Opening January 2027Based in Central Illinois

CastNet Front Desk

An AI receptionist that picks up when you can't.

Front Desk is our done-for-you AI answering service. It answers the calls you miss and your after-hours calls, tells callers it's an AI, takes a message and sends you the caller's details.

Join the founding listSee prices

Hear our AI: (309) 928-1238 (calls recorded)

What it is

CastNet Front Desk, in short

For owner-operated shops that miss calls while they're working: trades, salons, auto repair and other local services.

  • Answers when you choose: missed calls only, after hours, or all calls on a schedule you pick
  • Takes the caller's name, number and what they need, then sends it to you
  • Works with your existing number through call forwarding
How it works

4 steps

  1. Tell us about your calls

    A short setup form. Fill in what you know and skip the rest.

  2. We build it, you approve it

    We write the script for your business and test it. Nothing goes live until you approve it.

  3. Turn it on

    We send simple call-forwarding steps for your carrier, and you turn it on.

  4. Support until you're happy

    Call or email our support line for changes. Monthly tune-ups included.

What you get

A call note after each answered call

Monthly tune-ups, plus a support line for changes. It answers incoming calls only and never makes sales calls.

Example call noteTue · 6:42 PM

New caller: leaking water heater

Caller
Sample customer
Callback
(309) 555-0142
Needs
Water heater leaking in the basement. Wants a quote this week.
Urgency
Not an emergency. Asked for a morning callback.
"Thanks for calling Sample Plumbing Co. You're speaking with an AI assistant, and this call is recorded. How can I help?"
Illustration with a sample business. Not a real customer or call.
The problem

You can't answer the phone and do the job at the same time.

When you run a small business, you're usually the receptionist too. Each call you can't pick up is a customer deciding whether to wait for you or call the next name on the list.

Your hands are full

You're under a sink, on a roof or in the middle of a client's color. The phone rings, and stopping isn't an option.

Calls come after hours

People call when they notice the problem: evenings, weekends, on their lunch break. Voicemail rarely gets a message back.

DIY takes time you don't have

AI tools exist, but someone still has to set them up, connect your phone line, test them and fix them. That someone is usually you, at 10 PM.

Search is starting to call for customers. Google Search can now call some local businesses on a customer's behalf to check availability and prices (Google, 2026). If nobody picks up, the customer may never hear about you.

Why hire CastNet

The AI is the easy part. Running it is the job.

A low-cost app or a ChatGPT prompt gives you a script. It doesn't forward your line, test it, fix it when it gets a call wrong, or keep it compliant. That ongoing work is what you're hiring us for.

The workDoing it yourselfWith CastNet
Writing the script for your businessYou, starting from a blank promptWe write it from your setup form. You approve it.
Connecting your phone lineYou work out call forwarding with your carrierStep-by-step instructions for your carrier, and we test it
Testing before customers hear itOften skippedTest calls first, then live after hours, then full time
When it gets a call wrongYou find out from an unhappy customerWe watch for problems and tune it every month
AI disclosure and Illinois recording consentEasy to missDisclosure in every greeting
When the AI tools changeYou start overWe swap the tools underneath. Your number and setup stay the same.
CommitmentOne more app to manageMonth-to-month, 30 days' notice

Your hours are worth more on the job

Every evening spent learning prompts and phone settings is an evening you're not billing or resting.

Someone is accountable

A local owner, RJ Kelly, answers for how your front desk performs. Month-to-month means we earn it every month.

Compliance built in

AI disclosure and Illinois all-party recording consent are part of every setup. They're easy to miss when you do it yourself.

Built to keep up

AI tools change monthly. We keep up so your callers get a better experience without you lifting a finger.

Our AI rules

Honest AI, in writing.

Your customers trust you. These rules apply to every business we answer for. No exceptions.

  • It always says it's an AI.Callers hear it in the greeting. We never pretend to be a person.
  • Recording is disclosed up front.Illinois requires everyone's consent to record a call, so callers are told at the start.
  • Answers only. No sales calls.Our AI picks up incoming calls. It never cold-calls anyone.
  • Not a 911 service.Callers with an emergency are told to hang up and call 911.
  • Your data stays yours.We never sell caller information, and we delete it on request, as our providers allow, within 30 days.
How we compare

What it costs to get your phone answered.

Published prices we found, Oct 2026, by type of service.

Type of servicePublished priceWhat you getWho sets it up
DIY AI receptionist appAbout $29 to $150 a monthAn AI that answers your line. Plans are sized by minutes or calls.Mostly you: the script, call forwarding and testing. Some apps offer setup help on higher-priced plans.
Human answering serviceFrom about $250 a month for 50 minutes, or $300 a month for 30 callsA real person answers. Plans are sized by minutes or calls and cost more as your volume grows.Varies by provider. You share your business details.
Done-for-you AI agencyAbout $197 to $697 or more a month, plus $250 to $1,000 setup, in one published agency price guide.An AI receptionist that an agency builds and runs for you.The agency.
CastNet Front Desk$249 a month plus $299 setup. Founding offer for our first 5 clients: $125 a month plus $150 setup.An AI receptionist that answers the calls you miss and your after-hours calls. It says it's an AI, takes a message and sends you the caller's details. Up to 300 AI talk minutes a month, a monthly tune-up, and a support line you can call or email.We do, remotely, from your setup form. You turn on call forwarding with our step-by-step carrier instructions.

CastNet's receptionist is an AI, not a person. If you'd rather have a real person answer, a human answering service gives you that. A DIY app costs less to start, but you set it up and keep it running yourself. Prices are from providers' own pricing pages and published price guides, and they change, so check any provider's current page.

Prices

CastNet Front Desk prices

Founding offer · 5 spots

Founding Client

For our first 5 clients. We're new, and we'd rather earn your trust than pretend otherwise.

$125/ month

While your account is active and in good standing

$150 one-time setup

  • Everything in Front Desk
  • Founding rate while your account is active and in good standing
  • Up to 300 AI talk minutes a month; 40¢/min over, with notice first

Your founding rate is $125/month while your account is active and in good standing. It ends if you cancel, fall more than 30 days behind on payment, or change plans, and it can't be transferred. If our provider costs rise, we may adjust it by the documented increase only, with 30 days' written notice. The founding price requires one thing: a short monthly feedback survey for the first 3 months (a quick email survey). No review is required for the founding rate. Setup fee isn't refundable once your line is live. Monthly plans renew automatically until you cancel. Email support@castnethq.com, and service ends 30 days after notice. Your go-live date is set in your agreement, in the order founding spots are reserved. Full terms are in your written founding agreement.

Ask about a founding spot
Best for most

Front Desk

For an owner-operated shop that misses calls while working.

$249/ month

$299 one-time setup

  • 1 location, 1 phone number
  • Up to 300 AI talk minutes/month
  • Script written and tested for you
  • Caller details sent to you after answered calls
  • Monthly tune-up
  • Support line: call or email, and our team adjusts it remotely until you're happy
Ask about Front Desk

If a caller asks for a person, your receptionist can try to transfer the call to your phone. If no one answers, it takes a message and emails you the details.

Month-to-month. Cancel with 30 days' notice. Prices may change before we open; we'll confirm every price in writing before you pay. Prices do not include any applicable taxes.

Adding another service? See bundles →

Honest notes

  • Our receptionist is an AI, not a person, and it says so at the start of each call. Calls are recorded, and callers are told up front.
  • CastNet is not an emergency service. Callers with an emergency are told to hang up and call 911.
  • No long contracts required.
FAQ

CastNet Front Desk questions

Why not just use ChatGPT or a low-cost AI receptionist app?

You can. Those tools give you the AI, but you still write the prompts, set up call forwarding, handle the legal disclosures and watch for mistakes. CastNet does all of that and stays responsible for it every month. If you enjoy that kind of setup and have the time, DIY may be right for you. If you'd rather be on the job, that's what we're here for.

Will my callers know they're talking to an AI?

Yes, always. The greeting says it's an AI assistant for your business. We think honesty is better for your reputation, and in many situations it's required.

Are calls recorded? What about Illinois law?

Calls are recorded so we can send you accurate details and keep improving your receptionist. Illinois requires the consent of everyone on a call to record it, so calls begin with a notice that you're talking to an AI and the call is recorded. Recordings are used only to serve your business and are never sold. We keep them for 90 days, and we delete them on request, as our providers allow, within 30 days. See our Privacy Policy.

Do I need a new phone number?

No. You keep your number. You forward calls to your CastNet line when you can't answer, after hours, or for all your calls, and we send step-by-step instructions for your phone carrier.

How much of my time does setup take?

A short online setup form. Fill in what you know and skip the rest. We build and test everything, and you approve it before any customer hears it.

Do I have to set anything up?

Very little. We build, test and manage your receptionist. Your one step is turning on call forwarding with the instructions we send for your carrier. For missed calls, it's usually set once. After that, if something isn't right or you'd like a change, contact our support line. Our AI assistant takes down the issue, and our team follows up and keeps adjusting it remotely until you're happy. No meetings or calls required. We'll also send a short monthly feedback survey.

Do we have to meet in person?

No. Everything is handled remotely, and no meetings or calls are required. Your one step is turning on call forwarding with the instructions we send. After that, our support line takes care of changes. Our team is based in Central Illinois.

What happens if a caller has an emergency?

CastNet is not an emergency service. Callers describing an emergency are told to hang up and call 911.

Is there a contract?

No long-term contract required. Plans are month-to-month, and you get your service terms in writing before you pay. Cancel with 30 days' notice. Founding clients keep their $125/month rate for as long as their account stays active and in good standing, and the full terms are in a short written founding agreement you sign before you pay.

How do I pay?

By secure online invoice, with a card or a bank transfer (ACH is welcome). Monthly plans renew and are billed automatically each month to the card or bank account you authorize, until you cancel. To cancel, email support@castnethq.com. Service ends 30 days after we receive your notice. Setup fees aren't refundable once your line is live.

Opening January 2027

Save your place for January 2027.

Fill out our setup form once and choose the services you're interested in. Join the founding list, and after a quick fit check you can reserve a spot before our January 2027 launch (non-binding, costs nothing). Sending it is a request, not a purchase.

Join the founding listEmail us

Hear our AI: (309) 928-1238 (calls recorded)

Other services

CastNet Studio

Custom design for logos, flyers, menus and everyday pieces, in fixed packages priced before we start. You get print-ready files to print wherever you like. No stock photos.

See Studio →

CastNet Social

Monthly posts for your social pages, made from the facts you give us. You review them and post them yourself.

See Social →