> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://boltcall.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI Receptionist

> Answer every inbound call 24/7 with a natural-sounding AI voice that greets callers, handles FAQs, books appointments, and transfers to humans when needed.

<Note>
  AI Receptionist requires the **Starter plan** or higher. [View plans](/account/plans)
</Note>

Your AI Receptionist answers every call the moment it comes in — day or night, weekends included. It greets callers with your business name, handles common questions from your knowledge base, books appointments directly into your calendar, and hands off to a human when the situation calls for it.

## Key benefits

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Never miss a call" icon="phone" href="/features/ai-receptionist">
    Every inbound call is answered immediately — no voicemail, no hold music, no missed opportunities.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Works after hours" icon="moon" href="/features/ai-receptionist">
    40% of calls come in outside business hours. Your AI receptionist handles them all.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Consistent experience" icon="star" href="/features/ai-receptionist">
    Callers get the same professional greeting and accurate answers every time.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Books appointments" icon="calendar" href="/integrations/calendar">
    The AI checks your calendar live and confirms bookings during the call.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How it works

When a call comes in, your AI receptionist:

1. **Answers immediately** with your custom greeting ("Thanks for calling Acme Plumbing, how can I help you?")
2. **Understands the caller's intent** — booking, FAQ, emergency, or transfer request
3. **Answers questions** using your linked knowledge base
4. **Checks your calendar** and books appointments in real time
5. **Transfers to a human** if the caller asks, or if your transfer rules are triggered
6. **Saves call details** — transcript, caller info, and outcome — to your dashboard

## Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to AI Receptionist">
    Open your [dashboard](/dashboard/overview) and navigate to **AI Receptionist** in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure your greeting">
    Enter the greeting your AI will say when it answers. For example:

    > "Thanks for calling \[Your Business Name]. I'm an AI assistant — how can I help you today?"

    You can also choose a voice that matches your brand tone. Preview voices before saving.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set your transfer number">
    Add the phone number the AI should call when it needs to transfer to a human. You can set rules for when transfers trigger — such as during business hours only, or when the caller explicitly asks to speak with someone.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Link your knowledge base">
    Connect your [knowledge base](/dashboard/knowledge-base) so the AI can accurately answer FAQs about your services, hours, pricing, and location. The more context you provide, the better the AI performs.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect your calendar">
    Link your calendar via the [integrations page](/integrations/calendar) so the AI can check availability and book appointments live during calls. Boltcall connects with Cal.com and Google Calendar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go live">
    Assign a phone number on the [Phone Numbers](/dashboard/phone-numbers) page — either a new local or toll-free number, or forward your existing business line. Your AI receptionist is now active.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Call routing and transfers

You control when the AI hands off to a human. Transfer rules you can configure:

* **On request** — transfer any time the caller asks to speak with someone
* **Business hours only** — transfer during your set hours; take messages after hours
* **By keyword** — transfer when the caller mentions specific words (e.g., "emergency", "billing")
* **After qualification** — let the AI gather information first, then transfer with context

When a transfer happens, the AI briefs the receiving agent with the caller's name and what they need, so the caller does not have to repeat themselves.

## What callers experience

Callers hear a natural-sounding voice — not a phone tree. They can speak freely, and the AI understands what they mean. Common interactions handled automatically:

* Hours of operation and location
* Service availability and pricing questions
* Appointment booking and rescheduling
* Requests to leave a message or schedule a callback
* Urgent or emergency routing

<Tip>
  Add your most common FAQs to your [knowledge base](/dashboard/knowledge-base) before going live. This significantly improves answer accuracy on the first day.
</Tip>

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can the AI handle complex questions?">
    Yes. The AI understands natural language and can handle multi-part questions. For anything outside its knowledge base, it takes a detailed message or transfers the call to you with full context.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if the caller wants a real person?">
    The AI transfers the call at any time a caller requests it. You configure when and where transfers go — including fallback to voicemail if no one is available.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does it work with my existing phone number?">
    Yes. You can forward your current business number to the AI receptionist without changing your number. See [Phone Numbers](/dashboard/phone-numbers) for setup instructions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are calls recorded and transcribed?">
    Every call is transcribed and saved to your dashboard. You can review any conversation from the [Analytics](/dashboard/analytics) page.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Knowledge base" icon="book" href="/dashboard/knowledge-base">
    Add FAQs and business info your AI uses to answer calls.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Phone numbers" icon="phone" href="/dashboard/phone-numbers">
    Assign a number or forward your existing line.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Calendar integration" icon="calendar" href="/integrations/calendar">
    Connect Cal.com or Google Calendar for live booking.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dashboard overview" icon="gauge" href="/dashboard/overview">
    View call stats, transcripts, and AI performance.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>