Terms of Service

1. Service Description

AnswerHQ ("we," "us," "our") provides an AI-powered phone answering service for businesses ("the Service"). Our Service uses artificial intelligence to answer incoming phone calls on behalf of your business, take messages, provide information to callers, and optionally book appointments.

The Service is operated by 2317959 Ontario Inc., a corporation registered in the Province of Ontario, Canada. By using AnswerHQ, you agree to these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

2. Account Registration

To use the Service, you must create an account and provide accurate, complete information about your business. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

You must be at least 18 years old and have the authority to bind your business to these Terms. By registering, you represent that all information you provide is truthful and that you have the right to use the business name and phone numbers associated with your account.

3. Subscription Plans and Billing

We offer the following subscription plans, billed monthly:

• Free Trial: All new accounts receive a 14-day free trial. No credit card is required to start a trial. You will not be charged until the trial period ends.
• Billing Cycle: Subscriptions are billed monthly starting from the date your trial ends. All prices are in US dollars (USD).
• Payment: We accept major credit cards processed through Stripe. You authorize us to charge your payment method on file at the beginning of each billing cycle.
• Price Changes: We may adjust pricing with at least 30 days' written notice. Existing subscribers will be notified by email before any price change takes effect.

4. Usage Limits and Overages

Each subscription plan includes a specific number of AI-answered calls per monthly billing period. When you reach your plan's call limit:

1. Call Forwarding: Incoming calls will be forwarded directly to your business phone number instead of being answered by the AI. This ensures your callers can still reach you.
2. Complimentary Forwarding: We provide up to 100 minutes of complimentary call forwarding per billing period after you exceed your plan limit.
3. Account Pause: Once the 100 complimentary forwarding minutes are exhausted, your account will be paused until your next billing cycle begins. While paused, incoming calls will hear a message directing them to contact your business directly.
4. Auto-Upgrade (Optional): You may opt in to automatic plan upgrades. When enabled, your plan will be upgraded to the next tier when you hit your call limit, rather than switching to forwarding mode. You can set a maximum plan tier to cap upgrades.

For detailed information about how usage limits work, see our Usage Limits & Fair Use page.

5. Cancellation and Refunds

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account dashboard or by contacting us. Upon cancellation:

• Your service will continue until the end of your current billing period.
• You will not be charged for subsequent billing periods.
• Any phone number provisioned for your account will be released at the end of the billing period.
• We do not offer prorated refunds for partial months of service.
• During your free trial, you can cancel at any time without being charged.

6. Data Handling and Recordings

In the course of providing the Service, we process and store:

• Call recordings and transcripts from AI-answered calls
• Messages taken on behalf of your business
• Caller phone numbers and names (when provided by caller ID)
• Appointment bookings made through the AI
• Business information you provide during setup

You are responsible for complying with all applicable laws regarding call recording and consent in your jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions require all-party consent for call recording. We recommend informing callers that their call may be recorded, which can be included in your AI greeting. For complete details, see our Privacy Policy.

7. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Engage in any illegal activity or solicit others to do so
• Harass, abuse, or harm callers or any other person
• Impersonate another business or misrepresent your business identity
• Send unsolicited calls or use the Service for telemarketing or robocalling
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, hack, or disrupt the Service
• Use the Service in a way that could damage, disable, or impair our systems
• Resell or sublicense access to the Service without our prior written consent
• Provide medical, legal, or emergency advice through the AI receptionist
• Use the Service for any purpose that violates applicable telecommunications laws

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate this Acceptable Use Policy.

8. AI Limitations and Disclaimer

Our AI receptionist is designed to handle common phone interactions but has limitations:

• The AI may occasionally misunderstand callers or provide inaccurate responses.
• The AI is not a substitute for a trained human receptionist in all situations.
• The AI cannot handle emergency situations and should not be relied upon for urgent matters.
• Call quality depends on the caller's phone connection and ambient noise.
• Service availability depends on third-party providers (Twilio, ElevenLabs) and internet connectivity.

You acknowledge that AI-generated responses may not always be perfect and agree to review messages and transcripts for accuracy.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied.
• We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or completely secure.
• We are not liable for any missed calls, inaccurate messages, failed appointments, or business losses resulting from the use of or inability to use the Service.
• Our total liability to you for any claims arising from the Service shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the 3 months preceding the claim.
• We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless AnswerHQ, 2317959 Ontario Inc., and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party.

11. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account at any time if:

• You violate these Terms or our Acceptable Use Policy
• Your payment method fails and is not resolved within 14 days
• We reasonably believe your account is being used for fraudulent purposes
• Required by law or regulation

Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. We will retain your data for 30 days after termination, after which it may be permanently deleted.

12. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email and post the updated Terms on our website with a new "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree with the changes, you may cancel your subscription before they take effect.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be resolved in the courts of Ontario, Canada.

14. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us: