- What is the difference between 24/7 answering and office-hours reception?
- An office-hours receptionist covers a workday. A 24/7 answering service covers every hour of every day, including nights, weekends and holidays, using escalation rules that decide when someone on your team is contacted and when a message can wait.
- Are agents live at 3 a.m.?
- Yes. Overnight calls are answered by live agents. AI receptionist backup coverage exists as an additional continuity layer, not as a replacement for the people answering your calls.
- Can coverage rules change by time of day?
- Yes. Many clients use one script during business hours, another overnight, and a third on weekends and holidays, each with different escalation contacts.
- Can EZO handle simultaneous calls at any hour?
- Yes. Multiple calls are handled at once rather than queued behind a single line, with overflow and backup coverage during unexpected spikes.
- How is 24/7 coverage billed?
- By included minutes, not by hours staffed: $100/month for 135 minutes, $250 for 350 minutes, $500 for 750 minutes, and $0.75 for each additional minute. If your volume is high enough that dedicated staffing is more economical, we will tell you.