An affordable virtual receptionist that answers calls, takes messages, and books appointments for your business. Day and night.
"With Upfirst, someone who would’ve been on hold now gets help right away. Whether they just want to know the exam fee or refill a prescription, the AI can handle it. Clients love that."
"We’re often busy with pets and can't always get to the phone. Now every call gets answered and we get a clear summary so we can respond fast."
"Your AI, she’s amazing. She sounds great and is very responsive. Residents love it because they feel heard, and prospects get the information they need right away."
"Upfirst fit our non-profit's budget and ended up giving us more flexibility and control over calls than we got with our previous answering service."
How it works
See how easy it is to use Upfirst for your business.
Give us the important details about your business and tell us how we should be handling each call. We follow them every time.
We pick up every single call or just the ones you can't pick up yourself, even if it's after-hours, weekends, or holidays. Your callers will always reach a helpful voice, not a voicemail.
At the end of each call, we'll send you a summary directly to you and your team via SMS, email, or both. Get peace of mind as we answer your calls, collect info, set appointments, and more.
The affordable virtual receptionist for small business
A virtual receptionist answers your business calls so you don't have to or when you can't. Upfirst's virtual receptionist service naturally handles calls around the clock.
It greets callers, answers their questions, books appointments to your calendar, captures lead information, and sends you a summary after every call. You customize the greetings, call handling rules, and responses to match how your business works.
Whether you're a small cake shop or a busy law firm, Upfirst provides a professional, affordable way to make sure no important call is ever missed.
Discover how our virtual reception service makes it easier to answer every call.
Voicemail costs you customers. Half of callers won't leave a message, and most will try the next business on the list. With Upfirst, every caller gets a warm, professional greeting tailored to your brand. They get help right away, and you capture the opportunity.
Your virtual receptionist never clocks out. Callers reach a real conversation at 2 AM or on a Sunday, not a phone tree or voicemail box. Upfirst handles scheduling, FAQs, lead capture, and urgent requests. You get a summary and follow up on your terms.
Hiring an in-house receptionist costs thousands per month for 9-to-5 coverage. Upfirst gives you 24/7 call answering, appointment scheduling, and lead qualification at a fraction of the cost. See our pricing to compare.
You control the greeting, the questions your receptionist asks, and how calls get handled. Need it to take messages? Transfer calls to the right person? Book appointments? Set it up the way you want and change it anytime.
One customer said Upfirst took 50% of the phone calls off their plate. When your receptionist handles the routine calls, answering FAQs and booking appointments, you stay focused on the work in front of you.
Start with 30 calls a month. Scale to 600 or more when business picks up. Upfirst handles high call volume and grows with you without changing your workflows.
Our virtual assistant isn’t just a friendly voice; it seamlessly connects the dots for your callers, no matter the call volume or urgency of their request. Upfirst handles it all.
Catch every caller, any hour. Be the first business to respond, day or night.
Direct callers to the right team member with custom rules. If no one picks up, the call returns to your receptionist to take a message.
Book directly to Google Calendar, Outlook, Clio, Acuity Scheduling, and more. Callers get confirmed without the back-and-forth.
Speak to callers in 30+ languages. Your receptionist switches automatically based on the caller's language.
After every call, see who called, what they needed, and how urgent it is. Delivered by email, SMS, or both.
Screen callers with custom questions to find your most promising prospects. Spend your time on leads ready to move forward.
Robocalls and telemarketers get blocked before they reach you. You only hear from real customers, and spam calls are never billed.
Send caller info to your CRM and 7,000+ apps through Zapier, or connect your tools in Upfirst with custom API actions.
Set different protocols for new customers, support requests, and urgent calls. Update your rules whenever your business needs change.
Your receptionist remembers details from past calls and greets returning callers by name. Nobody has to repeat themselves.
Get a dedicated business line for your Upfirst agent. Local and toll-free numbers are available.
Pay month-to-month with complete flexibility. Adjust your plan as your business changes.
Set up in under 30 minutes
Most customers are up and running in under 30 minutes.
Create your account in minutes. The 14-day free trial requires no credit card, so you can test everything risk-free. Choose your AI's voice, set your greeting, and pick a phone number.
Tell your receptionist about your services, hours, and common questions callers ask. Add it to the Knowledge Base and give instructions for how to handle different types of calls.
Make a few test calls to hear how your receptionist handles real conversations. Adjust the greeting, questions, or routing until it sounds right.
Forward calls from your existing business line or use your new number directly. You choose: forward all calls, just the ones you miss, or only after-hours calls. Your virtual receptionist answers around the clock.
Integrations
Connect your AI receptionist to the tools your company already uses.
Who we serve
Our virtual receptionists have the power to make an impact for a full spectrum of industries. From legal teams to plumbing experts, Upfirst can be the answer for all types of businesses.
Have a question about our virtual receptionist service that isn't answered here? Get in touch with our team.
How will I be notified about incoming calls?
You receive a call summary by email or SMS after each call. Summaries include caller details, conversation notes, and any actions your receptionist completed.
Can Upfirst help with scheduling appointments?
Yes. Your virtual receptionist connects to Google Calendar, Outlook, Acuity Scheduling, Clio, and more to check availability and book appointments directly. You can also have it text callers a link to your booking page.
How much does a virtual receptionist service cost?
Our virtual receptionist pricing is simple and flexible, with no setup fees and no long term contracts. You can start with a 14 day free trial to test the service. Plans begin at $24.95 per month for 30 calls, $59.95 per month for 90 calls, $159.95 per month for 300 calls, and $299 per month for 600 calls. This gives small businesses and growing teams an affordable way to manage customer calls without hiring in-house support.
Can the virtual receptionist transfer calls to me or someone on my team?
Yes. Upfirst performs live call transfers to your preferred number or team members. You set the transfer rules. If the first number doesn't answer, Upfirst tries the next one on your list. If no one picks up, the call returns to the receptionist to take a message, or it goes to your voicemail. You set the rules.
Is the virtual receptionist customizable to my business needs?
You customize call flows, scripts, questions, routing rules, availability windows, and CRM connections. Your receptionist adapts to how your business works.
Is it possible to scale the service as my business grows?
Yes. Move to a larger call plan at any time. Upfirst handles high call volume and grows with your business.
Does Upfirst support English, Spanish, and other languages?
Upfirst speaks 30+ languages and switches automatically based on the caller's language. Transcripts can be translated into your preferred language.
Is Upfirst able to follow specific instructions?
Yes. You set the greeting, required questions, caller routing, and business-specific processes. The receptionist follows your instructions on every call.
Do you charge for spam calls or robocalls?
No. Spam calls, robocalls, quick hangups, and calls under 15 seconds are never billed. Your virtual receptionist filters them out automatically.
Can I use your virtual receptionist only during certain hours?
Yes. Set it to handle calls after hours, during lunch, or whenever your team is unavailable. Many businesses use Upfirst as an after hours answering service to catch calls when staff is busy or during peak times. You control when the receptionist answers.
Is it possible to change the voice of my AI receptionist?
Yes. Choose from multiple natural-sounding voices to match your brand. Preview each option and pick the one that fits.
What's the difference between a virtual receptionist and an IVR?
An IVR is a phone tree: "Press 1 for sales, press 2 for support." A virtual receptionist holds a natural conversation. Callers speak normally, ask questions, and get real answers without navigating menus.
Stop letting opportunities go to voicemail — get a virtual answering service that picks up the phone for you and answers every call. Get started for free today!
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