Front Desk Agent
An AI Receptionist That Answers Every Call, Even When You're on a Job
The Front Desk Agent answers your business phone and website chat 24 hours a day in a natural voice. It answers common questions from your own information, books appointments into your calendar, takes detailed messages and texts or emails you a summary of every conversation. Most businesses keep their existing number.
What does the Front Desk Agent do on a normal day?
The same things a good receptionist does, at any hour, without putting anyone on hold.
- Answers every call: days, nights, weekends and holidays. No voicemail box filling up while you're on a roof or with a patient.
- Answers the common questions: hours, service area, rough prices, parking, what to bring, whether you do a certain type of job. It answers from the information you give it, and takes a message when the answer isn't there.
- Books appointments: it checks your calendar, books the caller into an open slot that fits your rules, and sends them a confirmation by text or email.
- Takes detailed messages: name, number, address, what they need and how soon. Far more useful than "call me back" on voicemail.
- Sends you a summary: after each call or chat you get a text or email saying who it was, what they wanted and what the agent did about it.
- Puts urgent calls through: you decide what counts as urgent, like a burst pipe, a smashed storefront window or an injured pet, and the agent transfers those calls to your cell.
- Covers your website chat: the same agent, with the same information, answers questions in a chat box on your site and collects bookings or contact details.
How does it work with my phone?
You don't need a new phone system, and you can switch it off any time.
Keep your number
Most businesses keep their existing number. You set up call forwarding with your phone provider, and calls go to the agent: all the time, only after hours, or only when you don't pick up after a few rings. You choose. Turn forwarding off and your phone rings exactly as it did before.
What it runs on
The voice side is built on Retell AI or Vapi, two platforms made for AI phone calls, connected to a phone line from Twilio. The conversation is handled by an AI model (Claude or OpenAI) that is instructed to answer only from your information. Bookings, texts and summaries are wired up with n8n, a tool that connects the agent to your calendar and email.
What could a day with the Front Desk Agent look like?
Example only: a made-up Tuesday at a two-person window and glass company. The owner spends most of the day installing.
| Time | Who got in touch | What the agent did |
|---|---|---|
| 7:40 a.m. | A homeowner asking whether you replace foggy double-pane windows | Said yes, explained that a price needs a measuring visit, and booked one for Thursday afternoon. |
| 10:15 a.m. | A property manager with screen repairs in three units | Took the addresses, unit numbers and the best contact, then texted the owner a summary. |
| 12:30 p.m. | A caller asking about hours and whether you cut custom mirrors | Answered from the info sheet (weekdays 8 to 5, yes to custom mirrors) and offered a consultation. |
| 3:05 p.m. | A shop owner whose front window was smashed overnight | Flagged it as urgent under the owner's rules and transferred the call to the owner's cell. |
| 9:20 p.m. | A website chat asking whether you serve a town 40 minutes away | Checked the service area list, said yes with the travel charge the owner set, and took details for a morning callback. |
A second example: a physio clinic
Example only. A clinic with three practitioners gets a burst of calls between 7 and 8 a.m., before the front desk opens. The agent books new patients into open assessment slots and moves existing appointments when the calendar allows. Anything about symptoms or injuries goes to staff as a message, never as advice. Whether it can book directly depends on the clinic's booking software. If that software can't be connected, the agent takes the request and staff confirm it.
What do you need to give us?
Expect to spend about an hour with us collecting this. We do the writing and setup.
- Your basics: hours, service area, your address if customers come to you, and the services you offer.
- Your common questions: the questions you answer every week and how you answer them. A voice memo recorded in the truck is fine.
- Price guidance: fixed prices if you have them, ranges if you don't, or "we quote after a visit". The agent only says what you approve.
- Calendar access: Google Calendar, Outlook or your booking app, plus your rules: how long each job type takes, travel time, days off.
- Your urgent rules: what counts as urgent and which number those calls should go to.
- Where summaries go: text, email or both, and to whom.
What won't it do?
Knowing the limits up front saves you surprises later.
- It won't pretend to be a person. It always introduces itself as your business's AI assistant.
- It won't make up prices or promises. If the answer isn't in your information, it takes a message.
- It won't take credit card numbers over the phone.
- It won't give medical, legal or safety advice. If a caller reports a gas smell, it tells them to leave the building and call 911 or the gas company, then alerts you.
- It won't fix a calendar that's out of date. If your calendar is wrong, it will book into the wrong slots, so we'll sort that out with you first.
What does the Front Desk Agent cost?
Start with a free working prototype: in 5 business days I can have it answering a test number with your own hours and prices. Then a fixed price, agreed in writing before the production build.
The build
One-time, after your free prototype, which isn't charged on top. Includes setup, connecting your phone and calendar, a test version you can call yourself, documentation, a walkthrough and 2 weeks of support after launch.
Optional monthly support
Month to month, cancel anytime. Updates when your hours, prices or services change, and fixes if anything stops working. Includes 150 AI voice minutes a month plus normal text-model use, with any overage billed at cost, enough for most small businesses. We check your call volume before you decide.
Front Desk Agent questions
Will callers know it's AI?
Yes, because it tells them. The agent always introduces itself as your business's AI assistant at the start of each call, and if a caller asks whether they're talking to a real person, it tells the truth. The voice sounds natural and it copes with interruptions, but we don't hide that it's an AI.
Do I need a new phone number?
Usually not. Most businesses keep their number and forward calls to the agent through their phone provider, either all the time, after hours, or when nobody picks up. If you'd rather give the agent its own line, we can set up a new local number through Twilio.
What if it gets something wrong?
Every call is logged with a transcript and a summary, so you can see exactly what was said. If it gives a wrong answer, we correct its information and test it again, and that's covered by the 2 weeks of support after launch. Until you're comfortable, you can keep it on after-hours calls only.
Can it book appointments straight into my calendar?
Yes, if your calendar or booking app can be connected. Google Calendar and Outlook are straightforward. Many booking apps can be connected too, and we check yours on the free call. If yours can't, the agent takes the booking request and you confirm it.
What happens when a caller has an emergency?
You tell us what counts as urgent. For those calls, the agent transfers the caller to your cell or to whoever is on call. If nobody picks up, it takes a full message and texts it to you right away.
Does it answer website chat as well as calls?
Yes. The same agent, using the same information, can answer questions in a chat box on your website and collect contact details or bookings. You get the same summaries either way.
AI made building about 5x faster. Get the savings.
Book a free 30-minute call. If there is a good first build, I will make you a working prototype in 5 business days, free, with no obligation.
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