Every missed call is a customer your
competitor just won.
Half the small businesses we test-call don't pick up. Their callers don't leave a voicemail, they Google the next result and book with them instead. Let's stop that from happening to you.
Every ring you don't pick up is money walking next door.
Modern customers don't leave voicemails. They Google the next plumber, electrician, contractor, or shop on the list and call them instead. Harvard Business Review research shows you're 21x more likely to qualify a lead by responding within 5 minutes versus 30. Here's where your phone is bleeding leads.
You're 30 feet up a ladder.
You can hear the phone in your truck. By the time you climb down and call back, they've already booked the next person on the list.
They called at 7:43pm.
More than half of service calls happen outside 9 to 5. You see the missed call in the morning. They're already scheduled with someone else.
You were already on a call.
You can only answer one phone at a time. Most callers won't leave a voicemail. Most won't call twice. They just move on.
Three ways to catch every call.
Pick the one that fits, or stack all three. Every lead lands in your inbox, your calendar, or both.
An AI that picks up every time.
Friendly, on-brand, available around the clock. Captures the lead, answers basic questions, and books to your calendar before you'd even reach the phone.
- Picks up on the first ring
- Custom-trained on your business
- Books to your calendar
- Texts you a summary after
A backup channel for the call-shy.
Some customers won't pick up the phone, period. Web chat catches them, texts the conversation to you, and lets you reply from anywhere.
- Two-way SMS, real-time
- AI handles common questions
- Works from any phone
- Logs every contact
A site that earns the call.
Half the calls you miss are from people who'd have happily booked online if they could. A clean, fast site captures them without the phone tag.
- Live in 7 days
- Mobile-first design
- Built-in lead capture
- Hosting included
How an AI receptionist actually works.
Real questions from small business owners trying to figure out if this fits.
Will my customers know they're talking to an AI?
The AI introduces itself naturally and handles the call like a competent receptionist. Most callers don't think twice. The ones who ask are told honestly. Either way, real buying signals get captured, and the rest get answers without you lifting a finger.
What if I'd rather just answer the phone myself when I can?
You can. The AI is a backup, not a replacement. If you're free and want to take the call, you do. It only kicks in when you can't answer, after a set number of rings, or during hours you've marked unavailable. You stay in control.
Why not just use voicemail?
About 80% of callers won't leave one. They hang up and call the next business on Google. Voicemail looks like a safety net, but the data shows it's a leak. AI answering picks up every call, captures the lead, and books real ones to your calendar. If you're worried about constant interruptions instead, see how AI call screening protects your time.
What does the AI actually say?
Whatever you train it to say. We learn your business, your common questions, your pricing, your booking flow. Then we set up the AI to handle calls the way you would. You can listen to call recordings and tweak responses anytime through a simple dashboard.
Can it actually book appointments to my calendar?
Yes. It pulls up your real calendar, finds open slots, and books the appointment while the caller is still on the line. You get a notification with the customer's name, number, and what they need. No phone tag, no forgotten callbacks.
How long does setup take?
Usually about a week. We learn your business, build the AI's responses, connect your calendar, and test it before going live. Once it's working, you can adjust anything anytime, no developer needed.
What does this cost?
Less than the revenue from one missed booking per month for most businesses. We'll quote you a flat monthly rate based on call volume. No per-minute fees, no surprise charges, no long contract. Book a free 15-minute call and we'll run the numbers for your business.
Built in South Dakota. For real businesses.
Locust Websites started because we kept seeing the same thing: small businesses doing great work, getting beat by competitors with worse craft but a phone that always gets answered.
I'm not a faceless agency in a city you've never been to. I'm local. Call (605) 605-1203 anytime. If I don't pick up, you'll meet our AI receptionist yourself. Best demo we can offer.
No long contracts. No upsells you don't need. Just tools that catch the calls you're missing.
Ready to stop losing calls?
Book a free 15-minute call. We'll talk about how many you might be missing, what it's costing, and whether AI coverage makes sense. No pressure, no pitch deck.