How Customer Communication Is Evolving

AI receptionists: How small business customer communication is evolving

• An AI receptionist can handle customer enquiries by phone, email and more.
• AI receptionists can answer questions, troubleshoot issues, book appointments, take messages, escalate calls and more.
• An AI receptionist can help small businesses stay competitive, improve customer experience and get more time back in their day.

For some of us, it doesn’t feel like it was that long ago that the only way to contact a business was by phone, post or by turning up in person.

Then, thanks to the innovation boom of the past few decades, there were suddenly lots of new options, from email to social media, chatbots and even Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone technology.

But these advancements haven’t always meant better customer experience.

How many times have you found yourself trapped on a call in an endless loop of ‘press 1’, ‘press 2’, and ‘Your call is important to us, please hold’, or tried to get help from an online chatbot and received a less-than-helpful response?

And for small business owners, the time-saving benefits of these technologies can sometimes disappear once you factor in the set-up, management and monitoring all these channels need.

Now that AI is everywhere, more and more businesses are looking for new ways to automate customer communications – and AI receptionists are a popular choice. 

So, what is an AI receptionist? What can an AI receptionist do? And will it really boost your efficiency, or will it be just another thing on your already-stuffed to-do list? 

What is an AI receptionist?

AI receptionists are software that use artificial intelligence to answer customer queries. Most AI receptionists in Australia can answer phone calls and emails, while some can even respond to online chats and texts. 

Like any software, exactly what an AI receptionist can do (and how well it performs) depends on the product. For example, Double Desk’s virtual AI receptionist:

• Operates 24/7 (so you don’t have to)
• Speaks to customers in a natural, normal way, with no ‘computer voice’
• Uses a custom knowledge bank to answer frequently asked questions
• Works out what your caller wants and helps guide them to the next step
• Plugs into your existing tools and systems, like booking platforms
• Comes with strict safeguards that put privacy and security first
• Won’t try to answer complex or urgent calls, but will pass them directly to you or your team.

Plus, you don’t need to be a tech whiz – you can quickly and easily train Double Desk’s virtual AI receptionist with voice or typed commands.

What are the benefits of using an AI receptionist for a small business?

Artificial intelligence tools like virtual AI receptionists can offer loads of benefits to Aussie small businesses, including increased productivity, easier processes and better customer experience.

So what could this look like for you?

Well, let’s say you’re a tradie, and you’re elbow-deep in a repair job when the phone rings. Usually, you might have to stop work and answer it yourself, or let it go to voicemail and risk losing out on a valuable job.

If you have a Double Desk AI phone receptionist, however, your receptionist could:

• Answer the phone call
• Troubleshoot the issue with the customer based on the built-in knowledge bank
• Gather the customer’s details
• Check your calendar for available times
• Book them in for the next available appointment
• Send the customer a confirmation text with their booking details.

Or let’s say you manage a hotel. An AI receptionist could free up time by answering calls and emails about parking, check-in times and other frequently asked questions. It can even make new bookings, integrating easily with your existing booking systems.

And if you’re running a busy medical practice, an AI receptionist could help reduce your reception workload by triaging simpler queries, immediately escalating anything urgent or complex to your human team.

Of course, those are just a few examples, but it’s a good overview of some of the ways an AI receptionist could make a real difference in your small business. 

Is a virtual AI receptionist really for me?

The AI boom is here, but Aussie small businesses are falling behind.

ABS data shows that while almost half of all businesses in Australia are using AI, only 11% of small businesses are taking advantage of the benefits it can offer. 

This is often because small business owners are already time poor, and often don’t know where to start, says the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA). 

But not using AI could make it hard to stay competitive, they warn.

“Many [small businesses] are already experimenting with AI for things like social media and marketing, but that is very different from embedding it into business processes in ways that genuinely save time, reduce administrative burden and improve productivity,” says Skye Cappucio, CEO of COSBOA.

And for those who do take the leap, the biggest benefit is getting time back in their day.

AI-curious, but don’t know where to start?

Double Desk is built by and for Aussie small businesses. Our Business Automation Tool includes an AI receptionist, as well as plenty of other easy-to-use AI tools designed for busy, non-technical small business owners. Plus, with no lock-in contract, you don’t need to make a big commitment just to see what it can do.

Ready to find out more? Book a no-pressure consultation with our friendly team today to discover what Double Desk could do for you.