How can we help?

How do I set up my AI receptionist?

After signing up, your AI receptionist is automatically configured with the details you provided during onboarding. Your dedicated phone number is provisioned within a few minutes. You can then customise your greeting, FAQs and opening hours from the Knowledge Base section of your dashboard.

How long does it take to get my phone number?

Phone numbers are typically provisioned within 2-3 minutes of completing signup. If there is a delay, the system will retry automatically. You can check the status on your dashboard.

Can I keep my existing business phone number?

Currently we provision a new dedicated number for your AI receptionist. You can set up call forwarding from your existing number to route calls to your AI receptionist, or use the new number alongside your existing one.

How do I sign up for autoreceptionist.ai?

Click "Get started free" on the homepage. Enter your business name, email, and a password. Choose your industry and tell us a few details about your business. We will set up your AI receptionist and provision a dedicated UK phone number, usually within 2-3 minutes. No credit card required for the 14-day free trial.

How long does setup take?

Most customers are live within 5 minutes. After signup we automatically:

1. Create your AI receptionist using your business details
2. Provision a dedicated UK phone number
3. Generate a starter knowledge base
4. Activate your dashboard

You can immediately call your number and test the AI.

What information do I need to sign up?

Just the basics:

- Business name and industry
- Your name and contact email
- Opening hours (you can adjust later)
- Optional: services you offer, transfer number for live handover

You can refine everything after signup from the Knowledge Base and Settings pages.

Can I keep my existing business phone number?

Yes - you have two options:

1. **Forward your existing number** to your new AI receptionist number. Most providers (BT, Sky, Virgin) let you set this up in minutes.
2. **Use both** - publish your AI number for after-hours and overflow calls while keeping your main line for staff.

Number porting (transferring your existing number to us) is on the roadmap.

How do I test my AI receptionist?

Simply call the phone number shown on your dashboard. Speak naturally - ask about your services, opening hours, or try to book an appointment. The full transcript and audio recording will appear in your Calls page within seconds of hanging up.

What does a new customer see first?

After signup you land on your dashboard which shows:

- Your dedicated phone number
- A getting-started checklist
- Your call usage and trial countdown
- Quick links to customise your greeting, FAQs and calendar

Follow the checklist to be fully set up in under 10 minutes.

What is the free lost-calls audit?

It is a one-shot test where we call your business line 5 times over 24 hours from different numbers and at different times of day. We measure how many were answered, how long they rang, and roughly how much revenue you may be losing. You get a free PDF report by email. Start one at /audit.

Will the audit calls be annoying?

No - we hang up if a human answers and never speak. The whole point is to measure ring time and answer rate without disrupting your day. We also rate-limit so each business is only audited once per week.

Can I try the AI without signing up?

Yes. Click the 'Try the AI live' button on our homepage to start an in-browser voice conversation with our demo assistant. No signup, no credit card. Speak naturally and ask about pricing, features or how the AI would handle your callers.

How does the AI handle calls?

Your AI receptionist answers calls using the information you have provided - your business details, FAQs, opening hours and greeting message. It can answer common questions, take messages, and attempt to book appointments based on your configuration.

Can I see transcripts of calls?

Yes. Every call is logged in your dashboard under the Calls section. You can see the caller number, duration, outcome and a summary of the conversation.

What happens outside business hours?

Outside your configured opening hours, the AI will use your out-of-hours message. It can still take messages and provide basic information, letting callers know when you will be available.

Can I transfer calls to a real person?

Yes. You can set a transfer number in your Settings. When a caller requests to speak to someone, the AI will transfer the call to that number.

How does the free trial work?

Your 14-day free trial gives you full access to all features on the Starter plan. No credit card is required to start. You can upgrade to a paid plan at any time from the Billing section.

How do I upgrade or change my plan?

Go to the Billing section of your dashboard and click Manage Billing. This opens the Stripe billing portal where you can upgrade, downgrade or manage your subscription.

Can I cancel my subscription?

Yes, you can cancel at any time through the Billing section. Your service will continue until the end of your current billing period.

How does the 14-day free trial work?

You get full Starter plan access for 14 days. No credit card required. We will email you 3 days before your trial ends. To continue after 14 days, add a payment method in **Billing** and choose a plan. If you do nothing, your AI is paused (not deleted) and you can reactivate any time.

What plans are available?

Three plans plus a free trial:

- **Starter** - small businesses, up to 100 calls/month
- **Pro** - growing businesses, up to 500 calls/month, includes Google Calendar booking
- **Enterprise** - high volume, 2000+ calls/month, priority support, custom integrations

See /pricing for current monthly prices. All plans are month-to-month, cancel any time.

How do I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Go to **Billing** in your dashboard and click **Manage Subscription**. You will be taken to the Stripe billing portal where you can switch plans, update your card, or cancel. Changes take effect at the start of your next billing period (or immediately for upgrades).

What happens if I exceed my call limit?

We will email you when you hit 80% of your monthly limit and again at 100%. Your AI keeps answering calls - we never cut you off mid-month. Overage calls are billed at a small per-call rate at the end of the month, or you can upgrade to a higher plan instantly.

Can I cancel any time?

Yes. Cancel from **Billing** -> Manage Subscription. Your service continues until the end of the current billing period - no early termination fees. Your call history stays available for 90 days in case you change your mind.

Do you offer a money-back guarantee?

If you are not happy in the first 30 days of a paid subscription, email peter@apps365.software and we will refund your last payment in full, no questions asked.

Are there any setup fees or hidden costs?

No. The monthly price covers everything: phone number rental, AI calls, transcription, dashboard, support. The only additional charge is per-call overage if you exceed your plan limit (clearly billed and capped to prevent surprises).

How do I update my business information?

You can update your business name, greeting message, transfer number and notification preferences from the Settings page. To update your FAQs and opening hours, use the Knowledge Base page.

How do I change my notification preferences?

Go to Settings in your dashboard. You can choose to receive SMS notifications for each call, email notifications per call or as a daily digest, or turn notifications off.

How do I change my password?

Go to **Settings** in the dashboard, scroll to the Security section, and click **Change Password**. Enter your current password and new password. You can also use the **Forgot Password** link on the login page if you cannot remember it.

How do I update my notification preferences?

In **Settings** -> Notifications, choose how you want to be told about calls:

- **SMS per call** - text after every call
- **Email per call** - email after every call
- **Daily digest** - one email per day at 6pm
- **None** - just check the dashboard yourself

You can mix and match (e.g. SMS for bookings, email for everything else).

Can I have multiple users on one account?

Multi-user access is on the roadmap for 2026. For now, share the login among trusted staff. The audit log shows who did what.

How do I update my business name or details?

**Settings** in your dashboard. You can update your business name, owner email, transfer number, opening hours, and notification preferences. Changes take effect immediately.

How do I delete my account?

Email peter@apps365.software requesting account deletion. We will permanently delete all your data within 30 days, in line with UK GDPR.

What can the AI receptionist actually do?

Your AI receptionist:

- **Answers every call** 24/7 with a natural human-like voice
- **Handles common questions** about your services, prices, opening hours, location
- **Books appointments** directly into your Google Calendar
- **Takes detailed messages** with caller name and reason for call
- **Sends notifications** via SMS or email when calls happen
- **Transfers complex calls** to a real person when needed
- **Provides transcripts** of every conversation in your dashboard

How natural does the AI sound?

Very natural. We use the latest neural voice technology which produces speech indistinguishable from a human in most calls. You can choose from several British English voices (male, female, regional accents) in your Settings.

Does it understand different accents?

Yes. The AI is trained on thousands of hours of UK English including regional accents (Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, Geordie, Brummie, Cockney, etc.) and can handle non-native English speakers reliably. If a caller is genuinely difficult to understand, the AI politely asks them to repeat themselves rather than guessing.

Can it take detailed messages?

Yes. When the AI cannot answer a question or the caller wants someone to ring back, it takes a structured message including:

- Caller name
- Phone number (asks to confirm)
- Reason for call
- Best time to call back
- Urgency

The message is saved to your dashboard and emailed/SMSed to you immediately.

Can the AI transfer calls to me?

Yes. Set a transfer number in Settings. When a caller asks to speak to a real person, or the AI detects an urgent or sensitive situation, it announces the transfer and connects the call to your number. If you do not answer, it falls back to taking a message.

Does it work outside opening hours?

Yes. You configure your opening hours in Settings. Outside those hours the AI uses your out-of-hours greeting (e.g. "Thanks for calling - we are closed but I can take a message or book you in for tomorrow"). Bookings outside opening hours are still created in your calendar for the next available slot.

Can callers leave voicemail?

Voicemail is rarely needed because the AI takes structured messages in real time. But if a caller insists on leaving an audio message, the AI accepts it and stores the recording in your dashboard.

How is this different from a chatbot?

Chatbots only work on websites. autoreceptionist.ai works over the phone - the channel that 60% of UK consumers still prefer for booking appointments and asking questions. Your customers ring a normal phone number and have a natural voice conversation, no app or website needed.

Do you have a page for my industry?

Yes - we have dedicated pages for plumbers, dentists, solicitors, salons, electricians and accountants. Each one shows how the AI handles the kinds of calls your industry actually gets, plus a sample call and pricing tuned to your trade. Browse them at /for or pick yours from the footer.

My industry is not listed. Can you still help?

Absolutely. The AI is fully customisable through your Knowledge Base, so it can handle any UK SMB. The industry pages are just shortcuts. Sign up and tell us about your business in the onboarding wizard - we will tune the AI to your trade.

Do I get a monthly report?

Yes. On the 1st of every month we generate a plain-English summary of last month's activity: calls answered, bookings made, top customer questions, and an estimated revenue uplift. View past reports at /dashboard/reports.

Can I turn off the monthly report email?

Yes. Open dashboard settings and toggle 'Owner report' off. The reports will still be generated for your dashboard but no email will be sent.

How do I view my call history?

Click **Calls** in the dashboard sidebar. You will see every call with caller number, date/time, duration, outcome (booked / message taken / answered / transferred), and a summary. Click any call to see the full transcript and listen to the recording.

How are bookings created?

When the AI books an appointment, it:

1. Checks your Google Calendar (if connected) for free slots
2. Confirms the slot with the caller
3. Creates a calendar event with caller name, phone, and service
4. Sends an SMS confirmation to the caller (if Twilio is configured)
5. Logs the booking on your **Bookings** page

Bookings are also visible in the Calls page with a green "Booked" badge.

Can I see and manage my bookings?

Yes. Go to **Bookings** in the dashboard. You will see Upcoming, Past and All bookings with the customer name, time, service and status. You can mark a booking as Completed, No Show or Cancelled from the list.

Can I export my call history?

Yes. On the Calls page click **Download CSV** in the top-right. The export respects any filters you have applied (date range, outcome) and includes timestamp, caller number, duration, outcome and call summary. Useful for accounting, VAT, or staff review.

What happens if two callers ring at the same time?

Both calls are answered simultaneously. Your AI receptionist handles unlimited concurrent calls - there is no queue, no busy tone, no missed calls.

What if the AI cannot answer a question?

If the AI does not know the answer, it politely says so and offers to take a message or transfer the call. You then see this in the call transcript. Add the answer to your Knowledge Base and the AI will know it for next time.

How do I forward my existing number to my AI receptionist?

Use our forwarding code generator at /porting. Pick your provider (BT, Sky, Virgin, EE, Vodafone, O2, Three) and enter your AI receptionist number - we will give you the exact short code to dial from your existing line. Most carriers activate forwarding instantly.

Can I forward only when I am busy or do not answer?

Yes. Most providers have separate codes for forward-on-busy and forward-on-no-answer. Our /porting tool generates all the variants - forward all calls, forward when busy, forward when no answer, plus the cancel codes.

Can you fully port my number to your network?

Full porting (transferring ownership of the number) is on our roadmap. For now, call forwarding gives you the same end-result in 30 seconds and can be cancelled any time without commitment.

Does the AI text the caller after the call?

Yes. Every inbound call ends with an automatic SMS recap to the caller, summarising what was discussed and any booking details. You can customise the template in your dashboard settings, or disable recaps entirely if your callers prefer not to receive SMS.

How do I customise my SMS recap message?

Open your dashboard settings, scroll to 'SMS recap template'. You can use placeholders like {business}, {summary} and {phone}. We charge through Twilio at cost - normally about 4p per SMS in the UK.

What happens if the AI cannot help a caller?

If the AI cannot answer or the caller hangs up frustrated, we link them to a missed-call rescue page (/rescue) where they can leave a structured message or jump straight to WhatsApp. Every rescue lands in your dashboard for follow-up.

What is the Knowledge Base?

The Knowledge Base is where you tell the AI everything it needs to know about your business: services, prices, opening hours, FAQs, location, parking, payment methods, cancellation policy, etc. The more you add, the smarter and more useful the AI becomes.

How do I add an FAQ to the Knowledge Base?

Go to **Knowledge Base** in the dashboard. Click **Add Item**. Enter a question (how callers might ask it) and the answer (in your own words). Save. The AI uses these instantly on the next call - no retraining or downtime.

How many FAQs should I add?

Aim for 15-30 to start. Cover:

- Services and prices
- Opening hours and bank holidays
- Location, parking, accessibility
- Booking policy (deposits, cancellation, lateness)
- Payment methods accepted
- Anything you get asked weekly

Review your call transcripts regularly and add answers for any question the AI fumbled.

Can I customise the greeting?

Yes. In **Settings**, edit the Greeting field. Use your business name and a friendly tone. Example: "Good morning, Greenwood Dental Practice. How can I help you today?" The AI uses this every time it answers.

Can the AI speak in different languages?

The AI is currently optimised for British English. Multilingual support (Welsh, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu, French, Spanish) is on the roadmap for 2026.

Are you a UK company?

Yes. We are a UK-registered company, our team is based in the UK, all customer data is held in UK / EU data centres, we are registered with the ICO, and our support runs on London business hours. Look for the trust badges at the bottom of our homepage.

Are you GDPR compliant?

Yes. We are ICO-registered, hold all data in the UK / EU, encrypt at rest and in transit, and provide a Data Processing Agreement on request. Email privacy@autoreceptionist.ai for our DPA.

How is my data protected?

All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256). API keys and sensitive settings are encrypted with a separate key. Access requires email and password (or Google OAuth). We are based in the UK and fully GDPR compliant.

Where is my data stored?

All data (calls, transcripts, recordings, bookings, customer details) is stored on UK-based servers. We never transfer personal data outside the UK or EEA without your consent.

Who can access my call recordings?

Only you (via your dashboard) and our small UK-based engineering team for support purposes. Recordings are retained for 90 days then automatically deleted unless you export them.

Are call transcripts shared with third parties?

No. We use Vapi.ai for call processing under strict data processing agreements. Transcripts are never shared, sold, or used to train external AI models. Read our full privacy policy at /privacy.

Is the service GDPR compliant?

Yes. We are registered with the UK ICO, have a Data Processing Agreement available on request, support data subject access requests, and offer full account deletion within 30 days.

How do I connect my Google Calendar?

Go to **Settings**, scroll to the Calendar section, and click **Connect Google Calendar**. You will be redirected to Google to grant permission. Once connected, the AI can read your availability and book appointments directly into your calendar. Calendar booking is included on Pro and Enterprise plans.

Which calendars are supported?

Currently: Google Calendar (Workspace and personal Gmail accounts). Coming soon: Microsoft Outlook / 365, Apple iCloud Calendar, Calendly, Acuity, Cliniko, and other industry-specific systems.

How does the AI know when I am free?

When connected to Google Calendar, the AI checks free/busy data in real time. It only offers slots that are genuinely free, respects your working hours, and adds buffer time between appointments based on your settings.

Can I disconnect my calendar?

Yes. In Settings -> Calendar, click **Disconnect**. The AI will continue to take messages but will no longer create calendar events.

My phone number is not working - what should I do?

Check the dashboard - it should show your number with a green status. If the number shows as inactive:

1. Wait 5 minutes (provisioning sometimes takes a few minutes)
2. Refresh your dashboard
3. Try calling the number from your mobile

If still not working, raise a support ticket and we will investigate within 1 working hour.

The AI gave wrong information on a call

Read the call transcript on the Calls page to see what was said. Then go to your Knowledge Base and either:

- Add the correct answer as a new FAQ
- Edit your business description / services if the issue was structural

The AI uses the updated information immediately on the next call.

I am not receiving SMS notifications

Check your Settings -> Notifications page. Make sure SMS is enabled and your mobile number is correct (UK format, e.g. 07123 456789). UK SMS delivery is normally instant - if you do not receive a test SMS within 2 minutes, raise a support ticket.

I cannot log in to my dashboard

Try the **Forgot Password** link on the login page. You will receive an email with a reset link valid for 1 hour. If the email does not arrive, check your spam folder. Still stuck? Email peter@apps365.software.

A booking did not appear in my Google Calendar

First check your **Bookings** page in the dashboard - if it is there, the booking succeeded but the calendar push failed. Common causes:

1. Google Calendar disconnected (reconnect in Settings)
2. Permissions revoked in your Google account
3. Wrong calendar selected

Reconnect Google Calendar from Settings and the AI will retry.