The short answer
An AI receptionist for locksmiths built on HighLevel Voice AI costs about $0.16 per answered call, or $56 a month for 350 calls averaging 2 minutes, phone line included. Roughly 158 of those calls (45%) would come outside office hours, which is where an AI answering service earns its keep. Emergencies, complaints and anything needing judgment should go to a person.
What the AI should handle
Sort emergencies
Asks first whether a child, pet or vulnerable person is locked in a car or home; if so, it tells the caller to call 911 and then transfers to the locksmith.
Collect job details
Records whether it is a house, car or business, the address, the lock type or the vehicle make, model and year, and whether keys are lost or locked inside.
State prices plainly
Reads your service call fee and the typical range for the job type from the knowledge base, and explains what could raise the total.
Explain verification
Tells callers they will need ID and proof of residence or ownership before the locksmith opens a door or vehicle, and notes any concerns for the technician.
What to send to a person
- A child or pet locked in a hot car: 911 guidance, then an immediate transfer
- Evictions, disputes over who may enter a property and law enforcement requests
- Safe openings and high-security or access control systems
- Price disputes after the job
HighLevel's voice agents can transfer a live call, create a task, or trigger a workflow that texts the owner. Set the handoff rules before the agent goes live.
Cost per call and per month
Assumptions for a typical locksmith business: 350 calls a month answered by the AI, averaging 2 minutes. Phone minutes are billed per call and rounded up, so each call bills 2 phone minutes at $0.01165.
| Setup | AI cost | Phone line | Per month | Per call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per use, Standard voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $47.60 | $8.16 | $56 | $0.16 |
| Pay per use, ElevenLabs voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $61.60 | $8.16 | $70 | $0.20 |
| Pay per use, speech-to-speech (OpenAI) | $140.00 | $8.16 | $148 | $0.42 |
| AI Employee Unlimited, $97 flat | $97.00 | $8.16 | $105 | $0.30 |
The breakdown of every Voice AI charge is in our Voice AI pricing guide. Agencies can price this as a monthly service with the calculator's Price a client tab, preloaded for a locksmith business.
Compared with staff time
Those 350 calls take about 12 hours of talk time a month. At the US median receptionist wage of $18.27 an hour (May 2025, Bureau of Labor Statistics), that talk time alone is worth about $213, before hold time, breaks, benefits and the calls that come in after hours. An AI receptionist does not replace a good front desk; it catches the overflow and the evenings, and frees staff for the people in front of them.
Sample call
AI AGENTThanks for calling. You've reached the locksmith's after-hours line, and I'm an automated assistant. Are you locked out right now?
CALLERYes, I'm locked out of my house. My keys are inside.
AI AGENTI can help. Is anyone locked inside who needs help, like a child or someone unwell?
CALLERNo, it's just me.
AI AGENTOkay. What is the address, and do you have ID showing that address or another way to show you live there?
CALLER215 Oak Street. My license has the address on it.
AI AGENTThank you. After-hours lockouts start with our standard after-hours service fee, and I'm texting you that fee and the typical total now so there are no surprises. I'm transferring you to our on-call locksmith, who will give you an arrival time.
CALLEROkay.
Prompt tips
- Tip 1Put your service call fee and typical job ranges in the prompt, and tell the agent to state them on every call before dispatch.
- Tip 2Make 'is anyone trapped inside?' the first question, with fixed 911 wording for children or pets in cars.
- Tip 3Script the ownership verification requirement so every caller hears it, and route any dispute over access to a person.
Rules to watch
Honest listings and pricing. The FTC has warned consumers that some locksmiths advertising locally may not be local at all. Make sure your AI gives your real business name, location and service call fee, and never quotes a lower figure than the technician will actually charge.
Licensing and verification. Whether a locksmith needs a license depends on the state, and requirements differ. If your state issues a license, keep the number in the knowledge base so the AI can give it on request, and have the AI explain your ID and ownership checks rather than skip them.
Consent for follow-up messages. Rekey offers after an emergency call are marketing, so collect that consent separately. Under the FCC's 2024 ruling on AI voices, automated AI calls need prior express consent, and prior express written consent when they promote a sale.
General information, not legal advice.
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Questions
Can an AI receptionist dispatch a locksmith at 2 a.m.?
What does AI answering cost a locksmith?
Should the AI tell callers the price before dispatch?
What if the caller can't prove they live there?
Sources
- HighLevel help center: AI Voice Agents overview
- HighLevel help center: AI product pricing
- HighLevel help center: Phone System pricing and billing guide
- HighLevel pricing page
- FTC: Use caution when seeking a locksmith
- FCC Declaratory Ruling FCC 24-17: TCPA applies to AI technologies that generate human voices
- HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
- AI Voice Agents overview
- HighLevel Phone System pricing and billing guide
- BLS Occupational Outlook: Receptionists (May 2025 pay)