Contractor FAQ

Once your AI voice receptionist is turned on (Settings → AI voice receptionist), calls to your Ringer number work like this:

1. Your phone rings first (about 20 seconds). If you pick up, it's a normal call and the AI stays out of it.
2. If you don't answer, the AI receptionist picks up, says it's your AI assistant, takes the caller's details, and — if Scheduler is connected — books a visit into one of your real open times.
3. Missed-call text-back: if the caller hangs up without booking, Ringer sends them one text saying sorry you missed them and inviting them to reply with a day that works. (Callers who have opted out with STOP are skipped.)
4. You get a text when the AI books a visit, or when a caller talked to it but didn't book, so you can follow up.

If the caller asks for voicemail, Ringer records it and texts you a link, followed by a transcript when one is available. Every call shows up as a lead on your dashboard and in the Morning Brief.

Replies land in Ringer and are logged on the customer's history. If AI text replies are on (see below), the AI answers and can book the visit by text. If they're off, Ringer sorts the message and forwards anything that needs you — scheduling questions, general questions — to your phone. Obvious spam from unknown numbers is filtered but still logged.

• Chat and text replies: Settings → Visit booking → “Run the live chat concierge on my lead page.” Unchecked, homeowners who submit your lead form just see a “Got it” confirmation, and the AI won't answer their texts — they're forwarded to you instead.
• AI text replies also depend on Earling Labs having AI texting switched on for the platform. The Visit booking card shows whether the SMS concierge is currently ON. The chat on your lead page works either way.
• Phone calls: Settings → AI voice receptionist → “Answer calls with the AI receptionist.” Turn it off and Ringer stops answering calls.

The AI is instructed never to pretend to be a person. You can also set your own call greeting in Settings. More in our AI Disclosure.

Your lead form is at the top of your dashboard under Your Lead Form. It looks like ringer.earlinglabs.com/c/your-business/lead.

• Copy URL to paste it into your website, Google Business profile, social posts, or email signature.
• Download Printable QR gives you a high-resolution QR code for yard signs, truck wraps, business cards, and door hangers. Homeowners scan it and fill out the form on their phone.
• Make it look like yours in Settings → Lead form branding (accent color and logo).

Within seconds, Ringer writes a one-line AI summary of the job and a rough price range, then alerts you by text and email (and by phone notification, if you've tapped Alerts on the dashboard). The homeowner gets an email confirmation and can chat with your AI assistant right on the page to answer questions or book a visit.

The lead appears on your dashboard, where you can mark it contacted, quoted, booked (with the job value), completed, or lost, add notes, and export everything to CSV. If a new lead sits uncontacted, Ringer sends you reminder texts.

AI summaries and price ranges are rough first looks. Always check the original request before you quote.

Your lead form has an optional, unchecked box that asks homeowners whether they want text updates about their request. It is never required to submit the form. Ringer only sends form follow-up texts to homeowners who check it, and it records when they agreed and the exact wording they saw.

The other text a customer can get is the one-time missed-call text-back after they call your Ringer line.

You're responsible for having permission to text any number you contact. Don't load purchased lists into Ringer.

Ringer honors it right away. Anyone who texts STOP (or STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT) is blocked from every future Ringer text to that number, from any contractor. If they text START, they're opted back in. HELP gets them support info. Homeowners can also find help at ringer.earlinglabs.com/help.

The same goes for you. If you reply STOP to your own lead alerts, texts to you stop, but lead emails and phone notifications keep working. Text START to turn them back on.

It's a catch-up page. Open it from the Morning Brief link on your dashboard. It shows what happened while you were away (last 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days):

• New leads, visits booked by the AI, and calls answered.
• A searchable customer library with every customer, their jobs, what you booked, and the full conversation history.
• Export contacts (CSV) to take your customer list anywhere.

The brief isn't emailed or texted to you. Open the page when you're ready.

Go to Settings → Visit booking and fill in:

• Scheduler address: scheduler.earlinglabs.com
• Booking link name: the part after /book/ on your Scheduler booking page.
• Appointment type ID (optional): leave it blank to use your first active appointment type.

Once it's saved, the lead-page chat, AI text replies, and the voice receptionist offer your real open times and put booked visits on your Scheduler calendar. Without Scheduler, the AI still qualifies the lead and hands it to you to book.

For calls: in Settings → AI voice receptionist, enter the number your customers dial. It needs to be a Twilio phone number pointed at Ringer (the webhook address is shown in Settings). You can keep your existing business number by forwarding it to that number. If you don't have one, email support@earlinglabs.com and we'll help you set it up.

For texts: texts to you and your customers come from Earling Labs Ringer's registered business texting number, not your personal cell.

US carriers require businesses that text customers from regular 10-digit numbers to register (“A2P 10DLC”). Ringer's texting runs through Earling Labs' approved registration, so you don't need to register a brand or campaign yourself.

The registration is why Ringer uses an optional consent checkbox, puts “Reply STOP to unsubscribe” on its texts, and answers HELP. Please don't ask us to text people who haven't agreed to hear from you.

Ringer is included in every Earling Labs plan, starting with Starter at $199/month. Pro is $299/month and Crew is $499/month. Plans are flat per business with no per-user fees. Paying yearly gets you twelve months for the price of eleven (Starter $2,189/yr, Pro $3,289/yr, Crew $5,489/yr). Full plan details are at earlinglabs.com.

Cancel any time at billing.earlinglabs.com, or email support@earlinglabs.com and we'll do it for you. Nobody will make you call in or sit through a sales pitch to keep you.

You keep access until the end of the period you've already paid for. We don't refund or prorate partial months or years. Before you go, export your leads (dashboard → Export CSV) and contacts (Morning Brief → Export contacts). Full details are in our Terms of Service and the Earling Labs Terms.

Deleting your Ringer data is separate from cancelling billing. You can do it under Settings → Danger zone.

Use Reset password. We'll email you a link that works for one hour. If you sign in through your Earling Labs suite account, use that login instead.

• In the app: tap the Ask button at the bottom-right of your dashboard or Settings for quick answers about your account and leads.
• Email: support@earlinglabs.com. We usually reply within one business day.
• Your customers: they can text HELP or visit ringer.earlinglabs.com/help.