Calls

Forwarding sends the calls you miss to your TradeCatch number, so your AI receptionist can pick them up. Nothing changes about your own business number — you're just adding a divert.

The dial code is the same on every UK mobile network, including EE, O2, Vodafone and Three: dial **61* then your TradeCatch number then #, and press call. You'll see a confirmation message on screen. To turn it off again, dial ##002# and press call.

Open Calls and tap Forwarding to get your exact TradeCatch number, ready-to-copy codes, and a 60-second test step. It also gives two extra codes, for when you're on another call or out of signal. Dial each one separately.

To check it's working: call your business number from a different phone, let it ring without answering, and your AI receptionist should pick up.

Ring your business number from another phone and let it ring 4 or 5 times without answering. Your AI receptionist should pick up.

If it did, tap "Yes, my receptionist picked up" on the Forwarding page. That ticks forwarding off your list on Home.

If it didn't, your voicemail may be catching the call first. Dial ##002# to clear all diverts, then dial the forwarding codes again.

Open Calls, tap Forwarding, then tap "Turn off forwarding". It gives you the code to dial, ##002#, with a copy button, and a Dial button on Android. Once you've dialled it, calls ring your phone as normal and TradeCatch won't answer them.

That code removes every divert in one go, voicemail included. If you use voicemail, switch it back on in your network's app, or ring your network and ask them to.

To turn TradeCatch back on, tap "Turn forwarding back on" on the same page. It takes you to your forwarding codes and the test call.

There's no switch in the app that pauses your receptionist, on purpose. With forwarding still on, a paused receptionist would leave your callers with nobody answering.

Yes. Forwarding only redirects the calls you miss to your TradeCatch number — your own business number stays exactly as it is.

That's your choice when you forward. "Forward when I don't answer" is the one most people pick. Your phone rings as normal, and the AI receptionist only picks up if you don't.

"Forward all calls" sends every call straight to the AI receptionist, and your phone won't ring at all.

You take the call as normal. With "Forward when I don't answer", the AI receptionist only steps in after a few rings with no answer.

Yes. It answers any time, day or night, every day of the year. If your opening hours were on your website when you set up, it can tell callers what they are.

It's an AI receptionist, and it says so. Every greeting introduces it as the AI receptionist for your business.

If a caller asks whether they're talking to a real person, it tells them honestly. Most callers just want their job sorted, and it's quick and friendly.

It answers with your business name, says it's the AI receptionist, and asks how it can help. For example: "You've reached Dave Mitchell Plumbing. I'm the AI receptionist for Dave. How can I help?"

You can see it in Calls, under Settings, as the opening message.

You can change the voice. Open Calls, tap Settings, and find "How it sounds". There are four voices to choose from, and you can play each one first.

You can't rewrite the greeting word for word. It changes when you change your business name, your name, or who it speaks for (your name, the team, or a name you choose).

You can also change your business details and the questions it asks callers. Most changes go live as soon as you save.

During setup you tell it your services, the areas you cover, and what makes you different. To change them later, open Calls, tap Settings, and edit "Your business details".

It never gives callers prices. It tells them someone from the business will get back to them with a price. That keeps you in control of what you quote.

It treats it as urgent. For a gas smell, it tells the caller to open the windows, leave the property and ring the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999. For a burst pipe, it tells them to turn the water off at the stopcock.

If anyone is in danger, it tells them to call 999. The call is flagged as urgent, and it goes to the top of Needs you so you see it first.

It doesn't put the caller through to you. Call them back as soon as you can.

Open Calls and tap Calls. Every call your AI receptionist has handled is there, newest first. You can narrow it to calls to ring back, won, quoted and so on.

The list starts on this week. Switch to "All calls" to see older ones.

Tap a call to see what the caller said, listen to the recording and read the transcript. From there you can ring them, text them, or draft a quote.

By text and email, every time someone describes a job. You set the mobile and email address during setup.

You can have leads sent to WhatsApp too. Open Calls, tap Settings, and switch on "Send leads to WhatsApp". You can send yourself a test message to check it works.

You only get a lead text when the caller describes a job. A call where they rang off early, or never said what they needed, still shows in your calls list, but doesn't send a text.

If you changed your mobile or email in Settings after going live, your alerts are still going to the old details. Email us at support@tradecatch.ai and we'll switch them over for you.

You can't edit the call itself, but you can fix the customer. Open Customers, find them, and tap Edit to change their name, phone, email or address.

The recording and transcript on the call show exactly what the caller said.

The only calls Catch makes to your customers are missed-call callbacks: if someone rings off before your AI receptionist has taken their details, we ring them straight back to catch the job. It's off unless you switched it on — we never call anyone on your behalf by default.

To turn it off: open Calls, tap Settings (the page is called Receptionist settings), and switch off "Call missed callers back automatically". It takes effect straight away, and you can turn it back on whenever you like.

First, check they rang the right number. With "Forward when I don't answer", a call you picked up yourself never reaches the AI receptionist.

Next, check the calls list is set to "All calls", not this week. Calls show up within about a minute.

If calls still aren't reaching it, your voicemail may be taking them first. Dial ##002#, then dial the forwarding codes again and test.

The AI receptionist answers every call the same polite way. If the caller doesn't describe a job, no lead text is sent. The call still shows in your calls list, so you can see who rang.

It doesn't block sales calls yet.

It's the local number your AI receptionist answers. Your own number forwards to it, so customers can keep ringing the number they already know.

You can give it out too. Anyone who rings it directly gets your AI receptionist, the same as a forwarded call.