Terms of Service

1. Service description

SteadyBell provides live missed-call and overflow answering, caller intake, message handling, approved FAQ responses, call logging, handoff, and other specifically authorized support. We follow the client-specific greeting, playbook, escalation instructions, and service boundaries established during onboarding.

SteadyBell is not an emergency dispatch service, medical service, legal service, public-safety answering point, or substitute for 911. We do not diagnose technical problems, guarantee appointments, promise arrival or callback times, quote unapproved pricing, or make commitments on a client’s behalf unless the client has expressly authorized that workflow.

2. Live coverage and availability

Standard launch live coverage is Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central Time, excluding any closures or exceptions communicated to the client. Outside agreed live hours, calls follow the client-approved fallback.

We work to provide reliable live answering, but uninterrupted or error-free availability is not guaranteed. Simultaneous calls, carrier outages, internet or telephony failures, severe weather, staffing limitations, third-party outages, or events beyond reasonable control can affect service. We establish fallback handling during onboarding so calls have a defined path when live answering is unavailable.

3. Onboarding, forwarding, and activation

Before activation, the client must complete requested onboarding information, approve the call-handling playbook, provide accurate escalation and handoff contacts, and make the required first payment.

SteadyBell assigns a forwarding number and helps the client configure the agreed no-answer, overflow, or direct-forwarding setup. The exact forwarding steps depend on the client’s carrier, phone system, equipment, and account permissions. The client remains responsible for its telephone account, carrier relationship, equipment, forwarding settings, and any third-party charges. Clients should not provide SteadyBell with phone-carrier or other account passwords.

Most accounts can be ready within 1–2 business days after first payment and completed onboarding, but this is an estimate rather than a guaranteed activation time. Activation occurs only after configuration and test calls are successfully completed and SteadyBell confirms the go-live date.

The client’s paid monthly service period begins on the actual go-live date, not merely the date the initial payment was submitted.

4. Client responsibilities

The client is responsible for keeping business information, service areas, hours, escalation contacts, approved pricing, FAQs, scheduling authority, and other instructions accurate and current. The client must promptly tell SteadyBell when those instructions change.

The client is responsible for the legality and accuracy of the instructions it asks SteadyBell to use and for making any disclosures required by law for its own business, industry, callers, recordings, scheduling, or communications.

5. Receptionist minutes and usage

Unless a written order states otherwise, receptionist usage includes live call-handling time and the immediate work reasonably required to log and hand off the call. Standard plan usage is measured in 30-second increments. Included minutes expire at the end of the billing cycle and do not roll over.

Usage above the included amount is billed at the overage rate stated for the client’s plan. Authorized outbound or special work may be billed separately at the rate agreed with the client.

6. Payment and renewal

Monthly plans are prepaid. The first monthly payment must clear before activation. After activation, the plan renews on the client’s billing anniversary unless cancelled in accordance with these Terms or a client-specific agreement. Overage charges are billed after the relevant billing cycle because the final usage amount is not known in advance.

Taxes, carrier fees, payment-processor fees charged directly to the client, and other third-party costs are the client’s responsibility unless a written agreement states otherwise. SteadyBell may suspend service for unpaid balances after reasonable notice.

7. Cancellation and refunds

Before activation. If a client cancels before the service goes live, the prepaid first monthly service fee will be refunded. Any separately disclosed setup or onboarding fee may become non-refundable once setup work has begun. A currently waived setup fee creates no refund amount.

After activation. Monthly plan fees are generally non-refundable once a paid service period has begun, and unused portions of a monthly cycle are not prorated. Exceptions may be made for a verified billing error, SteadyBell’s inability to provide the paid service, a written service guarantee, or when required by applicable law.

Future renewal. A client may cancel future renewal by notifying SteadyBell before the next billing date. Unless otherwise agreed, service remains available through the end of the already-paid period.

Usage charges. Valid usage and overage charges are non-refundable except for documented billing errors. Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method when reasonably possible.

If SteadyBell ends a prepaid service period for reasons not caused by the client’s breach or nonpayment, we may provide a prorated refund for the unused prepaid portion as appropriate.

8. Caller information and confidentiality

SteadyBell may receive and process caller names, phone numbers, service addresses, service needs, messages, urgency information, and other details needed to perform the client’s requested call-handling workflow. SteadyBell uses that information to provide the service, create handoffs, support billing and operations, and meet legal obligations. Our broader data practices are described in the Privacy Policy.

Clients should not instruct callers or SteadyBell to collect highly sensitive information that is not genuinely needed for the agreed workflow, such as full payment-card numbers, account passwords, Social Security numbers, or detailed medical information.

9. Acceptable use

Clients may not use SteadyBell for unlawful, deceptive, abusive, harassing, fraudulent, or unsafe activity. We may refuse or suspend workflows that create material legal, safety, security, or reputational risk, or that require professional judgment we are not authorized or qualified to provide.

10. Third-party systems

SteadyBell relies on third-party hosting, email, telephony, payment, and other operational providers. Their outages, policies, carrier restrictions, or technical limitations may affect service. SteadyBell is not responsible for third-party services outside our reasonable control, though we will make reasonable efforts to communicate material issues and use available fallback procedures.

11. Website and intellectual property

The SteadyBell name, website design, written materials, workflows, and other original content are owned by SteadyBell or used with permission. You may not copy, resell, or misrepresent our materials or services as your own except with written permission.

12. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, SteadyBell provides the website and services without warranties that every call will be answered, every lead will convert, or service will be uninterrupted. We do not guarantee revenue, saved leads, response times by the client, or outcomes from any caller interaction.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, SteadyBell will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising from the website or services. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited. Any additional liability limits in a signed client agreement will control for that client.

13. Suspension and termination

SteadyBell may suspend or terminate service for nonpayment, unlawful or abusive use, material breach, material safety or security concerns, or repeated failure to maintain workable call-routing instructions. When practical, we will provide notice and an opportunity to correct the issue.

14. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms as the service evolves. The current version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Material changes affecting active clients will be communicated as reasonably appropriate and will not retroactively remove rights already accrued under a paid service period.

15. Governing law

Unless a client-specific agreement states otherwise, these Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Arkansas, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Applicable consumer, payment, and privacy rights that cannot be waived remain in effect.

16. Contact

Questions about these Terms, billing, cancellation, or service can be sent to hello@steadybellservices.com.