AI receptionist for small business

AI receptionist that answers every business call

Give callers a helpful answer at any hour. LimePhone AI can respond using business information, capture leads, schedule appointments, and transfer the conversation to a person when human judgment matters.

Fully managed AI voice agents, connected to the LimePhone business phone platform.

LimePhone AI phone agent answering an incoming business call
AI call in progress
IntentBook an appointment
Next stepConfirm or transfer
Available 24/7Cover busy periods and after-hours calls.
Business-aware answersUse approved information about services and policies.
Human handoffTransfer callers when the conversation needs a person.

One front desk, more useful outcomes

Handle routine calls without making callers feel stuck

The AI receptionist follows the business rules, collects the right information, and moves each call toward a useful next step.

01

Answer common questions

Respond to approved questions about services, hours, locations, policies, and other business information.

02

Capture and qualify leads

Ask the questions the sales team needs, record caller details, and separate strong opportunities from general enquiries.

03

Schedule appointments

Connect the call flow to scheduling tools so callers can move from enquiry to a confirmed next step.

04

Transfer to a teammate

Escalate urgent, sensitive, or complex conversations to the appropriate person instead of forcing automation.

05

Work across languages

Choose from multiple languages and voices to give more callers a consistent, professional welcome.

06

Connect follow-up tools

Send AI texts, update CRM records, and pass captured information into connected workflows.

How it works

Teach it the business. Define the boundaries. Stay in control.

LimePhone AI is a fully managed add-on, so the setup starts with the calls, information, and handoff rules that matter to the business.

Plan an AI receptionist demo →
1

Choose the call outcomes

Decide which enquiries should be answered, captured, scheduled, or transferred.

2

Provide approved information

Supply the business facts and instructions the AI receptionist should use during calls.

3

Connect tools and people

Link calendars, CRM workflows, texts, and the teammates who receive handoffs.

4

Test before going live

Review realistic call scenarios, adjust responses, and confirm escalation paths.

Built around real call intent

Three high-value jobs for a small-business AI receptionist

Customer support

Resolve the repeatable. Escalate the exceptional.

Answer routine service questions, collect the issue, and transfer urgent or complex calls to the right team.

Useful for after-hours coverage and call peaks

Appointment setting

Turn caller interest into a scheduled next step

Collect contact details, understand the request, and connect the caller with available appointment options.

Useful for services, consultations, and demos

Lead qualification

Give sales a clearer reason to call back

Ask consistent qualification questions and pass structured details into the follow-up workflow.

Useful for inbound sales and local service teams

Automation with an exit

The best AI receptionist knows when to bring in a human

Define handoff rules for urgent requests, sensitive topics, high-value leads, or anything outside the approved scope. Callers get a direct path forward, and the team keeps control of the conversations that need judgment.

Explore call routing
Caller explains the needThe AI receptionist identifies intent and gathers context.
Rules choose the next stepAnswer, capture, schedule, text, or transfer.
A teammate takes overHuman help remains available when it adds value.

Choose the right call experience

AI receptionist vs. auto attendant

Both improve call handling, but they solve different customer needs.

Conversational

AI receptionist

Understands spoken requests, answers approved questions, captures information, supports workflows, and transfers based on the conversation.

Book an AI demo

Menu-based

Auto attendant

Plays greetings and lets callers choose a department or destination using keypad menu options.

Explore auto attendant

Common questions

AI receptionist FAQ

Practical answers for teams evaluating AI call answering.

What is an AI receptionist?

An AI receptionist is a voice agent that answers business calls, understands spoken requests, responds using approved business information, and moves the caller to a useful next step.

What can LimePhone's AI receptionist do?

It can answer common questions, capture and qualify leads, support appointment scheduling, send texts, update connected tools, and transfer callers to a human.

Can the AI receptionist transfer calls to people?

Yes. The call flow can include human handoff rules for urgent, complex, sensitive, or high-value conversations.

How does the AI receptionist learn about the business?

The setup uses approved business information, instructions, and call-handling rules so responses stay aligned with the intended scope.

Can it answer calls after business hours?

Yes. The AI receptionist can provide 24/7 call coverage, including busy periods, evenings, weekends, and other times when the team is unavailable.

A smarter first answer

See how an AI receptionist would handle the business's real calls

Bring the key call scenarios. LimePhone will show how answering, qualification, scheduling, and handoff can fit into one managed flow.

Book a demo
24/7 AI answering service

Every call answered. Every lead captured.

Give every caller a helpful first response—even after hours. LimePhone’s AI receptionist answers common questions, captures intent, books next steps, and brings in your team when a human is needed.

★★★★★Trusted by growing teamsCancel anytimeHuman handoff built in
AI receptionist live call
JS
Jordan SmithIncoming call · 01:24
Thanks for calling Northside Plumbing. How can I help today?
Our boiler is leaking. Can someone come this afternoon?
IntentUrgent repair
Next stepVisit booked · 2pm
Built for businesses that cannot afford a missed callHome servicesProperty teamsProfessional firmsCustomer support
One helpful first response

Smarter than voicemail. Available beyond office hours.

Use AI for the repetitive front line while keeping your team in control of the conversations that need judgment, empathy, or expertise.

Answer

Handle routine questions

Share approved answers about opening hours, services, pricing ranges, locations, and policies without making callers wait.

Qualify

Capture every opportunity

Collect the caller’s name, reason for calling, urgency, and best next action, then deliver a structured summary.

Act

Book or route the next step

Schedule an appointment where configured, take a message, or transfer urgent and high-value calls to the right person.

Call scenarios

Natural conversations, clear outcomes.

Each illustrative scenario follows approved instructions. Callers get a clear answer and your team gets the context needed to act.

New lead qualificationService, location, urgency, and contact details captured
Lead captured
After-hours appointmentAvailable slot confirmed and summary sent to the team
Visit booked
Urgent human handoffPriority detected and call transferred with context
Transferred
Go live in four steps

Your business knowledge. Your rules. Your voice.

Choose when AI answers

Use it for every call, overflow, after hours, or only when your team is unavailable.

Add approved knowledge

Give it the facts callers ask for and define what it should never guess.

Set actions and handoffs

Choose what gets booked, captured, escalated, or transferred.

Test and improve

Run real scenarios, review outcomes, and refine instructions as your business changes.

Accurate answers

Teach it the business. Define the boundaries.

Keep answers grounded in the information you approve. Update services, hours, policies, and escalation rules without retraining your team.

See how AI Receptionist works →

Business knowledgeLast updated today
Opening hours and service areaApproved answer · 4 sources
Services and pricing guidanceApproved answer · 8 sources
Emergency call instructionsEscalation rule · High priority
Booking and cancellation policyApproved answer · 2 sources
Human handoff

Know when to answer—and when to bring in a person.

Set rules for urgent issues, VIP callers, sensitive topics, and complex requests. The AI can transfer with context so callers do not need to repeat themselves.

Explore call routing →

Incoming callAI answers
Understands intentUrgent leak
Applies your rulePriority transfer
Human takes overContext included
Structured outcomes

End every call with a next step.

Turn conversations into concise summaries for follow-up. Your team sees who called, what they needed, and what happened next.

See team conversations →

Call summary

New boiler repair lead

completed

Jordan reported an active boiler leak at a property in Camden. A same-day visit was requested and a 2pm slot was confirmed.

UrgentNew leadAppointment bookedCamden
AI receptionist add-ons

Choose the inbound AI minutes your business needs.

Add AI answering to a LimePhone plan. Start small, review usage, and move up when more calls arrive.

AI Starter

For lighter call volumes

$59 / month

200 inbound AI minutes

  • 24/7 AI call answering
  • Business knowledge and instructions
  • Lead capture and call summaries
  • Human transfer rules
Start free trial
Growth · most popular

For busy growing teams

$150 / month

1,000 inbound AI minutes

  • Everything in AI Starter
  • More room for peak periods
  • Multiple call scenarios
  • Structured call outcomes
Start free trial
Scale

For high call volumes

$499 / month

3,000 inbound AI minutes

  • Everything in Growth
  • High-volume inbound coverage
  • Advanced routing scenarios
  • Priority setup guidance
Start free trial

AI Receptionist plans are add-ons to an active LimePhone phone plan. Included minutes apply to inbound calls handled by AI.

Compare your options

A better first line for routine calls.

Capability
AI receptionist
Voicemail
Traditional service
Answers 24/7
Yes
No
Varies
Handles common questions
Yes
No
Limited
Captures structured details
Yes
Unstructured
Varies
Follows your call rules
Yes
No
Limited
Scales instantly at busy times
Yes
Yes
Limited
Frequently asked questions

Practical answers before you switch it on.

What is an AI answering service?

An AI answering service uses a conversational voice agent to answer incoming calls, follow approved instructions, collect information, and complete a defined next step such as booking, taking a message, or transferring the call.

Can callers reach a real person?

Yes. You decide which situations trigger a transfer and who receives the call. Use human handoff for urgent, sensitive, complex, or high-value conversations.

Will it answer outside business hours?

Yes. You can use AI around the clock, only after hours, for overflow, or whenever your team does not answer.

How do I keep answers accurate?

Provide approved business knowledge and clear instructions. Define boundaries for anything the AI should not answer, and review call outcomes as your services or policies change.

What counts toward the AI minute allowance?

The included allowance applies to inbound call minutes handled by the AI receptionist. AI Receptionist is an add-on to a LimePhone phone plan.

Can I use my existing business number?

You can port an eligible number to LimePhone or configure supported call routing. Our team can help you choose the cleanest setup for your current number.

Make the next call count

Give every caller a helpful first response.

Start with 200 inbound AI minutes and scale when the call volume grows.

Start free trial