AI receptionist
An AI receptionist that answers every call, 24/7
Callenova replaces missed calls and voicemail with a natural-sounding AI receptionist that books appointments, qualifies leads and transfers callers to your team, on your existing business number.
What an AI receptionist does for your business
Every missed call is a customer calling your competitor next. An AI receptionist picks up instantly, handles the routine work a front desk handles, and escalates anything that needs a person.
- Answers on the first ring, day or night, including weekends and holidays
- Books, reschedules and cancels appointments in your calendar
- Captures caller name, number, reason for calling and urgency
- Qualifies leads with your own questions before handing them over
- Transfers live calls to the right person or department
- Sends a transcript, recording and written summary after every call
AI receptionist vs. a full-time front desk
| Category | Callenova AI receptionist | In-house receptionist |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 24/7/365, no overtime | Business hours, sick days, holidays |
| Simultaneous calls | Unlimited, no hold music | One caller at a time |
| Monthly cost | From $99 | $3,000+ fully loaded |
| Ramp time | Live in days | Weeks of hiring and training |
| Consistency | Same script every call | Varies by shift and mood |
Cost comparison uses Callenova list pricing and publicly reported average front-desk salary plus benefits in the United States. Your figures will vary.
AI receptionist questions, answered
- What is an AI receptionist?
- An AI receptionist is a virtual phone agent that answers your business line with a natural voice, follows your script and knowledge base, books appointments, captures lead details and transfers callers to a person when needed. Callenova's agents run on your existing business number or a new one.
- How does an AI receptionist work?
- You forward your business number to Callenova or use a number we provision. When a call arrives, the agent greets the caller in your words, answers questions from your approved knowledge base, performs actions such as booking an appointment or creating a lead, then writes a transcript and summary to your dashboard.
- Can an AI receptionist book appointments?
- Yes. Callenova connects to Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, Fresha and Booksy, checks real availability during the call and confirms the booking with the caller before hanging up.
- Will callers know they are talking to AI?
- The agent identifies itself as a virtual assistant when appropriate, and you control the exact disclosure wording. Callers can ask for a human at any time and the agent transfers them.
- How much does an AI receptionist cost?
- Callenova starts at $99 per month for 150 included minutes, with Starter at $199 for 500 minutes and Growth at $499 for 1,500 minutes. Multi-location businesses get a custom Scale contract from our sales team. Additional minutes are billed per minute and implementation is included free.
Related reading: AI answering service, how setup works, and industries we support.