Reception planning and operations
Make every next step clear for callers
Use these practical guides to decide how your receptionist should answer, transfer, book and follow up. Each covers the exceptions your team needs to agree before a live rollout, with checks you can use to assess the result.
Practical workflow guides
Start with the issue your team encounters most often. The related links in each guide connect the next part of the caller journey.
AI receptionist call transfer rules that staff can rely on
Design call transfers with named owners, availability checks, voicemail handling and a clear fallback when nobody answers.
Read the guideWhat an AI receptionist should do when a booking fails
Plan for unavailable calendars, conflicting slots and uncertain booking results without giving callers a false confirmation.
Read the guideBuild an AI receptionist callback workflow with clear ownership
Turn phone messages into owned callback tasks with realistic response promises, useful notes and an auditable completion state.
Read the guideManage public holidays and temporary hours in an AI receptionist
Keep phone greetings, booking availability and staff routing consistent during public holidays, closures and changed opening hours.
Read the guideDesign accessible AI phone conversations with clear alternatives
Make AI receptionist conversations easier to follow through short questions, bounded retries, patient pacing and a human fallback.
Read the guideUse an AI receptionist to capture quote requests without guessing prices
Build a quote-intake script that collects useful scope, location and timing details while leaving pricing decisions with your team.
Read the guidePlan AI receptionist routing for multiple business locations
Route callers to the right branch with verified location, local hours, service availability and branch-specific fallback rules.
Read the guideDesign safe cancellation and rescheduling calls for AI reception
Define appointment lookup, confirmation and recovery steps for cancellations and changes without losing the original booking.
Read the guideReview AI receptionist call quality beyond answer rates
Use a practical review process to assess caller outcomes, factual accuracy, completed actions and recovery from mistakes.
Read the guideHow to set up an on-call roster for after-hours calls
Build an on-call roster an after-hours answering service can follow: an urgency test, contact order, acknowledgement rules and Fair Work rules on staff contact.
Read the guideHow to compare answering service quotes line by line
Price answering service and AI receptionist quotes against your own call log: billable call rules, rounding, extras, GST and contract terms behind the total.
Read the guideAI phone bookings in ServiceM8, Fergus and Tradify
What an AI receptionist can create in ServiceM8, Fergus, simPRO or Tradify, the access it needs and the test jobs to run before callers rely on phone bookings.
Read the guideAI phone bookings in Cliniko, Coreplus and PracSuite
How an AI receptionist books into Cliniko, Coreplus, PracSuite or Nookal: API access, availability lookups, new patient records and the tests to run first.
Read the guideConnect an AI receptionist to a VoIP phone system
Route calls from a hosted PBX, 3CX or Microsoft Teams Phone to an AI receptionist: overflow rules, SIP transfers, caller ID and the original dialled number.
Read the guideCall recording and AI disclosure rules in Australia
What to tell callers when an AI receptionist answers, records or transcribes calls in Australia, the laws behind recording notices and sample greeting wording.
Read the guidePrivacy Act duties for AI receptionist call data
Who the Privacy Act covers, the APPs that apply to AI receptionist recordings and transcripts, overseas storage, and the December 2026 automated-decision rule.
Read the guideWill an AI receptionist replace your front desk staff?
What changes for receptionists when an AI answers some calls, how to split the work, and the consultation steps modern awards set out before a major change.
Read the guideBuilding your own AI receptionist: what it takes
The parts of a self-built AI phone receptionist (number, call audio streaming, speech model, tools, monitoring) and when building it yourself makes sense.
Read the guideHandling spam and sales calls with an AI receptionist
Set rules for sales pitches, robocalls and scam callers on an AI receptionist: what to screen, what never to disclose, and how spam calls affect usage billing.
Read the guideEarlier reading
AI receptionist cost guide
Explore the cost categories to discuss when comparing reception options. Confirm current prices and inclusions directly before choosing a service.
Missed calls in trade businesses
Read about the missed-call problem and possible response options. Use your own enquiry and job records to assess its effect on your business.
Reducing missed calls
Explore call coverage options, then test whether enquiries reach the right person and receive a useful follow-up.
Plan the calls you want help with
Bring your current routing, booking system and common caller questions. We can discuss a scope that fits your staff coverage and the checks needed before launch.
Talk through your reception workflow