AI Receptionist

Every call answered. Never miss another client.

An AI receptionist that answers every call, books appointments, takes messages, and answers questions about your business. 24/7. No hold music. No voicemail. No missed clients.

An AI receptionist answers your business calls using artificial intelligence. It greets callers, answers questions about your services and pricing, books appointments, and takes messages. Mohios builds custom AI receptionists for New Zealand small businesses. Setup once, runs 24/7. Built and supported in Auckland.

The cost of not answering
62%

of calls to small businesses go unanswered

85%

of callers who reach voicemail won’t leave a message

67%

of callers will ring a competitor if you don’t pick up

Every missed call is a missed client.

You're on a roof. In a consultation. Under a car. With a patient. The phone rings. You can't answer. The caller hangs up and rings the next business on Google.

Voicemail doesn't help. Nobody leaves messages anymore. They just move on. You find out later, or you never find out at all. The work goes to someone who picked up.

Hiring a receptionist costs $50K a year. An answering service still charges per call and works limited hours. Neither option makes sense when you're running a small operation.

You need something that picks up every time, knows your business, and costs less than losing one client a month.

I used to lose two or three jobs a week because I couldn't answer the phone on site. Now every call gets handled before I even know it rang.

The problem every tradie knows
Based on conversations with NZ service businesses
What it sounds like

A real call. No human required.

9:02 AM
00:47
📞
Smith Plumbing
AI Receptionist Active
Live transcript
AI

Good morning, Smith Plumbing. How can I help you today?

Caller

Hi, I’ve got a leaking tap in my kitchen. Are you available this week?

AI

Absolutely. We cover the Auckland area. I can see we have availability on Thursday at 10am or Friday at 2pm. Which works better for you?

Caller

Thursday 10am would be great.

AI

Booked. Thursday 10am. I’ll send you a confirmation text shortly. Is there anything else I can help with?

Caller

That’s all, thanks.

AI

You’re welcome. See you Thursday!

Appointment booked: Thu 10am
SMS confirmation sent to caller
Summary sent to owner via text

47 seconds. Caller booked. Owner notified. No human involved.

What your AI receptionist does

Everything a receptionist does. Without the salary.

📞

Answers every call

Your AI receptionist picks up instantly. No ringing out, no hold music, no "please call back during business hours."

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Books appointments

Checks your real-time availability, books the slot, sends a confirmation text to the caller, and adds it to your calendar.

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Answers business questions

Trained on your services, pricing, hours, and service area. Answers the questions you answer twenty times a day.

📱

Sends you a summary

After every call, you get a text and email with who called, what they needed, and what was booked.

🔀

Transfers when needed

Urgent call? The AI can transfer directly to your mobile. You decide what counts as urgent.

🌙

Works after hours

Evenings, weekends, public holidays. The calls that come in at 7pm on a Saturday get handled, not lost.

The comparison

AI receptionist vs the alternatives in New Zealand.

Availability
Voicemail: When you check it
Human: Business hours
Answering: Extended hours
AI: 24/7/365
Cost per year
Voicemail: Free
Human: $50,000+
Answering: $4,000–$18,000
AI: From $1,200
Books appointments
Voicemail: No
Human: Yes
Answering: Sometimes
AI: Yes
Knows your business
Voicemail: No
Human: Over time
Answering: Script only
AI: Trained on you
Handles after-hours
Voicemail: Message only
Human: No
Answering: Extra cost
AI: Included
Sick days / leave
Voicemail: N/A
Human: Yes
Answering: Their problem
AI: Never
Sends you a summary
Voicemail: Voicemail only
Human: Sometimes
Answering: Email next day
AI: Instant text + email
The process

Live in a week. Five steps.

📋
Business brief
We learn your services, pricing, hours, and how you want calls handled.
🧠
AI training
We train the receptionist on your business. It answers the way you would.
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Number setup
New number or forwarding from your existing one. Your choice.
Test calls
You call it. Your partner calls it. We refine until it sounds right.
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Go live
Every call answered. Summaries in your inbox. Bookings in your calendar.
Two ways to work together
Most popular
🤝

We run it

Fully managed

We set up, train, and manage your AI receptionist. Ongoing updates as your services change. Monthly subscription.

Best for: Business owners who want it handled
🔧

We set it up

One-time setup

We build and train the AI receptionist, then hand it over. You manage it from there with our documentation and support.

Best for: Tech-comfortable owners who want control
Pricing based on call volume and complexity. Let's talk.
Who it's for

Built for NZ service businesses.

🔧

Trades

Plumbers, electricians, builders. You can’t answer the phone when you’re on the tools. Your AI receptionist can.

🏥

Health & wellness

Physios, dentists, vets, therapists. Your hands are busy with patients. Calls still get booked.

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Professional services

Lawyers, accountants, consultants. In meetings all day. Clients still get answered instantly.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AI receptionist?+

An AI receptionist answers your business phone calls using artificial intelligence. It greets callers, answers questions about your services and pricing, books appointments, takes messages, and sends you a summary. It works 24/7, including weekends and public holidays.

How much does an AI receptionist cost compared to a human receptionist in NZ?+

A full-time receptionist in New Zealand costs $45,000–$55,000 per year. A virtual answering service typically costs $300–$1,500 per month depending on call volume. An AI receptionist from Mohios has a one-time setup fee plus a monthly subscription that is significantly less than either option, while working 24/7.

How does an AI receptionist compare to a phone answering service in New Zealand?+

A phone answering service uses human operators following a script. They typically cost $300–$1,500/month, charge per call, and work limited hours. An AI receptionist is available 24/7, is trained specifically on your business (not just a script), books appointments directly into your calendar, and costs a fraction of the price with no per-call fees.

Can an AI receptionist book appointments?+

Yes. It checks your calendar availability, books the appointment, sends a confirmation to the caller, and adds it to your calendar. All during the phone call, without any human involvement.

Will callers know they are talking to an AI?+

We are transparent that it is an AI assistant, but callers typically find the experience smooth and helpful. The AI is trained on your specific business, so it answers questions about your services, pricing, and availability just like a knowledgeable receptionist would.

What happens if the AI receptionist cannot handle a call?+

It takes a detailed message, collects the caller’s contact information, and immediately notifies you via text or email. You can call the person back with full context of what they needed. For urgent calls, it can transfer directly to your mobile.

Can the AI receptionist work with my existing phone number?+

Yes. We can set up call forwarding from your existing business number so calls route to the AI receptionist when you don’t answer. You keep your number, and callers won’t notice any difference.

Ready to stop missing calls?

Tell us about your business. We'll show you how it works.