Answers 24/7 from $99/mo

Automated Receptionist

For twenty years an automated receptionist meant an auto attendant: 'press 1 for sales, press 2 for service' — a menu customers hated and often abandoned. A modern automated receptionist just talks. Nicole asks how she can help, understands the answer in plain language, and does the thing the caller needed.

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In short

An automated receptionist answers and handles business calls without a human operator. Modern versions are conversational AI rather than the old press-1 auto attendant menus.

Auto Attendant vs Conversational Automated Receptionist

  • Auto attendant: fixed menu, keypad input, no understanding, high abandon rate.
  • Conversational: open question, natural speech, understands intent, resolves the call.
  • Auto attendant: routes to a person who may not be there.
  • Conversational: answers the question or books the appointment itself.
  • Auto attendant: no record of the call.
  • Conversational: full transcript, summary and follow-up task.

What Automation Should And Should Not Do

Automation should absorb the repetitive 90%: hours, location, pricing ranges, availability, basic triage and booking. It should not stonewall a caller who needs a person. Nicole is configured to hand off the moment the call is genuinely outside her scope, so automation never becomes a wall between you and a customer.

Set The Rules Once, They Run Every Call

  • Which words or situations count as an emergency.
  • Who gets called, in what order, and how many rings before the next person.
  • What she should never quote or promise.
  • Which callers get a text follow-up and what it says.

Consistency Is The Real Benefit

An automated receptionist gives every caller the same greeting, the same questions and the same accuracy on the busiest Friday of the year and on a quiet Sunday night. That consistency is very hard to buy from a rota of humans.

Simple pricing, no contracts

Every plan includes Nicole answering 24/7 and no contracts — cancel anytime. Starter comes with a 7-day free trial. Pick the call volume that fits your business.

Starter

$99/month

$99 one-time setup fee

Includes 250 minutes of AI call time each month.

7-day free trial · Cancel anytime

  • AI receptionist coverage
  • Lead capture and message taking
  • Basic FAQ handling
  • 2 custom call-handling instructions
  • Automatic spam protection
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Most popular

Growth

$199/month

$199 one-time setup fee

Includes 500 minutes of AI call time each month.

Cancel anytime

  • Everything in Starter
  • More customized call handling
  • Appointment booking when configured
  • Warm transfer when configured
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Extreme Pro

$299/month

$299 one-time setup fee

Includes 1,000 minutes of AI call time each month.

Cancel anytime

  • Everything in Growth
  • Expanded custom call handling
  • Advanced call routing when configured
  • Additional business training and information when configured
  • Priority support as offered
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7-day free trial on Starter · Cancel anytime · No contracts

Compare all plans →Or call (415) 413-5576

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an automated receptionist the same as an auto attendant?

No. An auto attendant plays a keypad menu. A modern automated receptionist holds a spoken conversation, understands what the caller wants and completes the task.

Will customers get frustrated with automation?

They get frustrated with menus and hold music. Being answered in one second by something that understands them and books their appointment is usually a better experience than the voicemail they get today.

Can I still answer calls myself?

Yes. Many businesses let Nicole take overflow and after-hours calls only, and answer directly whenever they are free.

How much does it cost?

Plans start at $99/month (Starter), $199/month (Growth) and $299/month (Pro). Every plan includes up to 250 minutes of AI call time each month, 24/7 answering, call transcripts and text summaries. There are no per-call operator fees and no contracts.

Keep Reading

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Missed call revenue calculator →By industry →How it works →

Serving Businesses Nationwide

Nicole answers for businesses anywhere in the US. The Bay Area is home — here are the cities we cover most.

San FranciscoSan JoseOaklandFremontBerkeleyHaywardSan MateoSanta ClaraSunnyvaleWalnut Creek

Hear it before you buy it

Call Nicole and put her through the same questions your customers ask.

Try Nicole Now — (415) 413-5576