What an AI phone answering system does
An AI phone answering system holds a conversation using the business information you provide. Our service handles forwarded calls, messages and appointments; you still decide how your business responds to requests.
- Spoken intakeCallers explain their request and answer questions relevant to your business.
- Your instructionsServices, hours and price policy guide what the receptionist says.
- Owner oversightReview messages and make the business decisions that follow a call.
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Our system answers the calls sent to it and turns the conversation into information your team can use. It starts with a virtual-assistant introduction and recording notice, then uses your business details to answer questions and collect messages.
Think of it as the answering part of your phone setup. You keep your current business number and choose which calls to forward. The AI can book into Google Calendar, take callback details or follow your urgent routing instructions.
It does not take over your business decisions. Your team still reviews requests, carries out the work and handles matters that need personal judgment. See the setup and call-handling steps for the path from onboarding to your first test.
Follow a call from your number to your alert
Your existing number forwards a call to our local number, where the AI answers as your business. Afterward, email and app push deliver the summary, urgency tag, transcript and recording.
- Forwarding choiceSend all calls, or choose unanswered, busy or after-hours calls.
- Guided conversationThe receptionist asks intake questions and follows your urgency rules.
- Call recordYour dashboard holds the conversation details alongside usage and settings.
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A call reaches the AI when your carrier or phone system forwards it to the number we supply. Your forwarding choice controls when that happens. You can continue answering directly during the day and send after-hours calls to your receptionist.
The receptionist gives its disclosure, asks about the request and uses your rules to identify urgency. If a warm transfer is needed, your on-call person hears a summary before pressing 1 to take the call. You can set paging and a contact order too.
You receive the call record through email and app push, with a daily email digest for review. Before going live, test both the forwarding path and the destination of urgent calls.
Features to check in a working conversation
Useful features turn a caller's request into an appointment, a complete message or an urgent handoff. Check intake questions, language handling and the records your team receives after the call.
- 1Language choiceCallers can speak English or Spanish and switch during a call.
- 2Clear schedulingBook into Google Calendar or gather information for a callback.
- 3Editable instructionsChange business settings by telling the AI what you need.
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Check the features by asking what each one gives the person handling the next step. Intake should collect the trade-specific details you request. Appointment booking should suit your workflow, with callback intake available when you want to review the job first.
For language handling, our receptionist speaks English and Spanish and allows callers to switch mid-call. It also politely ends spam and robocalls. The dashboard lets you review recordings, transcripts and usage alongside your settings.
Summaries can be entered into the software your team already uses. Direct connections to field-service, CRM and practice-management tools are not live at launch. The software connection overview explains that boundary so you can plan who handles information after the call.
How to choose an AI phone answering system
Choose a system by following a call through the whole workflow: greeting, questions, routing and review. Test a normal request and an urgent one, then inspect what reaches your team.
- Prepare sample callsUse requests your business receives, including a service you decline.
- Inspect routing controlsCheck the forwarding options and how urgent contacts accept calls.
- Review the evidenceRead the summary and compare it with the recorded conversation.
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A useful comparison gives each system the same requests and checks the result. Try a caller who wants an appointment, one who asks about your service area and one whose request needs an urgent response. Ask how the system learns your policies and how you correct them.
Check what people still need to handle. A staffed answering service or an employee may suit conversations that need discretion beyond a defined intake process. Our AI follows the business information and routing instructions you supply, and it can make mistakes.
Finally, inspect the greeting and call records. Our disclosure remains on, and you can review transcripts and recordings in the dashboard. Keep a backup contact route as part of your operating plan.
What the plan includes and how usage is billed
Choose Starter or Pro, with plans from $99 per month. Check usage in the dashboard and budget separately for optional website chat or consent-based lead follow-up.
- Included allowanceStarter provides 150 AI minutes monthly; Pro provides 500 AI minutes.
- Extra minutesMonthly overage costs $0.35 per minute on Starter and $0.20 on Pro.
- Trial allowanceWhen trials open: 14 days, capped at 100 minutes.
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Your monthly bill depends on the plan and the minutes you use. Budget monthly for Starter at $99 with 150 AI minutes and $0.35 per extra minute, or Pro at $249 with 500 AI minutes and $0.20 per extra minute. The dashboard shows usage so you can compare your estimate with actual call handling.
Website chat and consent-based lead follow-up calls are included in every plan. Follow-up is only for people who submit your web form and tick a consent box naming your business. Decide whether you need those alongside answering coverage, and review the current subscription details before starting. Once trials open, call records will help you assess expected requests and conversation lengths.
Subscriptions renew monthly until canceled online, with cancellation taking effect at the end of the paid month. Trials will require a card before forwarding goes live; we will email a reminder two days before conversion.
Try our phone answering system in your browser
The browser demo lets you speak to the receptionist without signing up. Choose a fictional business scenario, make a request and hear how the conversation develops, then join early access for trial news.
- No signupOpen the demo and speak to a clearly fictional business.
- Different requestsTry a plumbing message, restaurant question or law firm intake.
- Your next stepJoin early access; add your own information and routing when trials open.
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You can test the conversation directly in your browser before supplying your business details. Try a restaurant hours question, an auto repair status inquiry or a real estate sign call. These scenarios use fictional businesses to show the receptionist's approach.
Listen to how it introduces itself, asks for details and responds to your request. Demo calls and chats are recorded and transcribed so you can see the result. Use the browser call demo to decide what you want to test with your own setup.
When trials open, you can add your business information, forwarding choices and urgent contacts. You sign in through an email link, complete onboarding with the AI and place a test call before going live.
Questions
Does this replace my business phone number?
You keep your business number and forward selected calls to the local number we provide. That lets you choose coverage for all calls or only unanswered, busy or after-hours calls. Our forwarding guide covers your carrier or phone system, and a test call checks the setup before launch.
How does the system learn what to say?
An onboarding chat asks about your services, service area, hours, price policy and urgent contacts. Your website also supplies business information. Tell the AI which intake questions matter and what work you do not offer. Later, you can update settings by describing the change in plain words.
What happens when a call needs my attention urgently?
Your urgency rules determine who should receive the call. With a warm transfer, the on-call person hears a short summary and presses 1 to accept it. You can instead choose paging and set the contact order. Call records also include an urgency tag for review afterward.
Where can I find the recording and transcript?
Your call alert arrives by email and app push notification with the summary, urgency tag, transcript and recording. These records are also available in your dashboard. The opening greeting tells callers that the call is recorded and identifies the receptionist as a virtual assistant; those notices stay enabled.
Will call details appear in my CRM automatically?
Direct CRM connections are not live at launch. You receive summaries that your team can enter into the tools it uses, with transcripts and recordings available for checking details. Direct connections are planned according to demand. Google Calendar appointment booking is available if that fits your scheduling process.
What happens to calls if my plan lapses?
Calls go to your backup number or voicemail if the plan lapses. Keep that backup route suitable for your business and review it alongside your forwarding settings. During normal use, the dashboard gives you access to usage and settings so you can check how the service is configured.
Hear the call flow for yourself
Try the browser demo with a request from your workday. Join early access now; you can configure your information and test forwarding when free trials open.