Ten questions to ask any answering service or AI receptionist
A buyer checklist that works for human services, AI receptionists and hybrids. Ask them of us, too.
Every answering option sounds good in a sales call. The differences show up in the details. Use these ten questions with any vendor, including us. The answers should be specific. If they are vague, that is an answer.
What happens on the call
- Does it book, or only take messages? A message is a to-do item for you. A booking is revenue on your calendar. Ask to see a booking made live.
- Which calendar does it read? It should check real availability, not a list of times someone typed in last month. Ask what happens if the calendar is unreachable.
- What does it say about price? You should control this. Ask where the numbers come from and what happens when a caller asks for a quote you have not authorized.
- How does it handle an emergency? Ask for the exact words it uses for a gas smell, a burst pipe or sparking wires. A good answer is a fixed, reviewed script, not "our agents are trained".
- Can a caller reach a human? There should be a clear path to your team during business hours, and a clear explanation of what happens after hours.
What you see afterward
- What do I get after each call? Look for a summary, a transcript or recording, and the outcome (booked, message, emergency). You should be able to check any call.
- How do mistakes get fixed? Ask who you contact, how fast, and whether a bad call can become a test case so it does not repeat.
The business side
- How is it priced, and what counts? Per minute, per call, per message or flat? Is a spam call billable? Does a two-minute booking cost the same as a ten-minute rambling one? Ask for a sample invoice.
- What are the contract terms? Month to month is easier to leave. Ask about setup fees, minimums and what happens to your number if you cancel.
- How is data handled? Ask how long recordings and transcripts are kept, who can see them, and whether you are told when calls are recorded. Some states require notice about recording. Your vendor should be able to explain how their notice works.
Then test it yourself
Do not rely on a recorded demo. Call the live number. Interrupt it. Ask for something it should refuse, like a firm price on a job nobody has seen. Mumble an address. Say you smell gas. Ask if you are talking to a person.
An honest AI says it is an AI when you ask. A good human service says where its agents work and what they can and cannot do.
If you want a second opinion on any answer, ask for it in writing. Vendors who are confident in their answers do not mind.