Virtual receptionist vs AI receptionist: what's the difference?

How they compare

Both answer in your business's name and pass messages on. The differences are in the detail:

• Who answers: a person working through a script, or software working from your hours, services and prices.
• Availability: human services set their own hours and may charge more out of hours; software answers at any time.
• Pricing: human services usually charge per call or per minute on top of a monthly fee; AI services usually sell a bundle of minutes.
• Knowledge: a person can use judgement on an odd call; software only knows what it's been given, so it should take a message for anything else.
• Set-up: human services often start with a call to write your script; AI ones can learn from your website.

When a person is the better choice

If your calls are emotionally difficult, legally sensitive or need real judgement, a trained human is still better. A good human receptionist also notices things a script doesn't cover.

When AI is the better choice

If most calls are 'can you come and look at X', 'how much is Y' or 'are you open Saturday', software handles them well and doesn't get tired at 9pm. It also writes everything down in the same format every time, which makes follow-up easier.

Whichever you choose, ring it yourself first. Ask an awkward question, ask for a time you're closed, and check what arrives in your inbox afterwards.

Questions