In a roof space in Chatswood or on a switchboard in Mona Vale, you can't take the call. The caller hears from you, and you find out whether it's a quote or no power.
When the power goes out, plenty of people ring the first electrician they find. If the whole street is out, it's Ausgrid's job, not yours. Your job text shows the suburb and what the caller said, so you can ask about the neighbours when you ring back. These are the numbers worth having handy.
| Power out across the street, fallen or sparking powerlines | Ausgrid, 13 13 88, 24 hours. Stay at least 8 metres away from fallen wires. |
|---|---|
| Fault inside the property, safety switch keeps tripping | A licensed electrician |
| Electric shock or tingle | Treat it as an emergency. 000 if anyone is hurt, then Ausgrid. |
| Anyone in danger | 000 |
Last checked 18 October 2026.
Source: Ausgrid, electrical emergencies. Ausgrid is the network for Sydney's north, the Central Coast and the Hunter.
If a caller's reply mentions things like these, the job comes to you marked URGENT straight away:
Quotes for downlights, an EV charger or a switchboard upgrade come through as normal jobs, and after hours they wait until you open.
Every job text includes the suburb the caller gave. I set it up for electricians working in these council areas:
Wholesalers, the builders you work for, property managers and family go on your skip list on the setup call. You can add or remove numbers in the app, or import them from your contacts on Android.
Text-back works well for quote requests, because people can send a photo of the switchboard. If your callers would rather talk than text, the AI receptionist is in pilot with limited spots, and I'm taking expressions of interest.
Price
A$149 a month
When you miss a call, they get a text from you that asks about the job.
Pilot: limited spots
A$249 a month
In pilot, limited spots, taking expressions of interest. The plan: an AI assistant answers the calls you can't, says it's an AI, takes the job and checks with you before anything is booked.
Then A$1.50 per answered call
About the pilotA$300 setup on either plan. No GST is charged. I'm not registered for GST, so the price you see is the price you pay. Want your Google Business Profile tidied up too? A$249 one-off, only if you want it.
Questions
You get an URGENT alert straight away, even after hours. That covers things like a burst pipe, flooding, no power, sparks or a gas smell. The caller is told to ring 000 if anyone is in danger, and given no other safety advice.
That's what it's for. Let it ring, or hit decline, and the call comes to me. If you ring the caller back yourself while it's still texting them, reply "ok" to the alert and it goes quiet.
A text from an Australian mobile number set up for your business. It has your first name and business name and ends with "Reply STOP to opt out." If they ask whether it's automated, they're told yes.
Yes, on any mobile on Telstra, Optus or Vodafone, iPhone or Android. Some prepaid plans only let you forward to voicemail, so I check your plan before you pay anything. On iPhone, turn off "Silence Unknown Callers" or those calls won't reach me.
Yes, that's how the pilot is designed. Its first sentence is: "Hi, you've reached Harbour Plumbing. I'm Dave's AI assistant." If a caller asks whether it's a real person, it says no.
Text-back is A$149 a month. The AI receptionist pilot is A$249 a month with 80 answered calls, then A$1.50 a call. Setup is A$300, and on the pilot your first month is A$149 with no setup fee. No GST is charged.
Get set up
No payment now. I ring on business days, Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm, never Sundays or public holidays. On the call I go through your hours and the numbers you never want texted, then send you one code to dial. You pay once it's working on your phone.
Rather text? 0485 837 591 or email [email protected].