While our professional virtual receptionists are handling calls for your business, we're also capturing key data on the caller, including the caller type (e.g., new lead, existing client, spam), the time of the call, the priority, and the disposition. When you log in to your call dashboard, this data appears in easy-to-review bar charts, making it easy to see how your call volume and budget match your expectations.
Charts tell an important story of your call history, but with individual call summaries, you can know precisely what happened with each individual caller. See whether the call was inbound or outbound, view key data points captured from the call, read the receptionist's summary notes, listen to the audio recording, or view the full call transcript with a line-by-line breakdown of the entire call.
The pie chart in your call dashboard shows the most important actions that occurred on your calls. For example, if you've asked our receptionists to schedule a phone consultation every time we speak with a new potential client, you'll see the number of meetings booked for any given time period. This chart helps you understand if the actions taken on calls align with your expectations, which may be based on marketing campaigns you're running, call handling instructions you've provided to our agents, and other factors.
Smith.ai provides free spam-blocking for every business we serve. That means blocking 20 million known spammers and robocalls automatically, plus more we can block for just your account, based on your specific requests. But just how many calls does that amount to over time? In the same chart that shows your relevant calls (e.g., calls from leads and clients), you can also opt to see the spam, sales, and wrong-number calls we've eliminated for you 100% free of charge. Be warned: The volume might shock you, with spam calls sometimes even exceeding your relevant call volume!
The best AI receptionist services do much more than simply answer phone calls and take messages. At Smith.ai, our intelligent AI technology with professional human backup delivers comprehensive call handling, appointment scheduling, lead qualification, intake forms, and more. Whether you need AI-powered coverage with human support 24/7, during business hours, for overflow situations, or just after-hours service, here are answers to the most common questions about our hybrid AI-human phone answering solution.
The AI Receptionist combines cutting-edge technology with professional expertise to deliver superior results compared to traditional call centers, in-house staff, or AI-only solutions.
Speed and Efficiency: Our AI handles routine calls in seconds, not minutes. While traditional call centers average 5-15 minutes per call, our system typically completes interactions in 1-2 minutes, reducing caller wait times and increasing satisfaction.
Intelligent Call Routing: Advanced AI instantly identifies call types, qualifies leads, and filters spam — capabilities that often overwhelm traditional receptionists or require extensive call center training. Only qualified, valuable calls reach your team.
24/7 Consistency: Unlike human-only solutions that vary by individual performance, mood, or availability, our AI provides consistent, professional service around the clock. When human expertise is needed, our North America-based agents seamlessly take over.
Cost-Effective Scaling: Traditional solutions require you to choose between expensive 24/7 staffing or limited coverage. Our AI-first approach delivers professional-grade capabilities at a fraction of the cost.
Seamless Integration: Our system connects with your existing tools and workflows, providing detailed call summaries, CRM updates, and appointment scheduling that manual processes often miss.
By utilizing the AI Receptionist with human backup, business owners can:
Scale effortlessly: AI handles volume spikes automatically, with human agents available for more complex calls — no staffing headaches or service degradation.
Traditional call centers and in-house staff create significant limitations that our AI-first approach with human backup eliminates:
Call Centers Fall Short:
In-House Staff Limitations:
The Smith.ai Advantage:
Our intelligent system delivers what traditional solutions cannot:
✅ Instant response: AI answers immediately — no hold times, no "please wait while I transfer you."
✅ Advanced spam filtering: Automatically blocks robocalls and telemarketers before they waste your time.
✅ Intelligent lead qualification: AI asks the right questions and captures detailed information while determining lead quality.
✅ Seamless human escalation: Humans are just a request away. Complex calls automatically transfer to skilled agents who have full call context.
✅ Perfect integration: Native connections to 5,000+ business tools, with automatic CRM updates and appointment scheduling.
✅ Consistent professionalism: Every interaction follows your exact specifications—no bad days, no training gaps.
✅ Transparent pricing: Pay per call handled, not per minute or per month of idle time.
The Result: You get enterprise-level phone coverage that costs 60-80% less than traditional solutions while delivering superior caller experiences and better lead conversion rates.
Smith.ai offers transparent, flexible pricing with no hidden fees or setup costs. Our AI Receptionist plans start at just $97.50/month for 30 calls, providing intelligent call handling with seamless human support when needed. For businesses preferring dedicated human coverage, our virtual receptionist plans begin at $292.50/month.
Our per-call pricing model means you pay only for actual calls answered — never for idle time like you would with in-house staff. If you exceed your plan's call allowance, you simply pay for each additional call without being forced into a higher-tier plan. There are no setup fees, cancellation fees, or long-term contracts required.
You can save 10% with annual payment, and month-to-month flexibility is always available. Most businesses save 60-80% compared to hiring full-time staff while gaining 24/7 coverage with the perfect blend of AI efficiency and human expertise for complex situations.
Whether you choose AI-first service with human escalation or full virtual receptionist coverage, you'll receive the same white-glove onboarding, custom call instructions, and ongoing support that sets Smith.ai apart from competitors who simply provide a subscription and leave you to figure it out alone.
Several common business challenges indicate you'd benefit from our AI-first phone answering solution:
My team can't keep up with phone calls while staying productive.
When routine calls constantly interrupt your team's important work, productivity suffers. Over 20% of business calls are spam, and even legitimate calls often involve basic questions that pull your experts away from revenue-generating activities. Our AI handles routine inquiries instantly while filtering spam, so your team only receives calls that truly need their expertise.
We're missing calls and losing potential customers
Studies show that 50% of sales go to businesses that respond first, yet many small businesses miss 30-40% of incoming calls. Whether your team is with other customers, in meetings, or simply overwhelmed, missed calls directly impact revenue. Our AI ensures every call is answered immediately, with intelligent routing to humans when needed.
I can't afford full-time front desk support, but we need professional call handling
Hiring dedicated reception staff involves salary, benefits, training, and coverage costs that many businesses can't justify—especially when those staff members still can't provide 24/7 availability. Even with full-time receptionists, over 62% of calls go unanswered. Our AI provides enterprise-level coverage starting at just $97.50/month with superior consistency, humans on standby, and no staffing headaches.
Customers get frustrated with our slow response times and poor call experiences
When callers reach voicemail, get put on hold, or speak with unprepared staff, they often hang up and call your competitors. Poor phone experiences damage your professional reputation and reduce customer lifetime value. Our AI responds instantly with relevant information, escalating to human agents only when necessary.
We struggle to capture and qualify leads effectively
Without proper lead qualification, your sales team wastes time on unqualified prospects while real opportunities slip away. Many staff members lack the training to ask the right qualification questions or properly schedule follow-ups. Our AI uses proven qualification frameworks and automatically schedules appointments based on your availability.
After-hours calls go straight to voicemail, costing us business
Many service businesses receive urgent calls outside business hours—emergency repairs, last-minute bookings, or prospects researching solutions. Voicemail creates delays that send customers to competitors who answer immediately. Our AI provides 24/7 coverage that captures these time-sensitive opportunities.
Our AI-first approach with human support delivers value across business sizes, adapting to different operational needs:
Small Businesses (1-20 employees)
Gain enterprise-level phone presence without enterprise costs. Our AI handles routine calls professionally while seamlessly escalating complex situations to human agents, giving small businesses the polished customer experience that typically requires dedicated staff. Perfect for service providers, consultants, and growing companies that need to appear larger and more established than they are.
Medium Businesses (20-100 employees)
Balance operational efficiency with personalized service. While your team focuses on core business activities, our AI manages call volume intelligently—handling standard inquiries instantly and routing qualified leads to the right team members with full context. Eliminates the common problem of choosing between productivity and customer service.
Large Enterprises (100+ employees)
Scale personalized interactions cost-effectively across multiple locations and departments. Our AI technology handles high call volumes while maintaining the personal touch through seamless human escalation. Particularly valuable for businesses with multiple service lines, seasonal volume spikes, or 24/7 customer needs that would require extensive staffing to handle manually.
Industries That See Exceptional Results:
These examples showcase just a few ways our AI Receptionist adapts to different business needs. Our white-glove team works with you to create infinite customizations tailored to your unique requirements:
The key advantage: our dedicated onboarding specialists work closely with every client to understand your specific workflows, terminology, and goals. Whether you're in a traditional industry or running a completely unique business model, our team creates custom call instructions and AI prompts that reflect exactly how you want your calls handled. No cookie-cutter solutions — just intelligent, personalized service that evolves with your business.