How to hire a virtual receptionist for your small business

You know you need help answering the phones. Calls are slipping past you while you’re busy doing something important, voicemails are piling up, and you're pretty sure you lost a customer last week because you were elbow-deep in actual work when they called. A virtual receptionist sounds like the answer, but where do you even start?

There are a lot of options out there. Live answering services, AI-powered solutions, freelancers on Upwork, hiring someone in the Philippines. It can feel overwhelming. This guide walks you through figuring out what you actually need and where to find it, so you're not just guessing.

Before you start looking, know what you need

Here's the mistake most small business owners make: they Google "best virtual receptionist" and start comparing virtual receptionist services before they even know what they're looking for. Then everything looks the same, nothing feels quite right, and they end up more confused than when they started.

Don't do that. Work through these six steps first. It'll take maybe 20 minutes, and you'll actually know what you need by the end.

1. Figure out how many calls you get per month

This matters more than you'd think. Your call volume basically determines which options are even worth considering.

Check your phone records from the past few months, or just ballpark it based on a typical week.

Under 50 calls per month? You've got options and you likely don't need anything fancy.

Between 50 and 200? Monthly plans start making more sense. You'll want to find services with packages in that range.

Over 200? You need something that can handle volume. Unlimited plans or a dedicated receptionist start looking attractive.

Get this number. It'll save you from overpaying for capacity you don't need or getting stuck with a service that can't keep up.

2. Set your budget

Let's talk money. Here's what you're looking at:

AI answering services run $25 to $160+ per month. Live receptionist services are $250 to $800 per month for most small businesses. Hiring someone in the Philippines costs $400 to $800 per month for full-time. Freelancers on Upwork charge $5 to $15 per hour.

Meanwhile, hiring someone to sit at a desk in your office costs $3,000 to $4,000 per month once you add up salary, benefits, and overhead. Virtual wins on price every time.

Figure out what you're comfortable spending before you start looking. Otherwise you'll fall in love with some $400/month service when your budget is really $150.

3. List the features you actually need

Here's where people get tripped up. They see a feature list with 47 items and think they need all of them. You probably don't.

The basics are answering calls professionally, message taking services, and transferring calls. That's table stakes.

Beyond that, ask yourself: Do you need appointments booked directly into your calendar? Do you want leads captured and qualified before they reach you? Do you get calls after hours that you're currently missing? Do you need Spanish or another language? Do you have specific scripts or FAQs the receptionist needs to know?

If most of your calls are people trying to book appointments, scheduling is non-negotiable. If you close at 5pm and nobody calls after that anyway, don't pay extra for 24/7 coverage.

4. Check your integration needs

If you run your business on specific tools, make sure your virtual receptionist can talk to them.

Calendar stuff matters if you want appointments booked automatically. Google Calendar, Calendly, Acuity, whatever you use. CRM integrations matter if you want lead info flowing into HubSpot or Salesforce without manual entry. Some industries have specific software too, like legal practice management or medical scheduling systems.

And think about how you actually want to receive messages. Text to your phone? Email? Slack? An app notification?

This can narrow your options fast. Some services integrate with everything. Others barely integrate with anything.

5. Plan how you want calls handled

This step takes a little thought, but it's worth it.

What kinds of calls do you actually get? For most small businesses, it breaks down like this: new customer inquiries (people asking about services, pricing, availability), appointment stuff (booking, rescheduling, canceling), existing customer questions (checking on orders, asking about policies), urgent situations that need immediate attention, and sales calls and spam.

Now, for each type, what do you want to happen?

New inquiry comes in. Should it go straight to you? Or can the receptionist collect their info and you'll call back? Someone wants to book an appointment. Can the receptionist handle that without bothering you, or do you need to be involved? Customer has a question about your return policy. Can that be answered from a script?

Write this stuff down. It becomes your playbook, and it helps you figure out if a service can actually do what you need. Some virtual receptionists can follow detailed instructions and make judgment calls. Others just take messages and that's it.

6. Decide between live receptionists and AI

Okay, this is the big decision.

Live virtual receptionists are actual humans answering your calls from somewhere else. They're better when conversations get complicated, when you're in a sensitive industry like law or healthcare, when callers might be upset or emotional, or when the personal touch really matters to your business.

AI answering services use voice technology. They're better when you need 24/7 coverage without paying through the nose, when you want every call handled the exact same way, when most calls are routine stuff like scheduling or basic questions, or when budget is a real concern. It’s becoming the go-to solution for many small businesses and solo practitioners who couldn’t afford expensive call handling services before.

I'll be honest: AI has gotten surprisingly good. They can handle routine calls without breaking a sweat (literally). Complex call handling is also getting much better. And it costs 50 to 70 percent less than live services.

Can't decide? Some providers offer hybrid setups where AI handles the routine stuff and kicks complex calls to a human. Worth considering.

Where to find a virtual receptionist

Alright, you know what you need. Here's where to actually find it.

Live answering services

These are companies with teams of trained receptionists who answer calls for a bunch of different businesses. They learn your business, follow your scripts, and represent you on the phone.

Ruby, Smith.ai, AnswerConnect, and Nexa are the names you'll see most. You pay monthly based on minutes or number of calls. Most offer customization, transfers, scheduling, the works.

This is for you if you want a real person on every call. Just know that you will be paying premium prices. Budget $250 to $800 per month.

AI answering services

These use AI to answer calls, book appointments, capture leads, and route calls. They run 24/7 without charging extra for nights and weekends, which is nice.

Upfirst, Smith.ai's AI option, and Dialzara are solid options. Setup is usually fast, and you can customize the greetings and responses to sound like your business.

This is for you if you're budget-conscious, have a lot of calls, have simple use cases, have a small business, or really need that after-hours coverage. Expect $25 to $150 per month.

Freelancers on Upwork

You can hire an individual receptionist through Upwork or similar platforms. You interview people, pick who you like, and train them yourself.

The upside: a dedicated person who really gets to know your business. The downside: you're managing them, and if they get sick or quit, you're scrambling.

This works if you want someone you can mold exactly how you want. Costs $5 to $15 per hour depending on experience.

Hiring overseas

The Philippines is the go-to for English-speaking virtual receptionists. Lower cost of living means you get a full-time dedicated person for way less than US rates.

OnlineJobs.ph is the main platform, or you can go through VA agencies. The time zone thing can actually work in your favor for after-hours coverage.

This is for you if you want full-time dedicated help and you're okay managing someone remotely. Expect $400 to $800 per month.

Making your final decision

You've done the homework. Now just pick something.

Use a free trial if they offer one. Most services do. Start with a smaller plan and upgrade if you need to. Give it at least two to four weeks before you decide if it's working, not two days. Track your missed calls before and after so you can actually see the difference.

And honestly? Don't overthink it. Any of these options is better than letting calls go to voicemail.

Why AI answering services work well for most small businesses

If you've made it this far and you're still not sure, here's our take: for most small businesses, AI answering services offer the best combination of quality, features, and affordability.

The math is simple. You get 24/7 coverage for a fraction of what live services charge. There are no premium rates for nights and weekends. No contracts locking you in for a year.

Setup takes minutes, not days. You can customize how calls are handled, what information gets collected, and how messages reach you.

And the technology has genuinely gotten good. AI can handle scheduling, answer common questions, capture leads, and route calls. For the routine calls that make up most of your volume, callers won't know the difference.

Upfirst was built specifically for small businesses who want professional call handling without the big price tag. It's affordable, easy to set up, and handles the calls that matter to your business.

Try it free and see the difference yourself.

Get started today

Hiring a virtual receptionist really isn't that complicated once you break it down. Figure out your call volume, set a budget, list what features you need, check your integrations, plan how you want calls handled, and decide between live or AI.

The right answer depends on your situation. But if you want solid coverage without a big price tag or a complicated setup, AI answering services like Upfirst are a good place to start.