An AI receptionist that answers, qualifies, and books while you work

For Envision clients, the AI receptionist is $1,500 setup plus $500 a month. Cost depends on how much is custom: your calendar, your qualifying questions, and your CRM. We compare the options in our AI receptionist vs hiring a receptionist guide.

• Answers inbound calls and texts, day and night.
• Asks your qualifying questions: what the project is, where, and when.
• Books the appointment on your calendar.
• Sends the details to you and into your pipeline.
• Hands off to a human when a call needs one.

Missed calls are expensive for trades businesses, because you are usually on a roof or under a deck when the phone rings. The numbers you see online are often overstated. The widely quoted claim that 62 percent of small-business calls go unanswered comes from a small 2016 study. A 2025 CallRail survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers found 42 percent say they leave a voicemail and 78 percent say they have abandoned a business after an unanswered call. Different studies measure different things, so use them as direction. Our guide to missed calls sorts out which numbers to trust.

1. We set the questions. You tell us what you ask a new caller and what a good lead looks like.
2. We connect the calendar and CRM. Bookings land where you already work.
3. We test and tune. We listen to real calls and adjust the wording until it sounds like your business.

It suits owner-operated trades that cannot staff the phone all day. It is not a replacement for a human on complex or sensitive calls, and a good setup always has a handoff. We will not promise it books every call. We will promise to show you the transcripts.

Here is an illustration of the flow, not a recording. The assistant answers in your business's name, asks what the caller needs (a new pergola, a repair, a quote), asks where the property is and when they would like someone to come out, confirms the details back, and offers appointment times from your calendar. The caller gets a text confirmation, and you get the summary in your pipeline. If the caller asks something outside what it is set up to handle, or sounds upset, it hands off to a person or promises a callback.

• The questions you ask every new caller, in your own words.
• Your service area, so it can politely decline jobs you do not take.
• Appointment rules: days, times, and how much notice you need.
• Pricing guidance: whether it may quote a range or should always defer to you.
• Who gets the handoff, and by what number.

It will not replace your judgment on complex jobs, it will not promise things you have not approved, and it will not hide that it is an assistant if a caller asks. We review real transcripts with you in the first weeks and tune the wording. That review is where most of the quality comes from.

What is an AI receptionist?

A phone and text assistant that answers calls and messages, asks qualifying questions, and books appointments on your calendar, at any hour.

How much does it cost?

$1,500 setup plus $500 a month for Envision clients. Broader assistant and CRM builds are available through preferred partner Agency Logics.

Does it replace a human receptionist?

For routine calls, it can cover nights, weekends, and busy times. It hands off to a human when a call needs one. For complex or sensitive calls, a human is still better.

What about the 62 percent missed-call statistic?

It comes from a small 2016 study of 85 businesses and counts voicemail as unanswered. Newer figures vary widely. Treat it as direction, not a precise number.

Can it book on my calendar?

Yes. We connect it to your calendar and CRM so bookings and lead details land where you already work.

Will callers know it is an AI?

It never denies being an assistant if asked. The goal is a fast, helpful first response, with a handoff to you when it matters.

Can I review what it says?

Yes. We review real call transcripts with you in the first weeks and adjust the wording.