Voicemail
Few calls, rarely urgent, and customers who accept a call back.
Buyer's guide
AI receptionist, voicemail, answering service or hiring: which one?
An AI receptionist answers the phone for you, in the caller's language, and writes down the request. It is not always the right choice. Here are a small business's four options, with no invented figures, so you can decide for your situation.
Side by side
The four options compared.
| Criterion | Voicemail | Answering service (human) | In-house receptionist | AI receptionist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A live answer to the call | No: the caller leaves a message | Yes, during the contracted hours | Yes, during working hours | Yes, at any hour |
| French and English | Depends on your greeting | Depends on the provider | Depends on who you hire | Yes, it follows the caller's language |
| Books appointments | No | Often, depending on the contract | Yes | Yes, once the calendar is connected |
| Knows your business | No | Through a script | Yes, and learns | From what you give it |
| Delicate or unexpected situations | No | Well | Very well | Limited: it takes the message and passes it to you |
| Cost | Included with the line | Subscription or per-call or per-minute rate | Salary and payroll costs | Subscription; at AlloTech, $79 to $499 a month |
When to choose what
The right option depends on your calls.
Answering service
Delicate calls where a human voice matters, and a predictable per-call budget.
In-house receptionist
Enough calls and front-desk work for a position, and visitors to greet in person.
AI receptionist
Calls missed in the evening, on weekends or while you work, recurring questions, and appointments to book.
At AlloTech.AI
What Zarah does, and what she does not.
Zarah is AlloTech.AI's receptionist. She answers real calls on a real line, detects the language from the first sentence, answers common questions, books an appointment or takes a message, then passes the follow-up to Boss Brain.
She is built for short, frequent calls. For a negotiation, a delicate complaint or an emergency, she writes the request down and you call back. Sensitive sends, such as an email to a customer, wait for your approval. A call uses credits, about 14 on average by our measurements so far, with no per-minute fee.
Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Does an AI receptionist replace a receptionist?
Not always. It covers repetitive calls and the ones that come in outside business hours. For greeting visitors and delicate situations, a person is still better.
Do callers know they are talking to an AI?
They should: say so in the greeting. It is more honest and avoids misunderstandings.
How much does an AI receptionist cost at AlloTech.AI?
Paid plans range from $79 to $499 a month, in Canadian dollars, taxes extra. A free plan lets you try it without a credit card.
How can I estimate what missed calls cost?
Our free calculator does the maths with your own numbers and sends nothing.