Built for garage door companies
Meet the AI hire for your company
Your techs fix the doors. Prentice handles the office.
Answers customers at any hour. Books repairs and installs. Drafts quotes and invoices for your OK.
Talk to Prenticestart free
Prentice
Prentice
Your AI hire
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Demo: A garage door spring snaps with the car inside. See how I keep her safe and book the fix.
Working with Prentice is like working with a person.
Prentice can be reached by phone, text or email.
Prentice talks with everyone your business works with: customers, your team, even suppliers.
You’re Malik, and you run Tate Door Company.
It’s 11:20 PM, and you’re asleep.
Aisha finds you online. Her garage door spring just snapped, with her car inside.
Prentice has your safety steps and prices. You told Prentice to book broken springs for the morning and let you sleep.
- Aisha: Huge bang in the garage, door won’t open and my car’s in there!
- Prentice: Hi, I’m Prentice, the AI assistant at Tate Door Company. First, don’t try to lift the door, and keep your hands off the spring. It’s dangerous. Unplug the opener so no one tries it.
- Aisha: Ok, it’s unplugged. We’re staying out of there.
- Prentice: Good. Malik can be there first thing tomorrow at 7 AM to fix it. The service call is $89. Want it?
- Aisha: Yes please!
- Prentice: Booked: Malik, tomorrow at 7 AM. Leave the door and the opener alone until then.
- Prentice: I booked Aisha as your first call this morning at 7 AM. Her garage door spring snapped last night with her car inside. I had her unplug the opener.
Prentice kept Aisha away from the spring and booked the job while you slept.
Demo: You just measured for a new garage door. See how I turn your notes into a booked install.
You’re Malik, and you run Tate Door Company.
You just finished measuring Phil’s garage for a new door.
You’ve given Prentice your door and opener prices.
- You: Phil’s garage. 16 by 7, insulated steel, white. New belt drive opener. Haul away the old door.
- Prentice: Phil’s quote is ready for your OK: $2,420.
- Prentice: Quote for Phil · $2,420
- (Approved)
- Prentice: Hi Phil, I’m Prentice, the AI assistant at Tate Door Company. Here’s the quote for the new garage door and opener Malik measured for: $2,420 installed.
- Prentice: Quote 1042 · Tate Door Company · $2,420
- Phil: Looks good, let’s do it. How soon can you put it in?
- Prentice: We can do Wednesday at 9 AM. Please keep the garage clear that morning. Does that work?
- Phil: Yes, I’ll clear it out.
- Prentice: You’re booked for Wednesday at 9 AM.
- Prentice: Phil said yes to the $2,420 door and opener. The install is Wednesday at 9 AM.
Prentice turned your measurements into a booked $2,420 install.
Demo: A tech calls in sick at 6 AM. See how I move his calls before you’re up.
You’re Malik, and you run Tate Door Company.
It’s 6:10 AM, and you’re asleep until 7:30 AM.
Dom is one of your techs. He has five calls today.
Holly is his first call, at 8 AM.
You told Prentice to move a sick tech’s calls to another day without asking you.
- Dom: Sorry boss, I’m sick. Can’t work today.
- Prentice: Feel better, Dom. I’ll take care of your calls today.
- Prentice: Hi Holly, Dom is out sick today, so he can’t put in your new opener at 8 AM. Can we come Tuesday at 8 AM instead?
- Holly: Sure, that works.
- Prentice: Thanks! You’re set for Tuesday at 8 AM.
- Prentice: Before you were up: Dom is out sick, and all 5 calls moved to new days.
Prentice moved every call before you were up.
Answering the call is the easy part
Prentice keeps working after the call.
See how I look after a new customer
- I answer a homeowner’s call or textTuesday, 6:40am
- Most answering services stop hereI keep going
- I book the repairRight then
- I tell them when your tech is running lateBefore the visit
- I send the invoiceAfter the repair
- I follow up on a late paymentA week later
- I send your quote for a new doorAfter you measure
- I book the installWhen they say yes
- I send a reminderThe day before
- I keep their yearly tune-up on the calendarOnce they’re on a plan
I will draft quotes and invoices, and you approve each one.
Revenue you didn’t have to chase
A repair booked, a quote accepted, an invoice paid. Prentice books the work and follows up on the money.
- PrenticenowBurt said yes to a new carriage-style door, $2,450. His install is booked for the 23rd.
- Prentice1h agoA broken spring is booked for 7:30 tomorrow morning. I said it usually runs $260.
- Prentice2h agoAn opener install is booked for Friday at 1. $520
- Prentice3h agoFran paid her $340 invoice after my reminder this morning.
Prentice will earn your trust
My word to you
- I’ll tell every customer I’m an AI.
- I’ll double-check my work.
- I’ll ask you when I’m not sure.
- I’ll work within the boundaries you set.
We know trusting an AI with your customers is a big ask.
So Prentice never works alone. Prentice asks you when unsure, and calls on us for backup.
The Prentice team
Meet the people behind Prentice
We’re small business owners ourselves. We know what it’s like to lose evenings to admin work, and to wish for someone dependable to hand it to. So we built Prentice on three principles.
- Honesty.
- A straight “I’m not sure” beats a confident guess.
- Integrity.
- Treat every homeowner the way you would.
- Reliability.
- Show up, every time. For 15 years our team has built software thousands of people count on every day.
And when Prentice needs backup, we answer.
Dan & Jonathan
Prentice goes in your contacts
Just save the number, and your whole crew can start talking to Prentice.
Call Text Email
- You
- Your office staff
- Your techs
- Your customers
Your suppliers can text or email Prentice too.
Prentice speaks
- English
- Español
- Français
- Português
Getting started
Your part is small. Prentice does the rest.
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Can you answer a few questions about your business?
Then Prentice can learn it. Prentice writes the job description and shows you a demo for no cost.
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Can you share your schedule and your prices?
Then Prentice can run your office. Repairs, installs and reminders by your rules. Quotes and invoices go out only with your OK.
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When Prentice has earned your trust
Then Prentice can talk to your customers. Forward your calls, or ask Prentice to text or email your customers.
Then you get your evenings back.
Made for garage door companies
Prentice learns your services, your prices and the doors you sell, then works in your words.
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Broken springs
The 6 AM call about a car stuck inside, answered and booked into an open time.
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New doors
Quotes drafted from your price list for your OK, then sent.
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Installs
Booked when the customer says yes, with a reminder the day before.
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Running late
A tech texts that a job ran long. Prentice tells the next customer and reworks the day around drive times.
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Openers and remotes
Questions answered in your words, and a visit booked when one is needed.
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Yearly tune-ups
Kept on the calendar for every customer on a plan, with a reminder before each one.
Get closer to your customers
With Prentice, your customers will be able to:
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Ask the small questions they’d hesitate to call you about
“Why does my door go back up before it closes?”
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Get an answer at any hour, by call, text or email
“Sorry it’s early, my door won’t open…”
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Talk with you in their own language
“Mi puerta no abre. ¿Pueden venir hoy?”
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Book a visit on the spot
“Saturday at 9 works.”
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Move a visit without phone tag
“Can the install be Friday instead?”
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Hear your prices up front
“How much for a new spring?”
When you’re easy to reach, you’re easy to do business with.
Costs less than a person
Prentice does the office work, so compare the cost with hiring office help, not with a phone bill.
| Hiring a Person | Prentice Solo | Prentice Team | Prentice Crew | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works with | Anyone | Just you | 2-3 people | 4-6 people |
| Counts you and everyone on your team who works with Prentice. Customers never count. | ||||
| Monthly cost | $500 5 hours a week at $25 an hour | $99 | $199 | $399 |
50% off the first month while Prentice learns your business |
||||
| Messages included | As many as they can handle in 5 hours a week | 200 | 500 | 1,200 |
| A message is any text or email, sent or received. Each minute of a call counts as one. | ||||
| Communication methods | Phone, text, email, in person | Phone, text, email | ||
| Customers | As many as they can keep up with | No limit | ||
| Availability | 5 hours a week | Any hour, every day | ||
| Overtime | $25 an hour | $25 for every extra 50 messages | ||
| Offseason | You negotiate fewer hours with them | $39 a month when in Standby modePrentice stays active and will respond to customers. Max 50 messages per month. | ||
| Payroll and taxes | Your responsibility | None | ||
| Commitment | You hire them, and give notice to let them go | NoneCancel anytime. | ||
|
Talk to Prenticestart free
More than 6 people? Register, and Prentice will help you set up a plan. |
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Works with
Anyone
SoloJust you
Team2-3 people
Crew4-6 people
Counts you and everyone on your team who works with Prentice. Customers never count.
Monthly cost
$500 5 hours a week at $25 an hour
Solo$99
Team$199
Crew$399
50% off the first month while Prentice learns your business
Messages included
As many as they can handle in 5 hours a week
Solo200
Team500
Crew1,200
A message is any text or email, sent or received. Each minute of a call counts as one.
Communication methods
Phone, text, email, in person
Phone, text, email
Customers
As many as they can keep up with
No limit
Availability
5 hours a week
Any hour, every day
Overtime
$25 an hour
$25 for every extra 50 messages
Offseason
You negotiate fewer hours with them
$39 a month when in Standby modePrentice stays active and will respond to customers. Max 50 messages per month.
Payroll and taxes
Your responsibility
None
Commitment
You hire them, and give notice to let them go
NoneCancel anytime.
More than 6 people? Register, and Prentice will help you set up a plan.
Questions from garage door companies
Will customers know they’re talking to an AI?
Yes. On the first call or text, every customer hears that Prentice is your AI assistant. Prentice never pretends to be you.
Can Prentice book a broken spring at 6 AM?
Yes. Prentice answers at any hour, books the visit into an open time on your calendar, and tells you right away. You decide who goes.
Will Prentice give prices on the phone?
Prentice can tell a caller what a job usually runs, if you’ve given that price. Prentice never promises a price. A new door gets a quote that you approve before it goes out.
What happens when a tech runs late?
Your tech texts Prentice. Prentice tells the customers who are waiting and works out the rest of the day around drive times. Your rule decides who OKs the changes: you, the tech, or Prentice. You don’t have to make the calls.
Can Prentice send the invoice when the job is done?
Yes. Your tech texts what was done, and Prentice drafts the invoice from your prices. You approve it before it goes out.
Do I need a new phone number?
No. Your business gets a Prentice number of its own. Give that number to customers, or forward your business line to Prentice when you can’t pick up.
More answers on the FAQ.
Let Prentice show you
Chat or call. Prentice will ask about your services, your prices and the doors you sell.
Talk to Prenticestart free