. A full-time receptionist costs the most and covers only office hours. An answering service or an automatic text after the missed call covers evenings and weekends for a fraction of the price.
I run a home-service business on Montréal’s South Shore and have tried almost all of these options. Here is what each really costs, what it does well, and what it does not.
The four options side by side
| Option | Monthly cost (order of magnitude) | Hours covered | What it does best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time receptionist | ≈ $3,500 in wages, plus payroll costs | Office hours | Reception, booking, office tasks beyond the phone |
| Answering service (human, remote) | From about $90 to $200, depending on volume | Often 24/7 | A real voice taking the message |
| AI voice receptionist | From about $200 | 24/7 | Answers and asks simple questions at any hour |
| Automatic text after a missed call | From a few dozen dollars (basic) to a full system | 24/7 | Keeps the customer while you are on the job |
Wages: median of $20.00/h for receptionists in Québec (Job Bank, 2023-2024), about $3,470 a month at 40 hours a week, before employer payroll costs. External services: entry prices posted by Québec providers, checked in September 2026; the real price depends on call volume.
The receptionist: expensive, but not for the reason you think
Wages are not the real problem. The calls that cost most arrive when she is not there: in the evening, when the customer gets home and finds the leak; on Saturday, when they finally have time to call. A receptionist is worth it when she also does other work: invoicing, scheduling, reception.
The answering service: a human voice, not a sale
An answering service takes the message at any hour with a real person, much better than voicemail. The limit: they do not know your trade. They note a name and number, and calling back is up to you. If you call back the next day, the customer has often hired someone else.
The AI receptionist: useful, watch it
AI voice receptionists have become credible. Two cautions from experience: test it yourself on ten real calls before letting it answer customers, and always keep a simple way to reach a human. A customer who feels trapped in a machine hangs up.
The automatic text: cheapest, often most effective
As soon as a call ends unanswered, a text goes to the caller in your name. “Sorry, I am on a job. What kind of work is it?” They reply in writing, you see the request between jobs, and you call back someone waiting for you. Several business phone systems offer a basic version for a few dollars a month. A full system adds trade-specific questions, the request landing in your follow-up, and a reminder if the customer goes quiet.
Which to choose
- Under 5 employees, mostly emergencies: start with the automatic text. Best cost per recovered call.
- Customers who insist on talking to someone: an answering service, with the text as an overnight safety net.
- Over 10 employees with enough office work: a receptionist, because she will do much more than answer, plus the text for evenings.
Before choosing, measure what you lose: the missed-call calculator gives the order of magnitude, and this one compares an employee with a system.