Virtual Receptionist Phone Answering Service

The idea is simple. Your business phone rings, but instead of going to voicemail, the call is forwarded to a service that answers it for you. AllDayDesk uses an AI receptionist that reads the business information you save, so it can answer common questions, take messages, and book new appointments.

You keep your public phone number. Nothing changes for your callers except that someone actually answers. Behind the scenes, calls are handled by the service, and everything it does shows up in your dashboard: the call record, a transcript, a summary, and any appointment it booked.

When the receptionist does not know an answer, a price, or an available appointment time, it takes a message instead of guessing. That message lands in your dashboard so you can follow up yourself.

• You keep your existing business number and forward calls to the service
• The receptionist uses your saved business details to answer questions
• Messages, transcripts, summaries, and bookings appear in your dashboard
• Unknown answers, prices, or times become messages for you, not guesses

Setup starts with your business, not your phone. You choose your business or enter its website, and AllDayDesk pulls together the details it will use on calls. You check those details, then hear a personalized sample of your receptionist so you know what callers will experience. The sample is a demonstration only and does not create a real booking.

After you approve the details, you choose your phone setup. AllDayDesk gives instructions based on your phone service, because forwarding codes and steps differ between carriers and products. Once forwarding is on, calls that reach your number are answered by your receptionist.

Most owners answer their own phone, so there is no assumption that you have staff to manage this. You can turn forwarding on when you want coverage and off when you would rather take calls yourself.

• Choose your business or enter its website to build the receptionist's knowledge
• Check the details and listen to a personalized sample before going live
• Follow the forwarding instructions matched to your phone service
• Turn forwarding on or off whenever you want coverage

Forwarding instructions depend on your exact carrier and product, so always confirm which service you have before dialing codes. These verified examples show how different it can be.

On Verizon mobile, dial *72 plus the 10-digit destination to forward all calls, *71 plus the destination for unanswered calls, and *73 to turn forwarding off. Setup must be done from the phone while in Verizon coverage, and charges depend on your plan. On T-Mobile, **21*1 followed by the 10-digit destination and # enables unconditional forwarding, while **61*1 plus destination # covers no-reply calls; ##21# and ##61# disable them.

For AT&T Phone for Business, dial *72, the destination, then # for all calls, *92 for no-answer forwarding, and *90 for busy forwarding, with *73#, *93#, and *91# to turn each off. These codes apply to that product only, not AT&T wireless or every AT&T business line. Spectrum Business Voice handles forwarding in the online portal instead: sign in at SpectrumBusiness.net, open Voice, choose your number, then Voice Settings or Forwarding Manager, and pick unconditional or busy/no-answer forwarding with your destination.

One important limit: Google Voice can forward calls to linked phone numbers, but Google explicitly says forwarding from a Google Voice number to an automated system is unsupported. If your number is a Google Voice number, contact support before assuming it will work.

• Verizon mobile: *72 + destination for all calls, *71 for unanswered, *73 to disable
• T-Mobile: **21*1 + destination # for unconditional, **61*1 + destination # for no reply
• AT&T Phone for Business: *72, destination, # for all calls; *92 for no answer; *90 for busy
• Spectrum Business Voice: manage forwarding in the online portal, not with star codes
• Google Voice numbers cannot be forwarded to an automated system, per Google

New appointments are booked on the built-in AllDayDesk dashboard calendar by default, once you have configured your services and availability. That means you decide what you offer and when you are available, and the receptionist books within those rules.

If you prefer Google Calendar, AllDayDesk supports an optional connection. After you connect and authorize your Google account in Settings, bookings can work with your Google Calendar. This connection is optional and set up by you; it does not happen automatically.

Changes to existing appointments work differently. A caller asking to move or cancel an existing appointment creates a request for you to review, not a confirmed change. You stay in control of your schedule.

• New bookings use the AllDayDesk dashboard calendar once services and availability are configured
• Google Calendar is an optional connection you authorize in Settings
• Changes to existing appointments arrive as requests for you, not confirmed edits

Sometimes a caller needs a person, not information. AllDayDesk can transfer calls, but only after you configure a transfer destination and the rules for when transfers happen. A transfer is an attempt, not a promise: neither that the caller is picked up nor that someone responds immediately is guaranteed.

For everything else, the receptionist takes a message. If a caller asks something the receptionist does not know, such as a price that is not in your saved details or an appointment question it cannot resolve, it collects the message and you see it in your dashboard with the transcript and summary.

This split keeps things honest: information calls get answered, urgent human matters get transferred when you have set that up, and anything uncertain becomes a message you can act on.

• Transfers require you to configure a destination and rules first
• A transfer attempt does not guarantee pickup or an immediate response
• Unknown answers and prices become dashboard messages instead of guesses

AllDayDesk is this site's own product, and this comparison covers documented features rather than hands-on testing. Knowing the alternatives helps you decide what fits.

Human virtual receptionist services, such as Ruby, AnswerConnect, and Smith.ai's receptionist service, use people to answer calls. Ruby advertises plans starting at $245 per month as of October 9, 2026, and Smith.ai uses per-call pricing that depends on your needs. Human coverage and fees vary by service and plan, so verify included hours, allowances, overages, and contracts on a current quote.

Some providers also sell AI receptionists, such as Smith.ai's separate AI receptionist product. When comparing, look at what answers the phone, what it can book, how you get messages, and what happens when it does not know an answer.

An in-house receptionist does more than answer phones. Federal occupational data shows receptionist duties also include greeting visitors and office tasks, so a phone service is not a full replacement for an employee; compare scope, not just cost.

• Human services answer with people; pricing and hours vary by provider and plan
• Some providers offer AI receptionists as a separate product line
• In-house reception includes in-person and office work beyond phone answering
• Compare what each option books, how messages reach you, and unknown-answer handling