Should you hire an AI receptionist?
Seven honest questions. The quiz can recommend a human, an answering service, AI, or a hybrid. We score it the way we would advise a friend, not the way that sells the most subscriptions.
Roughly how many inbound calls do you take per month?
How to choose between AI, human, and hybrid
When AI wins
High call volume, predictable structured intake (booking, qualification, routing), 24/7 demand, calendar and CRM integration needs, tight budget. This describes most service businesses.
When a human wins
Highly relational sales, sensitive subject matter (legal disclosures, sensitive medical), executive-support workflows, situations where caller perception matters more than cost.
When a service wins
Low monthly call volume, simple message-taking only, no integration needs, you want zero new software to learn. Per-call pricing makes it cheap at low volume.
When hybrid wins
Most mid-volume service businesses with mixed call types. AI fronts everything, transfers the 10 to 30% that needs human judgement. Best of both economics.
Three rules of thumb if you skip the quiz
Under 100 calls/mo
AI receptionist almost always wins on cost and coverage. Try the cheapest flat-rate plan.
100 to 2,000 calls/mo
Hybrid. AI as the front line, escalate to a human for the calls that warrant it.
Over 2,000 calls/mo, complex
Mix of AI for routine + dedicated human team for high-value flows. Run the math both ways.
Frequently asked questions
Is this quiz biased toward recommending AI?
No, and we built it that way deliberately. Some businesses genuinely should hire a human receptionist or use a traditional answering service. The scoring weights certain answers (high-stakes calls, sensitive subject matter, very high call volume) toward "human" or "hybrid" outcomes. We would rather send you to the right answer than push you toward a product that does not fit.
When is a human receptionist still the right call?
When calls are highly relational (legal advisory, financial planning, executive support), when call volume is very high but each call is short and similar (call center work), or when callers must believe they are speaking to a human. AI is rapidly closing the last gap, but for some industries the cost of a wrong impression is too high.
When does a traditional human answering service win?
When you have low monthly call volume, calls are simple message-taking, you do not need calendar or CRM integration, and you do not want to learn any new software. Per-call pricing keeps it cheap at low volume. Once volume scales past about 50 calls per month, AI usually becomes cheaper.
What does a hybrid setup actually look like?
AI answers every call. It handles 70 to 90% fully (booking, qualification, FAQ, routing). For the calls that need a human, it warm-transfers to your team or to a human answering service. You get the cost and 24/7 advantages of AI plus the judgement of a human exactly when needed. See smart call transfer.
Why are there only 7 questions?
We tested longer flows and they did not change the recommendation in 95% of cases. Seven covers volume, budget, complexity, hours, integrations, persona expectations, and industry, which are the only inputs that meaningfully shift the outcome.
Can I share this quiz with my team or accountant?
Yes. The result page is shareable. Most businesses get value from running it twice: once with the owner answering, once with whoever actually answers the phone day-to-day. The answers often differ.
If the quiz pointed to AI, start here
From $29/month, every plan includes the AI phone agent. Live in 15 minutes.