The real question behind the cost
When businesses compare an AI receptionist with a human receptionist, the headline question is usually cost. The more useful question is coverage: which calls are being answered well today, which are being missed, and what each missed call is worth.
This guide sets out a fair way to compare the two, without pretending one simply replaces the other.
What a human receptionist brings
A good receptionist brings judgement, warmth, local knowledge and the ability to handle the unexpected. They build relationships with regular callers and notice when something is wrong. For many businesses, that human presence is part of the brand.
The limits are practical. One person can take one call at a time. They need breaks, holidays and sick days. Evening, weekend and overnight cover is expensive, and busy periods create queues exactly when callers are most impatient.
What an AI receptionist brings
An AI receptionist answers immediately, at any hour, and can handle several calls at once. It gives the same careful first response every time, captures details in a consistent structure, and never forgets to log a call. It can switch languages when a caller does.
Its limits matter too. It works from the information you give it, it can misunderstand unusual requests, and it should not make consequential decisions without a person approving them.
A fair way to compare costs
Rather than comparing a salary with a subscription, compare the cost of coverage:
- Hours covered. Count the hours your phone is answered today, and the hours callers actually ring.
- Missed calls. Check your phone system for unanswered calls and calls that went to voicemail. Estimate what a missed enquiry, booking or repair report costs you.
- Time spent on routine calls. Estimate how much of your team's day goes on questions with standard answers.
- Rework. Count the call-backs needed because a message lacked details.
- Setup and oversight. An AI receptionist still needs a well-written playbook and someone to review what it produces.
When you total these, most businesses find the comparison is not "AI or a person" but "what should people spend their time on".
The model that works best: both
For most teams the strongest setup combines the two. The AI receptionist takes every call first, answers routine questions, captures requests properly, and covers out-of-hours. The team focuses on the conversations that need them and on approving the next step. Callers get a faster response, and the team gets a calmer day.
Questions to ask any provider
- How is pricing structured: per call, per minute, or a fixed plan?
- What happens when the assistant does not know an answer?
- Which actions need human approval?
- Where is call data processed and stored, and for how long?
- Is call data used to train AI models?
- How do callers reach a person or the emergency services?
Next steps
See Clodia pricing and setup for how Clodia is set up for a business, or to talk through your call volumes.
Sources and further reading
- GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
- CIPD: the professional body for HR and people development
Hear Clodia for yourself.
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