Should a Small Trades Business Hire a Receptionist or Use AI?

The real cost of a part-time receptionist

A part-time receptionist covers roughly forty hours a week, takes holidays, and costs several thousand a month once wages and overhead are counted. They also do not answer at 11pm when a pipe bursts.

Where a human still wins

Complex negotiation, awkward customers, and relationship work with repeat commercial clients. A human is better at all of it, and you should not pretend otherwise.

Where AI wins outright

Coverage. It answers every call, at any hour, at a fraction of the cost, and never has an off day. Most small trades businesses do best with AI on the phones and a human handling the exceptions it escalates.

Common questions