Skip to main content

Digital Receptionist

Overview​

The Digital Receptionist is an AI-powered phone and SMS agent that handles inbound customer communication around the clock. Most contractors lose leads after hours — a potential customer calls at 8pm, gets voicemail, and calls a competitor. The Receptionist eliminates that gap. It answers every call, qualifies the lead, books an appointment if appropriate, and hands off to your team the next morning with a complete transcript and action summary.

Every interaction is logged to the CRM automatically. No manual data entry. No missed context.

Features​

  • 24/7 Inbound Call Handling — Answers calls on your business number using a natural AI voice; no hold music, no voicemail
  • SMS Conversations — Handles two-way SMS threads; responds in seconds
  • Appointment Booking — Checks real-time availability and books jobs directly into the schedule
  • FAQ Handling — Answers common questions (pricing, service area, hours, payment methods) using your configured knowledge base
  • Human Escalation — Detects when a caller needs a human and transfers the call or flags for callback
  • Full Transcription — Every call and SMS thread is transcribed and attached to the contact record
  • Lead Capture — Creates or updates a contact record from every interaction, even if the caller doesn't book

Interaction Flow​

Inbound Call / SMS
    └─→ Receptionist answers
            ├─→ FAQ? → Answer + log
            ├─→ Booking? → Check availability → Confirm appointment
            ├─→ Complex issue? → Escalate to staff + flag for callback
            └─→ Unknown? → Capture name + number → Log + notify staff

CRUD Reference​

ObjectCreateReadUpdateDelete
Receptionist Config✅✅✅—
FAQ Entry✅✅✅✅
Call Transcript—✅—✅
SMS Thread—✅—✅
Auto-Created Contact✅✅✅✅
Booked Appointment✅✅✅✅

Notes​

The Receptionist requires a Twilio phone number provisioned through the Merchant Protocol onboarding process. Your existing business number can be forwarded to this line. Knowledge base content (FAQs, service descriptions, pricing ranges) is configured under Settings → Digital Receptionist → Knowledge Base. Call recordings are stored for 30 days; transcripts are retained indefinitely unless manually deleted.