AI receptionist

A WhatsApp AI receptionist for your business

The messaging alternative to a phone receptionist — it answers enquiries, quotes, books and takes payment in WhatsApp, day and night, so nothing gets missed.

Last updated: June 2026

An AI receptionist handles your incoming enquiries automatically — answering questions, taking details, quoting and booking — so you never miss one while you are busy or closed. NZT Digital builds yours on WhatsApp rather than the phone, which is where most customers already are: they can message any time, you get a written record of every conversation, and there are no per-minute call charges.

Why a WhatsApp receptionist instead of a phone one?

Most AI receptionists answer the phone and bill you per minute or per call. That works, but it fights the way people increasingly want to reach a business. A WhatsApp AI receptionist has some real advantages for a small firm:

  • Customers message on their terms — no hold music, no callback tag, no missed voicemail. They text and get an answer.
  • You get a written record — every enquiry, quote and booking is there in the chat, not lost on a call.
  • No per-minute meter — a chat assistant is not billed by how long someone talks.
  • It can do more than answer — quote, book, send a payment link and capture details, all in one thread.

What does a WhatsApp AI receptionist do?

It picks up the moment an enquiry lands and carries it as far as it sensibly can: answering the common questions ("do you cover my area", "how much for…", "are you open Saturday"), giving an instant quote where it can, offering appointment slots and booking them into your diary, sending a secure payment link, and taking the customer’s details. When something genuinely needs you, it hands over cleanly with the context already gathered.

How much does an AI receptionist cost in the UK?

UK AI receptionists cluster in a fairly tight band, usually with a setup fee on top:

TypeTypical UK priceBilling
Phone AI receptionist£40–£100/mo + £250–£300 setupPer minute or per call, capped by plan
Human answering service£1+ per call, or £100s/moPer call
NZT Digital — WhatsApp receptionistQuoted up front, no surprisesFlat monthly, no per-minute meter
Indicative UK pricing, June 2026. Full detail in our cost guide.

Does it sound robotic?

No. We write it to be clear and natural, and — importantly — we do not have it pretend to be a person. It gives fast, useful answers and hands off to you the moment a real human is needed. Customers get help quickly; you get the calls that actually matter.

Getting started

Tell us the enquiries you get most and how you like them handled. We build the assistant, connect it to your WhatsApp number and your diary, and you test it before it goes live. Most are running within days.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AI receptionist?

An AI receptionist is an automated assistant that handles your incoming enquiries — answering questions, taking details, quoting and booking — so nothing gets missed when you are busy or closed. Most are phone-based; NZT Digital’s works on WhatsApp and messaging, where most customers already are.

How is a WhatsApp AI receptionist different from a phone one?

A phone AI receptionist answers calls and is usually billed per minute or per call. A WhatsApp AI receptionist handles enquiries in chat — so customers can message any time, you get a written record, and there are no per-minute charges. It also fits the way most people now prefer to contact a business.

How much does an AI receptionist cost in the UK?

UK AI receptionists typically cost £40–£100 a month, often with a £250–£300 setup fee. NZT Digital builds a WhatsApp AI receptionist as a customer-facing assistant, quoted up front with no surprises, and internal assistants are £50 a month per assistant.

Will customers know it is not a person?

We keep it clear and natural rather than pretending to be human, and it hands off to you or your team the moment a question needs a person. The goal is fast, helpful answers — not deception.

Can it book appointments and take payment?

Yes. It can offer slots and book them into your diary, send payment links, and capture the details you need — all inside the same WhatsApp chat.

Keep reading

Ready to take the busywork off your plate?

Tell us what eats your team’s time and we’ll show you exactly what an assistant would take on — internal, customer-facing, or both.