You've decided to implement an AI receptionist for your business. Congratulations - you're about to save hours of time and never miss another call. But where do you start?
This guide walks you through everything you need to know, from preparation to go-live and beyond. Whether you're using NeuralWave or another provider, these principles apply.
Before You Start: What You'll Need
Setting up an AI receptionist isn't complicated, but a little preparation goes a long way. Here's your pre-setup checklist:
Pre-Setup Checklist
- Your business phone number (or decision about getting a new one)
- List of services you offer and their prices
- Your business hours (including any variations)
- Common questions customers ask
- Access to your calendar system (if using appointment booking)
- Decision on what calls should be transferred to a human
The 6-Step Setup Process
Your AI receptionist will be many customers' first interaction with your business. How should it sound?
Consider:
- Formal vs. Friendly: A law firm might want professional language, while a hair salon might prefer casual and warm
- Name: Some businesses give their AI a name ("Hi, I'm Sarah from Dublin Dental"). Others keep it anonymous ("Thank you for calling Dublin Dental")
- Accent/Voice: Most providers offer multiple voice options. Choose one that matches your brand
Pro Tip
Listen to how your best employee answers the phone. What phrases do they use? What tone? Use this as your template.
Think about every type of call your business receives and what should happen:
- New customer inquiry → Provide info, offer to book appointment
- Existing customer with appointment → Confirm/reschedule/cancel
- Emergency/Urgent → Transfer to human or on-call staff
- Sales calls/Spam → Politely decline
- Complex question → Take message or transfer
For each scenario, define:
- What information does the AI need to collect?
- What action should it take?
- When should it transfer to a human?
Your AI is only as good as the information you give it. Compile:
- Services & Prices: Every service you offer, with current pricing
- Business Hours: Including holidays and special hours
- Location & Directions: Address, parking info, landmarks
- FAQs: The 20 questions you answer most often
- Policies: Cancellation, payment, insurance, etc.
Common Mistake
Don't skip pricing information. "I need to check on that" makes your AI sound unhelpful. If prices vary, give ranges or starting prices.
The real power of AI receptionists comes from integrations. Common ones include:
- Calendar Integration: Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, or industry-specific software
- CRM Integration: Log calls and customer info automatically
- SMS/Email: Send appointment confirmations and reminders
- Slack/Teams: Get notified of important calls in real-time
At minimum, set up calendar integration if you book appointments. This alone eliminates double-bookings and saves hours weekly.
Before routing real calls to your AI, test every scenario:
- Call and try to book an appointment
- Ask about pricing for different services
- Ask an unusual question (see how it handles unknowns)
- Test the transfer-to-human function
- Call outside business hours
- Speak quickly, speak slowly, use an accent
- Interrupt the AI mid-sentence
- Give confusing or contradictory information
Pro Tip
Have friends or family call without telling them what to expect. Their genuine reactions will reveal issues you'd miss.
Don't flip the switch on 100% of calls immediately. Instead:
- Week 1: Route after-hours calls only to AI
- Week 2: Add overflow calls during busy periods
- Week 3: Route all routine calls to AI
- Week 4: Full implementation with monitoring
This gradual approach lets you catch issues before they affect too many customers.
Best Practices for Success
Do Tell Callers They're Speaking with AI
Transparency builds trust. Most customers appreciate knowing upfront, and many are impressed by the technology. A simple "Hi, I'm NeuralWave's AI assistant" works well.
Do Create Clear Escalation Paths
Always give callers a way to reach a human. Whether it's "Press 0 at any time to speak with a team member" or "I can have someone call you back within the hour" - make it easy.
Do Review Calls Weekly
Most AI platforms provide call transcripts and recordings. Review them weekly to:
- Identify questions your AI couldn't answer (add to knowledge base)
- Spot misunderstandings or errors
- Find opportunities to improve responses
Don't Set It and Forget It
Your business changes. Prices change. Hours change. Services change. Update your AI when your business updates.
Don't Over-Automate Initially
Start with simple tasks (hours, directions, basic appointments) and expand capabilities over time. Trying to automate everything on day one leads to poor experiences.
"We started with just after-hours call handling. Once we saw how well it worked, we added appointment booking, then FAQ handling. Within two months, our AI was handling 80% of calls perfectly. The gradual approach made all the difference."
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
"The AI doesn't understand certain questions"
Fix: Review call logs to find the exact phrasing customers use. Add these variations to your knowledge base with appropriate responses.
"Customers are frustrated with the AI"
Fix: Make sure escalation to humans is easy and obvious. Review transcripts to identify specific pain points.
"The AI is giving wrong information"
Fix: Audit your knowledge base. Information may be outdated or ambiguous. Be specific and keep it updated.
"Appointments are being booked incorrectly"
Fix: Check your calendar integration settings. Ensure buffer times, service durations, and availability are configured correctly.
Measuring Success
Track these metrics to ensure your AI receptionist is performing:
- Call completion rate: % of calls handled without transfer (target: 70-80%)
- Appointment booking rate: % of inquiries converted to bookings
- After-hours capture: Calls/appointments from outside business hours
- Customer satisfaction: Survey post-call or track complaints
- Time saved: Reduction in phone time for human staff
Your First Week: What to Expect
Day 1-2: Everything feels new. You'll check the dashboard constantly. This is normal.
Day 3-4: You'll notice a few calls where the AI could have done better. Note them for improvement.
Day 5-7: The system starts feeling routine. You'll notice you're not being interrupted as much.
Week 2+: You'll wonder how you ever operated without it.
Ready to Get Started?
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