---
title: "Have your AI agent call a business the moment it opens"
description: "It's late or the weekend and the place is closed. Your AI agent schedules the call for their opening time, and CallForMe dials by itself then."
url: https://callforme.tel/use-cases/call-when-they-open
published: 2026-11-02
updated: 2026-11-02
author: CallForMe team, Great Work LLC
---

# Have your AI agent call a business the moment it opens

> Tell your agent what you need and when to call, like "when they open tomorrow". It schedules the call with call_at, CallForMe dials by itself at that time, and your agent picks up the answers afterward. Scheduling is free; you pay the usual $1 per answered call when it goes out.

**Say to your agent:** "Lakeside Pharmacy is closed now. Have CallForMe call them at 9:05 tomorrow morning when they open and ask if my lisinopril refill is ready and what it costs. The prescription is under Sam Ortiz."

Most errands come up when the business is closed: a refill you remember at night, a cancellation you think of on Sunday, a quote you want first thing Monday. Calling into a closed line gets you voicemail or an after-hours menu. Your agent can schedule the call for when they open instead.

## What your agent does

1. **find_business** for the number and today's hours, if it doesn't have them.
2. **place_call** with the usual goal and details plus `call_at`, the opening time in the business's time zone:

<details><summary>What your agent sends (for developers)</summary>

```json
{
  "phone": "+12145550172",
  "business_name": "Lakeside Pharmacy",
  "goal": "Ask whether Sam Ortiz's lisinopril refill is ready and what it costs.",
  "details": "Prescription under Sam Ortiz, date of birth on file is March 14, 1976.",
  "on_behalf_of": "Sam Ortiz",
  "call_at": "2026-11-03T09:05:00-06:00"
}
```

</details>

3. The reply says `scheduled`, with a `batch_id` and the time. At that time CallForMe dials by itself.
4. Later, **get_batch** with that `batch_id` returns the call's answers, and **get_call** with its `call_id` the transcript.

## Good times to pick

- **A few minutes after opening,** so the line is staffed when the call comes in.
- **Mid-morning on weekdays** for customer-service lines. Toll-free lines often keep weekday hours only, and CallForMe warns your agent on weekends and late evenings.
- **Before the lunch rush** for restaurants and salons.

## What it costs

Scheduling is free. When the call goes out it's the usual $1 per answered call, including the first 2 minutes, then $0.40 a minute. A call nobody answers, or one that reaches only a closed line's recording, costs nothing.

## Related

- [Will it call late at night?](/guides/when-will-ai-call-quiet-hours)
- [Pharmacy refills](/use-cases/pharmacy-prescription-stock)
- [Companies you can only cancel by phone](/guides/companies-you-can-only-cancel-by-phone)
- [Call around](/guides/call-around)

## FAQ

### How far ahead can I schedule a call?

Up to 7 days. A time before 7am at the business waits until 7am their time.

### Do I need to be around when it calls?

No. The call goes out by itself and the results wait for your agent. If the business needs something mid-call and your agent isn't there to answer within about 45 seconds, the assistant says you'll follow up on that point and gets what it can.

### Can I cancel a scheduled call?

Yes. Ask your agent to cancel it before the time; it uses stop_batch with the batch_id it got back.

### What if they're still closed when it calls?

If the call reaches a closed line's after-hours recording, the assistant hangs up right away and it isn't charged. Your agent can schedule it again for later.

## Related

- [Text-only business calls for deaf, blind and speech-disabled](https://callforme.tel/guides/phone-calls-if-you-are-deaf-or-hard-of-hearing.md)
- [Have AI call pharmacies for you](https://callforme.tel/call/pharmacies.md)
- [Let your AI agent make your small business's phone calls](https://callforme.tel/guides/ai-phone-calls-for-small-business.md)
- [Is it legal for AI to call a business? (US)](https://callforme.tel/guides/is-it-legal-for-ai-to-call-a-business.md)
- [Can ChatGPT make phone calls? How to let it call a business](https://callforme.tel/guides/let-chatgpt-call-a-business.md)