Every option below genuinely works for somebody. Here's what each really costs, what it really does, and who it's really for — so you can pick with your eyes open.
| Option | Typical cost | What actually happens | Honest fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let it ring / voicemail | "Free" | 8 in 10 callers won't leave a message — they ring the next firm. | Nobody — but it's what most busy firms run today. |
| Human answering service | £265–£680/mo at ~300 mins* | Takes a message, not the job. No qualifying, no booking; busy spells queue. | If a message pad with a nice voice is enough. |
| Part-time receptionist | £1,500–£2,500/mo | Brilliant while they're in. Clocks off at 5pm — when homeowners ring around. | Firms with daytime-only customers. |
| DIY AI software | £30–£120/mo + your time | Clever tools — but you set up, tune and watch them yourself. No guarantee, no named human. | Owners who enjoy running software. |
| A managed front office (KaizenDesk) |
Quoted on a call | We install, tune and watch it for you. Every call, text and email answered 24/7, qualified and booked — and any month it catches nothing you'd have missed, the next month's on us. Cancel anytime. | When one missed job costs more than the fix. |
*Answering-service figures based on published per-minute rates (£1.10–£2.35/min), 24/7 surcharges and setup fees across the main UK providers, as of July 2026. Voicemail abandonment: Forbes/Hiya consumer research, widely cited. We'll happily show our working.
We're never the cheapest row on that table — the £30 software is, and if you've got the evenings to run it, it's a fair buy. We're the only row that puts its promise in writing: any month the Desk doesn't catch you business you'd otherwise have missed, the next month's on us — and you can cancel anytime. Named people, nothing sent you wouldn't approve. If your average job is small, tell us — we'll say so if the maths doesn't work for you. That's the same honesty the guarantee runs on.