Auto Receptionist: What It Does and How to Set One Up

An auto receptionist is an automated system that handles incoming calls the way a front-desk person would. It answers with a greeting based on your business information, responds to questions about your services and hours, collects caller details, and records what was discussed.

With AllDayDesk, the auto receptionist answers calls around the clock using the business information you save. Calls, transcripts, summaries, and bookings show up in your dashboard, so you can review conversations and follow up when you choose.

• Greets callers with your business name and details
• Answers common questions about services, hours, and pricing when the information is saved
• Takes a message when it does not know an answer, price, or open appointment time
• Records transcripts and summaries in a dashboard
• Books new appointments on a built-in calendar once you set up services and availability

You do not need a new phone number. You keep your public number and forward calls to the auto receptionist. The exact steps depend on your phone carrier or service, so check with your provider first. Some carriers use star codes you dial from the phone; others use an online account portal.

Examples from published carrier guides: Verizon mobile uses *72 plus the destination number to forward all calls, and *73 to turn it off. T-Mobile uses **21*1 followed by the number and # for unconditional forwarding. Spectrum Business Voice manages forwarding through the SpectrumBusiness.net portal under Voice Settings or Forwarding Manager. Optimum Business Phone uses *72, waiting for dial tone, then the destination. Vonage Business Communications has a Call Forwarding setting where you enable forwarding to a phone number.

Two cautions: first, identify your exact product before using any code, because the same carrier often has different steps for wireless, landline, and hosted voice products. Second, Google Voice does not support forwarding calls from a Google Voice number to an automated system, so that path will not work.

• Verizon mobile: *72 plus the 10-digit destination to activate, *73 to disable (verizon-wireless)
• T-Mobile: **21*1 plus destination and # for all calls; ##21# to disable (tmobile)
• Spectrum Business Voice: enable forwarding in the online portal, choosing all calls or busy/no-answer (spectrum-business)
• Optimum Business Phone: *72, wait for dial tone, dial destination; *73 disables (optimum)
• Vonage Business Communications: enable Call Forwarding to a phone number in the account settings (vonage)
• Google Voice numbers cannot be forwarded to an automated system (google-voice-routing)

Not every automated receptionist works the same way. Before you pick one, think about what your callers actually need and what you want the system to handle on its own versus pass back to you.

Ask these questions as you compare:

• Setup: can you start from your business website and hear a personalized sample before committing?
• Calendar: does it book on a built-in calendar, and can it optionally connect to Google Calendar after you authorize your account?
• Changes to existing appointments: are these confirmed automatically, or sent to you as requests to approve?
• Transfers: can it transfer calls to you, and do you control the destination and rules? Note that pickup is not guaranteed, so check what happens when a transfer does not connect.
• Visibility: can you read transcripts and summaries in a dashboard?
• Unknown answers: does it take a message rather than guess at a price or availability?

The main alternative is a service staffed by people. Human services answer calls themselves, often around the clock, and some businesses prefer a human voice for sensitive conversations. Pricing varies by provider and plan; for example, Ruby advertises plans starting at $245 per month, while Smith.ai uses per-call pricing that depends on the needs you select. Always compare the included minutes or calls, overage charges, hours covered, and contract terms on a current quote, because starting prices alone do not tell the full cost.

An in-house receptionist does more than answer phones. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, receptionists also greet visitors and handle office tasks, so a phone service of any kind is not a full replacement for that role.

Automated receptionists are available around the clock, but they handle unfamiliar situations by taking a message rather than improvising. The right choice depends on your call volume, your budget, and how complex your callers' questions are.

• Human services: real people answer; pricing depends on the provider and plan
• Automated: consistent answers from your saved business information, available around the clock
• Hybrid: some providers offer AI with escalation to human agents as an added feature
• Compare included minutes, overage rates, and contract terms on every quote

Setup starts by choosing your business or entering its website, then checking the details AllDayDesk pulled in. You hear a personalized sample of how your receptionist will sound, and the sample does not create any real booking. Then you choose your phone setup and forward your existing number using your carrier's instructions.

Once you have configured your services and availability, new appointments go on the built-in AllDayDesk dashboard calendar by default. If you prefer, you can connect Google Calendar in Settings after authorizing your account. Changes to existing appointments come to you as requests, so you stay in control of your schedule.

• Enter your business or website and confirm the details
• Listen to the personalized sample greeting
• Choose your phone setup and forward your number per your carrier
• Configure services and availability so bookings work
• Review calls, transcripts, summaries, and bookings in the dashboard