Sole traders and small teams
Animal emergencies first, no clinical advice, owners kept calm.
One number. 4 departments behind it, each answered by an AI that reads only that department’s knowledge.
Collapse, poisoning, trauma, difficulty breathing.
Handles: emergency, collapsed, poisoned, hit by car, breathing, bleeding, seizure
Rules it follows
Never give veterinary advice, never suggest treatment, never advise on whether to induce vomiting. Take the species, the problem and the location, and get a person on the call.
Treated as urgent: collapsed, poison, chocolate, hit by car, seizure, not breathing, bloat, bleeding
Consultations, vaccinations, neutering, check-ups.
Handles: appointment, vaccination, booster, neuter, check up
Rules it follows
Quote only published prices. Never advise on whether a symptom needs a vet.
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
Opening hours, directions, complaints and anything else.
Handles: hours, open, address, directions, parking, complaint, speak to, general
Rules it follows
Listen to a complaint fully before responding. Never argue, never defend, and never promise compensation — take the details and pass it to a person. Give directions and opening hours only from what has been provided.
Treated as urgent: complaint, furious, unacceptable, ombudsman, solicitor, review, trading standards
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.