Can I keep my existing business phone number?

Yes. Most businesses forward calls to the AI receptionist when they are busy, after hours or all the time. Your customers keep calling the same number.

Will callers know they are talking to AI?

Yes. We recommend the receptionist introduces itself as an AI assistant. Being transparent builds trust and is best practice in Australia.

What if a caller wants to speak to a real person?

The receptionist can transfer the call to your team or take a detailed message and alert you straight away, based on rules you set.

Can it handle emergencies?

It can recognise urgent situations you define, such as a burst pipe or an injured patient, and immediately transfer the call or alert you. It is not a substitute for emergency services, and callers in danger are told to call 000.

Is the AI receptionist compliant with Australian privacy laws?

We design it to collect only the information needed, give recording notices where calls are recorded, store data securely and support your Privacy Act obligations, including the automated decision-making disclosures that apply from 10 December 2026.

AI Receptionist for Australian Businesses

What is an AI receptionist?

An AI receptionist is a voice AI agent that answers your business phone, has a natural conversation with the caller, answers common questions, captures their details, books appointments into your calendar and transfers urgent calls to a person. Folio Manager sets up, trains and manages AI receptionists for Australian businesses, working with your existing number.

Why it matters for your business

Every missed call can be a missed job. When you are on the tools, with a patient or in a meeting, calls go to voicemail and many callers simply ring the next business on Google. An AI receptionist answers every call straight away, day or night. It speaks naturally, understands what the caller needs, answers questions about your services, hours and service areas, books them in, and sends you a summary. For urgent matters it can transfer the call or alert you immediately.

Who this is for

Trades and home services, clinics, law and accounting firms, real estate agencies and any Australian business that misses calls while staff are busy, on site or after hours.

Our approach

We train your AI receptionist on your services, pricing guidance, service areas, policies and the way you like to speak to customers. We set clear rules for what it can answer, when it should book, when it should take a message and when it must transfer to a person. Callers are told they are speaking with an AI assistant, call recording notices are given where calls are recorded, and you can review transcripts of every conversation.

What's included

24/7 call answering

Answers every call instantly, including after hours, weekends, public holidays and when lines are busy.

Natural Australian voice

Clear, friendly voices with Australian accents that handle interruptions and follow-up questions naturally.

Booking and scheduling

Checks availability and books jobs or appointments directly into Google Calendar, Outlook, ServiceM8, Cliniko or your CRM.

Lead capture and summaries

Captures caller details and job information, then sends a summary by SMS, email or into your CRM.

Smart call transfer

Transfers urgent or high-value calls to the right person, with context, based on rules you set.

Transcripts and reporting

Full call transcripts, outcomes and trends so you can see what callers ask and improve your service.

How it works behind the scenes

The receptionist runs on a voice AI platform connected to your phone system through call forwarding or a dedicated Australian number. It uses a large language model guided by your approved knowledge base and business rules, with integrations to your calendar and CRM via secure APIs. All calls are logged and transcribed for quality review.

Vapi

Retell AI

Twilio

Google Calendar

Microsoft Outlook

ServiceM8

Cliniko

GoHighLevel

How we work, step by step

Call review

We review the calls you receive, common questions and how you want bookings and urgent calls handled.

Train and configure

We build the receptionist's knowledge, voice, rules and integrations.

Test

We run test calls with your team and refine answers and handovers until you are happy.

Go live and improve

We switch on call forwarding, monitor the first weeks closely and keep refining.

How it compares

Option	Voicemail	Human answering service	AI receptionist
Availability	24/7 but no conversation	Often limited hours	24/7
Booking appointments	No	Sometimes, manually	Yes, directly into your calendar
Knows your business	No	Basic script	Trained on your services and policies
Cost at higher call volumes	Low	Rises with call volume	Scales efficiently

AI Receptionist: frequently asked questions