AI Receptionist

An AI receptionist is software that answers a business's phone calls with an AI voice, handles common questions, takes messages, and routes urgent calls.

Small businesses miss calls all the time. The owner is on a job, the office is closed, or the line is busy. An AI receptionist picks up those calls.

What an AI receptionist typically does:

• Answers after hours or when no one picks up.
• Greets callers and, if asked, says it is an AI.
• Answers common questions using information from the business's website or a knowledge base.
• Takes clear messages with the caller's name, number, and reason.
• Flags urgent calls so someone can respond quickly.
• Sends the message to the owner by text, email, or app.

Some services let you forward missed calls from your cell phone to the AI receptionist, so you do not need a new phone number.

AI receptionists differ from answering services staffed by people, which often charge by the minute or by call. They also differ from phone trees, which make callers press buttons.

When setting one up, write down what counts as urgent, how messages reach you, and what the receptionist should never promise, such as prices or appointment times it cannot confirm. Test it by calling it yourself. If calls are recorded, tell callers at the start.