The AI receptionist that answers every call, day and night.

How does an AI receptionist answer calls?

Calls to your InsertChat number, or calls you forward to it, are answered in the voice and greeting you picked. The assistant answers from your knowledge base and instructions, asks for the caller’s name, number, and reason for calling when a follow-up needs them, and saves the call to the shared inbox so your team sees exactly what happened.

Is an AI answering service the same as an AI receptionist?

For most businesses, yes: both names describe software that answers your business line with a natural voice instead of voicemail or a call center. InsertChat does more than take messages. It answers questions, books appointments, and the same assistant also covers website chat, SMS, email, and WhatsApp in one shared inbox.

What can an AI receptionist do on a call?

Answer questions about your services, prices, hours, and service area. Take the caller’s details and reason for calling. Offer open times, then book, move, or cancel appointments it booked. Confirm a booking or callback by text or email. Use connected apps such as HubSpot, Zoho, or Zendesk when you allow it. Flag urgent calls for your team.

Which callers does the AI receptionist answer?

You choose per number: everyone, only numbers that aren’t saved in your contacts, or only saved contacts. Calls outside your selection ring the number you set for your team; with no number set, they end without an AI answer. Answering only unknown numbers keeps regular customers with your staff while every new caller still gets a reply.

Can I keep my existing business number?

In the US and Canada, yes. Keep publishing your number and forward calls to InsertChat; setup gives you a private routing number and confirms forwarding with a verification call. Elsewhere, use a local or toll-free InsertChat number where one is available. Number porting is not offered. Step-by-step forwarding guides cover AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, RingCentral, Rogers, Bell, and Telus.

Can an AI receptionist book appointments?

Yes, once you connect a calendar and allow it: InsertChat’s built-in calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, or Cal.com. Choose which steps run on their own: offering times, booking, rescheduling, canceling, confirming details, and sending a confirmation. Appointment length (15 to 120 minutes), buffers, minimum notice, and how far ahead callers can book all follow your rules.

When does a call go to a person?

Handoff rules route the conversation to your team when a customer asks for a person, the assistant is unsure of an answer, it cannot resolve the request after repeated attempts, the customer is upset, or the request involves a sensitive action. Your team continues with the full conversation in the shared inbox.

Can it transfer callers to my phone?

Not during a call. Your phone can ring first instead: with the “AI when unanswered” setting, calls ring your number for 5 to 60 seconds before the AI receptionist answers. When a caller needs a person, the assistant takes the details, marks the conversation needs-you, emails your team, and tells the caller your team will follow up.

Which voices and languages does it speak?

Choose one of 10 voices: four North American English voices, British-, Irish-, and Australian-influenced English voices, and two Brazilian Portuguese-influenced voices. Write a greeting of up to 200 characters. The receptionist answers in the language each caller speaks, switches when a caller asks, and lets you set your business language from 58 options.

What happens after each call?

The call lands in the shared inbox with a transcript, an AI summary, and the caller’s contact record, including the number they dialed. Bookings appear on your calendar. If the caller needs a person, the conversation is marked needs-you and the teammates you chose get an email. A caller who asked for a callback gets a confirmation by text or email.

How much does an AI receptionist cost?

Paid plans start at $98 per month with one phone number and 5,000 monthly credits; additional numbers are $10 per month. Calls use credits, round up to whole minutes, and have a one-minute minimum. At the usage estimator’s example rate of 12 credits per billable minute, Pro’s 5,000 monthly credits cover about 416 call minutes, roughly 138 three-minute calls, if you spend them only on calls. New customers can try Pro free for 7 days with 500 credits.

Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring a receptionist?

For call answering, by a wide margin. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median receptionist wage at $18.27 an hour (May 2025), about $3,168 a month for a full-time hire before benefits. InsertChat Pro is $98 a month and answers at 2 AM, on weekends, and several calls at once. Keep people for the conversations that need judgment.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Receptionists (May 2025 data)

What won’t the AI receptionist do?

It doesn’t transfer live calls, take voicemail, record calls, or place outbound calls, and numbers can’t be ported in. It won’t announce a price, booking, or cancellation it hasn’t confirmed in your knowledge or calendar. When a request falls outside what it knows or may do, it collects the details and hands the conversation to your team.