What is an AI receptionist (and should your business have one)?
In short: an AI receptionist answers your phone calls and website chats automatically, 24/7, greeting the caller, answering common questions, taking their details and booking the job. For any business that loses work to missed calls (most do), it usually pays for itself in recovered jobs.
What it actually does
Think of it as a front-desk member of staff that never sleeps. When someone rings, or messages your website, it picks up straight away, in your business's voice. It handles the usual questions ("are you open Sunday?", "do you cover my area?"), captures the caller's details, and for the right enquiries it offers your availability and books them in.
Want to hear one in action? Ring 01772 211130, a live demo receptionist answering for Tatas Thai Kitchen, a demo takeaway. Ask it about opening hours, allergens, booking a table, whatever a real customer would.
Why it matters: the missed-call problem
Most small businesses miss a big chunk of their calls, you're on a job, it's after hours, you're with another customer. And most people who hit voicemail simply ring the next business on the list. Every missed call is a job that may have just walked to a competitor. An AI receptionist closes that gap.
What it costs
Pricing varies, and the model matters more than the headline number. Beware pure per-minute pricing that punishes you for being popular. The Mensia AI receptionist is £295 to set up, trained on your business with its own number, then a flat monthly price with minutes included: £75 for 100 minutes, £125 for 300, £195 for 600 or £295 for 1,000. Extra minutes are 25p each and no VAT is added, so a busy month costs a little more and never a lot more. The missed call calculator shows which plan fits.
Should your business have one?
If you regularly miss calls and each new customer is worth more than a few pounds, the maths is usually simple: catching even one or two extra jobs a month covers it. If you have a dedicated receptionist who answers every call already, you may not need one. The honest test is your own missed-call count, and that's something we can measure for you for free.
Quick answers
Will callers know it's AI?
It's set up in your voice and trained on how you talk to customers. Most callers just think they've reached a helpful receptionist. Judge for yourself, ring the live demo on 01772 211130 (it answers for a demo takeaway called Tatas Thai Kitchen).
How much does an AI receptionist cost in the UK?
With Mensia it is £295 to set up, then a flat monthly price with minutes included, from £75 a month for 100 minutes up to £295 for 1,000. Extra minutes are 25p each and no VAT is added.
Can it book jobs into my calendar?
Yes, for the enquiries you choose, it offers your availability and books straight into your diary, then notifies you with the details.
Where to go next
An AI receptionist is one piece of how I help independent businesses stop losing work to missed calls. If you want the detail, or you're weighing up a new website too, start here:
- How the Mensia AI receptionist works, setup, voice, booking and what's included.
- Web design in Blackpool, a website you own from day one, with the receptionist built in.
- Web design across Lancashire, every town I cover, in one place.
Want a straight answer for your business?
Book a free call, no jargon, no obligation.