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Guide

Stop missing calls. Start booking revenue.

Q: How do I follow up with missed callers?

Text callers who hung up, with consent rules in mind. 1. Send a short text with a booking link after a missed call 2. Keep follow-ups relevant to their enquiry 3. Do not place automated AI voice sales calls without the prior express consent the rules require (FCC) 4. Stop when someone asks you to

Updated 1 October 2026 · Pludor team · 3 sources

An AI receptionist answers your business phone and messages, answers common questions from your own information, books appointments or takes job details, and texts you a summary. Set it up with accurate business information, clear rules for when to pass a call to a person, and consent before any automated outbound calls (FCC).

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Small businesses miss calls while serving customers, working on site or after hours. An AI receptionist covers those moments so callers get an answer instead of voicemail.

What you need

Your business facts: services, prices or price ranges, hours, area, policies
What the assistant may do: book, take a message, send a link, take a deposit
When it must hand over: emergencies, complaints, complex quotes
A number customers call (your own or a new business number)
Where summaries go: text, email or your dashboard

Beginner mistakes to avoid

Vague business information, so answers are vague
No hand-off rule for urgent calls
Pretending the assistant is a person when asked
Never reviewing call summaries

How to do it

How do I set up an AI receptionist?

Write down your business facts and rules, connect your number, and test with real questions.

List services, prices, hours, area and policies
Choose actions: book, take details, send links
Set hand-off rules for urgent or complex calls
Forward calls when busy or after hours
Call it yourself with ten common questions

What should an AI receptionist say?

Greet with the business name, answer clearly, and offer the next step.

Short greeting with the business name
Answer the question from your information only
Offer to book or take details
Confirm what happens next

How do I take bookings and deposits by phone?

Let the assistant offer real time slots and text a payment link for the deposit.

Connect your booking calendar
Set which services need a deposit
Let the assistant text a booking link
Confirm automatically once paid

How do I follow up with missed callers?

Text callers who hung up, with consent rules in mind.

Send a short text with a booking link after a missed call
Keep follow-ups relevant to their enquiry
Do not place automated AI voice sales calls without the prior express consent the rules require (FCC)
Stop when someone asks you to

How do I measure if it works?

Compare answered calls, bookings and missed-call revenue before and after.

Count missed calls in a normal week first
Track calls answered and bookings made by the assistant
Check summaries for wrong answers
Adjust the information monthly

How do I keep callers happy?

Be clear it is an assistant if asked, keep answers short, and make reaching a person easy.

Answer honestly if asked whether it is AI
Offer a callback from a person
Avoid long menus
Fix any answer callers complain about

Common questions

Is an AI receptionist legal?

Answering inbound calls with AI is common. Outbound AI-voice calls are treated as artificial voice calls in the US and need prior express consent (FCC).

How much does an AI receptionist cost?

Plans vary; for example Smith.ai lists an AI receptionist Pro plan at $150 a month for about 75 calls (Smith.ai). Some all-in-one store platforms include a number of free AI-answered calls each month, so compare what is included before choosing.

Will callers know it is AI?

Many will. Be honest if asked, and make it sound helpful rather than human-pretending.

Can it handle emergencies?

It should recognise urgent keywords and pass the call or message to you immediately.

Can it answer WhatsApp and texts too?

Many AI receptionists also answer SMS and WhatsApp from the same information.

What if it gives a wrong answer?

Review summaries, correct your business information, and add the right answer.

Going further: scale and grow

Answer speed wins jobs

For local services, the first business to respond often gets the booking. An assistant responds instantly.

Use summaries as sales data

Call summaries show what people ask for most; use them to adjust services and prices.

Route by value

Pass high-value or complex calls to you, and let the assistant handle routine ones.

Combine phone and messages

One assistant across calls, texts and WhatsApp keeps answers consistent.

Update seasonally

Change hours, prices and promotions in the assistant's information when your business changes.

Use AI for this

Beyond answering, AI can help the whole front desk.

Write the script. Draft greetings and answers from your FAQs.
Summarise calls. Get short summaries with next steps.
Draft follow-ups. Write follow-up texts for missed callers.
Spot patterns. Group common questions from summaries.
Train staff. Turn good answers into a staff guide.

Be careful

Never let the assistant invent prices or promises; it should only use your information.

Doing this on Pludor

Pludor includes an AI receptionist that answers calls, texts and WhatsApp from your own information, books appointments and sends summaries, with free AI-answered calls each month.

Calls, SMS and WhatsApp in one inbox
Bookings and deposits
Free monthly AI calls and replies
Business phone numbers

Free to start - no card, no item limit. Pay only for what you use past the monthly free amounts.

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Sources

Checked 1 October 2026. Fees and rules change; follow the links for the latest.

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