What an AI receptionist actually does

It’s a phone assistant that answers your business line in a natural voice, the moment a call comes in. It isn’t a phone tree and it doesn’t say “press 1”. Callers ask their question the way they would ask a person, and it answers from what your business has told it.

• Answers every call, including after hours, weekends and the lunch rush.
• Answers the usual questions: hours, prices you’re happy to share, location, parking, what’s included.
• Books appointments into your booking system, or texts the caller your booking link.
• Takes a message and sends it to you by text or email, with the caller’s number and what they need.
• Texts back missed calls automatically, so nobody hangs up and forgets you.
• Hands off to a person when the caller asks for one or the question needs you.

What it costs, compared with the alternatives

Prices below are the market ranges published for 2026, in US dollars. They are not Zolo’s prices; we quote ours after a 15-minute call, once we know your call volume.

Option	Typical cost	What you get
AI receptionist	US$25–$300 a month (most full-featured tools US$50–$200)	Answers instantly, 24/7, every call at once
Human answering service	US$175–$700 a month at small-business volume, often US$0.75–$1.50 a minute	A person takes messages; per-minute costs climb when you get busy
In-house receptionist	About US$38,000 a year median wage before benefits	Knows your business best, but works set hours and can take one call at a time

For most storefront businesses the question isn’t whether an AI receptionist is cheaper than a person. It’s whether the calls you miss today cost more than the tool. Our missed-call cost calculator works that out in a minute.

What it can’t do (and shouldn’t)

• It shouldn’t give medical, dental or mechanical advice. It books the visit; your team gives the advice.
• It can’t fix a bad booking flow. If your calendar is out of date, it will book into the wrong slots.
• It doesn’t replace your front desk on a busy day. It catches the calls they can’t get to.

How Zolo sets it up

1. We learn your business. Services, prices you’re comfortable sharing, hours, policies, and the questions your front desk answers every day.
2. We connect it to your phone line and booking system, and set when it picks up: after hours only, overflow only, or every call.
3. We test it with real-sounding calls before it ever talks to a customer.
4. We review the calls every week and fix any answer that missed, so it keeps getting better.

Rules we build in from day one

In Canada, callers should be told when a call is recorded, and texts need the customer’s consent under Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL). We set the greeting to say the call may be recorded, keep follow-up texts to people who called you, and never send marketing texts without permission.

Pick your plan

Simple monthly plans in Canadian dollars. Every plan includes setup, testing and a weekly check of your calls by our team.

One-time setup fee of CA$299 on every plan, plus applicable taxes. 3-month minimum, then month-to-month. Not sure which plan fits? Book a free 15-minute review or call 778-892-7802.

What happens after you get in touch

1. Same or next business day: we call you to learn your services, hours, prices you’re happy to share and the questions your front desk answers most.
2. Within a week: we build your receptionist, connect it to your phone line and booking system, and test it with real-sounding calls.
3. You approve it by calling it yourself before it ever talks to a customer.
4. Every week after: we review the calls and fix any answer that missed.

What owners ask about AI receptionists

How much does an AI receptionist cost?

Published 2026 prices for AI receptionists range from about US$25 to US$300 a month, with most full-featured tools between US$50 and US$200. A human answering service typically costs US$175 to US$700 a month at small-business volume. Setup and the weekly tuning are usually what separate a tool that works from one that annoys callers.

Will my customers know they’re talking to AI?

Yes, and they should. A good AI receptionist sounds natural, but it says it’s an assistant for your business and offers to take a message or pass the caller to a person.

Can an AI receptionist book appointments?

Yes. It can book straight into many booking systems, or text the caller your booking link while they’re still on the phone.

Is it legal to use an AI receptionist in Canada?

Yes, when it’s set up properly: tell callers the call may be recorded, protect the personal information callers share, and only send texts that follow Canada’s anti-spam law.

What should I look for in an AI receptionist provider?

Ask who trains it on your business, who listens to the calls afterwards, how it hands off to a person, and how fast a wrong answer gets fixed. A tool nobody looks after gets worse, not better.

Does it include a live chat for my website?

Yes. The AI Receptionist and 24/7 Pro plans include an AI chat on your website. It uses the same knowledge as your phone receptionist, answers visitors any time of day, books or shares your booking link, and sends you every lead.

Sources: OnceHub, “Answering Service Cost in 2026” (Sept 2026, US dollars); Government of Canada, Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL).