AI receptionists: what they are and whether you need one

What an AI receptionist does

An AI receptionist is software that answers your calls, WhatsApp messages or website chat on your behalf, using a natural-sounding voice or written replies. It can be set up to answer common questions, take details, book appointments into your calendar and pass urgent enquiries to you straight away.

It works around the clock, so the enquiry that arrives at ten on a Sunday night, or from a buyer in Dublin or Copenhagen, still gets a reply. It can also qualify leads by asking a few simple questions, such as budget, area or dates, so you know which calls to return first.

Who it suits

It suits businesses that miss calls because they are busy with customers or out on jobs. Typical examples include:

If you only get a handful of calls a week and always pick up, you probably do not need one yet.

• Beauty salons and clinics where staff cannot answer the phone in the middle of a treatment.
• Estate agents getting enquiries from abroad outside office hours.
• Removals firms and tradespeople who spend the day on site.
• Restaurants and holiday rentals handling bookings and the same questions every day.

What it costs, roughly

Prices vary a lot with call volume and how much setup is involved. As a typical guide, a simple website chat or WhatsApp assistant starts from around €30 to €100 a month. A voice receptionist that answers calls and books appointments usually costs around €100 to €400 a month for a small business, sometimes with a charge per minute on top. A one-off setup fee of a few hundred euros is common if someone configures it for your services, prices and calendar.

Compare that with the value of the enquiries you currently miss. If one extra booking or property viewing a month covers the cost, it is worth testing.

Limits, handover and GDPR

AI receptionists are good at routine questions and bookings. They are much weaker at complaints, sensitive conversations or complicated quotes. Set clear rules for when a person takes over, for example when the caller asks for someone, sounds upset or wants something outside the script, and make sure that handover reaches someone who will act on it quickly.

Under GDPR and EU rules on AI, you should tell people they are talking to an automated system and, if calls are recorded, say so. Choose a provider that stores data in the EU or under proper safeguards, signs a data processing agreement with you and lets you delete data on request. Only collect the information you actually need.

How to start small

Start with one channel, usually the one where you lose the most enquiries, which is often out-of-hours calls or WhatsApp. Give it a short list of your most common questions and your booking rules, run it for a month and read the conversations every week. Adjust the answers, then decide whether to expand.