LIVEThe AI receptionist for small shops
Pickup answers your business line in a warm, unhurried voice, books the appointment straight into your calendar and texts you what happened. Mid-haircut, under a sink, in the Friday rush.
Thanks for calling Marisol’s in Logan Square, this is June. Marisol’s with a client, but I can help. What’s up?
Hi! I need my color redone before my sister’s wedding. Anything next week?
Oh, congratulations to her! A balayage with Marisol takes about two and a half hours. I have Tuesday at 3:30, or Thursday at 10.
Tuesday at 3:30. Perfect.
Done. You’re booked, Dana. I’ll text you a confirmation now and a reminder Monday night.
You’re a lifesaver. Thank you!
Ext. 101 How it sounds
Four real calls from shops on Pickup, names changed. Press play, or just keep scrolling and follow along.
CallerPickup
Kowalski & Sons Plumbing
Kowalski and Sons, this is Ola. Are you calling about something urgent tonight?
Yeah, there’s water coming up through the basement drain. Like, a lot of it.
Okay. Don’t run any water upstairs: no laundry, no dishwasher. Is it near anything electrical?
Just the furnace. It’s maybe an inch.
Luis is on call tonight. I’m ringing his cell now and I’ll tell him it’s a backup by the furnace in Avondale, so you don’t have to repeat yourself.
Thank you. Seriously.
Connecting you now. Stay on the line.
Ext. 102 What it does
Pickup isn’t a voicemail with manners. It does what a good front desk does, on every call, at 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning.
01Every call, by the second ring
In your shop’s name, in English, Spanish or Polish. It knows your hours, your prices, where to park and the question everybody asks.
“Thanks for calling Marisol’s in Logan Square, this is June. How can I help?”
02Into the calendar you already use
It only offers times that are truly open, knows a balayage takes longer than a trim, and never double-books Marisol.
Booked by Pickup at 7:43 PM, while Marisol was mid-foil.
03Confirmations out, summaries in
The caller gets a confirmation before they’ve hung up. You get two lines on what happened. Nobody listens to voicemail again.
Hi Dana, you’re booked with Marisol on Tue, Nov 3 at 3:30 for a balayage + trim. Reply C to change. See you then!
Perfect, thank you!!
We’ll send a reminder Monday evening.
Dana Rios booked balayage + trim, Tue 3:30. Wants it done before her sister’s wedding Saturday. First color since August.
04Real emergencies ring your cell
Flooding, a cracked tooth, a catering order for 200: you choose the words that ring through. Pickup tells you who’s calling before you say hello.
If a caller says floodingno heatgas smell ring Luis then Marek
What Luis hears first“Tom Brennan in Avondale, water backing up by the furnace, about an inch. Putting him through.”
Ext. 103 Who it’s for
Hands in foil. Under a sink. Plating forty covers. Pickup was built in Chicago for businesses with one phone and nobody free to answer it.
The “can you squeeze me in Saturday” calls, answered while your hands are in someone’s hair.
Marisol’s, Logan Square · 41 calls a week, none missed since MarchReschedules, new patients and “do you take my insurance,” handled before the front desk has had coffee.
Halsted Family Dental, Lakeview · 212 early reschedules this yearMidnight emergencies go to whoever’s on call. Tire-kickers get a price range and a booking link.
Kowalski & Sons, Avondale · after-hours jobs up 31%Reservations, big parties and “are you open Thanksgiving,” in English or Spanish, mid-rush.
Taquería El Faro, Pilsen · 9 parties of eight-plus last monthSwipe down the street
Ext. 104 The math
Most callers who reach voicemail don’t leave one. They call the next shop on the map. Move the sliders to see what that costs you.
Walking down the street to someone else, every month
$2,320/mo
That’s $27,830 a year, or 27 bookings a month that never happened. Pickup’s Main Street plan is $129.
Ext. 105 Setup
Median setup across 2,318 shops: 9 min 40 sec. The record is 4:12, by a barber in Bridgeport.
Forward your line when you’re busy or after hours, or grab a new 312 or 773 number. There’s nothing to install and nothing to plug in.
Paste your website and Pickup reads your hours, services and prices. Then answer the twelve questions every caller asks, like where to park and whether you take walk-ins.
Each one sounds like someone who’s worked your front desk for years.
Pickup only offers times that are actually open, and it blocks off the travel time between jobs.
Google Calendar / Outlook / Square Appointments / Vagaro / Boulevard / Jobber / Housecall Pro / OpenTable
Ring your own number from your cell and try to stump it. Most owners try for twenty minutes, laugh twice, then go back to work.
Ext. 106 Pricing
Flat monthly plans, no setup fee, no contract. Every call is answered from day one; you only pay for the ones Pickup actually handles.
Corner
$49/ month
One chair, one truck, one phone.
About 49¢ a call
Start with CornerMain Street Most shops pick this
$129/ month
A busy book and a phone that never stops.
About 32¢ a call
Start with Main StreetBusy Line
$299/ month
Two locations, a crew and a waitlist.
About 25¢ a call
Start with Busy Line14 days free on every planKeep your numberExtra calls 35¢ eachSpam and robocalls never countCancel by text
Ext. 107 Questions
Something else? Our support line is answered by people, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central: (555) 014-5486.
If they ask, June says so, plainly. Most don’t ask. They’re calling to book a balayage, not to interview the receptionist. You can also have Pickup introduce itself as your virtual assistant on every call.
No. Most shops forward their existing line when they’re busy or after hours. It takes about two minutes with your carrier, and we’ll walk you through it on the phone if you’d like.
You pick the words that ring through: flooding, emergency, catering for 200. Pickup patches the caller to your cell and tells you who it is before you say hello. If you don’t answer, it takes a detailed message and texts it to you.
Google Calendar, Outlook, Square Appointments, Vagaro, Boulevard, Jobber, Housecall Pro, Mindbody, OpenTable and Resy. If your book is paper, Pickup texts you every booking and you write it in.
Yes, and it switches mid-call when the caller does. Your summaries arrive in whichever language you choose.
Pickup politely ends car-warranty calls so you never hear about them, and they don’t count toward your plan.
Every call is recorded, transcribed and summarized in your dashboard. Recordings are kept for 90 days, then deleted. Callers hear a short recording notice where state law requires one.
Ext. 108 Try it
(555) 014-9525
Our demo line answers as Crumb & Co., a pretend bakery in Wicker Park. Order a birthday cake, ask about gluten, try to make June laugh.
Tell us your shop’s number. We’ll text you a setup link and call you back within the hour.