AI receptionist buyer’s guide for UK businesses
What an AI receptionist does, what it costs, what to test before signing, and how the major UK providers compare on accuracy.
An AI receptionist answers your phone in your brand voice, books calendar slots, qualifies leads, and hands off to a human when needed. Done well, it pays for itself in two missed-call recoveries — Silux Call’s is a £15/month add-on, with 20 minutes included on Pro.
What to test
- Accuracy on UK accents — many models trained on US data fall over on Glaswegian, Geordie, or Scouse. Ask for an audio sample.
- Hand-off latency — when the AI gives up, how long before a human takes the call? Anything over 3 seconds is too long.
- Calendar integration — does it write to Microsoft 365 / Google Calendar natively?
- Cost model — check what a month of real call volume costs, not just the headline (Silux Call: £15/month add-on; 20 minutes included on Pro).
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI receptionist?
Software that answers your phone in your brand voice, books appointments, qualifies leads, and hands off to a human when needed, 24/7.
How much does an AI receptionist cost in the UK?
Silux Call’s AI receptionist is a £15/month add-on, and the Pro plan includes 20 AI receptionist minutes — typically far cheaper than a £2k/month outsourced answering service.
Can an AI receptionist handle UK accents?
A good one can. Always test with a sample on regional accents (Glaswegian, Geordie, Scouse) and check hand-off latency stays under 3 seconds.
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- PSTN switch-off countdown 2027: what every UK SMB must do in the next 12 monthsblog
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