Quickstart
This guide covers the onboarding process, from account creation to a live AI receptionist answering calls.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- A business website (optional but recommended for automatic setup)
- A preferred US area code for your phone number
Automatic setup (recommended)
Section titled “Automatic setup (recommended)”Best for businesses with an existing website that describes their services.
Sign up
Section titled “Sign up”Go to app.reception.ai and choose Scan my website. New accounts start with a 14-day free trial that includes 30 phone minutes, a dedicated phone number, and full access to all features. No credit card required.
Choose scan depth
Section titled “Choose scan depth”Pick how thoroughly to scan your website:
| Mode | Speed | What it scans |
|---|---|---|
| Single page | Under 1 min | Only the URL you enter |
| Quick scan | ~1 min | Smart selection of key pages |
| Deep scan | 4–5 min | Full sitemap crawl |
Enter your website URL (HTTPS required). Reception.ai extracts services, pricing, durations, staff members, business hours, location, and contact details automatically.
If the scan fails, you can retry or switch to manual setup.
Pick your phone number
Section titled “Pick your phone number”Choose a preferred 3-digit area code (e.g., 415, 212). Reception.ai assigns you a dedicated phone number from the available pool.
This step is skipped if your website already contained a phone number with a valid area code.
Test your receptionist
Section titled “Test your receptionist”A live voice test runs in your browser. Customize the following:
- Receptionist name and greeting
- Voice (from the curated onboarding collection)
- Timezone and currency
Speak as if you were a customer — verify the greeting sounds natural, business information is correct, and booking works.
Go live
Section titled “Go live”Complete the wizard. Your receptionist starts answering calls immediately on your new number.
Manual setup
Section titled “Manual setup”Best for businesses without a website or who prefer to configure everything by hand.
Sign up
Section titled “Sign up”Go to app.reception.ai and choose Enter information manually. The same free trial terms apply.
Select your business type
Section titled “Select your business type”Choose what your business does (multi-select):
| Type | What it enables |
|---|---|
| Appointments | Services, staff, calendar, public booking page |
| Reservations | Tables, courts, assets, time-slot bookings |
| Product catalog | Products, Q&A, pricing info |
Then select your industry vertical (salon, medical, dental, fitness, home services, legal, etc.).
Pick your phone number
Section titled “Pick your phone number”Choose a preferred 3-digit area code. A number is assigned from the available pool.
Test your receptionist
Section titled “Test your receptionist”The same live voice test from the automatic setup is available here. Customize the receptionist name, voice, greeting, timezone, and currency.
Go live
Section titled “Go live”Complete the wizard. Your receptionist goes live immediately.
What happens after setup
Section titled “What happens after setup”When you complete the wizard:
- Your workspace is created with all configured data
- A permanent phone number is assigned
- Your AI receptionist goes live immediately
- A booking page URL is reserved (if applicable)
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps”After onboarding, review your dashboard and refine the following settings:
- Business hours and exceptions
- Services, pricing, and durations
- Staff members and their availability
- Receptionist voice and behavior rules
- Google Calendar sync for real-time availability