If you miss calls on the job, start with missed-call text-back and instant replies. Add an AI voice receptionist if callers still need a live answer.
What does an AI receptionist do?
It picks up when you don’t. Depending on the service it greets the caller in your business name, answers common questions, takes their name, number and what they need, and either books them in or sends you a summary. The same idea works for web chat, texts and social messages.
What are the options?
| Option | What the caller gets | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Voicemail and call back | A recording, then a call when you’re free | Very low call volume |
| Missed-call text-back | A text within seconds with a booking link or a question about the job | Trades and services who miss calls on the job |
| AI voice receptionist | A natural-sounding voice that answers, takes details and can book | Busy phones, callers who won’t text |
| Human answering service | A person answering in your business name, taking messages or transferring | Callers who need a human, complex or sensitive calls |
How much does an AI receptionist cost in Australia?
Published prices we checked:
| Type | Example published prices | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| AI phone answering | Jodie: A$99, A$199 and A$399 a month, with unlimited minutes and no set-up fee. Prices exclude tax. | What each tier adds, such as booking and integrations |
| Human answering | OfficeHQ: from $25 a month + GST for message-taking, $35 for messages and call transfers, $50 for appointment scheduling. It also lists hybrid AI answering from $20 a month + GST. | Calls included and the charge for each extra call |
| Built into your business | CSL Media builds custom AI agents from $2,500 with a fixed quote. Texts and phone numbers are charged by use. | Running costs at your call volume |
Checked 30 October 2026 on heyjodie.com/en-au/pricing and officehq.com.au/pricing. We aren’t affiliated with either business; they’re examples, not recommendations. Prices change, so check before you sign.
What should I watch for before signing up?
- Limits and extra charges. Calls or minutes included, and what each extra one costs in a busy month.
- Set-up fees and contract length. Month-to-month is safer while you test.
- Real booking. Can it book straight into your calendar or booking system, or does it only take a message?
- Urgent calls. How does it get an emergency or an upset customer to you, fast?
- Your number. Most services work by forwarding your existing number when you don’t answer. Make sure you keep your number if you leave.
- Where recordings go. Ask where call recordings and transcripts are stored and who can see them.
- Local voices and places. Ring it yourself with an Australian accent and a tricky suburb name before customers do.
- Follow-up texts. A reply to someone who just called you is fine. Promotional texts later need their consent and an opt-out under the Spam Act.
How does CSL Media do missed-call text-back and instant replies?
We build it into the business’s own customer system:
- When a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a text from the business number within seconds, written in your words, with a link to book or a simple question about the job.
- When an enquiry arrives from your website or email, the first reply goes out straight away, any time of day.
- Every enquiry lands on one board, so you can see who’s waiting and how long they’ve waited.
- You call back from your own phone when you’re ready, and the conversation is saved against the customer.
We run missed-call text-back on our own business line. AI voice answering can be added for callers who need a live answer.
Do I need an AI receptionist or just missed-call text-back?
If most of your missed calls are new customers asking for a quote or a booking, a fast text back usually wins the job, because they hear from you before they ring the next business. If your callers are often older, upset or calling about something urgent, they’ll want a voice, so an AI voice receptionist or a human service is worth the extra cost.
For the bigger picture on AI that takes action, see what an AI agent does for a small business.
