AI receptionist vs. human answering service
Both beat voicemail — most callers who hit voicemail simply dial the next business on the list. The real question is what you get per euro of answering, and where each option genuinely wins.
The cost math, side by side
Typically billed per minute or per call, with after-hours premiums. 300 short calls a month can land at $400–1,000.
One shift, five days a week. Holidays, sick days and evenings stay uncovered.
900 minutes included — about $0.33 per minute, 24/7, no after-hours premium. Overage $0.30/min.
Market rates are typical published ranges; every business should check current quotes. Vandio prices are the live public prices.
What each one actually does with a call
| Human answering service | Vandio AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Business hours; nights and weekends cost extra | 24/7, same flat price |
| Answer speed | Queue at busy times | First ring, every time, unlimited parallel calls |
| Books into your calendar | Usually relays a message; some book for an extra fee | Checks real availability and books the slot, with SMS confirmation |
| Knows your services and prices | Reads the script you wrote for them | Imports them from your website; you review before going live |
| Languages | Usually one or two | Twelve, and it switches mid-call if the caller does |
| After the call | Message in your inbox | Transcript, recording and a summary text to your phone |
| Angry or distressed callers | A skilled human is genuinely better | Polite and patient, but it does not do human empathy |
| Setup | Contract plus onboarding call | About ten minutes: paste your website, review, go live |
When the human service is the better choice
An honest comparison has to include this list. If your callers are often in genuine distress — crisis lines, bereavement services — a trained human is worth every cent of the premium. If your industry carries strict confidentiality duties, for example law or healthcare, check your regulatory requirements before letting any third party, human or AI, take those calls; Vandio does not market itself for regulated patient data. And if your phone is your VIP concierge channel where ten callers a week expect to be recognised personally, keep the human.
For the everyday reality of most local businesses — bookings, prices, opening hours, and calls that arrive while your hands are busy or after you have gone home — the comparison above is the whole story: the AI answers more of the calls, does more with each one, and costs a fraction per minute.
The questions everyone asks
Does it sound robotic?
It sounds natural and conversational — most callers simply get helped. It discloses that it is an AI at the start of the call and answers honestly if asked. You can judge the voice yourself on the demo line before paying anything.
What happens when it can't answer something?
It says so honestly, takes a message, and flags urgent ones — the owner gets an SMS immediately. It never invents an answer, a price, or a service you don't offer.
Can it transfer callers to me?
Yes. You choose when: never, on request, when the caller is unhappy, or for urgent matters only — and whether transfers happen only during your business hours.
Do I keep my phone number?
Yes. You get a dedicated AI number and forward your existing line to it — after hours only, or around the clock. The number on your van and your website never changes.
What does it cost at low call volume?
The Starter plan is $149/month with 200 minutes included. At typical three-minute calls that is about 65 answered calls — if the phone barely rings, that tier exists precisely for you.
Hear it before you buy it
The demo line is answered by Vandio itself. Call it, act like a customer, try to stump it — that conversation is the product.