Question 1

How is Hatchdesk different from a cloud-PBX overlay?

Accepted Answer

A cloud-PBX routes and forwards calls. Hatchdesk runs the conversation itself — answers, qualifies, books into your CRM, and writes a transcript. Trillet positions itself as a PBX layer; Hatchdesk is the receptionist on top of it.

Question 2

Does Hatchdesk book directly into ServiceTitan / Jobber / Housecall Pro?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Growth and Pro plans create real records in your CRM, plus SMS confirmation, reminders, and no-show follow-up. Starter captures leads by SMS without booking, so you stay on a flat $79 plan while the after-hours line is covered.

Question 3

How long does it take to go live?

Accepted Answer

Under twenty-four hours. Send us your menu, booking rules, and FAQs — a receptionist pre-trained on your vertical is answering calls the same day. No porting required if you forward your existing number.

Question 4

What does it cost compared to a per-seat PBX?

Accepted Answer

Starter is $79/mo flat, Growth $149/mo, Pro $299/mo — priced per location, not per head. A PBX charges per extension on top of per-minute, so adding a tech costs extra. Hatchdesk pricing stays the same as you add lines.

Question 5

Will my customers know they’re talking to AI?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Hatchdesk opens every call with a TCPA-aware AI-disclosure prompt and writes the consent record to your audit log — keeping you ahead of tightening state voice-AI rules in California, Colorado, and beyond.

Feature	HatchdeskUs	Trillet
Vertical specialization	Pre-trained for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, restaurants, auto repair, salons, roofing, and pest control.	Generalist cloud-PBX overlay — no vertical-specialized model.
AI voice agent	TCPA-aware disclosure on every call, consent logged to your audit trail.	Not an AI conversation layer — routes calls rather than running them.
Calendar / booking sync	Native to ServiceTitan, Jobber, Housecall Pro, and Google Calendar.	No native booking integration with field-service CRMs.
Pricing model	Flat per-month plans (Starter $79, Growth $149, Pro $299) with per-minute transparency.	Per-extension / per-seat pricing, typical of cloud-PBX.
Integrations	ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, Jobber, Google Calendar, OpenPhone, Twilio.	Telephony-side integrations (SIP / carrier routes), not CRM-side booking flows.
Onboarding	Live in under 24 hours — ship your menu, FAQs, and booking rules.	Number porting + PBX provisioning workflow; timeline varies.
24/7 answering	Included on every plan — no auto-attendant configuration.	Dependent on routing / auto-attendant configuration.

Hatchdesk vs Trillet — for local-service businesses.

Where the two products actually diverge.

Trillet vs Hatchdesk, in operator terms.

Turn your phone into a 24/7 booking line.