When someone calls your Beside line and you don't pick up, one of two things happens: either your AI Receptionist answers the call live, or the caller is redirected to your traditional Beside voicemail.
Which one answers depends on your AI Receptionist settings, your Business Hours, and who is calling.
When the AI Receptionist answers
If your AI Receptionist is enabled and the caller fits your defined scope (for example, "missed from everyone" or "unsaved numbers"), your AI Receptionist answers the call live. It speaks to the caller in real time, collects details, and can schedule appointments or take messages.
Your AI Receptionist:
Has a natural, conversational voice
Can collect caller details automatically
Can send call summaries and follow-ups
Can schedule or transfer calls
💡 Example: If your AI Receptionist is active for "unsaved numbers," it will handle new client calls while your known contacts go to voicemail instead.
When Beside voicemail answers instead
If the call doesn't fall within your AI Receptionist's scope - for example, if it's from an excluded contact, or if the AI Receptionist is turned off - the call is redirected to your Beside voicemail.
Your Beside voicemail:
Plays your pre-recorded greeting
Records the caller's message as audio
Creates a transcript in your conversation thread
Has no AI response or data capture
How Business Hours affect routing
Your Business Hours tell Beside when your AI Receptionist should be active:
During Business Hours - your AI Receptionist handles calls normally based on your scope settings
Outside Business Hours - calls are automatically redirected to your Beside voicemail, unless you've chosen to keep your AI available 24/7
You can review or change your Business Hours anytime in Settings, then AI Receptionist, then Knowledge, then Business Hours.
How they work together
Think of your AI Receptionist and voicemail as two complementary layers:
Situation | Who answers | What happens |
You answer manually | You | Normal call, recorded by Beside |
You don't answer + AI is active (within Business Hours + scope applies) | AI Receptionist | AI answers live, generates summary |
You don't answer + AI is inactive (outside hours or out of scope) | Beside Voicemail | Caller hears greeting, leaves a message |
FAQ
Can I use both the AI Receptionist and Beside voicemail at the same time?
Can I use both the AI Receptionist and Beside voicemail at the same time?
Yes - they work together automatically. The AI Receptionist handles callers within its scope and during Business Hours. Everyone else goes to voicemail. You don't need to manually switch between them.
What happens if I disable the AI Receptionist entirely?
What happens if I disable the AI Receptionist entirely?
All missed calls will go to your traditional voicemail. Callers will hear your pre-recorded greeting and can leave a message.
Does my carrier voicemail interfere with Beside?
Does my carrier voicemail interfere with Beside?
If calls are going to your carrier's voicemail instead of Beside, your call forwarding may not be set up correctly. Make sure calls are forwarded to your Beside number before your carrier voicemail picks up.
📖 Troubleshoot call forwarding issues
Can I keep my AI Receptionist active 24/7?
Can I keep my AI Receptionist active 24/7?
Yes. In your AI Receptionist settings, you can set Business Hours to "Always available" so the AI handles calls around the clock instead of routing to voicemail outside set hours.