By Jad Salman · · All guides
"AI receptionist" sounds like something for a dental practice or a big office, not a plumber with one van. But the problem it solves is very much a plumber's problem: the phone rings while you're under a sink, and by the time you call back, the customer has booked someone else.
This guide explains what an AI receptionist is, what it does on a real call, what it costs in the UK and when it isn't worth it.
What Is an AI Receptionist?
An AI receptionist is a voice assistant that answers your business phone when you can't. Instead of playing a recording, it has a normal conversation with the caller. It asks what the job is, where they are and when suits them, and then it does something useful with that information.
For a plumber, "something useful" usually means one of three things:
- Booking the job into a free slot in your diary.
- Sending you a text with the job, address and phone number.
- Putting an urgent call straight through to you.
It isn't a phone menu, and it isn't a recording that asks people to press 1. Callers just talk to it.
What Happens on a Typical Call
Say you're halfway through a bathroom fit and a customer in York rings about a dripping tap. With an AI receptionist on your line:
- It answers within a couple of rings, with your business name.
- It tells the caller it's an AI receptionist and asks what the problem is.
- It checks York is somewhere you cover.
- It offers a time you actually have free, and books it.
- It reads back the address and number, then texts you the details.
You finish the bathroom, look at your phone and there's a job in the diary. Nobody needed ringing back.
AI Receptionist vs Answering Service
A traditional telephone answering service uses people in a call centre. They're good at sounding friendly, but they usually take a message rather than book the work, and they're often charged per call or per minute. You still have to ring everyone back.
An AI receptionist can book the job itself, works at any hour and doesn't get busier when three people ring at once. The trade-off is that it's less flexible than a human on unusual or emotional calls. If you want the full comparison, I've written up answering services for plumbers in the UK.
What Does an AI Receptionist Cost a Plumber in the UK?
Prices vary a lot, and it's worth checking what you're actually getting. Some services charge a low monthly fee but only take messages. Others charge more but book jobs into your diary and send confirmations.
Slotby is a managed service, which means I set it up and look after it for you. Plans start at £79 a month for 140 minutes, with no setup fee and a 14-day money-back guarantee. There's more detail on the pricing page.
When you compare prices, a useful question is: what's one job worth to you? If a missed call would have been a £150 job, the maths doesn't need to be complicated. It's worth counting your own missed calls for a fortnight before deciding.
Do I Need a New Phone Number?
Usually not. The two common setups are:
- Call forwarding. Your mobile forwards calls you don't answer to the receptionist, so you can still pick up when it suits you.
- A dedicated number. You put a new number on the van and on Google, and the receptionist answers it, putting calls through to you when you want.
Either works. Forwarding is the easiest way to start.
Will Customers Mind Talking to an AI?
Some will, most won't, as long as it's honest and useful. People mainly want to know that someone has their details and that a plumber is coming. A receptionist that books a time on the spot often feels like better service than a voicemail and a callback the next day.
What matters is that it's upfront. A good AI receptionist should say it's an AI, sound natural and offer to pass a message to you if the caller would rather speak to a person.
Who It Isn't Right For
An AI receptionist isn't for every plumber. It's probably not worth it if:
- You rarely miss calls, because someone in the office already answers.
- You only take work through a platform that handles bookings for you.
- You prefer to speak to every customer before agreeing to a job, and won't let anything book on your behalf.
If you're a sole trader or a small team who keeps losing work to a missed ring, it's worth a look.
How to Choose One
Whichever provider you look at, ask:
- Does it book into my diary, or just take messages?
- What does it do with emergencies, gas smells and 999 calls?
- Will it tell callers it's an AI?
- Can I choose which jobs and towns it accepts?
- Who do I talk to if a call goes wrong?
- Can I try it and get my money back if it isn't for me?
Want to Hear One?
The quickest way to judge is to hear it. Ring our demo line on 07476 959334 and book a pretend job. You can read more about how it works on the plumbers page, or send an enquiry and I'll get back to you.
Jad, Founder of Slotby