How it works, in three steps
- 1
Pick a local number
Choose a local number for your assistant in Gearboxly. Your shop's own number does not change, and customers keep calling the number they already know.
- 2
Forward your line
Set your shop phone to forward calls when it is busy, when nobody picks up, or after hours. Gearboxly shows you how for your phone system.
- 3
It answers as your shop
Callers hear your shop's name, get answers or a booked time, and you get a summary, a transcript and a recording of the call in Phone calls.
What a call sounds like
Here is a typical booking call. The assistant asks for what the shop needs, lets the caller cut in, and only offers times that are really open.
AssistantThanks for calling Main Street Auto. Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes. How can I help you today?
CallerHi, my brakes are squealing. Can I bring my truck in this week?
AssistantI can help with that. Can I get your name?
CallerMike Dalton.
AssistantThanks, Mike. What's the best mobile number for you?
Caller253-555-0142.
AssistantAnd the year, make and model of the truck?
Caller2018 Ford F-150.
AssistantGot it. Thursday I have 8:00 AM or 1:30 in the after...
CallerSorry, is there anything Wednesday morning?
AssistantWednesday I have 9:30 AM. Would that work?
CallerYes, 9:30 is perfect.
AssistantYou're booked for Wednesday at 9:30 AM for your 2018 Ford F-150, for squealing brakes. Want me to text you a quick confirmation?
CallerSure, thanks.
AssistantDone. Is there anything else I can help with?
CallerNo, that's it.
Afterwards the shop has a new appointment on the calendar with the caller, the truck and the concern, plus an AI summary, the transcript and the recording in Phone calls. Mike got his text because he said yes.
What it does
A virtual receptionist for mechanics has to do the jobs your front counter does on the phone, without making callers repeat themselves. These are the jobs it handles.
- Books appointments
- It collects the caller's name, mobile number, vehicle year, make and model and the reason for the visit, then offers real open times from your calendar. The booking lands on the calendar like any other.
- Answers questions
- Hours, services and your shop's FAQ. It answers from the information you give it, so callers hear your answers, not generic ones.
- Takes messages
- When a caller needs a person, it takes a message. You are notified by text, email or in the app, whichever you choose.
- Gives repair status
- On full Gearboxly plans, it tells a caller where their car is at, but only when they call from the number on file. Not available on the receptionist-only plan.
- Writes up every call
- Each call gets an AI summary, a transcript and a recording kept for 14 days, all in the Phone calls screen.
- Texts only with a yes
- It can text the caller after the call, such as a booking confirmation, only if they say yes on the call.
Pricing
Two ways to buy it: $99 a month per location as an add-on to a Gearboxly plan, or $149 a month per location on its own. Either way it includes 200 call minutes per location, and you can cancel anytime.
Add the receptionist to any Gearboxly plan. Bookings land in the same calendar as the rest of the shop, and callers on the number on file can hear their repair status.
Compare Gearboxly plansJust the receptionist, with a mini calendar, a call log, basic customer records and settings. No free trial: it is paid from day one, and you can cancel anytime. Repair status needs a full plan.
Get the receptionist onlyMinutes. The 200 included minutes are a hard cap, so the bill never surprises you: once they are used, calls go to voicemail until the next month. If you would rather keep the assistant answering, turn on extra minutes at $0.15 each.
Setup: forwarding, not new phones
Your shop keeps its phone number, its phones and its carrier. The only change is a forwarding rule on your line that sends some calls to the local number you picked for the assistant. Most shops use three rules:
- Busy: when every line is in use, the next caller goes to the assistant.
- No answer: when nobody picks up after a few rings, the call moves over.
- After hours: when the shop is closed, every call goes to the assistant.
On many lines each rule is a short forwarding code you dial from the shop phone; on a VoIP system it is usually a setting in the admin portal. Gearboxly walks you through the steps for your phone system when you set the assistant up.
Privacy and call recording
Every call opens with your shop’s name and the line “Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes.” Calls are recorded and transcribed, and an AI summary is written for your team. Recordings are kept for 14 days. The caller only gets a text after the call if they say yes.
Recording laws differ from state to state, so check what applies where your shop operates. Read our privacy policy and terms for the details.
Questions shops ask
How much does the AI receptionist cost?
$99 a month per location as an add-on to a Gearboxly plan, or $149 a month per location for the receptionist-only plan. Both include 200 call minutes per location. If you turn on extra minutes, each minute past 200 is $0.15.
What is the receptionist-only plan?
The AI receptionist on its own, without the full Gearboxly shop software. It includes a mini calendar for the bookings it makes, a call log, basic customer records and settings. There is no free trial: it is paid from day one, and you can cancel anytime. Repair status for callers needs a full Gearboxly plan.
Do I have to change my shop's phone number?
No. Your shop keeps its number. You pick a local number for the assistant and set your line to forward to it when you are busy, when nobody answers, or after hours. If you ever leave, you can take the assistant's number with you for a one-time $50 porting fee.
What happens when the 200 minutes run out?
The included minutes are a hard cap, so you never get a surprise bill. Once they are used, calls go to voicemail until the next month. If you would rather keep the assistant answering, turn on extra minutes at $0.15 each.
Can it book appointments?
Yes. It collects the caller's name, mobile number, vehicle year, make and model and the reason for the visit, then offers real open times from your calendar and books the one they pick.
Are calls recorded?
Yes. Every call starts with "Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes." You get an AI summary, a transcript and a recording, and recordings are kept for 14 days.
Can callers interrupt it?
Yes. Callers can cut in, change their mind or ask something else mid-sentence, the way they would with a person at the counter.
Can it handle emergencies?
No. The AI receptionist is not for emergencies. Anyone in danger should call 911, and your shop should keep a way for callers to reach your staff.
More about the AI receptionist
After-hours answering
How the AI receptionist answers calls when the shop is closed and books the next open slot.
AI receptionist vs answering service
An honest comparison with human answering services, including where a person is better.
Never miss a call
Why calls get missed in a busy shop and how forwarding to the AI receptionist catches them.
Let your shop answer every call
$99 a month per location on any Gearboxly plan, or $149 on its own. 200 minutes included. Cancel anytime.