Built for tree services
Meet the AI hire for your crew
You’re up in a tree. Prentice answers the phone.
Answers customers at any hour. Books estimates. Drafts quotes and invoices for your OK.
Talk to Prenticestart free
Prentice
Prentice
Your AI hire
By texting or calling Prentice, or giving Prentice your number, you agree to receive calls and texts from Prentice, an AI assistant, and to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Msg and data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help.
You're messaging an AI. Privacy Policy
Demo: A storm drops a big limb on a garage at night. See how I keep everyone safe and book the job.
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 Nolan, and you run Tolliver Tree Care.
It’s 11:20 PM, and you’re asleep.
Gwen finds you online. A storm just dropped a big limb on her garage.
Prentice has your safety steps and prices. You told Prentice to book storm damage for the morning and let you sleep.
- Gwen: Huge limb just came down on my garage!! Can somebody come?
- Prentice: Hi, I’m Prentice, the AI assistant at Tolliver Tree Care. First, stay out of the garage and keep everyone away from the limb. If a power line is touching it, stay far back and call the power company.
- Gwen: We’re all inside. No wires on it.
- Prentice: Good. Nolan can be there first thing tomorrow at 7:30 AM to look at it. The storm visit is $150. Want it?
- Gwen: Yes, please come.
- Prentice: Booked: Nolan, tomorrow at 7:30 AM. Keep cars and people out from under that limb until then.
- Prentice: I booked Gwen as your first call this morning at 7:30 AM. A storm dropped a big limb on her garage last night. I kept everyone away, and they’re safe. No wires are on it.
Prentice kept Gwen safe and booked the job while you slept.
Demo: A big removal needs a crane. See how I hold the date with a deposit.
You’re Nolan, and you run Tolliver Tree Care.
Anita has your $4,800 quote to take down the dead oak over her house.
The job needs a crane, and you pay for the crane whether the job happens or not.
You told Prentice to hold crane days with a 25% deposit, paid by 5 PM the next day. Your Zelle emails go to Prentice too.
- Anita: Let’s do it. That oak scares me every time the wind picks up. When can you come?
- Prentice: Great. Nolan’s next crane day is Saturday at 8 AM. A $1,200 deposit holds it. I’ll send the invoice as soon as it’s approved.
- Prentice: Anita said yes to the $4,800 oak removal. Here’s her $1,200 deposit for your OK.
- Prentice: Deposit for Anita · $1,200
- (Approved)
- Prentice: Here’s the deposit that holds Saturday for you. You can pay by Zelle. Please pay by 5 PM tomorrow, or Saturday opens up for someone else.
- Prentice: Invoice · Tolliver Tree Care · $1,200
- Anita: Just sent it by Zelle.
- Prentice: Got it, thank you! The oak comes down Saturday at 8 AM. I’ll send a reminder the day before.
- Prentice: Anita’s $1,200 deposit is in. The $4,800 oak removal is set for Saturday at 8 AM, so you can book the crane.
Prentice held the date for a $4,800 removal with a $1,200 deposit.
Demo: High winds are coming, and your crew can’t climb. See how I move every job with one text from you.
You’re Nolan, and you run Tolliver Tree Care.
High winds are due all day tomorrow, and you have five jobs booked.
Clay and Lena are two of those customers.
You told Prentice that on a wind day, every job moves to the next open day.
- You: Too windy to climb tomorrow. Move the jobs.
- Prentice: Hi Clay, high winds are due tomorrow, and the crew can’t climb in that. Can they take down your maple Wednesday at 8 AM instead?
- Clay: Sure, no rush. Better safe.
- Prentice: Thank you! You’re set for Wednesday at 8 AM.
- Prentice: Hi Lena, the wind is pushing your pine trimming back. The crew can be there Thursday at 10 AM. Does that work?
- Lena: That works. I’ll leave the gate open.
- Prentice: Great, see you Thursday at 10 AM.
- Prentice: All 5 jobs are moved to Wednesday and Thursday, and every customer said yes.
Prentice moved all 5 jobs out of the wind. You sent one text.
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 textSaturday, 10:05pm
- Most answering services stop hereI keep going
- I give them your safety stepsRight then
- I book the visitBefore we hang up
- I tell them if your crew is running lateThe morning of
- I send the quoteAfter you’ve seen the tree
- I hold the date with a depositWhen they say yes
- I send the invoiceWhen the job’s done
- I follow up on a late paymentA week later
- I remind you when they’re due for pruningNext winter
I will draft quotes and invoices, and you approve each one.
Revenue you didn’t have to chase
A storm call booked, a removal locked in, an invoice paid. Prentice keeps your schedule full.
- PrenticenowAnita’s $1,200 deposit is in. Her $4,800 oak removal is set for Monday at 8.
- Prentice1h agoGwen’s storm visit is booked for tomorrow at 7:30. $150
- Prentice2h agoCarl said yes to trimming his two maples. $640
- Prentice3h agoElise’s $900 invoice was paid after my reminder.
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 customer 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 crew
- 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.
-
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.
-
Can you share your schedule and your price list?
Then Prentice can run your office. Visits and reminders by your rules. Quotes and invoices go out only with your OK.
-
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 tree services
Prentice learns your services, your prices and your hours, then works in your words.
-
Storm calls
Answered right away, with your safety steps and your first open slot.
-
Estimates
Booked into your open times, with the job and the address written down.
-
Crane days
Held with a deposit, on an invoice you approve.
-
Wind and rain days
You call it once. Prentice moves the jobs and tells each customer.
-
Invoices
Drafted when the job’s done, sent with your OK, and followed up by your rule.
-
Yearly pruning
Past customers due for pruning, texted once on your say-so.
Get closer to your customers
With Prentice, your customers will be able to:
-
Ask the small questions they’d hesitate to call you about
“Is that dead branch worth worrying about?”
-
Get an answer at any hour, by call, text or email
“Sorry it’s late, a big limb just came down…”
-
Talk with you in their own language
“¿Pueden venir a ver un árbol caído?”
-
Book a visit on the spot
“Tomorrow at 8 works.”
-
Move a visit without phone tag
“Can we push it to Friday?”
-
Hear your prices up front
“About how much to take down a big maple?”
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 an answering service.
| 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. |
||||
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 tree services ask
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.
What happens when a limb comes down at 11 PM?
Prentice answers, gives them your safety steps, and books the job by your rules. You decide once which calls can wait for morning and which you hear about right away.
Will Prentice give prices over the phone?
Prentice can tell a caller what a job usually runs, from the prices you gave, but never promises a price. You approve every quote before it goes out.
Can I send the quote from the job?
Yes. Text Prentice what you saw and what it needs, or send a voice memo. Prentice drafts the quote from your prices, you approve it on a link, and Prentice sends it.
Can Prentice hold a date with a deposit?
Yes. Prentice drafts the deposit invoice, you approve it on a link, and Prentice sends it. Prentice can’t see your bank, so connect QuickBooks or send your payment emails to Prentice, and Prentice will know when it’s paid.
Do I need a new phone number?
You don’t have to change yours. 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.
Can my crew use Prentice?
Yes. Add your crew, and they can text Prentice from the job. Prentice drafts a quote from your prices and what they found, for your OK. When they text that they’re running late, Prentice tells the next customer.
More answers on the FAQ.
Let Prentice show you
Chat or call. Prentice will ask about your services, your prices and your hours.
Talk to Prenticestart free