Why 24/7 Availability Wins in 2026

Juliana Yorio

Welcome back to Prosprus: AI Insights. I’m Juliana, and with me, as always, is Simon. Simon, I want to jump right in — because the way customers expect businesses to respond has completely changed. People want answers immediately, no matter the time or the channel. And it’s kind of amazing how fast that became the norm, right?

Simon Carver

Yeah, absolutely, Juliana. Not that long ago, if you called a business after six p.m. and got voicemail, that was normal. You might leave a message — or you might not. But now, if there’s any delay, people move on fast. I was helping a friend with a plumbing issue last month. He called three companies on a Sunday night, and the one that got the job was the only one that texted him back right away. The others didn’t respond until Monday.

Juliana Yorio

That’s the reality now. Whether it’s a phone call, a text message, or even a chatbot on your website, customers expect businesses to be responsive — twenty-four seven. And here’s the key point: if that first touch goes unanswered, your chances of winning that customer drop fast. We touched on this in our episode about missed calls, but it’s worth repeating. That “we’ll call them back later” approach? In real life, it almost never works. By the time you circle back, they’ve already found someone else.

Simon Carver

Right — and it’s not that people are upset. They’re just done waiting. It’s like walking into a store and there’s no one at the counter. How long do you really stand there — especially if you’re in a rush? Most people don’t wait. They move on. The same thing happens digitally. A missed call or an unanswered chat feels like that empty checkout line. And after seeing this come up again and again — especially last season — one thing is clear: if you don’t respond quickly, you’re leaving money on the table.

Juliana Yorio

So let’s talk about how businesses are actually dealing with this. Not everyone can — or should — grow their team just to cover every hour of the day. That’s where automation can help, especially for those first points of contact. Simon, you’ve seen this firsthand with service businesses. What’s worked — and what hasn’t?

Simon Carver

Yeah, for sure. And honestly, some businesses overdo it — they try to automate everything, and it ends up feeling like you’re talking to a robot. The sweet spot is when automation handles the basics. Things like, “Thanks for reaching out — we got your message,” or sending a simple qualifying text to keep the conversation moving. But once things get more nuanced — pricing questions, special requests — that’s where a real person needs to step in.

Juliana Yorio

Totally. We’re not talking about replacing people — we’re talking about freeing up your team to focus on the moments where a real person actually makes the difference. Automation should support your business, not try to run the entire customer experience end to end. The best use is letting technology handle things like routing, follow-up, and instant replies — so your team can show up when human connection really matters.

Simon Carver

Exactly. Like we talked about in our SMS automation episode, the technology should tee things up — not try to play the whole game. We’ve all experienced those chatbot loops that never let you reach a real person. That’s when automation stops helping. The real win is using AI to support your team, not replace it.

Simon Carver

You know, looping back to what really makes the difference — speed is everything. I think about this a lot when we talk with business owners. It’s almost never the fanciest system or the lowest price that wins the customer. It’s whoever responds first. If you reply to a lead at ten p.m., that trust is already forming — before price even enters the conversation. And by the time competitors respond, you’re already ahead.

Juliana Yorio

And that really brings us back to why being “always on” works for so many businesses — not just large corporations or big-box brands. The first company to respond gets to shape the relationship. And when your process is fast and transparent from the start, that trust is often worth more than a small price difference. That said, not every business needs to be available around the clock. The key is matching availability to your market. Are your customers looking for urgent, right-now answers — like emergency plumbing? Or can it wait until morning, like something more consultative, such as interior design?

Simon Carver

Exactly. If someone’s browsing patio furniture at midnight, you probably don’t need a real person on hand — but an automated message or friendly chatbot can still show you care, set expectations, and keep things moving until your team is back. But when every lead is high-intent and ready to buy, missing that first contact can cost you the deal. At the end of the day, it’s about tuning your response level to what actually matters for your customers and your industry — not chasing “always on” just because it sounds trendy.

Juliana Yorio

That’s it. And as the tools get smarter, we’re going to see more businesses getting clearer about those boundaries. The goal isn’t to burn out your team or automate away trust — it’s to use automation as leverage, so speed and personalization can work together. We’ll walk through some real examples of those handoff points in the next episode. But for now, I think we’ve made a pretty strong case for speed — and for smart, always-on operations.

Simon Carver

Yeah — and I’m sure we’ll hear from listeners who’ve tried this themselves. Finding that balance between automation and the human touch looks different for everyone, and it’s always interesting to hear those perspectives. Juliana, always a pleasure.

Juliana Yorio

Same here, Simon. Thanks for listening, everyone. We’ll catch you on the next episode of Prosprus: AI Insights. Bye for now.