What is an AI front office?
An AI front office is software that does the work of a small business’s front desk. It answers every call in the business’s name, books jobs and appointments into the calendar, texts customers back, keeps a record of every caller and follows up, so the owner only deals with the work itself.
What it does that a phone line doesn’t.
- Answers every call. Day, night and weekends, in your business name, at the same price.
- Books, not just takes messages. It finds a time you are free and books it while the caller is still on the line.
- Texts both sides. The caller gets a confirmation. You get the details straight away, and a call for anything urgent.
- Remembers every caller. Each caller becomes a contact with their history, so a returning customer is greeted like one.
- Follows up. A quote or a booking that did not happen gets a follow-up, and a finished job can get a review request.
- Tells you what it got wrong. A weekly list of the calls it could have handled better, so it improves with a minute of your time.
Front office, receptionist or answering service?
The three get used as if they mean the same thing. They do different amounts of the work.
- An answering service. A person or a script takes a message. You still ring back, book the job and chase it.
- An AI receptionist. Answers the call in front of it, any hour, and can book it and text you what happened.
- An AI front office. The receptionist plus everything around the call: the confirmation text, the customer record, the follow-up and the review request. The job goes from first ring to booked work without you.
A day in an AI front office.
An example day across a few kinds of business.
- 7:02am. A new patient asks for the first appointment. Booked for 8:30, confirmation texted.
- 10:15am. A quote request comes in while the builder is on a roof. Details taken, photos requested by text, the builder gets a summary.
- 12:40pm. A salon client wants to move Thursday to Friday. Moved, both sides texted.
- 6:45pm. A burst pipe. Marked urgent, the plumber texted, then rung when he did not reply.
- 9:30pm. A gym enquiry from someone nervous about starting. Answered kindly, trial class booked.
- Next morning. Every call is in the dashboard with the recording, and the unbooked quote has a follow-up ready to send.
How to set one up in an afternoon.
- Type your website. Aroha reads it and writes your receptionist: services, areas, hours and prices.
- Check what it found and fix anything in plain words, including what it must never say.
- Ring it yourself from the browser.
- Forward the calls you miss with a short code from your phone, or take a new number.
- Get a text after every call.
What it costs.
Start free with a number that answers about 10 calls a month. After that, pay as you go at NZ$0.59 a minute answered plus NZ$5 a month for the number, or a plan from NZ$79.99 a month. Month to month, no contract. See pricing.
Questions
Is an AI front office the same as a virtual receptionist?
A virtual receptionist is usually a person working remotely who answers and takes messages. An AI front office answers instantly at any hour, then books, texts and follows up. Many businesses use it for the calls their team cannot get to.
Will it replace my staff?
It takes the calls nobody can get to: when you are on a job, with a client, closed or already on the other line. Your team keeps the work they are good at.
What happens when it can’t answer a question?
It says so plainly, takes the details and gets you, rather than guessing. You also write what it must never say or promise.
How long does it take to set up?
A few minutes to a working receptionist: type your website, check what it found, ring it, then forward your calls when you are happy.
What does an AI front office cost?
Aroha starts free, then pay as you go at NZ$0.59 a minute answered, or a plan from NZ$79.99 a month. See pricing.
Where does Aroha work?
It is built in New Zealand and answers for businesses in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, the US and Canada. See the AI receptionist made in New Zealand.