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The job big companies pay a forward-deployed engineer six figures to do — as a tool, for two figures.

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Put AI to work—one measurable workflow at a time.

All AI employee roles

An AI receptionist that answers every call and message, day or night

For a service business, a missed call is often a missed job — and hiring a full-time receptionist to catch them all rarely pencils out. This stack puts an AI voice agent on your phone line and a chat assistant on your website so calls get answered, common questions get handled, and bookings get captured even when you're on a ladder or it's 9pm. It's genuinely good at the repetitive front-desk work: qualifying callers, taking messages, answering FAQs, and routing the ones that need you. It is not a human, and for an upset customer or a delicate situation you'll still want to pick up. We're clear about that below. The tool prices shown are live with dated evidence, and the $99 one-time setup unlocks the plan that sets this up — scripts, call flows, and handoff rules — with an optional $29/month subscription to keep it current.

See if this is your plan See full plan

What it handles

  • Answer missed calls

    A voice agent picks up when you can't, so no lead goes to voicemail.

    5–10 hrs/wk
  • Handle website chat

    A chat assistant answers common questions and captures details 24/7.

  • Qualify & route

    Ask the right questions, then hand off hot leads to you with context.

  • Take bookings & messages

    Capture appointment requests and messages into your inbox or calendar.

  • Answer FAQs

    Hours, pricing, service area, and policies — answered instantly, consistently.

The stack behind it

The exact tools at the recommended budget, each with its own last price-check date.

ChatGPT· Plus

Quotes, comms, and content.

$20/mo

Tidio· Starter

AI chat that qualifies jobs on your site.

$29/mo

7-day free trial; annual billing = 2 months free

Make· Core

Route every enquiry to one inbox with instant follow-up.

$12/mo

Yearly billing saves 15%+ vs monthly across tiers

≈ AI stack$61/mo

Prices last verified: Aug 12, 2026

AI stack vs hiring — what you'd keep

Compare the yearly cost of a hire against the AI tool stack that does the repetitive work.

Hiring: Receptionist$46,670 / year
AI stack (Local Service Business)$831+ / year

This stack includes usage-based pricing, so the exact monthly cost depends on volume — see the live prices below.

This compares cost only, and deliberately understates hiring (it excludes recruiting, onboarding, equipment, software, and management overhead). An AI stack does specific tasks with your oversight — it doesn't replace judgment, relationships, or accountability. The plan is a one-time cost added to year one.

Salary source: U.S. BLS OES, May 2023 (SOC 43-4171) · U.S. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation

See if this is your plan

What an AI receptionist can't do

The honest limits. This is a tool with your oversight, not a person.

  • Handle an angry or emotional caller the way a calm human can.
  • Make judgment calls on unusual requests outside its script.
  • Physically greet walk-ins or handle in-person tasks.
  • Fully replace you for high-value or sensitive conversations.
  • Guarantee it never mis-hears — you set escalation rules for edge cases.

Questions about an AI receptionist

Will callers know it's AI?

Modern voice agents are natural, but we recommend being upfront where it matters. You control the script and when a call routes to a human.

What does it cost to run?

Voice agents are usually usage-priced (per minute) plus a base plan — the live prices and usage notes are shown in the stack below so there are no surprises.

Can it book appointments?

Yes, when connected to your calendar or booking tool. The template covers the setup and handoff rules.

And what does Dapols cost?

The tool prices on this page are paid to those vendors, monthly, for as long as you use them. This is the separate — and much smaller — cost of the plan that works out which of them you actually need and wires them together.

$99

once, to unlock your plan

The tools, the prompts, the connectors and the order to set them up in, customized to your answers and reviewed by a person before it reaches you. It does not renew, and we keep no card for a later charge.
$29

a month, optional and later

Only if you want the plan kept current as these prices move. We ask about a month in — you start it, we never start it for you, and stopping it leaves the plan you bought exactly as it is.
See if this is your plan See the full pricing ladder

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