PATLive

PATLive is a live answering service staffed by US-based receptionists who answer calls, handle web chats and place outbound calls on a business's behalf. It has been in the live answer business since 1990.

Coverage runs around the clock, including weekends and holidays, and the firm says its receptionists answer in three to four rings on average and can take unlimited simultaneous calls, so callers are not put on hold or sent to voicemail. Calls can be forwarded on a fixed schedule, forwarded manually, or rolled over automatically after a set number of rings when an in-house team does not pick up.

The service lines are a front-desk virtual receptionist, after-hours answering, overflow handling, call screening and transfers, and message taking, with appointment scheduling included in every plan. Receptionists work to the business's own rules: transfer schedules, caller lists, after-hours routing, and a real-time availability status the account holder sets in the PATLive app. Messages capture the caller's name, contact details, reason for calling and any specifics given. Live web chat and outbound follow-up calling are offered alongside the phone service.

The site advertises a 14-day free trial and no contracts, and points high-volume or dedicated-agent needs to a separate enterprise track. Plan prices are not shown on the pages reviewed, so ask how usage is measured and billed.