When someone calls a local business, they usually want something now: a quote, an appointment, an answer. If nobody picks up, most of them don't leave a voicemail. They call the next name on the list.
Your Receptionist is Beside's AI Receptionist. It picks up when you can't, answers from what you have taught it, takes the details, and leaves you a summary of every call. This article explains why that matters, how to see the calls you miss today, and the settings that decide which calls it answers.
Why a missed call costs more than it looks
The caller was ready. People who call usually have the need right now. A caller who reaches nobody often tries someone else instead of waiting for a call back.
Fix the leaks before adding traffic. More visibility and more ads only help if someone answers. With paid ads, every missed call is money you have already spent. Getting your calls answered is the cheapest growth you have.
A message is not a conversation. Your Receptionist can answer the caller's questions, collect what you need to call back, and book the visit if you let it, while the caller is still on the line.
See how many calls you miss
Before you change anything, look at what happens to your calls today:
In your calls list, each call is marked Missed, Receptionist handled or You answered. Looking back over a normal week shows you how many slipped through.
Every call your Receptionist takes comes with a summary and a transcript, so you can see who called and what they wanted without listening back. 📖 AI call summaries and transcripts
In the Beside mobile app, the Daily Recap sums up your calls, texts and follow-ups for the day.
At agent.beside.com, each call your Receptionist takes is recapped in your chat with Beside.
💡 Compare before and after: Note how many calls show Missed in a typical week, then turn your Receptionist on and look again a week later.
Choose which calls your Receptionist answers
A handful of settings decide what happens when your line rings. They are the whole set: there is no separate "after hours" or "takeover" mode to switch on.
Who it answers
In your Receptionist settings, Scope sets whether it answers everyone, only your saved contacts, or only numbers you haven't saved. At agent.beside.com, the same choice is Who the voice Receptionist answers under Settings → Phone Number: Everyone, Saved contacts or Unsaved numbers.
Whether your phone rings first
Ringing Mode on your line: Ring first rings your phones and lets the Receptionist pick up if nobody answers. Direct to Receptionist skips ringing and sends every call straight to it.
Ringing Schedule: the hours during which phones on your line ring. Outside them, calls go to your Receptionist, or to voicemail if it is off. Text notifications are not affected. 📖 Set your Ringing Schedule
How calls to your existing number reach Beside
If you keep your current business number, your carrier forwards its calls to your Beside line. At agent.beside.com, Settings → Phone Number → Use your existing number offers two ways to do it:
Missed-call forwarding: your phone rings first, and only unanswered calls go to your Receptionist.
Forward all calls: every call goes to Beside without ringing your original phone first.
You can also move your number to Beside entirely.
Text back the callers who hang up
Some callers hang up before anyone answers. A text from your line keeps the conversation open:
In the Beside mobile app and on Beside on the web, turn on Auto reply to missed calls in your line's settings. It stays off until you turn it on. 📖 Missed call auto-reply
At agent.beside.com, it is Text back after missed calls, under Settings → Receptionist, on the Text tab. It is on by default when you connect a new number there. 📖 Set up your phone line
Book the appointment on the call
Your Receptionist can offer times and book the visit while the caller is on the line, once it is connected to your calendar or scheduling tool.
What your Receptionist does not do
📌 Good to know:
It never calls anyone back for you. It takes the details and tells you who called and why. The call back is yours to make.
It has no hidden modes. Who it answers, whether your phone rings first, your Ringing Schedule and how your calls are forwarded are the controls.
On Beside Baseline, it answers 30 calls per billing period. 📖 Understand your AI call limit
FAQ
Will my phone still ring?
Will my phone still ring?
Yes, on Ring first during your Ringing Schedule: your phones ring, and the Receptionist picks up only if nobody answers. On Direct to Receptionist, or outside your Ringing Schedule, calls skip ringing.
Will callers know they are talking to an AI?
Will callers know they are talking to an AI?
Beside's standard greeting introduces your Receptionist as the AI Receptionist for your business, and it never claims to be a person if a caller asks.
Do calls my Receptionist answers use credits?
Do calls my Receptionist answers use credits?
No. Answering calls never uses credits, on a Beside plan or a Beside Phone plan.
Can my Receptionist call people back for me?
Can my Receptionist call people back for me?
No. Beside never dials your callers or leads on its own. Each call summary gives you what you need to call back yourself.
How do I hear what callers hear?
How do I hear what callers hear?
Test your Receptionist with a practice call before you rely on it. 📖 Test your Receptionist