Client
Hawaii Fluid Art is a franchise art studio with locations across the United States, offering a variety of art classes and creative experiences. Anyone can create, no matter their artistic ability level.
“Fluid Art brings people together for a unique experience focused on self-expression,” says founder Maya Ratcliff. Bringing people together starts with the phone: classes, parties and events are booked by callers, and a growing franchise multiplies that call volume with every new location.
The studios host walk-ins, scheduled classes, private parties and corporate events, so the phone carries real revenue. A missed call is not a missed question; it is an empty seat in a class that runs that same evening, and a caller who books their party somewhere else.
The Challenge
Before partnering with Abby, Hawaii Fluid Art faced missed calls and lost business opportunities. As the business grew, so did the volume of calls, and the team was unable to keep up:
- Delayed response times: with the studio floor busy, some customers waited too long for answers.
- Voicemails: many customers were forced to leave voicemails, and voicemails became lost bookings.
- Customer satisfaction: delays frustrated customers, which affected satisfaction and growth potential.
“Missing calls really slowed down the growth of our company. We spend money on Abby, but it’s worth it.”
The objectives: ensure 24/7 availability for client inquiries, eliminate the voicemail overload, and improve overall customer satisfaction with prompt, professional service.
The Solution
Hawaii Fluid Art researched several receptionist services, looking for one based in the U.S. with a strong reputation for reliability and customer service. The selection criteria: 24/7 availability, capacity to manage high call volumes, a seamless white-glove onboarding process, and a proven track record of enhancing customer satisfaction. After evaluating several services, they chose Abby.
Abby’s U.S.-based receptionists now answer every studio call with friendly, professional service, and after-hours and overflow answering covers the evenings, weekends and busy spikes when the team is teaching.
Onboarding was the white-glove process the team had been looking for: Abby captured the studios’ greeting, class questions and booking instructions, and appointment scheduling is handled on the call itself. Messages and call details reach the team within seconds through the AbbyGO app, coverage runs 24/7 with no after-hours or weekend upcharge, and bilingual English/Spanish answering is included on every plan. Hawaii Fluid Art’s favorite features:
- U.S.-based receptionists
- Friendly, professional service
- 24/7 availability as needed
- The AbbyGO mobile app
Because the coverage flexes, studios can forward the phones when a class begins and take them back when the room clears; Abby answers in between, and callers never know the difference. That is what “24/7 availability as needed” means in practice for a business whose staff spends the day teaching. Outbound calls such as booking confirmations and follow-ups are available on any plan, which keeps class rosters accurate without adding another task for the studio team.
“Abby answering service is a smart solution to expand business operations.” Maya Ratcliff, Founder of Hawaii Fluid Art
The Results
- Eliminated missed calls: call handling was streamlined, appointment scheduling became more efficient, and the team focused on core activities.
- Improved customer interactions: no more waiting for a call back or dealing with long ring times, and customer satisfaction rose with it.
- Operational efficiency gains: no longer burdened by call volume, the team focused on running the business and fulfilling customer needs.
For a franchise, consistency is the product: a caller in one market gets the same welcome as a caller in another, and every studio’s calendar fills without its staff leaving the classroom floor.
In Their Words
“We needed to team up with a virtual receptionist service. The transition to Abby was great. We were well taken care of. Now we have no more missed calls and no more voicemails.”
“Partnering with Abby has eased the workload of our staff. It has also helped us expand our operations.”
What will your success story look like? Abby has answered calls for small businesses for more than 20 years, and every plan starts with a free trial and no setup fee.
