Answering365: Services, Plans and How It Works

What is Answering365?

Answering365 is a telephone answering service: a company whose staff answer another business's phone calls for it. When a client forwards its line, the call rings at Answering365, and an operator answers in the client's company name, follows a script the client has approved, and then takes a message, books an appointment, transfers the call, creates a ticket or reaches the person on call. Its home page sums up the pitch as "no voicemail, no phone trees, no offshore call centers."

The company describes itself on its About page as "an answering service and call center based in Los Angeles, CA" that has "served thousands of businesses and medical facilities nationwide since 1989." It says its operators work on a Startel telephony system, and lists inbound call handling, messaging, urgent dispatch and other call center services, all available around the clock.

Four things come up on almost every page of the site, and they are the core of what it sells:

• Live people, not automation. The company says every call is answered by a live, trained operator, never a recording, a menu tree or an AI bot.
• US-based operators. It says its agents are based in the United States (its team is based in Los Angeles) and that it does not use offshore call centers.
• Bilingual service. English and Spanish operators on every shift, included in every plan at no extra charge.
• HIPAA compliance. It says its systems and training meet HIPAA requirements, which is why many of its industry pages are aimed at healthcare.

Answering365 is a private business. It is not a phone carrier, so you keep your existing phone number and phone company, and it is not a medical triage line or a law firm: its operators capture and route calls; they do not give medical or legal advice.

Is Answering365 legit?

People ask this before handing their phone line, and their customers, to an outside company. Here is what can be checked on the company's own site and elsewhere:

• A long, stated operating history. The site says the company has been answering phones since 1989, and its Google reviews page includes reviewers who say they have used it for years, one for "more than 10 years."
• A working 24/7 phone line and an email address. 888-588-9800 and info@answering365.com appear on every page. Because the service is live around the clock, calling that number at night or on a weekend is itself a simple test of what your callers would hear.
• Published reviews. The site's reviews page shows a 4.5 out of 5 average from 27 Google reviews, with each review and the company's reply printed in full. These are displayed by the company itself; you can read the same reviews on Google.
• Named case studies. The company's blog publishes two case studies about named healthcare organizations it says it has worked with: Clinica Sierra Vista, a non-profit health organization in California's San Joaquin Valley, and the Temple University Hospital Burn Center in Philadelphia (details below).
• Clear limits on what operators do. The medical and legal pages state that operators do not give medical advice, do not perform clinical triage, and never give legal advice or predict case outcomes. That is the standard you would want from an answering service.
• A hiring page that matches the claims. Its careers page recruits US-based inbound call center agents, lists Spanish as "a plus" with extra pay for bilingual staff, and describes paid training, which is consistent with how the service is described to clients.

The site does not publish a price list, so the cost side cannot be checked in advance; see How much does it cost? for what is published and how to get a quote.

Who runs Answering365, and who answers the phones?

The website does not name an owner, founder or management team, so this guide doesn't either. If it matters to you who owns the company you are trusting with your calls, ask during the free consultation; the contact page says each new client works with "a dedicated account specialist."

The people answering your calls are described in more detail. The company says:

• Each call agent "has undergone professional training and certification."
• Operators are trained on each client's account (its terminology, emergency protocols, scheduling rules and message delivery) before calls go live.
• Agents are US-based, with English and Spanish speakers on every shift.
• Calls "may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance," according to its Terms of Service.

The careers page adds what the company looks for in new agents: good people skills, spelling and grammar, the ability to talk and type at once, and typing of at least 45 words per minute at 90% accuracy. Agents get paid training, medical, dental and vision benefits with full-time employment, paid time off, and extra pay for evenings, weekends and bilingual work.

The three service levels, compared

Answering365 sells three core services. Each step up adds work the operator does on your behalf. All three include live US-based operators, English and Spanish, HIPAA-compliant handling, 24/7/365 availability and no long-term contract.

Message Plus is the entry level. The company describes it as "the simplest, most affordable way" to have every call answered live. You decide the "must-have" details on each message (for example caller name, callback number and reason for the call), and choose how and when messages reach you: real-time delivery for urgent calls and new leads, batched delivery at intervals you set, an end-of-day summary, or a mix with priority rules so emergencies always come through at once.

Virtual Receptionist adds the tasks a front desk handles. The receptionist can announce a caller and connect them to the right team member only when that person is ready (a warm transfer), patch urgent calls through under your rules, book, confirm, reschedule and cancel appointments in your calendar, and route messages so that sales leads go to sales and support issues go to support. The pricing page's comparison table lists, for both receptionist and assistant: bilingual agents, instant message delivery by email or text, a fully customized greeting, customized on-hold messages, emergency dispatching, a custom script and protocol, a staff or department directory, warm transfers with introduction, and answers to commonly asked questions.

Virtual Assistant is the top tier. The same comparison table reserves five features for it: appointment scheduling and management, updating your EHR/CRM and online patient forms, secure EHR/CRM integration, creating help-desk tickets, and custom reports. The company's setup for this tier has six stages: discovery, custom scripts and workflows, secure integration with your calendar, CRM, EMR or help-desk tools, agent training, go-live, and ongoing refinement.

For large organizations, several service pages also mention customized plans for large medical facilities and corporations with multiple offices, and the pricing page has an Enterprise plan for accounts needing more than 1,250 minutes a month.

Coverage options: after-hours, overflow, holidays and more

Most clients, the company says, pair one of the three service levels with a type of coverage. You choose when your calls reach Answering365 by how you set up call forwarding with your own phone company.

• Live answering, all the time. Every call goes to Answering365, day and night.
• After-hours answering. Coverage starts when your office closes. You define "after hours": evenings, weekends, holidays, overnight or any custom schedule. Many businesses forward their line automatically at closing and switch it back when they reopen.
• Overflow call handling. Calls go to Answering365 only when your own staff are busy or don't pick up within a set number of rings, so a rush reaches a live person instead of a busy signal or voicemail.
• Holiday coverage. The company answers on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and every other holiday, and says it does not charge extra for after-hours, weekend or holiday calls. Some businesses use it only during holidays, weekends or a seasonal rush.
• Appointment setting. Bookings, confirmations, reschedules and cancellations taken live and entered into your calendar, EHR or CRM.
• Medical and urgent dispatch. Operators locate and reach on-call staff, follow your script and protocol, document the call and its outcome, and relay messages by phone, text, email or other channels.
• Lead capture. Operators capture and pre-qualify inbound leads against your criteria; the lead capture page also describes virtual assistants doing database cleanup and outbound follow-up.

The company also says it maintains redundant systems and backup facilities for outages, and that if your own office loses power or phone service, forwarded calls still reach its operators.

Medical, dental and mental health practices

Healthcare is the largest group on the site's industry list: medical practices, doctors' offices, dental offices, mental health and therapy practices, psychiatry, hospitals, home health, clinical trials, medical scheduling, and therapy practices such as ABA, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

What operators do for a practice. They answer live, capture patient details accurately, book into the practice's scheduling or practice management system, take prescription refill requests as messages for the practice to approve, and identify urgent calls using criteria the practice defines, then page or call the on-call provider. Routine messages are documented and delivered for the next business day.

What operators don't do. The company states plainly that its agents "do not give medical advice and do not perform clinical triage," and that "all clinical decisions remain with your licensed providers." For clinical trials, agents do not decide whether a caller is eligible and do not assess adverse events; they capture and route those calls under the study's protocol. Its FAQ distinguishes an answering service from a nurse triage line staffed by registered nurses, and says Answering365 can warm-transfer clinical calls to a practice's on-call nurse or triage partner.

Privacy. The company lists the safeguards it uses: HIPAA-trained agents, a Business Associate Agreement signed with the practice, message delivery through encrypted and access-controlled channels, need-to-know disclosure, detailed call records, and defined escalation paths. Ask for the BAA and the delivery method in writing before you go live.

Published case studies. The blog describes two healthcare accounts:

• Clinica Sierra Vista, a non-profit healthcare organization serving low-income and migrant farmworker communities in California's San Joaquin Valley, with 26 locations across three counties. The case study says that as a licensed HMO it must give members 24/7 access to medical services under California Department of Managed Health Care rules, and that Answering365 operators take each call, establish the nature of the patient's condition against the organization's own criteria, and refer the caller to the right staff member, during and after office hours.
• Temple University Hospital Burn Center in Philadelphia. The case study says Answering365 worked with Dr. William B. Hughes, the center's Medical Director, and that its operators answer the center's office calls 24/7 and schedule more than 30 appointments a day in the center's existing software. Operators schedule and route against protocols the center's clinicians wrote and do not assess burn severity or advise callers on treatment.

For mental health practices, the FAQ says operators follow each practice's crisis escalation protocol, connecting callers at risk to the on-call clinician, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or emergency services. This guide is not medical advice; if you need care, talk to a licensed clinician, and in an emergency call 911.

Law firms

For law firms, Answering365 offers live new-client intake with custom scripts for each practice area, lead qualification against the firm's criteria, warm transfers of urgent calls to the attorney on call, and consultations booked directly into the firm's calendar. The legal page lists practice areas it serves: personal injury, family law and divorce, criminal defense, estate planning and probate, immigration, workers' compensation, bankruptcy and debt relief, and real estate and business law.

On scope, the company says its agents "never offer legal advice, predict case outcomes, or quote fees that you have not pre-approved." On confidentiality, its FAQ says it signs confidentiality agreements with every law firm client and trains operators on privilege requirements, while noting that it is the firm's responsibility to make sure a confidentiality agreement is in place. This guide is not legal advice.

Trades, property management, IT and other industries

Outside healthcare and law, the site has detailed pages for these industries, each describing how calls are handled:

The industries page adds that it serves "hundreds of business types," naming veterinary practices, electricians, locksmiths, pest control, elevator repair, government offices, and financial and insurance firms. Its blog also covers accounting and tax practices, staffing agencies, nonprofits and multi-location businesses.

How much does Answering365 cost?

Prices are not published. The pricing page lists eight plans by call volume, each with a "Get Pricing" button instead of a number, and asks you to call 888-588-9800 or use the quote form for a custom quote. Here is what the site does publish about how pricing works:

How billing works, per the pricing page:

• Each plan has a base price and an allowance of minutes. Minutes over the allowance are charged per additional minute, billed in 30-second increments.
• You are billed for the time agents spend handling your calls. The clock starts when the agent answers and stops when the task is done (message sent, call transferred, appointment booked, ticket created).
• Typical call lengths the company gives: an inbound receptionist call runs about 2 to 2½ minutes; an outbound call to your team or on-call contact about 1 to 1½ minutes; a scheduling or customer-service ticket call about 4½ to 8 minutes.
• No extra charge for after-hours, weekend or holiday calls, and no extra charge for Spanish.

Estimating your own volume. Because billing is by agent time, the call lengths above let you rough out your monthly minutes before you call for a quote. For example, 100 simple message calls a month at about 2 to 2½ minutes each is roughly 200 to 250 minutes, plus time for any outbound calls to your on-call staff; the same number of scheduling calls would use far more. Bring your monthly call count, your coverage hours and the tasks you want done, which is what the contact page says helps when requesting a quote.

Is there a free trial?

Yes, according to the site. Its Get Started page offers a one-week free trial with "up to 250 receptionist minutes," and the call-to-action on most pages reads "Get your first week free." Ask when you sign up what happens at the end of the week, which plan the trial converts to, and whether any setup work is billed if you don't continue.

How it works, step by step

1. Free consultation. An account specialist asks about your business, call volume, hours and needs. The company calls this no-obligation.
2. Custom script. Answering365 writes call-handling scripts for your business: the greeting, the questions to ask, which calls are urgent and who to reach. You approve every detail before going live.
3. Training and setup. Operators are trained on your account: emergency protocols, scheduling rules, message delivery and, for the Virtual Assistant tier, the systems they will work inside. Calls are tested before launch.
4. Forward your line. Using call forwarding from your phone company, you send calls to your dedicated Answering365 number full time, after hours, only when busy, or after a set number of rings. You keep your own number; the company says it walks you through the forwarding setup.
5. Go live. Operators answer in your company's name. You get messages by your chosen method, and access to an online client portal to see messages in real time and update your on-call schedule.
6. Adjust. You can update your instructions at any time, and the company says it refines scripts and workflows as your needs change.

How long setup takes. The contact page says most accounts are live within 3 to 5 business days after the consultation, and that rush setup is available for urgent needs. Ask for a go-live date when you sign up.

Switching from another service. The FAQ says you don't need to change your business phone number: you share your existing scripts and protocols, the account is built and tested, and you then point your call forwarding at the new number. The company says it assigns an onboarding specialist to manage the move.

How messages, transfers and emergencies are handled

• Greeting. Operators answer in your company's name with your greeting. The company says callers should not be able to tell they have reached an outside service.
• Message delivery. By text, email, the secure online portal or a phone call, in real time or batched (for example hourly, or as a morning or end-of-day summary). The home page describes delivery "real-time or next morning."
• Warm transfers. The operator announces the caller and the reason for the call, then connects them only when your team member is ready.
• Emergencies. You define what counts as urgent and who gets woken up. When a call meets that definition, the operator contacts your on-call person by phone, text or page; if the first contact doesn't respond, the operator escalates down your list and confirms the hand-off.
• Integrations. For Virtual Assistant clients, operators work inside your calendar, CRM, EHR/EMR or help-desk tool through access-controlled connections, so bookings and records land directly in your system rather than as a message someone has to re-enter.
• Payments. The FAQ says the company can help with collecting payments by phone as part of its virtual receptionist service; ask how card data is handled if you need this.

Where is Answering365, and what areas does it serve?

Answering365 says it is based in Los Angeles, California, and that its operators work from the US. It does not see customers in person; the service runs entirely by phone, so location matters only for time zones and local knowledge.

It serves businesses nationwide. The locations page lists 57 metro areas with their own pages (from Atlanta, Boston and Chicago to Honolulu, Seattle and Tampa) and says the company answers for businesses "in all 50 states," describing the city pages as "simply the metros we write about." The Spanish-language version of the site, at answering365.com/es/, has its own service, pricing, FAQ and city pages.

Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The contact page says the sales team usually replies to quote requests "within one business hour."

Contracts, cancellation and other policies

• No long-term contract. Plans are month to month. The contact page says you can adjust your plan or cancel at any time without penalties.
• Cancellation. The Terms of Service say you "may discontinue using our services at any time by notifying us." Ask whether a notice period applies to your plan.
• Call recording. The Terms say calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance.
• Billing. Fees are billed according to your selected plan, payments are due as stated on your invoice or billing agreement, and failure to pay may lead to service suspension.
• Accuracy. The Terms say the company is not responsible for actions taken based on inaccurate or incomplete information you provide, which is a good reason to keep your on-call schedule current in the portal.
• Liability. The Terms limit the company's liability for service interruptions and provide services "as is." Read them, and the plan agreement you are given, before you sign.
• Healthcare. A Business Associate Agreement is offered to healthcare clients.

How it compares with other ways to cover your phones

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Questions to ask before you sign up

1. Which of the eight plans fits my monthly minutes, and what are the base price, allowance and per-minute overage rate?
2. What exactly does the one-week free trial include, and what happens when it ends?
3. Are there any setup, portal, transfer or other fees beyond minutes?
4. How long will setup take for my account, and is rush setup charged extra?
5. How will urgent calls reach my on-call staff, and what happens if nobody answers?
6. For healthcare: can I see the Business Associate Agreement and how messages with patient information are delivered?
7. For Virtual Assistant: does it work with the specific CRM, EHR, calendar or ticketing system I use?
8. Is there a notice period to cancel or change plans?
9. Who owns and manages the company, and who will be my account contact?

How to get started

1. Read the services overview and the plans page to pick a starting point.
2. Rough out your monthly call count, coverage hours and the tasks you want handled.
3. Call 888-588-9800 (answered 24/7) or use the quote form, or email info@answering365.com.
4. Ask about the one-week free trial, approve your script, and set up call forwarding with your phone company.

Visit Answering365

Terms you'll see on the site

• Answering service: a company whose operators answer another business's calls, usually in that business's name.
• Virtual receptionist: a remote operator who handles front-desk tasks: greeting, transfers, scheduling and messages.
• Virtual assistant: here, an operator who also completes tasks inside your systems, such as booking in your calendar or updating your CRM or EHR.
• Warm transfer: the operator introduces the caller to your staff member before connecting them. A cold transfer connects without an introduction.
• Overflow: calls sent to the answering service only when your own lines are busy or unanswered.
• Call forwarding: a phone company feature that sends calls from your number to another number.
• Escalation / on-call routing: the rules for who is contacted, in what order, when an urgent call comes in.
• HIPAA: the federal law that protects patient health information. PHI is protected health information.
• BAA (Business Associate Agreement): a contract in which a vendor that handles PHI for a healthcare provider agrees to protect it under HIPAA.
• CRM / EHR / EMR: customer relationship management software; electronic health or medical records.
• PSA: professional services automation, the ticketing and billing software used by IT service providers.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 19 October 2026.

1. Answering365, home page: answering365.com
2. About Answering365: answering365.com/about-answering365/
3. Pricing and plans: answering365.com/pricing/
4. Contact and quote form: answering365.com/contact-us/
5. Free trial: answering365.com/get-started/
6. Services overview: answering365.com/services/
7. Service pages: Message Plus, Virtual Receptionist, Virtual Assistant, Live Answering, After-Hours, Overflow, Appointment Setting, Medical Dispatch, Lead Capture, Holiday Coverage
8. Industries overview: answering365.com/industries/
9. Industry pages: Medical, Doctor's Office, Dental, Clinical Trials, Legal, HVAC, Plumbing, Property Management, IT, Funeral Homes
10. Frequently asked questions: answering365.com/frequently-asked-questions/
11. Reviews: answering365.com/reviews/
12. Locations: answering365.com/locations/
13. Case studies: Clinica Sierra Vista, Temple University Burn Center
14. Careers: answering365.com/call-center-jobs/
15. Terms of Service: answering365.com/terms-of-service/
16. Spanish site: answering365.com/es/