An AI receptionist is only as good as what you tell it. The good news is that most callers ask the same handful of things. Cover these and you cover most calls.
The basics
- Your business name the way you want it said on the phone.
- Hours, including holidays and anything seasonal.
- Address, parking, and anything a first-time visitor needs to know.
- The area you serve, as cities or ZIP codes, if you go to customers.
Services and prices
List what you do and what you don’t. Callers ask both. Give it any prices you’re comfortable sharing on the phone, like a trip fee, a standard service, or a starting price. For anything custom, tell it to book an estimate or take a message instead of guessing.
What counts as urgent
Decide which calls should reach you right away, even on a job or after hours. Be specific: a burst pipe, a lockout, a tow, a car accident. Give it the number to transfer to and what to do if you don’t answer.
How to book
If you’re on a plan that books appointments, connect your Google or Outlook calendar and set how long each type of appointment takes and how much notice you need.
Then call it yourself
Call your own number and act like a customer. Ask the awkward questions, interrupt it, ask in Spanish if your customers do. Anything that sounds off, change the answer and call again. Most owners are done in two or three calls.