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Answer modes
You decide which calls Tactly answers.
Some owners want Tactly on every call. Others only want a safety net. Pick the mode that fits how you work, and change it whenever you like.
- Incoming call, 2:14 pm. Shop phone ringing for 20 seconds
- No answer. Tactly picks up
- TactlyThanks for calling Bayside Bike Repair. Everyone's tied up right now, and I'm the virtual assistant. This call may be recorded. How can I help?
- CallerHey, it's Leo. Do you fix e-bike brakes?
- TactlyYes, the shop does brake work on e-bikes. Would you like to book a time to drop it off?
- CallerSure, tomorrow morning if you can.
How does answer modes work?
Tactly has four answer modes: every call, only after hours, only the calls nobody picks up, or missed calls and after hours together. In the modes that cover missed calls, your own phone rings first for as long as you choose, from 5 to 60 seconds, and Tactly answers only if nobody gets there in time. You can switch modes from your dashboard at any time.
Every call
Tactly greets every caller and transfers the ones that need you during your hours. Good if you rarely get to the phone.
Only after hours
You answer during the day. Tactly takes over when you close and on the days you mark as closed.
Only missed calls
Your phone rings first. If nobody picks up within the time you set, Tactly answers instead of voicemail.
Missed calls and after hours
The safety net most busy shops choose. You answer what you can, and Tactly catches the rest, day and night.
Straight talk
What it will not do.
Knowing the limits is how you set it up well.
- The ring-first window runs from 5 to 60 seconds. It is not a full voicemail replacement on your own handset.
- In every mode, limits apply: up to 50 Tactly-answered calls a day and 3 from any one caller an hour. Past those, calls ring through as normal.
- Each answered call can run up to 15 minutes.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Can I let my phone ring before the AI answers?
Yes. In the missed-call modes your phone rings first for the time you set, from 5 to 60 seconds. If nobody answers, Tactly picks up.
Which answer mode should I choose?
Most owners start with missed calls and after hours together. You keep the calls you can take, and Tactly catches the ones you cannot.
Can I change modes later?
Yes, any time from your dashboard. The new mode applies from the next call.
Why would a call ring through instead of being answered?
Tactly answers up to 50 calls a day and 3 from the same caller in an hour. Past those limits, calls ring your phone as normal so nothing is blocked.
More features
Appointment booking
Nobody wants to leave a message and wait for a callback just to get a time. Tactly looks at your calendar, offers what is open, and books it before the call ends.
Learn more →Call transfer
Tactly takes the routine questions off your plate. When a caller asks for a person during your hours, it puts them straight through to you.
Learn more →After-hours answering
The calls that come in at 7pm on a Sunday are often the ones that want you most. Tactly picks up, says the team is away, and helps them anyway.
Learn more →Stop sending callers to voicemail.
Set up your receptionist, make a free test call from your own phone, and switch it on when it sounds right.