Overview
The AI Receptionist is a virtual front-desk assistant that answers calls around the clock. It greets callers, answers questions using your custom knowledge base, and routes calls to the right destination—all without human intervention. Each AI receptionist supports up to 10 concurrent calls.
Prerequisites
- Administrator access to the PBX admin portal.
- The SIP TCP port must be enabled on the PBX. This is pre-configured by Virtual-Call—no action is required on your part.
Create an AI Receptionist
- Log in to the PBX admin portal, go to AI > AI Receptionist.
- Click Add.
- Complete the configuration steps described below, then click Save and Apply.
Step 1: Personalization
Configure the basic identity and voice of your AI receptionist.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name to identify this receptionist (e.g., "Customer Service AI"). |
| Number | The internal extension number for this receptionist. Calls to this number are answered by the AI. |
| Primary Language | The main language the receptionist uses when communicating with callers. |
| Receptionist | Select a voice profile for the primary language. Click the headphone icon to preview each voice. |
| Additional Languages | Optional. Add extra languages so the receptionist can detect and respond in the caller's language automatically. |
Tip: You can adjust the AI's speaking speed by clicking Speed at the top-right corner of the Receptionist section. The speed setting applies to all languages.
Click Next to continue.
Step 2: Company Information
Provide company details so the AI receptionist can answer business-related questions accurately.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Company Core Services | Describe what your company does (up to 5,000 characters). The AI uses this to answer general questions about your business. |
| Company Address | Your company's physical address (up to 255 characters). |
| Business Hours | Select the time zone(s) with configured business hours. The AI uses this to inform callers about your operating hours. |
Click Next to continue.
Step 3: Greeting
Set the welcome message that callers hear when the AI receptionist answers.
- Turn on the Greeting switch.
- Enter a greeting message in the receptionist's primary language.
- Optional: Select Do Not Interrupt Greeting to prevent callers from interrupting the greeting.
Note: If you disable the greeting, the AI receptionist will wait for the caller to speak first after answering the call. You can configure time-based greetings (different messages for business hours, after hours, and holidays) after the receptionist is created.
Important: Time-based greetings cannot be tested via Online Test. Use a real production call to test this feature.
Click Next to continue.
Step 4: Dial By Name
Enable this feature so callers can be transferred to an extension by saying the person's name.
- Turn on the Dial By Name switch.
- Choose which extensions can be dialed:
- All Extensions—Any extension can be reached by name.
- Allowed Extensions—Only selected extensions can be reached.
- Restricted Extensions—Selected extensions are excluded; all others can be reached.
Click Next to continue.
Step 5: Failover Destination
Set where calls are transferred when the AI receptionist cannot resolve the caller's issue or match a transfer rule.
Note: "Failover" means "fallback option." The failover destination is where calls are automatically routed when the AI receptionist is unable to help the caller — for example, to a queue, a ring group, or a specific extension.
- In the Failover Destination drop-down, select a destination type: Extension, Inbound Queue, Ring Group, Conference, Call Flow, IVR, or Group Voicemail.
- Select the specific destination.
Click Save and Apply.
Result
The AI receptionist is created and appears in the list with an online status, indicating it is connected and ready to answer calls.
Important: If the status shows Abnormal, hover over it to see the reason. An AI Receptionist Call Line Abnormal event notification will be triggered automatically.
How Callers Reach the AI Receptionist
Once configured, callers can reach the AI receptionist in two ways:
- Direct dialing—Internal users dial the receptionist's extension number. External callers dial a DID number assigned to the receptionist.
- Call routing destination—Add the AI receptionist as a destination in an inbound route, IVR, or call flow.
Manage an Existing AI Receptionist
After creating a receptionist, click on it in the list to access its detail page. From there you can:
- Skills tab—Enable or disable individual capabilities (Greeting, Knowledge Base, Dial By Name, Intent-Based Transfer).
- Company Information tab—Update your company description, address, and business hours.
- Online Test tab—Test the receptionist via call or chat before going live.
- Settings tab—Change the name, assign a direct DID, update failover destination, adjust call timeouts, change language or voice profile.
Important: The Online Test has known limitations. Intent-based transfer and time-based greetings do not work in test mode. Test these features with a real production call.
Delete an AI Receptionist
- Go to AI > AI Receptionist.
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the receptionist you want to remove, then select Delete.
- Confirm with OK.
- Click Apply at the top of the page.
Comments
0 comments
Article is closed for comments.