AI-powered front deskBloomington-Normal, IL

We run your front office with AI, so you can stay on the job.

CastNet answers your calls when your hands are full, takes down each caller's details and sends them to you. We set it up, test it and keep it running. You never have to touch the tech.

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  • Done for you
  • Month-to-month
  • Always tells callers it's an AI
  • No tech skills needed
Example call noteTue · 6:42 PM

New caller: leaking water heater

Caller
Sample customer
Callback
(309) 555-0142
Needs
Water heater leaking in the basement. Wants a quote this week.
Urgency
Not an emergency. Asked for a morning callback.
"Thanks for calling Sample Plumbing Co. You're speaking with an AI assistant, and this call is recorded. How can I help?"
Illustration with a sample business. Not a real customer or call.
The problem

You can't answer the phone and do the job at the same time.

When you run a small business, you're usually the receptionist too. Every call you can't pick up is a customer deciding whether to wait for you or call the next name on the list.

Your hands are full

You're under a sink, on a roof or in the middle of a client's color. The phone rings, and stopping isn't an option.

Calls come after hours

People call when they notice the problem: evenings, weekends, on their lunch break. Voicemail rarely gets a message back.

DIY takes time you don't have

AI tools exist, but someone still has to set them up, connect your phone line, test them and fix them. That someone is usually you, at 10 PM.

Search is starting to call for customers. Google Search can now call some local businesses on a customer's behalf to check availability and prices (Google, 2026). If nobody picks up, the customer may never hear about you.

How it works

Four steps. We do the heavy lifting.

Everything happens remotely, on your schedule. You keep your phone number, and nothing goes live until you've approved it.

  1. Tell us about your calls

    A 3-minute email. We'll reply with whether CastNet fits.

    3 minutes

  2. Short setup form

    Your services, hours, prices, service area and what counts as urgent. That's the information your AI receptionist needs.

    Your part

  3. We build, test and you approve

    We write the script for your trade, test it with real calls and send you step-by-step forwarding instructions for your carrier.

    Our part

  4. Go live, then we keep it tuned

    We start after hours, then go full time when you're ready. You get a monthly report, and you can request changes by email.

    Ongoing
What we run for you

One partner for your front office.

Front Desk is where most businesses start. Once your calls are handled, we can take design and social media off your plate too.

Start here

CastNet Front Desk

An AI receptionist set up for your business and managed by us. It picks up when you can't, sounds professional and gets the details right.

  • Answers your calls when you're busy or closed
  • Takes the caller's name, number and what they need, then sends it to you
  • Answers common questions from the info you approve: hours, area, services
  • Tells every caller it's an AI and that the call is recorded
  • Works with your existing number through call forwarding
  • Monthly tune-ups and a plain-English report

CastNet Studio Add-on

Logos, flyers, menus and the everyday design a business needs, in fixed packages with clear prices. No open-ended agency bills.

CastNet Social Add-on

Regular posts for your social pages and upkeep for your Google Business Profile, written for you and sent for your OK before anything goes up.

Why hire CastNet

The AI is the easy part. Running it is the job.

A low-cost app or a ChatGPT prompt gives you a script. It doesn't forward your line, test it, fix it when it gets a call wrong, or keep it compliant. That ongoing work is what you're hiring us for.

The workDoing it yourselfWith CastNet
Writing the script for your businessYou, starting from a blank promptWe write it from your setup form. You approve it.
Connecting your phone lineYou work out call forwarding with your carrierStep-by-step instructions for your carrier, and we test it
Testing before customers hear itOften skippedTest calls first, then live after hours, then full time
When it gets a call wrongYou find out from an unhappy customerWe watch for problems and tune it every month
AI disclosure and Illinois recording consentEasy to missDisclosure in every greeting
When the AI tools changeYou start overWe swap the tools underneath. Your number and setup stay the same.
CommitmentOne more app to manageMonth-to-month, 30 days' notice

Your hours are worth more on the job

Every evening spent learning prompts and phone settings is an evening you're not billing or resting.

Someone is accountable

A local owner, RJ Kelly, answers for how your front desk performs. Month-to-month means we earn it every month.

Compliance built in

AI disclosure, Illinois all-party recording consent and texting consent rules are part of every setup. They're easy to miss when you do it yourself.

Built to keep up

AI tools change monthly. We keep up so your callers get a better experience without you lifting a finger.

Our AI rules

Honest AI, in writing.

Your customers trust you. These rules apply to every business we answer for. No exceptions.

  • It always says it's an AI.Callers hear it in the greeting. We never pretend to be a person.
  • Recording is disclosed up front.Illinois requires everyone's consent to record a call, so callers are told at the start.
  • Answers only. No sales calls.Our AI picks up incoming calls. It never cold-calls anyone.
  • No texts without permission.We only text people who agreed to it, and they can reply STOP anytime.
  • Not a 911 service.Callers with an emergency are told to hang up and call 911.
  • Your data stays yours.We never sell caller information, and we delete it on request, as our providers allow, within 30 days.
Pricing

Clear prices. Month-to-month.

No long contracts. Included minutes are listed on every plan, and we contact you before any overage.

Founding offer · 2 spots

Founding Client

For our first 2 clients. We're new, and we'd rather earn your trust than pretend otherwise.

$125first 30 days

$150 one-time setup

Then $249/month

  • Everything in Front Desk
  • $150 setup instead of $299
  • Up to 300 AI talk minutes

Your $150 setup fee isn't refundable. To stop after the pilot, email [email protected] by day 25. Otherwise your plan continues at $249/mo, billed automatically each month until you cancel.

Claim a founding spot
Most businesses

Front Desk

For an owner-operated shop that misses calls while working.

$249/ month

$299 one-time setup

  • 1 location, 1 phone number
  • Up to 300 AI talk minutes/month
  • Script written and tested for you
  • Caller details sent to you after each call
  • Monthly tune-up and report
Get started
Coming soon

Front Desk Plus

For busier phones and jobs where some calls can't wait.

$399/ month

$499 one-time setup

  • Everything in Front Desk
  • Up to 800 AI talk minutes/month
  • Urgent-call triage and live transfer to you (coming soon)
  • Connects with supported scheduling tools (coming soon)
  • $0.40 per minute over 800
Ask about Plus

Month-to-month. Cancel with 30 days' notice. If you're on track to go over your included minutes, we'll contact you before anything changes. Studio and Social add-ons are quoted as fixed packages. Prices do not include any applicable taxes.

Local and accountable

"I started CastNet in Bloomington-Normal because good local businesses lose customers when they're too busy doing great work to answer the phone. We're new, so you won't find reviews here yet, and we won't fake them. What you will find is a clear price, a month-to-month agreement and a local owner who stands behind your front office every month."

RJ Kelly, founder, CastNet HQ
FAQ

Straight answers.

Don't see your question? Email [email protected] and we'll get back to you.

Why not just use ChatGPT or a low-cost AI receptionist app?

You can. Those tools give you the AI, but you still write the prompts, set up call forwarding, handle the legal disclosures and watch for mistakes. CastNet does all of that and stays responsible for it every month. If you enjoy that kind of setup and have the time, DIY may be right for you. If you'd rather be on the job, that's what we're here for.

Will my callers know they're talking to an AI?

Yes, always. The greeting says it's an AI assistant for your business. We think honesty is better for your reputation, and in many situations it's required.

Are calls recorded? What about Illinois law?

Calls are recorded so we can send you accurate details and keep improving your receptionist. Illinois requires the consent of everyone on a call to record it, so every call begins with a clear notice that it's an AI and that the call is recorded. Recordings are used only to serve your business and are never sold. We keep them for 90 days, and we delete them on request, as our providers allow, within 30 days. See our Privacy Policy.

Do I need a new phone number?

No. You keep your number. You forward calls to your CastNet line when you can't answer or after hours, and we send step-by-step instructions for your phone carrier.

How much of my time does setup take?

About 10 minutes for a setup form about your services, hours and prices. We build and test everything, and you approve it before any customer hears it.

Do we have to meet in person?

No. Everything can be handled online and by email, but we're based right here in Bloomington-Normal and happy to stop by.

What happens if a caller has an emergency?

CastNet is not an emergency service. Callers describing an emergency are told to hang up and call 911. You decide what counts as urgent for your business, and we pass those calls to you the way you choose.

Can it text customers back?

Text-back is on the way. Business texting requires carrier registration and the customer's consent, and we only text people who have agreed to it.

Is there a contract?

No long-term contract. Plans are month-to-month, and you get your service terms in writing before you pay. Cancel with 30 days' notice. Founding clients who want to stop after the 30-day pilot just email us by day 25.

How do I pay?

By secure online invoice, with a card or a bank transfer (ACH is welcome). Monthly plans renew and are billed automatically each month to the card or bank account you authorize, until you cancel. To cancel, email [email protected]. Service ends 30 days after we receive your notice. Setup fees aren't refundable once your line is live.

Where do you work?

We're based in Bloomington-Normal and serve businesses in Illinois only.

Get started

Tell us about your business.

Tell us how calls reach you today, and we'll reply with an honest answer on whether CastNet is a fit. No pressure, no obligation.

Send us a quick email with these five things:

  1. Business name
  2. Your trade
  3. Your town
  4. Roughly how many calls you get a week
  5. The best way to reach you
Get started by email

Prefer to talk? Request a free 15-min call

  • Based inBloomington-Normal, Illinois
  • What happens nextWe reply by email with whether CastNet fits and what setup looks like.