Frequently asked questions.

Virtual Receptionist Services

Does PATLive outsource virtual receptionists from other countries?

No. Our virtual receptionists are 100% US-based. PATLive is based out of Florida and features a remote workforce from several different states, ready to handle your businesses needs!

Does PATLive offer bilingual answering services?

Yes! We offer bilingual English and Spanish-speaking receptionists at no extra charge.

What if I need to update my call handling instructions?

Simply reach out to our Customer Care team by phone, email, or chat, and we will be more than happy to modify your call handling instructions to suit your needs! Call handling updates typically take 24 business hours to complete, but if you have an urgent need for an immediate change, we are always more than happy to expedite the changes for you.

Can PATLive place outbound calls to my clients?

Yes! Our outbound calling service offers flexible on-demand outreaches for callbacks, lead follow-ups, appointment confirmations, and more.

Does PATLive record my calls?

Yes, we record all calls. You can access your call recordings in our web and mobile apps.

What is the difference between "Message Taking" and "Lead Collection"

With message taking, we take the message your caller provides and relay it to you in paragraph narrative format.

With lead collection, we will enter the caller’s information directly in your CRM or other web-based software which will allow you to utilize custom workflows, lead tracking, and other features that your CRM may offer.

Phone Numbers

Why do I need a PATLive phone number?

We provision a dedicated phone number for your account so that you have a way to get your calls to us. You can either advertise it directly, or you can forward calls to it from your current number.

If you choose to forward your calls (most customers do), you can configure the forwarding to be always-on, on-demand only when needed, or ring-no-answer forwarding where it will ring you first and then roll over to us if you don’t answer.

We also offer the option to port your number to our platform – doing so lets you take full advantage of all the business phone system features on our cloud platform (all of which is included for free with your live services).

Can I port my number in to PATLive's service?

Yes! We would be happy to port your local or toll-free number in to our platform – doing so lets you take full advantage of all the business phone system features on our cloud platform (all of which is included for free with your live services). 

We do not charge any fees to port your number in to or out of PATLive.

Can I port my number out of PATLive's service?

Yes! We make the outbound porting process easy. Simply contact the new carrier and request the port, let us know that you’ll be porting your number out, and we’ll release the number.

We do not charge any additional fees to port your number out.

Can I place calls or send texts from my PATLive telephone number?

Yes! With our mobile app, you can place outbound calls from your PATLive telephone number — giving customers the familiarity and trust of seeing the same number they call. You can also send and receive business text messages from that same number using either the mobile app or the web app, whichever works best for you. Texting can be enabled after your free trial in system settings or by contacting our team.

Billing

How does PATLive's billing work?

We bill each month of service up front for the package price that you selected. Any taxes, overages, or fees are billed in arrears. Billing cycles are determined based on when you sign up for service, after the 14-day free trial. Your Onboarding specialist will let you know what your billing cycle will be upon completion of your trial period. For a complete explanation of our billing, please check out our Help Center.

What is a billing cycle, and why is a monthly cycle important?

Our monthly billing cycle is designed to provide clarity and fairness. Billing cycles last for one month from their start date, which is determined after the completion of your 14-day free trial. By initiating your billing cycle after the free trial you’ll have a set date that you can count on every month for your bill to be ready.

Some of our competitors use a 28-day billing cycle which can create confusion as their cycles don’t match the natural calendar months, potentially making it challenging to track expenses and budget accurately. 28-day cycles effectively add up to an extra “month” of charges over a year. This practice leads to unexpected higher costs for customers.

Do I need to sign a contract with PATLive for answering services?

No! You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime.

Can I upgrade or downgrade plans?

Absolutely! You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time. Upgrades and downgrades take place at the beginning of your next billing cycle.

Is there an extra charge for handling overnight, weekend, or holiday calls?

Absolutely not. We handle your calls 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, for the listed package price. No surprises or “gotchas”!

How do I know how many minutes I'm using?

You can view a real-time bill cycle to date in our web app at any time.

Do my package minutes roll over?

Package minutes do not roll over from month to month. Each month you’ll start with the number of minutes based on the package you choose. Overages are billed based on your plan selection, but you can upgrade or downgrade anytime!

How is PATLive's talk-time billed?

We only bill for the time that our receptionists are on the phone with your callers. We bill the first minute in full, and then each 10th of a minute thereafter (in 6 second increments).