Direct answer
An appliance-repair AI receptionist answers the published number when techs are in a kitchen or the shop is closed. It tells no-cool from a leak, a no-heat dryer from an install, and a warranty callback from a first-time shopper. It books a diagnostic, builds the morning queue, or transfers you. The van number stays the number people dial.
No-cool, leak, no-heat, install, warranty
How long, food at risk, power and door checks you approve. Book a diagnostic or escalate. Do not diagnose the compressor on the phone.
Where the water is, shutoff, flooring, occupancy. Active water on hardwood often follows your escalate list.
Electric vs gas if they know it. Gas smell uses your safety script — usually leave the area and call emergency services, not a parts guess.
What they bought, stairs, old unit. Book. Transfer if gas or built-in work is owner-confirmed.
Realistic appliance calls
“The fridge has been warm since last night and we have a full freezer.”
No-cool + food risk. Address, how long, and whether they already moved food. Apply your same-day rule. Do not quote a sealed-system job from the call.
“The washer is leaking onto hardwood.”
Leak. Can they shut the valves? Is water still moving? Transfer if active water is on your list. Do not tell them to run spin to reproduce it.
“Dryer runs but there is no heat.”
No-heat. Electric or gas if known. Approved checks only (lint screen). Book a diagnostic. Gas smell is a different, safety-first path.
“We bought a range. Can you install Saturday?”
Install. Fuel type, stairs, old unit stay or haul. Book a window you staff. Transfer if Saturday installs are owner-only.
“Your tech was here last week and it is leaking again.”
Warranty / callback. Address and last work, then route to the original tech — not a new-lead closer.
“The home warranty company said to call you.”
Third-party warranty. Collect the authorization if they have it and the brand/model. Do not claim affiliation with the warranty firm or the appliance brand.
Intake that saves a wasted trip
| Ask | No-cool | Leak | Install |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address / access | Required | Required | Required |
| Appliance type | Fridge / freezer / other | Washer / DW / fridge | What they bought |
| Brand / model if handy | Helps parts later | Helps parts later | Required if they have it |
| How long / still happening | Required | Required | Install date they want |
| Can they shut water / power | If you ask power checks | Required | Usually n/a |
| Food / flooring / occupancy | Food-loss rule | Flooring rule | Stairs / garage |
| Warranty vs retail | Ask if they mention it | Ask if they mention it | Who sold the unit |
Callers will name appliance brands. Use the name as a model hint if you service it. If you do not work on a brand or on commercial equipment, say so before booking a drive. Fix9 is not affiliated with those manufacturers.
When appliance overlaps HVAC, plumbing, or electrical
A warm fridge is not a no-cool house. Send whole-home cooling to the HVAC path if you do not repair refrigeration the same way. A dishwasher leak that is actually a supply line may need a plumber. A range that sparks may need an electrician or your safety script. The receptionist should collect the symptom, not pick a license the company does not hold.
After hours, use the after-hours greeting and a short escalate list. Use 24/7 answering if you want lunch overflow and nights on the same published number. This page is the appliance logic those setups should run.
What to tell the receptionist on day one
Service area, brands you will not touch, commercial vs residential, whether you do sealed-system, and whether you install what the big-box store sold. Write the food-loss rule and the active-water rule. Write the gas-smell script with a licensed person’s review — not a marketer’s.
Write the “do not diagnose” rule. The model should not say the compressor is dead or that they need a new motherboard. Write the warranty rule so last week’s visit does not become a new ticket. Never collect card numbers on the call.
Two conversations worth rehearsing
No-cool, 9:00 p.m., full freezer. Closed-hours greeting if you use one. “How long has it been warm? Is the unit still running? What is the address?” If food-loss same-night is on your list, transfer after those fields. If they can move food to a cooler and your rule is morning, book the first diagnostic and say so clearly.
Washer leak, Tuesday afternoon. “Where is the water? Can you get to the shutoff valves? Is it still leaking?” If water is on hardwood and that is an escalate, transfer. If they already shut it off and the floor is damp, book the next repair window. Do not have them start another load.
Objections and limits
“Every machine is different.”
True. The first questions are still no-cool, leak, no-heat, install, or warranty. Brand comes after intent.
“I do not want every warm fridge at midnight.”
Write the food-loss rule. Not every warm fridge is tonight. Not every leak is a flood.
“Warranty companies will confuse the AI.”
Collect authorization and route. Do not let the model argue coverage.
“We already have a dispatcher.”
Use AI for overflow and nights on the same number. Transfer remains the hatch.
Setup and what Fix9 will not do
Keep the published number. Forward misses to a Fix9 line. Book configured windows only. Human escalation is a feature. The AI cannot see the evaporator, cannot promise a part on the truck, and should not tell anyone to bypass a gas valve or a door switch.
If your carrier cannot forward unanswered calls, that is a provider limit. Fix the path before you advertise always-on answering on the van number.
Related AI receptionist guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep the number on the van and listings?
Yes. Keep Your Number. Forward unanswered or after-hours calls to a Fix9 line. Customers keep dialing the appliance-repair number they already have.
How should AI treat a fridge that is not cooling?
No-cool intent. Collect the appliance type, how long it has been warm, whether food is at risk, and the address. Ask only approved checks (door closed, power on). Do not have the model guess a sealed-system failure. Book or escalate using your food-loss rule.
What about a washer or dishwasher leak?
Leak intent. Where is the water, can they shut the supply, is flooring at risk, occupancy. Transfer if active water on the floor is on your escalate list. Do not tell them to run another cycle to test it.
Can it book an install instead of transferring?
Yes. Collect the appliance type, whether they already bought it, stairs or garage, and the preferred window. Transfer if installs are owner-scheduled or if gas work is licensed-only and you need a person to confirm you take it.
How should brand and warranty calls be handled?
Collect brand and model if they have it, whether they are under a manufacturer or home warranty, and the address. Treat those names as the caller’s appliance, not as a partnership. Route warranty vs retail using your rules.
Keep the number people already call.
Add Fix9 as the answering layer: AI answers first, qualifies the request, books or routes the work, and transfers to you when the caller needs the owner.