Quick answer
There is no average we publish. It depends on your call volume and how many calls you miss today.
Whether it helps depends on your call volume and how many inquiries you miss today.
What a Receptionist Costs
The fully-loaded cost of a U.S. receptionist in 2026:
- Salary: $35,000-$48,000/year
- Benefits + payroll taxes: 22-30% of salary
- Equipment/desk: $1,500/year
- Training/turnover: ~$2,000/year (industry avg 3-year tenure)
- Total annual cost: $46,000-$65,000
- Monthly: $3,833-$5,417
Whether that replaces a hire or just stops missed calls is your decision. We do not publish a labor-savings average. It depends on your call volume and how many calls you miss today.
Speed to Lead
Call a lead within 5 minutes instead of 30 and you're 21x more likely to qualify them. Source: InsideSales.com/MIT Lead Response Management Study, 2007. AI voice agents answer inbound calls in seconds.
After Hours
Calls also come in after hours. 82% of consumers say they'll call a competitor if you don't answer. Source: CallRail, 2025. An agent that answers is still on the line with that caller. What those calls are worth depends on your booking rate and your average job.