Speed is the job
Water damage gets worse by the hour: it wicks into drywall, swells floors and starts mold. Homeowners know it, so they call several restoration companies in a row and hire the first one that commits to a time.
That makes the first answer worth more in restoration than almost anywhere. 85% of callers who can't reach a business won't call back (BIA/Kelsey).
What to capture on the first call
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is water still coming in? Has it been shut off? | Decides urgency and what to bring |
| Where did it come from (supply line, water heater, storm, sewage)? | Category of water and equipment |
| How many rooms, which floors? | Crew size and drying equipment |
| Is water near outlets or the panel? Is the ceiling sagging? | Safety line before anything else |
| Insurance carrier, claim opened? | Your office starts the paperwork in the morning |
| Address and best callback number | Dispatch |
Example call
BlueLine Restoration 24-hour line, this is Josie. Are you dealing with water or fire damage right now?
Our water heater burst. The basement has a couple of inches of water.
Is water still coming in, and is it near outlets or the electrical panel?
I shut it off. It's not near the panel.
Thanks. Our emergency response visit is $250. Shall I send the crew tonight?
Fee agreed · carrier: State Farm · paging Dana (crew lead)… accepted
Storm nights
After a storm, calls stack up faster than any office can answer. An AI line answers every one, ranks them by severity (water still entering, sewage, ceilings), and hands your crews an ordered list. See storm season: how restoration companies answer every call.
What Josie does
- 24/7 Emergency Line: Answers every after-hours call and sorts real emergencies from routine jobs with your rules.
- On-Call Paging + Schedules: Calls your on-call tech with the details. Press 1 to accept. No answer? Next person, then you.
- Surge Overflow: When the office line is busy or a heat wave hits, Josie answers the overflow, all at once.
- For your trade: Answering Service for Water Damage Restoration Companies
Common questions
Can the answering service collect insurance information?
Yes. HireJosie asks for the carrier and whether a claim has been opened and includes it in the summary for your crew and office.
Should restoration companies charge an emergency response fee?
Many do, and quoting it on the first call filters out callers who only want a free estimate. Josie states your fee in your wording and records the yes.
What does HireJosie cost?
HireJosie is $29/month for 200 AI minutes, starting with a 7-day free trial — cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing. Pro is $79/month for 500 minutes, with $0.25/minute overage after that. Every feature is on every plan, and every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.