Not legal or tax advice. Rules differ by state and change over time. Ask an employment attorney, accountant or your state board before relying on this.
Every call you miss while foiling or shaping brows is a booking that may go elsewhere. AI front desks answer, book and reply to texts when you cannot.
What They Cost
- GlossGenius Reception: $50 a month; answers calls and texts 24/7 and books into the calendar.
- SQUIRE Operator AI: $99 a month add-on.
- Fresha AI Concierge: sold per location, with a messaging-only and a calls-and-messaging tier (US price not shown to us).
- Listed without a separate price on the pages we read: Booksy, Mindbody and Zenoti.
- Human alternative: Setmore Live Receptionist at $99 a month (US only).
The Consent Rules
In February 2024 the FCC confirmed that calls using AI-generated voices count as calls with an "artificial or prerecorded voice" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (FCC 24-17). Those calls generally need the called person's prior express consent, and marketing calls need prior express written consent. Marketing texts carry consent duties too. Keep a record of how each client agreed.
How to Test One
- Load your real service menu, durations and policies.
- Call it with ten real questions, including a price and a complaint.
- Check that it hands over to a person when asked.
- Read the transcripts for a week before relying on it.
Common Questions
Do AI Receptionists Answer Inbound Calls Only?
Most products we list describe answering calls and texts and booking into your calendar. Outbound campaigns are where consent rules bite hardest.
Should the AI Say It Is an AI?
Many clients expect it, and it avoids confusion. Check your state's rules, which are changing quickly.
Sources
- FCC Declaratory Ruling FCC 24-17 (February 2024), PDF
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227 (Cornell LII)
- Our software data, with each vendor source and the date read
- How we get our data
Basis: Vendor pricing pages; FCC Declaratory Ruling FCC 24-17; TCPA.