AI Receptionist Launch Checklist for Small Businesses

You've configured your AI receptionist. Settings are saved. Phone number is connected. Greeting sounds good.

But is it actually ready?

It's easy to miss something—a routing rule that doesn't work, a knowledge base gap, an integration that didn't connect properly. Launch with gaps and your callers notice.

This checklist ensures you're fully ready before your first real call. Use it as a go/no-go framework: if everything's checked, you're ready. If not, you know exactly what needs attention.

Pre-Launch: Is Your AI Ready?

Before any real calls, verify these configurations are complete.

Phone Setup

Phone number active and assigned
Call forwarding configured (if using existing number)
Forwarding tested—called your business number, AI answered
Carrier forwarding codes confirmed working
Backup number configured (if applicable)

Greeting Script

Greeting script finalized and recorded
Greeting length under 20 seconds
Business name clearly stated in greeting
Tone matches your brand (professional, friendly, etc.)
No confusing menu options or jargon
Call-to-action clear ("How can I help you?")

Business Hours

Hours set correctly for each day of the week
After-hours behavior configured (voicemail, emergency transfer, callback scheduling)
After-hours greeting differs from business-hours greeting (if desired)
Holiday schedule configured (if applicable)
Time zone correct

Call Routing

Transfer triggers defined (when AI should hand off to human)
Emergency routing configured with on-call numbers
Escalation tree complete (primary — backup — fallback)
Transfer message configured ("Connecting you now...")
Fallback behavior set if all transfer numbers fail

Knowledge Base

Services described with enough detail for accurate responses
Pricing information included (ranges are fine)
Minimum 10 FAQs populated
Business contact info accurate
Location/service area defined
Website URL and booking link included

Integration: Are Your Tools Connected?

If you're using integrations, verify they're working before launch.

Calendar Integration

Calendar platform connected (Calendly, Acuity, etc.)
Availability displaying correctly
Test booking completed successfully
Confirmation email sent to test caller
Calendar event created properly

CRM Integration

CRM connected (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, etc.)
Fields mapped correctly (name, phone, email, notes)
Test lead created successfully in CRM
Call notes syncing properly
No duplicate contacts created

Notifications

Email notifications configured
Correct email addresses receiving notifications
Mobile push notifications enabled
Test notification received on phone
Notification content includes useful info (caller name, reason, phone number)

Testing: 10 Scenarios Before Go-Live

Never launch without testing. Run through all 10 scenarios:

The 10-Point Test

1. Simple Greeting Call Call your AI. Verify it answers, greets properly, and audio is clear.

Passed

2. Appointment Request Say "I'd like to schedule an appointment." Verify booking flow works.

Passed

3. Quote/Pricing Question Ask "How much does [your service] cost?" Verify accurate info given.

Passed

4. Emergency Scenario Describe an emergency situation. Verify transfer to on-call works.

Passed

5. After-Hours Call Call outside business hours. Verify after-hours behavior is correct.

Passed

6. FAQ Question Ask a question from your knowledge base. Verify accurate answer.

Passed

7. Transfer Request Say "I'd like to speak with a real person." Verify transfer works.

Passed

8. Wrong Number Say "Is this Joe's Pizza?" Verify graceful handling.

Passed

9. Extended Silence Call and say nothing for 10 seconds. Verify appropriate response.

Passed

10. Language Test (If Bilingual) Call and speak in Spanish. Verify Spanish response.

Passed

For Each Test, Also Verify:

Team Prep: Communicating the Change

Your team needs to know what's happening before you flip the switch.

Internal Communication Checklist

Announced AI receptionist to all staff
Explained what AI handles (appointments, FAQs, basic info)
Clarified what staff still handles (complex issues, transfers)
Trained team on transfer process (what to expect, context given)
Shared monitoring plan (who reviews calls, how to report issues)
Set launch date and communicated it

What to Tell Your Team

Keep it simple and clear:

What's changing: "Starting [date], an AI system will answer our phones."

What AI handles: "Routine calls—scheduling appointments, answering common questions about services and pricing, taking messages."

What you handle: "Complex issues, angry customers, and anyone who asks for a real person. The AI will transfer these to you."

How transfers work: "When AI transfers, you'll see the caller's name and reason for calling. Pick up and continue the conversation—the AI hands off smoothly."

How to give feedback: "If you notice issues—wrong information given, awkward responses—tell me immediately. We can adjust."

Template Announcement

"Team, starting [date], we're implementing an AI receptionist to handle routine calls—appointments, basic questions, and after-hours messages.

This means every call gets answered, even when we're all busy. You'll receive transfers for complex issues or whenever callers want a person. The AI provides context before each transfer so you're not starting blind.

All calls are recorded and transcribed. We'll review these to ensure quality and make improvements.

Questions? Let's discuss before launch."

Soft Launch: Test with Real Calls First

A soft launch lets you catch issues with real callers before full rollout—lower stakes, easier to fix.

Option A: Time-Based Soft Launch

Week 1: AI handles after-hours calls only. Your team handles business hours normally. Week 2: AI handles overflow (when you're busy or on another call). Week 3: AI handles all incoming calls.

This gradual approach reveals issues in contained scenarios before full exposure.

Option B: Source-Based Soft Launch

Route calls from one marketing channel (Google Ads, for example) to the AI number. Keep your main business number on the existing system.

Monitor AI performance on this subset. If it performs well, switch your main number.

Option C: Select Customer Soft Launch

Invite 10-20 trusted customers to call your new AI number. Ask for honest feedback.

Adjust based on their input before broad rollout.

Soft Launch Checklist

Soft launch approach selected
Duration defined (1-2 weeks recommended)
Feedback collection method ready (survey, direct ask, transcript review)
Go/no-go criteria established (what determines you're ready for full launch)
Full launch date tentatively set
Team knows this is soft launch phase

Go/No-Go Criteria

Ready for full launch if:

Answer rate above 90%
No major caller complaints
Transfers working correctly
Bookings successful and accurate
Knowledge base handling common questions

Not ready if:

Frequent caller confusion
High transfer rate (over 30%)
Integration issues unresolved
Team concerns unaddressed

Full Launch Day: Final Checks

Soft launch complete. Issues resolved. Time for full launch.

Launch Day Checklist

All soft launch issues resolved
All 10 test scenarios re-verified
Team informed of go-live date and time
Monitoring dashboard ready
Someone available to watch first hour
Backup plan ready (can disable forwarding if critical issue)

First Hour Monitoring

First live call received successfully
Notifications working
No obvious issues in first 5 calls
Team available for any escalations
No caller complaints received

If the first hour goes smoothly, you're likely in good shape. Stay alert for the first day, then shift to daily monitoring.

First Week: What to Watch

The first week reveals what testing missed. Monitor closely.

Daily Checks

Review call transcripts (at least skim all, read any flagged)
Check answer rate (should be 95%+)
Monitor transfer rate (should be under 20%)
Verify bookings are accurate
Note any caller complaints or confusion

Key Metrics to Track

Metric	Target	If Below Target
Answer Rate	95%+	Check phone/forwarding setup
Transfer Rate	<20%	Add to knowledge base, improve training
Booking Rate	30%+	Review greeting script, check calendar
Caller Complaints	0	Review specific transcripts, adjust

Knowledge Base Updates

During week one, you'll discover questions the AI couldn't answer well. Document these and add to your knowledge base:

List of unanswered questions compiled
New FAQs added to knowledge base
Responses tested with new questions
Service descriptions enhanced if needed

End of Week One Review

Summarize overall performance
List issues encountered and how they were resolved
Document adjustments made
Plan week two improvements (if needed)
Decide on any greeting/routing changes

Troubleshooting: Common Launch Problems

Issues happen. Here's how to fix the common ones:

Calls Not Reaching AI

Symptom: Phone rings but AI doesn't answer Check:

Is forwarding active with your carrier?
Call your number from a different phone to test
Verify the forwarding destination number is correct

AI Giving Wrong Information

Symptom: Callers report incorrect pricing, hours, or service info Check:

Review knowledge base for outdated info
Check what question was asked (via transcript)
Update knowledge base with correct information

Too Many Transfers

Symptom: Transfer rate above 25-30% Check:

What questions trigger transfers?
Add those questions/answers to knowledge base
Review if transfer triggers are too sensitive

Callers Seem Confused

Symptom: Short calls, callers asking "hello?" repeatedly Check:

Is greeting clear and audible?
Is AI responding quickly enough?
Test audio quality from different phone types

No Notifications Received

Symptom: Calls happening but you're not notified Check:

Email address correct in settings?
Check spam folder
Mobile notifications enabled?
Push notification permissions granted?

Should You Announce the AI?

Optional: telling customers about your new AI receptionist.

Arguments for Announcing

Transparency builds trust: Customers appreciate honesty about automation
Sets expectations: They know AI handles routine matters, humans handle complex
Positions as improvement: "We've upgraded to ensure every call gets answered"

Arguments Against

Good AI is seamless: If it works well, customers may not notice or care
Some customers skeptical: "AI" can trigger negative reactions
Performance speaks: Let the experience prove itself

If You Decide to Announce

Template message (for website, email, or signage):

"We've upgraded our phone system to ensure every call gets answered—even when we're busy or after hours. Our new AI assistant can schedule appointments and answer common questions 24/7. For complex issues, it will connect you directly to our team."

Keep it positive. Focus on benefit (always answered) rather than technology (AI).

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should soft launch be?

One to two weeks is typical. That's enough time to catch issues with real callers but not so long that you delay the benefits of full deployment.

What if I find problems after full launch?

Everything is adjustable. Greeting, routing, knowledge base—all can be changed anytime. If you discover an issue, fix it. Nothing is permanent or locked.

Should I review every call in week one?

Review transcripts daily, but you don't need to read every word of every call. Skim for issues, read any that seem problematic, spot-check 5-10 per day for quality. Focus energy on fixing problems, not reviewing perfection.

What are go/no-go criteria for soft launch?

Ready for full launch if: answer rate above 90%, no major caller complaints, transfers working correctly, bookings accurate. Not ready if: frequent caller confusion, very high transfer rate, unresolved integration issues, or team concerns.

Launch with Confidence

This checklist covers everything between "configuration complete" and "successfully live":

Pre-launch: Phone, greeting, hours, routing, knowledge base all configured and verified.

Integrations: Calendar, CRM, notifications connected and tested.

Testing: 10 scenarios verified—appointments, emergencies, after-hours, FAQs, transfers.

Team: Informed, trained, ready to handle transfers.

Soft launch: Real calls in limited scope to catch issues.

Full launch: Go-live with monitoring in place.

First week: Daily review, quick fixes, knowledge base updates.

If you've checked every box, you're ready. Your AI receptionist will answer calls, book appointments, and handle routine questions—while you focus on the work that actually requires you.

Ready to launch? Start your free NextPhone trial and follow this checklist —