Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions
The basics
What does Acorn actually do?
We handle everything between your phone ringing and the job landing on your board. Answering calls you miss, following up estimates that go quiet, asking for reviews after the job, and waking up customers you have not spoken to in years.
Do I have to switch software?
No. We sit in front of whatever you already run. See our integrations page for specifics.
You sell a CRM. Does that replace my ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro?
No. AcornCRM is where your leads, calls and conversations live — the front-of-house record. Your field service software stays the system of record for jobs, dispatch, pricing and invoicing. If you already have one, keep it; we feed it. If you do not have one and do not want one, AcornCRM is often enough on its own.
Do you work with companies my size?
We work with HVAC contractors from one truck up. If you are large enough to have a full-time office manager and a marketing team, we are probably not the right fit — you need something more custom than what we do.
Do you only work with HVAC?
Yes, and it is deliberate. Every workflow we build assumes seasonality, emergency calls, unsold estimates and maintenance plans. A generalist agency has to learn your business. We already speak it.
Where are you located, and does it matter?
We are based in Texas and work with contractors across the US. Everything we do is remote — there is nothing to install at your shop.
Getting started
How long does setup take?
Two weeks for the majority of the work to be done and it to be live. Results may vary based on your own abilities to get us the deliverables.
How much of my time will this take?
A kickoff call, then a list of things only you can answer — your prices, your service area, what you do and do not work on. Realistically two to three hours of your time in the first two weeks, then almost none.
What do you need from me to start?
Access to your Google Business Profile, your website, and your existing customer list if you have one. Plus the answers to our intake form, which is the part that actually determines whether this works.
Why does text messaging take longer to turn on?
Because of a carrier registration process called A2P 10DLC. Every business sending automated texts in the US has to register, and approval takes time and is outside anyone's control. We start it on day one and turn texting on the moment it clears. Everything else — call answering, email, reviews, follow-up — runs while you wait.
Can I keep my existing phone number?
Yes. We can forward your existing number so nothing changes for your customers and your marketing does not need reprinting.
The AI
Will my customers know they are talking to a robot?
If they ask, it tells them — plainly. We would rather be upfront than have a homeowner feel tricked, and in some states disclosure is required anyway.
What happens when the AI does not know something?
It says it does not know, takes a name and number, and hands it to a person. It does not guess. An assistant that invents an answer about a warranty or a price costs you a customer, so we build it to stop rather than improvise.
What about emergencies? Gas leaks?
Safety questions are handled before anything else. If someone reports a gas smell, a carbon monoxide alarm, or smoke, the assistant stops the conversation, refuses to book, and tells them to call 911. That behaviour is not optional and cannot be overridden by a booking goal.
Does it speak Spanish?
Yes, including safety scripts written in Spanish rather than translated on the fly.
Will it book jobs I cannot do?
No. We build an explicit list of what you do not service — water heaters, boilers, commercial over a certain size, whatever applies — and it declines those politely instead of sending you on a wasted truck roll.
Money
What does it cost?
It is all on our pricing page — nothing hidden behind a call. Short version: you can buy pieces individually, between $200 and $500 a month each, or take a bundle. Foundation is $1,500/mo, Growth $3,000/mo, Scale $5,000/mo. There is also a software-only plan from $499/mo if you want the tools without us managing them.
Should I buy individual pieces or a bundle?
If one specific thing is broken — you are missing calls, or estimates go unfollowed — buy that one thing and fix it. Bundles make sense when the pieces feed each other: calls you catch land in the CRM, reviews lift your ranking, ranking brings more calls. Most contractors start with Foundation.
Is there a contract?
Is there a setup fee?
What if I want to cancel?
Are there costs beyond your monthly fee?
Yes, and we would rather say so now than surprise you on an invoice. Call minutes and text messages are billed on what you actually use. Depending on your setup you may need a paid Zapier plan to connect your field service software. Ad spend, if you run ads, goes straight to the platform and never through us.
If it does not work out
Who owns the phone number if I leave?
You do. We will port it out. A number your customers have been calling for fifteen years is not something we get to hold hostage.
Who owns my customer data?
You do. If you leave, you get a full export. No fee, no delay.
What if I already have a marketing company?
That is common and often fine — a lot of what we do sits alongside rather than on top. If there is genuine overlap we will say so rather than sell you the same thing twice.
Still have a Questions?
Book a free 15-minute Numbers Review, or email info@acorntechautomations.com.
Get In Touch
Book a free 15-minute Numbers Review and we'll show you where jobs are leaking out of your business — unchased estimates, customers who never came back, and where you're invisible on Google. You can also email info@acorntechautomations.com or call toll free at 1-888-812-1050.
No pitch, no obligation
Find out where your jobs are leaking
Fifteen minutes. We look at your follow-up, your dormant customer list, and where you show up in search — then put a dollar figure on the gap. You keep that number whether or not you ever hire us.
Takes about 30 seconds
1-888-812-1050
