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AI receptionist or answering service?

Both pick up the calls you can't. One is a person reading your script; the other is an AI that asks your trade's questions and writes up the job. Here's how they differ, and when the answering service is the better choice.

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Side by side

What's compared	Buildrok AI receptionist	Answering service
Who answers	An AI assistant, in your business's name. Ask it and it says it's an AI.	A person at the service, working from a script you agree with them.
Which calls	The ones you don't pick up. Your phone rings first.	However you set it up: every call, or only overflow and after hours.
What it asks	Your trade's questions one at a time, then name, number, address and how urgent.	What's on the script. A good service follows it closely.
Prices	Never quotes one. It takes the details so you can.	Whatever the script allows.
Urgent calls	Gets the number first, marks the call urgent, and the email subject says so.	Usually handled by a rule you set, such as calling or texting you.
What you get after	An email and a Lead Inbox entry with the job written up, plus the recording and transcript.	A message by email, text or app, depending on the service.
How it's priced	$49 a month for 150 minutes, or $99 for 400. Past the limit it only takes messages instead of charging more.	Usually a monthly plan plus per-minute or per-call charges. Plans vary a lot between services.
Setup	Done for you on a call, and it rings you so you hear it before it takes a real call.	You write or approve a script with the service.
Languages	English only.	Some services offer Spanish-speaking agents.

Which one is right for you

Pick answering service if

You want a person on every call, whatever it's about
A good share of your callers would rather speak Spanish
Your calls often need someone to make a judgement on the spot

Pick the receptionist if

Most calls you miss are people wanting a job done, and you need the details to call back
You want one flat monthly price, with no per-minute bill
You want the recording and transcript of every call
You'd rather not write and keep a script up to date

Questions

Will callers mind that it's not a person?

Some will. It never pretends to be one: ask it and it says it's an AI assistant taking details for you. If a caller asks for a person, it can put them through to your number if you've given it one, or take a message.

Is it cheaper than an answering service?

It depends on how many calls you get and on your service's plan. The receptionist is $49 a month for 150 minutes, or $99 for 400, and never charges more than its plan. Put it beside last month's answering service bill.

Can I keep my answering service and try this?

Each one takes the calls you forward to it, so you'd choose which gets your missed calls. Book a demo and you can hear the receptionist before you change anything.

Let it get the next one.

Set up for you, on your number, and you hear it before it takes a real call.