You've decided to try an AI receptionist. Good choice. Now the question is: where do you actually start? What do you click first? How long is this going to take?
Setup guides are often scattered across help docs, FAQs, and knowledge bases. Steps get skipped. Prerequisites go unmentioned. You're left wondering if you missed something.
This guide walks through the entire process—from creating your account to making your first test call—with time estimates for each step so you know exactly what you're getting into.
Plan for 30-60 minutes total. If you're doing a simple setup without integrations, you might finish in 20 minutes. If you're connecting CRM, calendar, and configuring complex routing, budget the full hour.
Let's get started.
What to Prepare Before Setup
Before you dive in, gather a few things. Having these ready makes setup smoother:
Your business phone number (if you're forwarding your existing number) The 10-digit number your customers currently call. You'll configure call forwarding from this number to your AI receptionist.
Basic business information Hours of operation, services you offer, general pricing ranges. The AI needs to know what you do and when you're open.
Your website URL Most AI receptionist platforms can scan your website and auto-populate business details. This saves significant setup time.
Calendar link (if using appointment scheduling) Your Calendly or scheduling tool URL. The AI can offer booking during calls if connected.
CRM login (if integrating) Access to your CRM for setting up the integration. You'll need to generate API keys or authorize the connection.
Time needed to gather these: 5 minutes if you know where everything is.
Step 1: Creating Your Account (2-3 Minutes)
The first step is account creation. This is straightforward:
- Navigate to your chosen AI receptionist platform
- Click "Sign Up" or "Start Free Trial"
- Enter your business email address
- Create a password
- Verify your email (check your inbox)
- Enter your business name
After email verification, you'll land on your dashboard. The account is live and ready for configuration.
Most platforms offer a guided setup wizard at this point. You can follow their prompts or work through the sections at your own pace.
Step 2: Setting Up Your Phone Number (5-10 Minutes)
This is where many people get confused. There are three options for phone setup, and they work differently:
Option A: Get a New Phone Number (Instant)
The simplest option. The platform assigns you a new phone number—you pick the area code, and the number is yours immediately.
When this works well:
- You're adding a dedicated number for marketing or a new location
- You want to test AI before switching your main number
- Your existing number is tied to a contract you don't want to break
How to do it:
- Go to phone settings
- Select "Get new number"
- Choose your area code
- Number is assigned instantly
Your existing business number continues working separately. Calls to the new number go to your AI receptionist.
Option B: Forward Your Existing Number (Same Day)
Keep your current business number. Customers call the same number they always have—but calls are forwarded to your AI receptionist.
When this works well:
- Your number is established and known to customers
- You have the number on marketing materials, Google, etc.
- You want seamless transition with no caller-facing change
How to do it:
- Your AI receptionist has a "receiving number"
- You set up call forwarding with your phone carrier
- Forwarding options: always forward, forward when busy, forward when unanswered
Carrier codes vary—your platform should provide instructions specific to your carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.).
Option C: Port Your Number
Transfer actual ownership of your number to the AI receptionist platform. This makes the number native to the system rather than forwarded.
This takes longer (2-10 business days) and requires paperwork. We have a separate guide on number porting if this is your preferred approach.
For most businesses, Option B (call forwarding) provides the fastest path to live with minimal disruption.
Step 3: Creating Your Greeting Script (10-15 Minutes)
Your greeting is the first thing every caller hears. It shapes their entire experience. Spend time here—it matters.
What Makes a Good Greeting
Include:
- Your business name (so callers know they reached the right place)
- Friendly, professional tone
- What the AI can help with (appointments, questions, messages)
- Clear invitation to speak
Keep it:
- Under 20 seconds (ideally 10-15 seconds)
- Natural sounding (not robotic or overly formal)
- Clear and easy to understand
Template Example
"Thanks for calling [Business Name]. I'm here to help with appointments, answer questions, or take a message for our team. How can I assist you today?"
This greeting is 12 seconds, covers the key functions, and invites the caller to respond.
AI-Generated Option
Many platforms can analyze your website and generate a greeting based on your business type and services. This is a good starting point—you can customize it from there.
What to Avoid
Too long: A 30-second greeting before the caller can speak is frustrating.
Too many options: "Press 1 for sales, 2 for support, 3 for billing..." defeats the purpose of AI. Let the AI figure out what they need.
Confusing language: Avoid jargon or unclear phrases. Simple and direct wins.
Overly casual: "Hey! What's up?" might work for some brands, but professionalism is safer default.
Test your greeting by calling yourself. Does it sound like your business? Would you be comfortable if your best customer heard it?
Step 4: Setting Your Business Hours (5 Minutes)
Configure when you're open and what happens during vs. after hours.
Standard Configuration
For each day of the week, set:
- Start time: When your business opens
- End time: When your business closes Example for a typical contractor:
- Monday-Friday: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Full service)
- Saturday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Limited availability)
- Sunday: Closed
After-Hours Behavior
Define what happens when someone calls outside business hours:
Option 1: Voicemail AI takes a message, notifies you, caller waits for callback.
Option 2: Emergency Transfer AI identifies true emergencies and transfers to on-call. Non-emergencies go to voicemail.
Option 3: Callback Scheduling AI offers to schedule a callback for the next business day. Caller picks a time.
Most businesses use a combination—emergency transfer for urgent issues, voicemail or scheduling for everything else.
Holiday Hours
If your platform supports it, set holiday schedules in advance. Closed Christmas? Open with limited hours on July 4th? Configure it once and forget it.
Step 5: Configuring Call Routing (10-15 Minutes)
Call routing determines when the AI handles calls itself and when it transfers to humans.
Transfer Triggers
Set up triggers for when AI should transfer the call:
Common transfer triggers:
- Caller explicitly asks for a "real person" or "human"
- Emergency keywords detected ("flooding," "fire," "urgent")
- Existing customer with account issue
- Billing or payment disputes
- Complex technical questions beyond AI's knowledge
For each trigger, specify:
- Who receives the transfer (phone number)
- What message plays during transfer
- Fallback if the transfer doesn't answer
Emergency Routing
Critical for service businesses. Define:
- What keywords trigger emergency routing
- Primary on-call number
- Backup numbers if primary doesn't answer
- Hours when emergency routing is active (often after-hours only)
Example: Caller says "pipe burst and water everywhere" — immediate transfer to on-call plumber, regardless of time.
Department Routing (If Applicable)
For businesses with multiple departments:
- Sales inquiries — Sales team
- Existing customers — Account management
- Technical issues — Support
The AI asks clarifying questions and routes accordingly.
Step 6: Training Your AI with Business Info (10-15 Minutes)
The AI needs to know about your business to answer caller questions accurately. This is where you build its knowledge base.
Website Import
Most platforms can scan your website and extract:
- Business name and description
- Services offered
- Hours of operation
- Location information
- Common questions from your FAQ page
This provides a solid foundation. The AI can now answer basic questions about your business.
Adding FAQs
Go beyond website content. Add the questions your receptionist answers daily:
- "How much does [service] cost?"
- "Do you serve [area]?"
- "How soon can you come out?"
- "Do you offer financing?"
- "What's your warranty policy?"
For each question, provide the answer you want the AI to give. More detail = better responses.
Service Descriptions
List your services with brief descriptions:
AC Installation: "We install new central air conditioning systems. Price depends on home size and system type. Typically $5,000-15,000. We offer free estimates."
AC Repair: "We repair all brands of AC systems. Service call fee is $89, which applies toward repairs if you proceed. Same-day service often available."
The AI references these descriptions when callers ask about services.
Pricing Information
You can include pricing—even ranges:
"Drain cleaning starts at $150. Exact price depends on the blockage severity. We provide an exact quote before starting work."
Callers appreciate getting ballpark numbers. The AI can provide them if you train it with this information.
Step 7: Connecting Your Tools (5-10 Minutes)
Integrations make your AI receptionist more powerful. Connect the tools you already use.
Calendar Integration
Connect Calendly, Acuity, or your scheduling tool:
- Navigate to integrations
- Select your calendar platform
- Authorize the connection
- Test booking—call your AI and request an appointment
When connected, the AI can check real-time availability and book appointments during calls. No back-and-forth needed.
CRM Integration
Connect your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, etc.):
- Go to integrations
- Select your CRM or use custom webhooks
- Map fields (name, phone, email, call notes)
- Test—make a test call and verify the lead appears in CRM
Every call automatically creates or updates a contact in your CRM with call details.
Email Notifications
Configure who gets notified and when:
- New call notification — Your email and/or mobile
- Voicemail received — Email with transcript
- Emergency call — SMS to on-call
- Daily summary — Morning digest email
Adjust notification frequency to your preference. Some want every call; others want daily summaries.
Step 8: Testing Before Going Live (15-20 Minutes)
Never go live without testing. Run through these 10 scenarios:
Test Scenario Checklist
1. Simple Greeting Call your AI. Does it introduce itself properly? Is audio clear?
2. Appointment Request "I'd like to schedule an appointment for Thursday." Does it check availability and book correctly?
3. Quote Request "How much does [service] cost?" Does it give accurate pricing information?
4. Emergency Scenario "My pipe just burst and water is everywhere!" Does it transfer to on-call correctly?
5. After-Hours Call Call outside business hours. Does it behave correctly—voicemail, emergency option, callback scheduling?
6. FAQ Question Ask something from your knowledge base. Does it answer accurately?
7. Transfer Request "I'd like to speak with a real person." Does transfer work smoothly?
8. Wrong Number "Is this Joe's Pizza?" Does it handle gracefully?
9. Language (If Bilingual) Call and speak Spanish. Does it respond in Spanish?
10. Extended Silence Call and say nothing for 10 seconds. How does it handle the pause?
What to Check
- Audio quality: Clear on both ends?
- Response accuracy: Correct information given?
- Routing: Transfers work as configured?
- Notifications: You receive alerts?
- Integrations: CRM and calendar sync working?
Fix any issues before going live. Every problem you catch now is one your real customers won't experience.
Mistakes to Avoid During Setup
Learn from others' errors:
Greeting Too Long
If your greeting exceeds 20 seconds before the caller can speak, it's too long. They'll hang up or get impatient. Keep it 10-15 seconds.
Not Testing After-Hours Behavior
Your daytime testing doesn't verify after-hours behavior. Call at 9 PM to make sure the system handles it correctly.
Missing Emergency Transfer Setup
If you don't configure emergency routing, urgent calls go to voicemail at 2 AM. Set up the escalation path.
Knowledge Base Too Sparse
"I don't know" is never a good answer. Add at least 10-20 FAQs covering your most common questions.
Not Testing Actual Call Forwarding
If you're using call forwarding, test the entire path. Call your original business number and verify the AI answers.
Skipping Mobile Notification Setup
If you're not getting notifications on your phone, you won't know about calls until you check your computer. Enable push notifications.
What to Adjust After Your First Week
Setup isn't truly complete until you've handled real calls. Your first week reveals what testing missed.
Week One Review Checklist
Review call transcripts: Look for questions the AI couldn't answer well. Add those to your knowledge base.
Check transfer rate: If more than 20% of calls transfer to humans, the AI may need more training on common questions.
Monitor booking rate: If callers aren't booking appointments, your script or calendar setup may need adjustment.
Verify after-hours handling: Did any after-hours calls get misrouted?
When to Adjust Your Greeting
Consider changing your greeting if:
- Callers consistently seem confused
- Too many transfers happen for simple things
- Callers ask "am I talking to a robot?" (some curiosity is normal, excessive indicates a problem)
- Call duration is unusually short (people hanging up)
Adding to Knowledge Base
After week one, you'll know the questions your knowledge base didn't cover. Add them. The AI gets smarter with every update.
Setting Up NextPhone: Quick Start
NextPhone is designed for fast, frustration-free setup.
Website analyzer: Enter your URL and the AI extracts business information automatically—services, hours, FAQs. You review and approve rather than starting from scratch.
Industry templates: Select your industry (HVAC, plumbing, legal, etc.) for pre-configured greeting scripts and FAQ templates. Customize from there.
Built-in test call: Click "Test Call" in your dashboard. Your phone rings, you talk to your AI, you verify it works. No leaving the platform.
Real-time analytics: From day one, see call volume, answer rate, booking rate, and more. No waiting for reports.
Support during setup: Questions? Help is available. You're not left guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does complete setup take?
30-60 minutes for most businesses. Simple setups (just answering, no integrations) can be done in 15-20 minutes. Complex configurations with CRM integration, multiple routing rules, and extensive knowledge base may take the full hour.
Can I use my existing business phone number?
Yes, via call forwarding. Your number stays the same—customers call the same number they always have. Calls are forwarded to your AI receptionist transparently.
What if I make a mistake during setup?
Everything is editable. Your greeting, routing rules, business hours, knowledge base—all can be changed anytime. There's no permanent configuration. Experiment until it's right.
Do I need technical skills to set this up?
No. Modern AI receptionist platforms are built for non-technical users. If you can fill out a web form and make a phone call, you can do this setup. No coding, no IT involvement required.
Should I test before going live?
Absolutely. Run through the 10 test scenarios before real callers encounter your AI. Every issue you catch in testing is one your customers won't experience.
You're Ready to Go Live
That's the complete setup process:
- Account creation (2-3 minutes)
- Phone number setup (5-10 minutes)
- Greeting script (10-15 minutes)
- Business hours (5 minutes)
- Call routing (10-15 minutes)
- Knowledge base (10-15 minutes)
- Integrations (5-10 minutes)
- Testing (15-20 minutes)
Total: 30-60 minutes depending on complexity.
Test thoroughly. Optimize after your first week. And start capturing the calls you've been missing.
- Ready to set up your AI receptionist? Start your free trial today —