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Short answer: You can set up an AI receptionist in about 30 minutes: sign up for a tool like Upfirst, Rosie or Dialzara, import your business info from your website, write your greeting and top FAQs, connect your calendar, turn on conditional call forwarding from your phone and make five test calls. You keep your existing number.
Last checked: October 2026. Prices are US list prices on each official site and can change.Before you start: what you need
- Your website or Google Business Profile link
- Your business hours, services and prices
- The 10 questions callers ask most
- Who should get urgent calls, and their phone number
- Login to your calendar (Google, Outlook or Calendly)
- Your business phone in hand, to set up forwarding
The 30-minute setup at a glance
| Minutes | Step | What you finish with |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Pick a tool and sign up | An account and a test number |
| 5 to 12 | Import your business info | Hours, services and FAQs loaded |
| 12 to 17 | Write the greeting and pick a voice | A clear, honest opening line |
| 17 to 22 | Set routing and connect your calendar | Transfers, messages and bookings working |
| 22 to 27 | Forward your calls | Missed and busy calls going to the AI |
| 27 to 30 | Make test calls and go live | A receptionist you trust |
Step 1: Pick a tool and sign up (5 minutes)
Choose a tool with a free trial so you can test with real calls before you pay. Three that are built for fast setup:
- Upfirst: from $24.95/mo, 14-day trial with no card. Upfirst says most businesses are running within 30 minutes.
- Rosie: from $49/mo, 7-day trial. It reads your website or Google Business Profile and fills in your details for you.
- Dialzara: from $29/mo, 7-day trial. Dialzara says most businesses go live in about 15 minutes.
Not sure what you’ll spend? See how much an AI receptionist costs or compare all options in our best AI receptionists list.
Step 2: Import your business info (7 minutes)
Paste your website or Google Business Profile link and let the tool pull your hours, address and services. Then check every detail, because a wrong closing time is the fastest way to lose trust.
Next, add your top 10 FAQs with short answers. Write them the way you’d say them on the phone:
- “Do you take walk-ins?” “Yes, Monday to Friday until 4pm. Saturdays are by appointment only.”
- “How much is a consultation?” “The first consultation is free and takes about 20 minutes.”
- “Do you take insurance?” “We take most major plans. Bring your card and we’ll check it at the front desk.”
Step 3: Write the greeting and pick a voice (5 minutes)
Keep the greeting short, say it’s an AI and mention recording if you record calls. Callers are fine talking to an AI when you’re upfront about it.
“Thanks for calling Bright Smile Dental. I’m the virtual assistant and this call may be recorded. I can book appointments or answer questions. How can I help?”
Pick a voice that matches your brand, set the language (many tools handle Spanish and other languages) and listen to a sample before moving on.
Step 4: Set routing and connect your calendar (5 minutes)
- Urgent calls: list the words that mean “transfer now” (like “emergency,” “leak” or “chest pain”) and the number to send them to.
- Messages: choose where call summaries go, such as email, text or both.
- Booking: connect your calendar so the AI can offer real open slots. Upfirst works with Google, Outlook, Calendly, Acuity and Clio. Goodcall works with Cal.com, TidyCal and Zapier.
- Spam: turn on spam filtering if the tool offers it.
Step 5: Forward your calls (5 minutes)
Use conditional forwarding. Your phone rings first, and the AI only answers when you don’t pick up or the line is busy. You keep your number and nothing gets ported.
| Carrier | Forward when unanswered or busy | Turn it off |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Dial *71 + the AI’s 10-digit number | Dial *73 |
| T-Mobile (no answer) | Dial **61*1 + number # | Dial ##61# |
| T-Mobile (busy) | Dial **67*1 + number # | Dial ##67# |
| AT&T | Phone app > Settings > Calling accounts > Call forwarding > When unanswered / When busy | Same menu |
| VoIP or office line | Your provider’s web portal, under Call Forwarding or Call Handling | Same portal |
Codes come from Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Dial them from the phone you’re forwarding. Other carriers use different codes, so check your carrier’s help page. If you want the AI to answer every call, use full forwarding instead (Verizon *72, T-Mobile **21*1 + number #).
Step 6: Test, then go live (3 minutes)
Call your business from a different phone and run these five tests:
- Ask your hours and one tricky FAQ.
- Book an appointment and check it lands on your calendar.
- Say an urgent keyword and make sure the call transfers.
- Leave a message and check the summary arrives.
- Let your phone ring out and confirm forwarding kicks in.
Fix anything that’s off, then go live. Read your call summaries every day for the first week and add any new questions to the FAQs.
Rules to follow
- Call recording: some states, including California, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington, require everyone on the call to agree to recording. Mentioning it in the greeting covers you.
- Say it’s an AI: it builds trust and keeps you ahead of new state AI disclosure laws.
- Healthcare: if callers share patient information, you need a signed HIPAA business associate agreement (BAA) with the vendor. Ask before you sign up.
- Outbound calls are different: the FCC treats AI voices as artificial voices, so AI calls to customers need prior consent. Answering inbound calls is not affected.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the rules for your state and industry.
FAQ
How long does it take to set up an AI receptionist?
About 30 minutes for most small businesses. Signing up and importing your info takes about 10 minutes, writing the greeting and FAQs takes 10 more, and forwarding plus test calls take the rest.
Do I need a new phone number for an AI receptionist?
No. Use conditional call forwarding so your current number rings first and missed or busy calls go to the AI. You only need to port your number if you want the AI to own it, and some tools like Goodcall don’t support porting.
How do I forward calls to an AI receptionist?
On Verizon, dial *71 plus the AI’s number to forward unanswered and busy calls. On T-Mobile, dial **61*1 plus the number and # for unanswered calls. On AT&T, use the call forwarding menu in your phone settings.
Can an AI receptionist book appointments?
Yes. Connect Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly or a similar tool and the AI offers open slots and books them during the call.
Do I have to tell callers they’re talking to an AI?
It is the safest choice. Say it in the greeting along with a recording notice, which covers states that require all parties to agree to recording.
What is the easiest AI receptionist to set up?
Upfirst, Rosie and Dialzara are built for fast setup. Rosie fills in your details from your website, Dialzara says most businesses go live in about 15 minutes and Upfirst has a trial with no card.