There are three common ways to cover calls when nobody can pick up. Each is right for some businesses.
| Voicemail | Human answering service | AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Almost free | Per call or per minute, often with a monthly minimum | A monthly fee with included minutes |
| Answers instantly, day and night | No: the caller leaves a message | Usually, depending on the plan | Yes |
| Books or takes details | No | Takes messages; booking depends on the script | Yes, and passes a summary to your team |
| Languages | One | Often English only, or a short list | English and Mandarin in our pilot; others tested first |
| Handles upset or complex callers | No | Better than a machine | Hands over to a person |
| Busy periods | Fine | Hold times | Many calls at once, within platform limits |
Where each one fits
- Voicemail is fine if missed calls rarely cost you a customer.
- A human service is good when callers are often distressed or each call is high-value and unpredictable.
- An AI receptionist suits routine calls: bookings, hours, prices, messages, simple requests.
Our view: let the AI take the routine calls, and hand the rest to your people with a summary, so nobody has to repeat themselves. A person should always be one request away.
General information for businesses, not legal advice.