Cash4Keys is a real estate investment firm, founded by Roberto Schimmenti. Operating in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, the company purchases houses directly from owners for cash, in as-is condition. After getting his start by watching other house flippers on YouTube, Roberto knew he needed a competitive edge and a clear understanding of which marketing efforts — from postcards to PPC campaigns — were driving the best results.
"Missing a lead could cost as much as half a million dollars. Ensuring no calls are ever missed is arguably one of the most critical aspects of my business.”
– Roberto Schimmenti, Founder, Cash4Keys
The challenge: The cost of a missed call
In high-stakes real estate investing, speed and responsiveness are everything. A missed call doesn't just mean a missed opportunity — it can mean missing out on a massive deal. As a founder, Roberto personally handled a significant number of inbound calls, but he struggled to keep up with the demand. If he was on-site or unavailable, a valuable lead would go straight to voicemail, dramatically dropping the chances of a conversion.
Hiring a team to manage inbound calls proved to be a challenge. Alternatives like hiring additional full-time staff or using a call center or virtual receptionist service were not only costly but could also be inconsistent and unable to scale effectively. These options couldn't provide the reliable, 24/7 coverage Roberto needed to guarantee every high-value lead was captured. He needed a solution that was professional, consistent, and cost-effective, ensuring no lead ever slips through the cracks.
The solution: A reliable, 24/7 AI voice assistant
To solve the critical issue of missed calls, Roberto became an early adopter of CallRail's Voice Assist – an AI voice agent that answers and qualifies inbound calls when he can’t. Rather than letting valuable leads go to voicemail, Voice Assist picks up instantly and captures the caller’s information.
Roberto was impressed from the very first call he reviewed, particularly with Voice Assist’s accuracy. This gave him the confidence to rely on CallRail’s AI voice assistant as a frontline tool to greet callers, collect lead details, and keep deals moving when he’s busy on-site, or even off the clock.
How Voice Assist improves marketing and helps you win more customers
Business need
How AI voice assistants help
How this improves your marketing
After-hours lead capture
Keeps the phone "on" when your team is off, so you don't leave revenue on the table
Extends campaign availability and reach into evenings and weekends
Peak-hour overflow
Handles calls when no one else can, helping you capture every call even during busy times
Reduces CPL by ensuring high-intent leads aren't wasted
Lead qualification
Asks intake questions and filters for intent, reducing time spent on unqualified leads
Improves lead quality and conversion efficiency
Answering questions
Answers common questions like business hours or services offered
Frees up staff time and improves consistency across campaign-driven traffic
Appointment requests
Collects availability so you can efficiently follow up to confirm the appointment or send an automated follow-up text
Captures intent signals that support downstream conversion tracking
Campaign optimization
Allows you to run ads after hours without forwarding calls to a live assistant or cell phone
Enables smarter ad targeting, higher rankings, and more accurate performance attribution
Consistency and branding
Delivers a friendly, professional experience on every call, regardless of who's available
Reinforces brand perception across all touchpoints
Visibility into every call
Provides call transcripts, lead scores, and conversation logs
Equips marketers with full context for better follow-up and analysis
Every call attributed to marketing
Ties calls to specific campaigns, ads, or keywords
Clarifies what's driving results and improves budget allocation
The results: More answered calls, massive cost savings
Voice Assist's immediate impact on Cash4Keys
- Answer rate increased by 175%: Voice Assist captures every call Roberto would have otherwise missed, ensuring no lead is lost to voicemail.
- Significant cost savings: At just $95 per month, Voice Assist replaced the need for a $1,500 per month call center, offering consistent performance at a fraction of the cost.
- Foundation for future growth: Roberto is focused on capturing more leads now and is excited for future Voice Assist features. Planned updates, like lead qualification and direct appointment booking, will automate even more of his work.
The future: An AI-driven competitive edge
For lean and fast-moving businesses like Cash4Keys, Voice Assist is more than just an answering service — it's a competitive advantage. By solving one of the most critical challenges in the real estate investment industry, missed calls, Roberto turned a potential business risk into a growth advantage. With every lead captured and no opportunity left behind, Roberto can focus on what matters most: scaling his business.
Ready to capture every lead?
See how Voice Assist can increase your answer rate and ensure no customer is lost to voicemail.
