Sole traders and small teams
Dental pain heard first, plans explained, and no clinical advice given.
One number. 4 departments behind it, each answered by an AI that reads only that department’s knowledge.
Severe pain, swelling, trauma, knocked-out teeth.
Handles: pain, swelling, knocked out, broken tooth, abscess, bleeding
Rules it follows
Never give clinical advice or suggest painkillers. Facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing goes to a person immediately.
Treated as urgent: swelling, can't swallow, breathing, knocked out, severe pain, abscess, bleeding won't stop
Check-ups, hygienist, treatment appointments.
Handles: appointment, check up, hygienist, book, cancel
Rules it follows
Confirm the patient's identity before discussing their appointments. Quote treatment prices only from the published price list.
Costs, plans, NHS and private, finance options.
Handles: cost, price, nhs, private, plan, implant, whitening, braces
Rules it follows
Quote only published prices, and always say a final cost depends on examination. Never state whether treatment is available on the NHS for a specific patient.
Invoices, payments, statements, refunds and account queries.
Handles: invoice, bill, payment, refund, statement, owe, direct debit, vat
Rules it follows
Verify the caller before discussing any account detail. Never read out card numbers or full bank details. Never agree a refund, credit, discount or payment plan — always pass those to a person. If the caller disputes a charge, take the details and escalate rather than defending the charge.
Treated as urgent: court, bailiff, legal action, cut off, disconnected, final notice, threatening
It rings each of that department’s numbers in order — the desk, then the mobile, then whoever’s on call. If nobody answers, it comes back on the line and says so, rather than leaving your customer holding or dropping them into voicemail. It takes their details, and you get told: a text and a WhatsApp message if it sounded urgent, an email if it didn’t.
Your caller is never told a ticket was opened. They’re told a person will ring them back — because that’s what they actually want to hear.
Rename or add departments
Every setup is a starting point. Add the ones you have and remove the ones you don’t.
Write your own rules
The rules above are ours. Replace any of them with what you’d actually tell a new receptionist.
Your extensions, in order
Desk, mobile, on-call — it tries each one before it gives up.
Your own voice
Give each department its own voice and greeting, or clone yours.
Your hours and holidays
Per department and per site, including bank holidays and shutdowns.
Your languages
Each department can answer in its own, and route to whoever speaks it.
Set your departments up in about fifteen minutes and ring it yourself.