HVAC ANSWERING SERVICE COST WORKSHEET
Original editable worksheet from Turnline
Companion guide: https://turnlinehq.com/blog/hvac-answering-service-cost

Compare the SAME work under every quote. Enter your own numbers.
Provider / plan:
Rate card or written quote URL:
Quote checked date / expiry:
Currency / tax treatment:
Scope: after-hours / overflow / all calls
Required outcome: message / owned callback / booking request / accepted transfer
Evaluation dates:

CONTRACT INPUTS
Base monthly charge:
Billing unit: minutes / calls / other
Included units:
Overage per unit:
Rounding and minimum billable duration:
Spam / repeat call / disconnected call treatment:
Transfer / SMS / number / integration / location charges:
Recurring extras total:
One-time setup and training:
Minimum term, cancellation, export costs:

FILL THREE SCENARIOS
                                      Low        Normal       Peak
Covered calls:
Billable minutes per call (if used):
Expected billable units:
Included units:
Overage units:
Overage cost:
Recurring extras:
Staff review hours:
Internal cost per review hour:
Internal review cost:
Total recurring operating cost:
First-month cash including setup:

FORMULAS
For minute billing: billable units = calls x average billable minutes per call.
Apply the provider's rounding rules before estimating billed usage.
For call billing: use billable calls, not minutes.
Overage units = max(0, billable units - included units).
Overage cost = overage units x overage rate.
Review cost = review hours x internal hourly cost.
Recurring operating cost = base + overage + recurring extras + review cost.
First-month cash = recurring operating cost + one-time setup/training.
Add any applicable taxes or other quoted charges separately.

WORKED EXAMPLE -- ALL FIGURES ARE HYPOTHETICAL
Base $250 includes 200 minutes; extra minutes $1.50; recurring extras $25.
Review time valued at $30/hour. Calls use 3 billable minutes each.
Normal: 100 calls -> 300 minutes -> 100 extra minutes -> $150 overage.
Review: 4 hours -> $120. Total = 250 + 150 + 25 + 120 = $545.
Peak: 200 calls -> 600 minutes -> 400 extra minutes -> $600 overage.
Review: 8 hours -> $240. Total = 250 + 600 + 25 + 240 = $1,115.
If setup is $180, first-month cash is $725 or $1,295 respectively.
These exclude taxes and any unlisted fees; they are not vendor or Turnline prices.

OUTCOMES -- KEEP EACH STAGE SEPARATE
Calls answered:
Qualified requests:
Accepted human transfers:
Confirmed appointments:
Completed jobs:
Completed AND paid jobs attributable to covered calls:
Evidence connecting original calls to paid jobs:
Jobs likely to have happened without the service (do not claim as recovered):

Cost per completed paid job = recurring operating cost / attributable paid jobs.
If completed paid jobs = 0, the ratio is undefined. Report zero outcomes.
Job contribution = collected job revenue - variable costs to deliver that job.
Include direct labor, parts, equipment, payment fees, and other variable costs.
Net contribution after answering = attributable contribution - operating cost.
This is before fixed overhead and tax, not a guaranteed profit or causal result.

ILLUSTRATIVE OUTCOME CALCULATION
$545 / 5 completed paid jobs = $109 per job.
5 genuinely additional jobs x $180 contribution = $900.
$900 - $545 = $355 before fixed overhead and tax.
At $180/job, ceil($545 / $180) = 4 additional jobs to cover monthly cost.
These are assumptions, not measured Turnline outcomes.

DECISION
Invoice reconciled with call log:
Failure and correction time reviewed:
Continue / adjust / stop:
Decision owner and next review date: