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AI Phone Answering for Hotels: Complete Guide

May 17, 2026

AI phone answering for hotels uses conversational artificial intelligence to handle incoming calls around the clock. Instead of a voicemail box or an overworked front desk clerk juggling check-ins and ringing phones, an AI receptionist picks up instantly, answers guest questions about rates and availability, takes reservations, and routes urgent calls to staff. For independent hotels and motels that cannot afford 24/7 front desk coverage, it is the most cost-effective way to stop losing bookings to missed calls.

Quick answer: AI phone answering gives your hotel a virtual receptionist that answers every call in seconds, 24 hours a day, in multiple languages. It answers FAQs from your property context, captures booking intent, and transfers calls when needed — typically $44–$299/month on motel4 (B&B $44, Motel $129, Hotel $299), a fraction of the cost of a human answering service.

What AI Phone Answering Actually Is

An AI phone answering system is software that picks up your hotel’s phone line, understands what the caller needs, and responds with a natural voice. It is not a phone tree (“press 1 for reservations”). It is not a voicemail box. It is a conversation.

When a guest calls and says “Do you have any rooms available this Friday?” the AI checks your availability and gives a real answer. When someone asks “What time is checkout?” it responds immediately. When a caller needs something the AI cannot handle — a complaint, a maintenance emergency, a VIP request — it transfers the call to the right person on your team.

The technology behind this has matured rapidly. Modern AI receptionists use large language models (the same technology behind ChatGPT) combined with voice synthesis that sounds natural, not robotic. The AI receptionist market hit $2.1 billion in 2025 and is growing at a 45.8% compound annual growth rate, driven largely by the hospitality industry’s staffing challenges.

Why Hotels Need This Now

The numbers tell a clear story. The American Hotel and Lodging Association reported that 82% of hotels were unable to fill open positions in 2025, with front desk roles among the hardest to staff. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows hospitality turnover rates hovering near 70% annually. Meanwhile, a Cornell Hospitality Research study found that 85% of callers who reach voicemail do not leave a message — they call the next hotel on their list.

For a 40-room motel, losing even two bookings per week to missed calls means leaving $15,000 to $25,000 on the table annually. That is not a technology problem. That is a revenue problem.

How It Works: The Technical Side (Made Simple)

Here is what happens when a guest calls a hotel using AI phone answering:

The call connects instantly. No rings, no hold music, no “all representatives are busy.” The AI picks up within one second.
Speech recognition converts voice to text. The AI listens to the caller and transcribes their words in real time, even with accents, background noise, or imperfect English.
The AI understands intent. Natural language processing determines what the caller actually wants. “Got any rooms for this weekend?” and “I’d like to make a reservation for Saturday” trigger the same workflow.
It checks your systems. The AI connects to your property management system (PMS) or booking engine to pull live availability, rates, and property details. No stale information.
It responds naturally. Text-to-speech generates a natural reply. Modern voices have natural pacing, pauses, and intonation. Most callers cannot tell they are speaking with AI.
It takes action. Depending on the setup, the AI can create a reservation, send a confirmation text, email directions, or escalate to a human staff member.
It logs everything. Every call is transcribed and summarized. You get a dashboard showing call volume, common questions, bookings made, and calls transferred.

The entire exchange feels like talking to a knowledgeable, patient front desk agent who never has a bad day.

Key Features to Look For

Not all AI phone answering systems are built for hospitality. When evaluating providers, look for these capabilities:

Property-specific knowledge. The AI should know your rooms, rates, amenities, policies, and local area. A generic AI answering service will not know that your motel is pet-friendly, that checkout is at 11 AM, or that the nearest gas station is two blocks east.

PMS integration. The AI must connect to your property management system for live availability and rate information. Without this, it cannot actually book rooms or give accurate answers.

Multi-language support. If your property serves international travelers, the AI should handle calls in Spanish, French, Mandarin, and other languages without requiring separate phone lines.

Smart call routing. The AI should know when to handle a call itself and when to transfer to a human. Emergency calls, upset guests, and complex requests should go to your team immediately.

SMS follow-up. After a call, the AI should be able to text the caller a confirmation, directions, or a booking link. Many guests prefer to complete a reservation by text after an initial phone inquiry.

Call transcripts and analytics. You should see every conversation, searchable and summarized. This reveals what guests ask most, when call volume peaks, and where you might be losing bookings.

Cost Comparison: AI vs. Your Other Options

This is the section most hotel owners care about most. Here is how AI phone answering stacks up against the alternatives:

Feature	AI Receptionist	Human Receptionist	Answering Service	Voicemail
Monthly cost	$44 - $299 (motel4)	$3,000 - $4,500	$500 - $1,500	Free
Available hours	24/7/365	8-16 hrs/day	24/7 (varies)	24/7
Answer speed	Under 1 second	Varies (may miss calls)	15-45 seconds	After 4-6 rings
Languages	30+ simultaneously	1-2 typically	1-2 typically	1
Can book rooms	Yes (with PMS integration)	Yes	Rarely	No
Knows your property	Yes (trained on your details)	Yes	Minimal	No
Handles 5 calls at once	Yes	No	Sometimes	No
Call transcripts	Automatic	Manual effort	Sometimes	Manual
Never calls in sick	Correct	No	Mostly	Correct
Guest experience	Good to excellent	Excellent	Fair to good	Poor

The math is simple. A full-time front desk employee costs $36,000 to $54,000 per year in wages alone, before benefits, training, and turnover costs. An after-hours answering service runs $500 to $1,500 per month and typically cannot book rooms or answer property-specific questions. Voicemail is free but costs you the most in lost revenue.

AI phone answering sits in the sweet spot: comprehensive capability at a fraction of the human cost.

Best Use Cases

AI phone answering works best in specific scenarios. Here is where it delivers the highest return:

Independent motels and small hotels (10-80 rooms). Properties this size rarely have the budget for 24/7 front desk staffing but get enough calls to lose revenue from missed ones. This is the highest-impact segment.

After-hours coverage. Even hotels with daytime front desk staff lose bookings between 10 PM and 7 AM. An AI receptionist catches every late-night call from travelers searching for a room.

Overflow during busy periods. When your front desk is handling three check-ins and the phone rings, the AI picks up instead of sending the caller to voicemail.

Multi-language properties. If you are near a border, an airport, or a tourist destination, you get calls in languages your staff may not speak. AI handles them all.

Seasonal properties. If you staff down in the off-season but still get booking inquiries, AI keeps your phones covered without the payroll.

Limitations to Know

Honesty builds trust, so here is what AI phone answering cannot do yet:

Complex complaints require a human. An angry guest who found bedbugs needs empathy from a real person, not a perfectly articulated AI response. Good systems recognize this and transfer immediately.

Highly unusual requests need escalation. “Can I park my horse trailer in the lot?” is the kind of question that should go to a person. AI handles the 90% of calls that are predictable; humans handle the 10% that are not.

Integration quality varies by PMS. If your property management system does not have a modern API, connecting AI to live availability data can be difficult. Ask providers about your specific PMS before signing up.

Some callers prefer humans. A small percentage of guests will be uncomfortable speaking with AI. The best systems offer a “press 0 to speak to someone” option at any point.

It will not replace your entire front desk. AI handles phone calls. It does not hand out room keys, clean rooms, or fix the ice machine. Think of it as adding an employee who only answers phones — but does it flawlessly.

How to Choose a Provider

The AI receptionist market is crowded. Here is how to cut through the noise:

Ask for a hospitality-specific demo. Generic AI phone systems built for dentists and law firms will not understand hotel workflows. Call their demo line and try to book a room. If the experience is clunky, your guests will feel the same.

Verify PMS integration. Do not accept “we can integrate with anything.” Ask specifically about your PMS by name and request a reference from a customer using the same system.

Test the voice quality. Call the demo and listen. Does it sound like a real person or a robot reading a script? Voice quality has improved dramatically, but some providers are still using older, synthetic-sounding technology.

Check the escalation path. How does the AI transfer calls to your team? Can you set different routing rules for different situations? What happens if nobody on your team answers the transfer?

Review the pricing model. Some providers charge per call, some per minute, some a flat monthly fee. For hotels with predictable call volume, a flat fee is usually the best value.

Ask about setup time. How long from signing up to going live? The best providers can get you running in days, not weeks.

See AI phone answering in action — text or call motel4.ai’s demo receptionist. Try the demo →

Getting Started: A Practical Roadmap

If you are ready to explore AI phone answering for your property, here is a step-by-step approach:

Week 1: Audit your current phone situation. Track how many calls you receive, how many go to voicemail, and estimate how many bookings you lose. Most PBX systems or phone providers have basic call logs. Even a rough count is useful.

Week 2: Define your requirements. List your PMS, the languages your guests speak, your peak call hours, and the most common questions callers ask. This becomes your evaluation checklist.

Week 3: Test two to three providers. Call their demo lines. Ask your staff to call and try to stump the AI. Evaluate based on voice quality, accuracy, and how it handles edge cases.

Week 4: Pilot with one phone line. Start with after-hours calls or a dedicated booking line. Do not rip out your existing setup on day one. Let the AI prove itself on a portion of your call volume.

Week 5-6: Review and expand. Check the call transcripts. See what the AI handled well and where it transferred to your team. Adjust the knowledge base and routing rules. Then expand to all incoming calls.

Most properties complete this process in under a month and see measurable results — fewer missed calls, more bookings, and front desk staff who can focus on the guests standing in front of them — within the first week of full deployment.

The Bottom Line

AI phone answering for hotels is not futuristic technology. It is available today, it is affordable, and it solves a real problem that costs independent properties thousands of dollars in lost bookings every year. The hotels that adopt it now will capture the revenue that their competitors are sending to voicemail.

The staffing crisis is not going away. Guest expectations for instant responses are only increasing. AI phone answering is the bridge between the service level guests expect and the budget reality that most independent hotels and motels operate within.

Want to see how it works with your property? Book a 15-minute setup call →

Hotel Phone System Comparison: AI vs Answering Service vs Voicemail

May 17, 2026

Ilia Prihodko

Founder @ motel4.ai

If you’re running an independent hotel or motel and searching for the right hotel phone system comparison, here’s the short version: AI phone answering gives you the best balance of cost, coverage, and guest experience for most small to mid-size properties. But it’s not the only option worth considering. Below, we break down all four major approaches — voicemail, answering services, AI phone answering, and hiring night staff — so you can pick the one that actually fits your property and budget.

Quick answer: For properties with 10-80 rooms, AI phone answering typically offers the strongest combination of 24/7 coverage and cost efficiency. motel4 plans start at $44/mo (B&B), $129/mo (Motel), and $299/mo (Hotel). The right choice still depends on call volume, budget, and how much you value the human touch. Read on for the full breakdown.

The Four Options

Every independent hotel and motel faces the same dilemma: phones ring at all hours, but you can’t always be there to answer them. Missed calls mean missed bookings. A Cornell Hospitality Research study found that 85% of callers who reach voicemail never call back — they just book somewhere else.

The market offers four distinct solutions. Each sits at a different point on the cost-quality spectrum. The goal of this hotel phone system comparison is to help you match the right tool to your property — not to crown a single winner.

Detailed Comparison Table

Feature	Voicemail	Answering Service	AI Phone Answering	Night Staff
Monthly Cost	$0	$200-800	$44-299 (motel4 tiers)	$2,500-4,000
24/7 Coverage	Yes	Yes (extra cost)	Yes	Depends
Answers Questions	No	Basic script	Yes, from property context	Yes
Books Rooms	No	Sometimes	Yes	Yes
Multilingual	No	Limited	Yes (50+ languages)	Rarely
Call Logging	Basic	Yes	Detailed + transcripts	Manual
Guest Experience	Poor	Mediocre	Good	Best
Setup Time	Minutes	Days	Hours	Weeks

This table gives you the high-level picture. Now let’s dig into each option.

Option 1: Voicemail

Voicemail is the default. It costs nothing, requires no setup beyond recording a greeting, and for some small properties, it still makes sense. Unanswered calls roll to a recorded message. The caller leaves a message (or, more often, doesn’t), and you return calls when you’re available.

Pros

Zero cost
No setup or training required
You maintain full control over all guest interactions
No third party involved in your business

Cons

Most callers hang up without leaving a message. Industry data consistently shows that 60-85% of callers abandon voicemail, especially when they’re comparing multiple properties.
No ability to answer questions, provide directions, or share availability
Creates a poor first impression for a hospitality business
No booking capability — every missed call is a potential lost reservation
You still need to return calls, which takes time

Best For

Properties with very low call volume (under 5 calls per day), seasonal operations that are only open part of the year, or owner-operators who genuinely answer 95%+ of calls themselves and only need voicemail as a rare backup.

Typical Cost Range

$0/month.

Real-World Scenario

A 12-room seasonal motel in Vermont gets maybe 3-4 calls a day during peak season. The owner is on-site from 7am to 10pm and answers almost every call personally. Voicemail catches the occasional late-night call. In this case, voicemail works fine — the call volume is low enough that the missed-call risk is minimal.

Option 2: Traditional Answering Service

Answering services have been serving the hospitality industry for decades. A team of human operators answers your phone line using a script you provide, takes messages, and forwards urgent calls.

How It Works

You forward your phone line to the answering service during off-hours (or 24/7). Their operators answer using your property name and follow a script. They typically take a message and either email it to you or patch through urgent calls.

Pros

Human voice on the line, which some guests prefer
Can handle basic questions if scripted well
Message-taking is reliable
Established industry with many providers to choose from
Some services offer basic reservation support

Cons

Operators handle many businesses simultaneously, so the experience can feel generic
Script-based responses mean they struggle with unexpected questions (“Is the property near the hiking trail?” or “Do you have a microwave in the room?”)
Quality varies significantly between providers and even between shifts
Costs scale with call volume — high-volume months can surprise you with bills of $500-800+
After-hours and weekend coverage often costs extra
Limited language support (typically English and Spanish, sometimes French)
Hold times can be significant during peak periods when operators are busy

Best For

Properties that receive a moderate volume of calls (10-30 per day), value having a human voice above all else, and have relatively simple caller needs (mostly reservation requests and basic questions). Also a good fit if your typical guest demographic skews older and may be uncomfortable with AI interactions.

Typical Cost Range

$200-800/month depending on call volume and coverage hours. Most services charge per minute or per call. 24/7 coverage with moderate call volume typically lands in the $400-600 range.

Real-World Scenario

A 45-room hotel near a regional airport gets steady calls day and night. The answering service handles after-hours calls using a detailed script covering shuttle times and current rates. It works reasonably well, though some callers complain about hold times and operators who sound unfamiliar with the property.

Option 3: AI Phone Answering

AI phone answering is the newest entrant in this hotel phone system comparison. These systems use conversational AI to answer calls, respond to questions, and handle bookings directly. Modern AI receptionists sound natural and can hold genuine conversations.

How It Works

You configure the AI with your property’s information: room types, rates, amenities, policies, local attractions, and directions. When a call comes in, the AI answers naturally, understands what the caller needs, and responds accordingly. Most systems can transfer to a human when needed, send follow-up texts, and log every interaction with full transcripts.

Curious about AI phone answering? Try motel4.ai’s demo receptionist — no signup required. Try the demo —>

Pros

Answers every call instantly, 24/7/365 — no hold times, no busy signals
Responds to property-specific questions using your actual information
Can handle bookings, check availability, and send confirmation details
Supports 50+ languages automatically, which is increasingly valuable as international travel grows
Full call transcripts and analytics give you visibility into what guests are asking
Consistent quality — doesn’t have bad days, doesn’t get tired
Scales effortlessly during high-volume periods
Setup typically takes hours, not weeks

Cons

Some callers, particularly older guests, may prefer speaking with a human
Complex or emotionally sensitive situations (complaints, emergencies) are better handled by people
Requires initial setup time to configure property information properly
Technology is relatively new, which makes some operators hesitant
Depends on the AI provider’s reliability and uptime
Not all AI phone systems are created equal — quality varies between providers

Best For

Properties with 10-80 rooms that want reliable 24/7 phone coverage without the cost of night staff. Especially valuable for properties that receive calls in multiple languages, want detailed call analytics, or are currently losing bookings to missed calls. Strong fit as a hotel voicemail alternative for properties that know voicemail is costing them business but can’t justify the expense of an answering service or dedicated staff.

Typical Cost Range

$44–$299/month on motel4 (B&B $44, Motel $129, Hotel $299), with included AI minutes per plan and $0.18/min overage.

Real-World Scenario

A 30-room motel along a busy interstate gets calls at all hours from travelers looking for same-night availability. The AI receptionist answers instantly, checks availability, quotes rates, and can text the caller a booking link. Calls in Spanish are handled automatically. The owner reviews transcripts each morning and sees exactly what guests are asking — which has also helped her update her website to address common questions proactively.

Option 4: Hiring Night Staff

The gold standard for guest experience is a real person at your front desk around the clock. No technology fully replicates the warmth and judgment of a skilled hospitality professional. You hire a dedicated employee to cover the hours you’re not available — typically the overnight shift — handling calls, check-ins, guest requests, and any issues that arise.

Pros

Best possible guest experience — a real person who knows your property
Can handle any situation: complaints, emergencies, special requests, upselling
Physical presence on the property for security and guest assistance
No technology limitations or learning curves
Builds genuine guest relationships

Cons

By far the most expensive option, typically $2,500-4,000/month for overnight coverage (salary, benefits, payroll taxes)
Finding reliable night-shift staff is extremely difficult in the current labor market
Coverage gaps due to illness, turnover, and scheduling conflicts
Training takes weeks, and you lose that investment with every departure
Quality depends entirely on the individual — great staff are incredible, mediocre staff can harm your reputation
Doesn’t scale easily — adding a second shift doubles the cost

Best For

Properties with 60+ rooms, high average daily rates ($150+), or significant on-site guest needs (full-service hotels, resorts, properties in remote locations). Also essential for properties where physical presence is required for security or operational reasons.

Typical Cost Range

$2,500-4,000/month for one overnight employee (salary, benefits, payroll taxes, coverage for days off). In competitive labor markets, costs can be higher.

Real-World Scenario

A 75-room boutique hotel charges $200+ per night and offers concierge-level service. Night staff handle late check-ins, answer detailed questions about local dining and activities, and manage guest issues. The cost is justified because the nightly rate supports it and guest expectations demand it.

Which One Is Right for You?

Here’s a framework built around five factors:

1. Call volume. If you get fewer than 5 calls a day, voicemail might genuinely be sufficient. At 5-15 calls, an answering service or AI becomes worthwhile. Above 15, you need a reliable system in place.

2. Budget. Be honest about what you can afford monthly. If $200/month is a stretch, AI phone answering at the lower end or voicemail is your realistic range. If you can invest $3,000+/month, night staff gives you the best experience.

3. Guest demographics. Properties catering to older travelers or luxury guests may benefit more from human interaction. Properties serving younger, international, or budget-conscious travelers often find that AI works well or is even preferred.

4. Booking impact. Calculate what a missed booking costs you. If your average booking is $120/night for a 2-night stay, and you’re missing even 10 calls per month that would have converted, that’s potentially $2,400 in lost revenue. That math usually makes the case for something beyond voicemail.

5. Operational needs. Do you need someone physically on-site overnight? If yes, AI and answering services won’t fully solve your problem. But if your primary need is simply answering the phone, you don’t need to pay for physical presence.

Here is a simplified decision path:

Under 10 rooms, minimal call volume, tight budget — Voicemail is acceptable
10-40 rooms, moderate calls, want human touch — Answering service
10-80 rooms, want 24/7 coverage and booking capability at reasonable cost — AI phone answering
60+ rooms, high ADR, need physical presence — Night staff
Any size, high international guest mix — AI phone answering (for multilingual support)

Many properties also combine approaches. AI handles the routine calls 24/7, and a human is available for escalation during business hours. This hybrid model captures most of the cost savings while maintaining the human element where it matters most.

Making the Switch

Whatever you choose, the transition doesn’t have to be painful:

From voicemail to answering service: Most services can be live within 3-5 business days. You’ll need to prepare a script and forward your phone line.

From voicemail to AI phone answering: Setup typically takes a few hours. Configure your property information, set up call forwarding, and test.

From answering service to AI: Run both in parallel for a week. Forward overflow calls to AI first, then switch fully once you’re comfortable.

Adding night staff: Budget 2-4 weeks for hiring and training. Consider starting with weekend nights only to test the impact.

The best phone solution for hotels isn’t the most expensive or the most advanced. It’s the one that reliably connects callers with the information they need, captures bookings you’d otherwise lose, and fits your budget. The worst thing you can do is nothing — letting calls ring to a voicemail that nobody uses, while potential guests book the property down the road.

Want help choosing? Book a 15-minute call —> and we’ll help you figure out what fits your property.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding for Your Motel Front Desk

May 17, 2026

Ilia Prihodko

Founder @ motel4.ai

To set up call forwarding for your motel front desk, pick up the phone and dial *72 followed by the number you want calls forwarded to. Wait for a confirmation tone or message. That is it — your motel’s incoming calls will now ring at the forwarding destination. To turn it off later, dial *73. This works on most landlines and business phone systems in the United States. The rest of this guide covers carrier-specific instructions, different forwarding types, and best practices for motel operations.

Quick answer: Pick up your front desk phone. Dial *72, then the number you want calls sent to (a cell phone, answering service, or AI receptionist). Wait for the confirmation tone. Done. To deactivate, dial *73. If you are on VoIP, use your web portal instead. Read on for carrier-specific codes and motel-specific advice.

What Is Call Forwarding (and Why Motels Need It)

Call forwarding is a phone feature that redirects incoming calls from one number to another. When someone calls your motel’s front desk line, the call automatically routes to a different phone — your cell, a backup line, an answering service, or an AI receptionist.

Most independent motels have periods where nobody is at the desk: late nights, early mornings, meal breaks, or times when the owner is handling maintenance. Every unanswered call is a potential booking lost. Motel call forwarding ensures every call gets answered, even when the front desk is unattended.

Types of Call Forwarding

Before you set anything up, you need to decide which type of call forwarding fits your operation. There are three standard types, and most phone carriers support all of them.

Unconditional Forwarding (Forward All Calls)

Every call that comes into your motel number is immediately sent to the forwarding destination. The front desk phone never rings. This is useful when you are closing the desk for the night and want all calls going directly to your cell phone or an AI receptionist.

No-Answer Forwarding (Forward After X Rings)

The front desk phone rings a set number of times. If nobody picks up, the call forwards to your backup number. This is the most popular option for motels because it gives staff a chance to answer first, with a safety net if they cannot get to the phone in time.

Busy Forwarding (Forward When the Line Is Busy)

If someone is already on the front desk phone, incoming calls forward instead of getting a busy signal. This matters during high-volume periods — check-in time, local events, or when you are on a long call with a vendor.

Most motel owners benefit from setting up both no-answer forwarding and busy forwarding simultaneously. That combination covers the two most common scenarios: nobody is available, or the line is already in use.

How to Set Up Call Forwarding by Carrier

The exact steps depend on your phone carrier. Here are instructions for the most common carriers used by motels and small hotels.

Traditional Landline (Most Motels)

Most motel front desk phones are on a traditional landline or a business line from the local telco. The process is the same across nearly all providers:

To activate unconditional forwarding:

Pick up the handset and listen for a dial tone
Dial *72
Dial the full 10-digit number you want calls forwarded to
Wait for a confirmation tone, a ring-back, or a recorded message confirming activation
Hang up — forwarding is now active

To deactivate:

Pick up the handset
Dial *73
Wait for the confirmation tone
Hang up

For no-answer forwarding:

Activate: *92 + forwarding number (on most carriers)
Deactivate: *93

For busy forwarding:

Activate: *90 + forwarding number
Deactivate: *91

Note: Some regional carriers use different codes. If the codes above do not work, call your phone provider and ask for their specific activation codes.

AT&T Business Lines

AT&T uses the standard *72 activation. One difference: AT&T requires the destination phone to either answer or ring through before confirming. If nobody answers the destination, hang up and repeat the process. Deactivate with *73. You can also manage forwarding through the myAT&T Business portal.

Verizon Business

Verizon follows the standard: *72 + forwarding number, wait for a steady confirmation tone, hang up. Deactivate with *73. Verizon Fios business customers can also manage hotel phone forwarding setup through the portal at business.verizon.com.

T-Mobile (If Using a Cell Phone as Your Front Desk Line)

Some smaller motels use a cell phone as their primary number. On T-Mobile:

Through the phone app:

Open the Phone app
Go to Settings (or tap the three-dot menu)
Select “Call forwarding” or “Supplementary services”
Choose your forwarding type (always forward, forward when busy, forward when unanswered)
Enter the destination number and save

Using dial codes:

Activate unconditional forwarding: **21*[number]# then press call
Deactivate: ##21#
Check status: *#21#
No-answer forwarding: **61*[number]#
Busy forwarding: **67*[number]#

Spectrum / Charter Business

Spectrum Business (formerly Charter Business) is common for motels in areas they serve:

Dial *72 from the business line
Enter the forwarding number
Wait — you should hear a stutter dial tone confirming activation
Hang up

To deactivate: *73.

Spectrum Business also lets you manage forwarding through the Spectrum Business Voice portal online if you have their managed voice service.

VoIP Systems (RingCentral, Vonage, Google Voice)

If your motel uses a VoIP system, you will not use star codes. Instead, log into your provider’s web portal (RingCentral admin portal, Vonage dashboard, or voice.google.com), navigate to call handling or forwarding settings for your front desk number, add the destination, and set rules. VoIP systems offer more granular control — you can set different forwarding rules for business hours versus after hours, which is exactly what most motel owners want.

Conditional vs. Always-On: When to Use Each

For most motels, conditional forwarding (no-answer + busy) is the right default. Here is when each approach makes sense:

Use always-on (unconditional) forwarding when:

You are closing the front desk for the night and nobody will be there
You are forwarding to an AI receptionist that should handle all calls
The motel is temporarily closed (renovation, seasonal shutdown)
You want every call handled by a specific person or service

Use conditional (no-answer) forwarding when:

Staff is at the desk but might step away occasionally
You want the front desk to get first priority on calls
During business hours when someone is usually available
You want to forward hotel calls after hours only when the desk does not pick up

The best setup for most motels: Use conditional forwarding during the day (giving your front desk staff 4-5 rings to answer) and switch to unconditional forwarding at night when the desk closes. This is a simple routine: dial *72 before you leave for the night, dial *73 when you open in the morning.

Common Problems and Fixes

Calls Are Not Forwarding

The most common issue. Check these first:

Did you get a confirmation tone? If you did not hear the confirmation when setting up, the forwarding may not be active. Try the activation sequence again.
Is the ring count too high? If no-answer forwarding is set to 10 rings, most callers will hang up before it kicks in. Lower it to 4-5 rings.
Is the destination number correct? Dial the forwarding number directly from another phone to confirm it works and is reachable.
Is the feature enabled on your account? Some business lines require call forwarding to be activated by your carrier before you can use star codes. Call your provider to confirm it is included in your plan.

Double Forwarding Chains

This happens when you forward your motel line to a cell phone that also has forwarding enabled. The call goes: motel line, then cell phone, then wherever the cell phone forwards to. This adds delay and can cause calls to drop. Make sure the destination phone does not have its own forwarding active.

Forwarding to a Number That Also Forwards

Similar to the above, but worse. Some carriers block “chain forwarding” entirely, causing the call to fail. If you are forwarding to an answering service or AI receptionist, confirm with them that their number is a terminal destination and does not forward elsewhere.

Cost of Forwarding

This catches some motel owners off guard. On traditional landlines, forwarded calls may be billed as an outgoing call from your motel to the forwarding destination. If you are forwarding to a long-distance number, you may incur per-minute charges. Check with your carrier. VoIP systems generally include forwarding at no extra cost. If cost is a concern, forward to a local number or use a VoIP intermediary.

Best Practices for Motel Call Forwarding

These tips come from working with motel owners who have refined their forwarding setups over time:

Set no-answer forwarding to 4-5 rings. Two rings is not enough — staff needs time to walk to the phone. Ten rings means callers hang up before forwarding activates. Four to five rings (roughly 20-25 seconds) is the sweet spot.

Test from a different phone after setup. Every time you activate or change forwarding, call your motel number from a cell phone. Do not assume it worked. Verify.

Keep a log of when forwarding is active. A simple notebook at the front desk: when forwarding was turned on, where calls are going, when it was turned off. This prevents confusion during shift changes.

Train all staff on activation and deactivation. Everyone at the front desk should know *72 and *73. Post instructions next to the phone.

Set a morning checklist item to verify forwarding is off. The most common complaint: guests call the front desk and reach someone’s personal voicemail. That happens when overnight forwarding was never deactivated.

Use a dedicated forwarding destination. Avoid forwarding to a personal cell that gets silenced at night. Forward to a number that will always be answered — an answering service, a dedicated on-call phone, or an AI receptionist.

Where to Forward: Your Options

You have three practical choices for where to send forwarded calls:

Personal Cell Phone

The simplest option. Forward to the owner’s or manager’s cell. The downside: you are on call 24/7, calls blend with personal calls, and missed calls go to your personal voicemail — which probably does not mention your motel’s name.

Answering Service

Human operators answer in your motel’s name, take messages, and provide basic information. Cost is typically $0.75-$1.50 per call or $50-$200/month. Quality varies — operators handle calls for dozens of businesses and may not know your property well.

AI Receptionist

An AI phone agent that answers in your motel’s voice, knows your rates and policies, handles common questions, takes reservation requests, and escalates to you only when needed. Available 24/7, consistent quality, and costs a fraction of an answering service.

Forward your calls to an AI receptionist — try motel4.ai’s demo to hear how it sounds. Try the demo →

Getting Started with AI Call Forwarding

Setting up call forwarding to an AI receptionist like motel4.ai takes the same steps outlined above — you are just forwarding to a different destination number. Here is the process:

Sign up and configure your AI receptionist with your motel’s details (name, rates, policies, FAQs)
You receive a dedicated phone number for your AI receptionist
Set up call forwarding from your front desk phone to that number using the carrier instructions above
Test by calling your motel number and verifying the AI answers correctly
Choose your forwarding mode: always-on for full coverage, or no-answer for a front-desk-first approach

The entire setup takes about 15 minutes. Your existing motel phone number stays the same — guests and OTAs keep calling the number they already have. Most motel owners start with no-answer forwarding during the day and unconditional forwarding at night.

Need help setting up call forwarding to motel4.ai? Book a 15-minute setup call → — we’ll walk you through it for your specific phone system.

Setting up motel call forwarding is one of the fastest ways to stop losing bookings to missed calls. Whether you forward to your cell phone, an answering service, or an AI receptionist, the important thing is that every call gets answered. Pick your method, follow the steps above, and test it today.

How to Stop Missing Guest Phone Calls at Your Motel

May 17, 2026

Ilia Prihodko

Founder @ motel4.ai

To stop missing guest phone calls at your motel, you need a system that answers every call 24/7 — whether that is a dedicated night-shift employee, a professional answering service, or an AI-powered phone receptionist. The most cost-effective option for independent motels today is an AI phone answering system that picks up instantly, handles reservations and common questions, and texts you when something needs a human touch.

Quick answer: The number one way to stop missing motel phone calls is to implement an always-on answering system. AI phone answering services now cost a fraction of a night-shift employee, answer in under two seconds, handle bookings and FAQs without scripts, and route urgent calls to you directly. Most independent motels recover their investment within the first week.

The Problem: Your Phone Is Ringing and Nobody Is Picking Up

If you run an independent motel, you already know the feeling. You check your phone in the morning and see three missed calls from last night — one at 9:47 PM, one at 11:15 PM, one at 6:03 AM. No voicemails. No callbacks. Just lost revenue walking out the door.

You are not alone. Industry research consistently shows that 47% of calls to hotels and motels go unanswered. For properties with fewer than 50 rooms, that number climbs even higher because there is often only one person at the front desk — and they are busy checking someone in, solving a maintenance issue, or simply not on shift.

Here is what makes this painful: phone callers convert at a significantly higher rate than web visitors. A guest who picks up the phone to call your motel is already past the browsing stage. They want to book. According to hospitality industry data, phone inquiries convert to bookings 8-12x more often than website visits. When that call goes to voicemail, you are not just missing a conversation — you are missing the highest-intent lead in your funnel.

And the caller? They do not leave a voicemail. They call the next motel on Google Maps.

Why Calls Get Missed at Independent Motels

Understanding why motel missed calls happen is the first step to fixing the problem. The causes are predictable and almost universal across small properties:

After-hours gaps

Most independent motels do not staff the front desk 24 hours a day. The desk closes at 10 or 11 PM and reopens at 6 or 7 AM. But travelers do not stop needing rooms at 10 PM — in fact, that is exactly when last-minute bookings spike. Road-trippers, delayed flights, unexpected car trouble. These are high-urgency callers willing to pay rack rate, and they are calling into silence.

Single-person shifts

Even during staffed hours, the front desk person is doing five jobs at once: checking guests in, handling complaints, managing housekeeping, answering walk-ins, and restocking supplies. When two things happen at once, the phone loses. Every time.

Lunch breaks and quick errands

It sounds trivial, but a 20-minute lunch break means 20 minutes of missed calls. If your busiest call window is 11 AM to 1 PM (it often is — people booking same-day stays), that break is expensive.

Phone anxiety and language barriers

Some staff simply do not like answering the phone, especially if the caller speaks a different language or asks questions the employee is not sure how to answer. The phone rings four times and goes to a voicemail box that is already full.

Outdated voicemail systems

Most callers will not leave a voicemail. The data is stark: 80% of callers who reach voicemail hang up without leaving a message. If your backup plan for missed calls is “they’ll leave a message,” your backup plan does not work.

The Cost Calculator: What Missed Calls Actually Cost You

Let us do the math. This is not hypothetical — these are numbers you can plug your own data into.

Your inputs:

Average calls per day: most 20-40 room motels receive 8-15 calls per day
Percentage missed (industry average): 47%
Percentage of calls that are booking inquiries: roughly 60%
Phone booking conversion rate: 25-35% (conservative)
Average booking value: $150-250 per stay (1-2 nights)

The calculation:

Take a motel receiving 12 calls per day:

Missed calls per day: 12 x 0.47 = 5.6 calls
Missed booking inquiries: 5.6 x 0.60 = 3.4 potential bookings
Lost bookings per day: 3.4 x 0.30 = ~1 booking per day
Revenue lost per day: 1 x $180 (average) = $180
Revenue lost per month: approximately $5,400
Revenue lost per year: approximately $64,800

Even if you cut these estimates in half to be conservative, you are looking at $2,700 per month in lost revenue from unanswered phones. That is more than enough to fund a solution several times over.

And this does not account for the lifetime value of a guest who becomes a repeat customer, leaves a positive review, or refers friends. The true cost of a missed call compounds.

Solutions for Motel Phone Answering (Ranked by Effectiveness)

Here are the most common ways independent motel owners solve the hotel after hours phone problem, ranked from most to least effective for small properties:

1. AI phone answering system

Cost: $50-300/month depending on call volume Coverage: 24/7/365, no sick days, no breaks Setup time: Same day

An AI receptionist answers every call instantly, in a natural-sounding voice. It can check room availability against your property management system, answer FAQs (checkout time, pet policy, parking, directions), take reservation details, and transfer urgent calls to your personal phone. Modern systems handle multiple calls simultaneously — something even the best front desk employee cannot do.

This is the best option for most independent motels because it solves the coverage problem completely without adding payroll.

2. Professional answering service

Cost: $200-800/month Coverage: After-hours or 24/7 Setup time: 1-2 weeks

A human answering service staffed by live operators. They work from a script you provide. The quality varies — some services are excellent, others feel like talking to someone reading a card. The main limitations are cost (you pay per minute or per call), script rigidity (they cannot answer questions that are not on their sheet), and the fact that the operator does not actually know your property.

3. Call forwarding to your personal phone

Cost: Free (but costs you sleep) Coverage: Whenever you can answer Setup time: Immediate

Many owners forward the front desk line to their cell phone after hours. This works in theory. In practice, you are waking up at 2 AM to answer a question about whether you have a microwave in the room. It is also unsustainable — you need sleep, days off, and the ability to step away from your phone. Burnout is not a business strategy.

4. Extended front desk hours

Cost: $2,500-4,500/month (additional staff) Coverage: Extended but not 24/7 Setup time: Weeks (hiring and training)

Hiring a night auditor or extending shifts to cover more hours. This is the traditional solution and it works well if you can find reliable staff. The challenge for small motels is that the cost often exceeds the revenue recovered, especially in slower seasons. You are paying someone $15-20/hour to be available for 3-5 calls per shift.

5. Better voicemail and callback systems

Cost: $0-50/month Coverage: Passive only Setup time: Immediate

Improving your voicemail greeting, adding a “press 1 to get a text with booking link” option, or using a service that transcribes voicemails and texts them to you. This is better than nothing but still relies on the caller being willing to leave a message — and as we covered, most are not.

How AI Phone Answering Works for Motels

Since AI motel phone answering is the top-ranked solution, here is how it actually works in practice. No buzzwords, just the mechanics.

The call comes in

A guest calls your motel number. The AI answers within one to two rings, every time. It greets the caller naturally — “Thanks for calling Sunset Motel, how can I help you?” — not a robotic menu tree.

The conversation happens

The AI handles the conversation the way a knowledgeable front desk person would. It can:

Check availability and quote rates by connecting to your property management system or a simple availability calendar you maintain
Answer common questions — checkout time, pet policy, whether you have a pool, if there is parking, how far you are from the highway, local restaurant recommendations
Collect reservation details — name, dates, number of guests, room preferences, contact information
Handle multiple languages — modern AI systems can converse in Spanish, French, Mandarin, and dozens of other languages without missing a beat
Transfer to you when needed — if a caller has a complaint, an emergency, or a complex request, the AI can warm-transfer the call to your phone with context about what the caller needs

You get notified

After every call, you receive a text or email summary: who called, what they needed, what the AI told them, and whether any action is required from you. Booking requests come through as structured data you can confirm with one tap.

It learns your property

The best AI phone systems are not generic. You tell the system about your property once — your room types, rates, policies, amenities, local area — and it uses that knowledge in every conversation. When you change your rates for the season or add a new policy, you update it once and every future call reflects the change.

The difference between this and a traditional phone tree or voicemail is night and day. Callers get their questions answered. Bookings get captured. You sleep through the night.

Getting Started: A Practical Roadmap

If you are ready to stop losing bookings to missed calls, here is a step-by-step approach:

Step 1: Measure your current missed call rate

Check your phone system logs or call your own motel at different times to see what happens. Most owners are shocked at how many calls go unanswered during what they thought were “covered” hours.

Step 2: Calculate your monthly cost

Use the formula from the cost calculator section above. Even rough numbers will clarify the urgency. If you are losing $2,000+ per month to missed calls, the ROI on any solution is immediate.

Step 3: Choose the right solution for your property

For most independent motels in the 10-60 room range, an AI phone answering system offers the best combination of coverage, cost, and quality. It is not the right fit for every property — if you already have 24/7 front desk staff, you may just need better training or a backup line. But if you have any coverage gaps at all, AI fills them completely.

Step 4: Set up and test

A good AI phone system should take less than a day to set up. You provide your property details, set your call routing preferences, and test it by calling in yourself. Listen to how it handles different scenarios — a booking request, a question about amenities, a complaint, a caller who speaks Spanish.

Step 5: Monitor and refine

Review the call summaries for the first two weeks. Are there questions the AI could not answer? Add that information. Are callers getting transferred to you for things the AI should handle? Adjust the settings. Most owners find the system is handling 85-90% of calls independently within the first week.

Try motel4.ai’s demo — text or call our AI receptionist to see how it handles real guest conversations. Visit the demo ->

The Bottom Line

Missing guest phone calls is not a minor inconvenience — it is one of the most expensive problems an independent motel faces, and one of the most fixable. The technology to answer every call, 24 hours a day, at a fraction of the cost of additional staff, exists today and works today.

The motels that figure this out first gain a genuine competitive advantage. When a traveler calls three motels at 11 PM and only one answers, that one gets the booking. Every time.

You do not need to overhaul your operations or invest tens of thousands of dollars. You need a system that picks up the phone when you cannot. Start there, and the revenue follows.

Ready to stop missing calls? Book a 15-minute setup call ->

What Happens When Motels Miss Phone Calls (and How Much It Costs)

May 17, 2026

Ilia Prihodko

Founder @ motel4.ai

When motels miss phone calls, they lose bookings, revenue, and future guests. Industry data shows that 47% of hotel and motel calls go unanswered, and 85% of those callers will never try again. For a typical 50-room motel missing just 5 calls per day, that adds up to over $32,000 in lost revenue annually. The damage compounds: missed calls push guests toward OTAs, erode your reputation, and silently drain your bottom line every single day.

Quick answer: What happens when motels miss phone calls? Every missed call is a potential booking that walks away permanently. With 85% of unanswered callers never calling back, a small motel losing just 3-5 calls daily can hemorrhage $20,000-$50,000 per year in direct revenue. The real cost is even higher when you factor in OTA commissions, lost repeat guests, and negative reviews from frustrated callers.

The Hidden Revenue Leak

If you own or manage a motel, you already know the phone rings at the worst possible times. During check-in rushes. While you are fixing a plumbing issue in room 12. At 11 PM when a traveler is driving through town and needs a room tonight.

Most motel owners think of a missed call as a minor inconvenience. Someone will call back, or they will book online instead. But the data tells a very different story.

The motel phone answering cost of inaction is staggering. Unlike a leaky faucet that you can see and hear, missed calls are an invisible leak. You never see the revenue that did not arrive. There is no line item on your P&L for “bookings we would have had.” It is the most expensive problem you cannot see.

What makes this especially painful for independent motels is that phone bookings are your most profitable channel. When a guest calls you directly and books, you pay zero commission. Compare that to the 8-15% you hand over to Booking.com or Expedia for every OTA reservation, and the math becomes clear: every call that goes to voicemail is not just a lost booking. It is a lost direct booking, which is the most valuable kind.

The Numbers: A Detailed Cost Breakdown

Let us get specific. Missed calls hotel revenue loss is not abstract. It is calculable.

Here are the baseline numbers supported by industry research:

47% of hotel and motel calls go unanswered during business hours, and the number is far worse after hours
85% of callers who do not reach a business will not call back (BrightLocal consumer survey data)
Average motel booking value: $150-$250 per night, with an average stay of 1.4 nights
Phone bookings carry a higher ADR (Average Daily Rate) than OTA bookings, typically 10-20% higher
OTA commission rates run 8-15%, meaning you keep more from every direct phone booking

The Annual Revenue Loss Calculator: 50-Room Motel

Let us walk through the math for a 50-room motel that misses 5 calls per day.

Step 1: Total missed calls per year 5 missed calls/day x 365 days = 1,825 missed calls/year

Step 2: Calls that were potential bookings Not every call is a booking inquiry. Industry estimates suggest about 60% of inbound motel calls are reservation-related. 1,825 x 0.60 = 1,095 potential booking calls missed

Step 3: Callers who will not call back 1,095 x 0.85 = 931 permanently lost potential guests

Step 4: Conversion rate on answered calls Hotels and motels that answer the phone convert about 30-40% of booking inquiries into reservations. Using a conservative 35%: 931 x 0.35 = 326 lost bookings

Step 5: Revenue per lost booking At a conservative $100 per night (below the $150-$250 average to keep this estimate grounded): 326 x $100 = $32,600 per year in lost revenue

That is $32,600 walking out the door every year. Not because your rooms are not good enough. Not because your prices are too high. Simply because no one picked up the phone.

The 30-Room Motel Calculator

Running a smaller property? The numbers still hurt. Here is the breakdown for a 30-room motel missing just 3 calls per day:

Metric	Value
Missed calls per day	3
Missed calls per year	1,095
Booking-related calls (60%)	657
Callers who will not return (85%)	558
Lost bookings at 35% conversion	195
Revenue per booking ($100/night)	$100
Annual revenue loss	$19,500

And this is the conservative estimate. If your average rate is $150 per night instead of $100, that 30-room motel is losing $29,250 annually. If your average stay is 1.5 nights, multiply again: $43,875.

The OTA Commission Multiplier

There is another layer to this. When a potential guest cannot reach you by phone, they do not just disappear. Many of them go to an OTA and book there instead. Now you get the booking, but you are paying 8-15% commission on it.

On a $150 booking, that is $12-$22.50 going to the OTA. Over hundreds of bookings per year, the commission bleed alone from calls-that-should-have-been-direct can cost a motel $5,000-$15,000 annually.

Add the lost bookings and the commission leakage together, and a mid-sized motel can easily be losing $40,000-$50,000 per year from missed phone calls.

The Ripple Effects

Hotel missed call statistics only capture the direct financial impact. The ripple effects run deeper.

Negative Reviews and Reputation Damage

A guest who calls three times and never gets through does not just move on quietly. They often leave a review. “Tried calling multiple times, no one answered” is one of the most common complaints on Google Reviews for independent motels. Each review like this discourages dozens of future potential guests who read it during their research.

One study from Harvard Business School found that a one-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue. The inverse is also true. Reputation damage from poor phone responsiveness quietly erodes your occupancy rate month after month.

Increased OTA Dependence

Every missed direct call pushes guests toward OTAs. Over time, this creates a vicious cycle. As your direct booking percentage drops, your effective revenue per room drops with it because of commissions. You become more dependent on OTAs for occupancy, which gives them more leverage over your business.

Independent motels that maintain strong direct booking channels, and the phone is the primary one for many properties, retain more control over their revenue and their guest relationships.

Lost Repeat Business

The guest who calls to book directly is often a more loyal guest. They already know your property or were referred by someone. When they cannot get through, you do not just lose one night of revenue. You lose the lifetime value of a repeat guest, which for motels along popular travel routes can mean dozens of stays over the years.

When Calls Get Missed Most

Understanding when calls get missed helps explain why this problem is so persistent, even for attentive motel owners.

After Hours (6 PM to 8 AM)

This is the biggest window. Travelers making last-minute decisions, guests in different time zones, and people planning trips after their own workday call during hours when most motel front desks are unstaffed or operating with minimal coverage. Industry data suggests 35-40% of booking calls come in outside of standard business hours.

For motels without 24-hour front desk staff, this means more than a third of your potential phone bookings arrive when no one is there to answer.

Check-In Rush (3 PM to 6 PM)

The afternoon check-in window is when your front desk is busiest with arriving guests. The phone rings, but the person at the desk is processing a check-in, handling a guest complaint, or answering questions about local restaurants. The call goes to voicemail. The caller hangs up and books elsewhere.

Peak Season and Event Weekends

Ironically, the times when you have the most rooms to sell (or the highest rates to charge) are also when call volume spikes and staff is most stretched. Missing calls during peak season means missing your highest-value bookings.

Solo Operator Hours

Many independent motels are owner-operated. When the owner is cleaning rooms, doing maintenance, handling a supply delivery, or simply eating lunch, the phone goes unanswered. This is not a staffing failure. It is a structural reality of running a small hospitality business.

Solutions: From Band-Aids to Systems

There are several ways motel owners address the missed call problem, each with different trade-offs.

Hiring additional front desk staff solves the problem during staffed hours but is expensive. At $15-$20 per hour, adding even part-time coverage for evenings and weekends adds $15,000-$25,000 per year in labor costs, before taxes and benefits. For many independent motels, this wipes out the revenue the calls would have generated.

Voicemail and callback systems capture the caller’s information, but remember the core statistic: 85% of callers will not leave a message and will not call back. Voicemail is a safety net with very large holes.

Call forwarding to a personal cell phone is common among owner-operators, but it is not sustainable. Taking booking calls during dinner, on days off, or at 2 AM leads to burnout. And when you are in a meeting, driving, or asleep, the call still goes unanswered.

Answering services (human-operated call centers) provide live coverage, but quality varies widely. The person answering does not know your property, your available rooms, or your policies. They take messages. The caller still has to wait for a callback to actually book.

AI phone answering systems are the newest option. These systems answer every call 24/7, can check live availability, quote rates, and in some cases complete the booking on the spot. The cost is typically a fraction of a part-time employee, and they never call in sick, never put a caller on hold, and never miss a call at 2 AM.

The right solution depends on your property size, budget, and how many calls you are currently missing. For a detailed comparison of these options, including real cost breakdowns, see our guide to motel phone answering solutions.

Stop the revenue leak — see how AI phone answering works for motels. Try the demo —>

The Bottom Line

The question is not whether your motel is missing calls. Hotel missed call statistics make it clear: nearly every property is. The question is how much it is costing you and what you are going to do about it.

Here is what we know:

47% of motel and hotel calls go unanswered on average
85% of those callers will never try again
A 30-room motel missing 3 calls/day loses roughly $19,500-$43,000 per year
A 50-room motel missing 5 calls/day loses roughly $32,600-$75,000 per year
Every missed direct call either becomes a lost booking or an OTA booking with 8-15% commission
The reputation damage from “no one answers the phone” reviews compounds the loss over time

These are not theoretical numbers. This is revenue that belongs to your business, leaking out through an invisible hole that most motel owners never measure.

The motel industry runs on thin margins. Occupancy rates, seasonal fluctuations, and rising costs leave little room for waste. Losing tens of thousands of dollars per year to unanswered phone calls is not a minor operational detail. It is one of the largest controllable revenue leaks in independent hospitality.

The motels that will thrive in the next decade are the ones that answer every call, capture every booking, and stop subsidizing OTAs with commissions on guests who tried to book direct first.

Your phone is ringing. The only question is whether someone, or something, is going to answer it.

Ready to capture every call? Book a 15-minute setup call —>