Once you've added your business details and knowledge, it's important to test how your Receptionist interacts with callers and messages.
You can use the Test Receptionist feature to simulate both calls and text messages, so you can see your Receptionist in action before going live.
📌 Testing your Receptionist is currently done from the Beside mobile app. The settings you adjust there apply to calls and texts on every surface, including the web app at app.beside.com.
Try your Receptionist
Open the Beside mobile app and go to the Receptionist tab.
At the bottom of the screen, tap Test Receptionist.
A small window will appear with two options:
📞 Call Receptionist: test how your Receptionist handles incoming calls.
💬 Text Receptionist: try a simulated text exchange with your Receptionist.
⚠️ Important: Self-calls and self-texts (from your own forwarded number) may not reach the Receptionist. Use Test Receptionist or another phone number to test.
Test your Call Receptionist
From the Receptionist settings in the mobile app, open the 📞 Calls tab.
Tap Test Receptionist at the bottom of the screen
Tap Call
Pretend to be a client or lead, ask typical questions about your business, hours, or services.
Observe how your Receptionist greets you, answers, and wraps up the call.
If the response doesn't sound right, adjust your welcome greeting in Scenarios, or update tone (Preferences) and business information (Knowledge).
📌 Testing when you're closed: if your Operating hours say you're closed right now, your Receptionist opens its first reply by saying so, with the reason and when you open next. If it doesn't mention it, no Operating hours are set for that line. 📖 Train your AI Receptionist
Test your Text Receptionist
From the Receptionist settings in the mobile app, open the 💬 Text tab.
Tap Test Receptionist at the bottom of the screen.
This will open a new chat in your native messaging app.
A pre-filled message will appear: "Hello, what's the name of your business?"
You can edit this message or send multiple texts to your Beside number to test your Receptionist. Ask as many questions as you like to see how your Receptionist responds.
Adjust Preferences settings as needed for better accuracy.
✅ Done: You've tested your Receptionist and can now fine-tune it to better represent your business.
FAQ
I called my own Beside number but the Receptionist didn't answer - why?
I called my own Beside number but the Receptionist didn't answer - why?
If you're calling from the same number that's forwarded to Beside, the Receptionist may not pick up. Use the Test Receptionist feature inside the mobile app, or call from a different phone number to test properly.
Can I test the Receptionist from the web app?
Can I test the Receptionist from the web app?
The Test Receptionist feature is currently only available in the Beside mobile app. You can still configure your Receptionist on the web app at app.beside.com, but testing it requires the mobile app.
My Receptionist's responses sound wrong - how do I fix them?
My Receptionist's responses sound wrong - how do I fix them?
Go to your Receptionist settings and check your Knowledge section (business info, FAQ, additional knowledge). The Receptionist responds based on what you've provided. Update or add more details, then test again with Test Receptionist.
My Receptionist didn't say my ending message. Why?
My Receptionist didn't say my ending message. Why?
Because the Ending Message has been retired. Your Receptionist now closes the call in its own words: what happens next, when you open again if you're closed, then a thank-you. Anything still saved in an old Ending Message field is no longer read out.
Want it to tell callers something before it hangs up? Add a line to Business Knowledge → Additional Details (Company Knowledge on the web) that starts with "Before ending the call, tell callers…", for example: "Before ending the call, tell callers they can text 555-123-4567 for a faster reply." Your Receptionist says it in its own words, with the full number, email or website, just before the thank-you. Without such a line, it adds nothing of its own to the goodbye.
If your old ending message is still being read, see the next question. 📖 Set up Scenarios
My Receptionist still reads our old ending message. Why?
My Receptionist still reads our old ending message. Why?
If your Receptionist hasn't handled a call in a while, it may still be reading the ending message you saved before. It stops for good the next time anything on that Receptionist is saved.
Save what matters first. If that ending told callers something they need, like a callback time, an emergency number, or where to text you, copy it into Business Knowledge → Additional Details (Company Knowledge on the web) before changing anything else. Start it with "Before ending the call, tell callers…" and your Receptionist says it just before the thank-you.