AI Receptionist vs Hiring a Receptionist — The Real Cost Breakdown

The standard advice for missing calls is simple: "Hire a receptionist."

It sounds straightforward until you actually do the math.

Most business owners only look at salary. They see €25,000-€30,000 and think that's the cost. Then they hire someone and realise the true number is much, much higher.

The True Cost of a Human Receptionist

Salary: €30,000/year (base, Ireland)

Employer PRSI: 11.05% = €3,315/year

Pension contributions: 4-6% = €1,200-€1,800/year

Sick pay (statutory): 3 days/year minimum = €360/year

Holiday (statutory): 20 days/year = €2,400/year

Training and onboarding: €500-€1,000/year

Recruitment and turnover costs: €1,500-€3,000 every 18-24 months

And that's assuming zero turnover, no additional benefits, and no cover for absences.

What a Human Receptionist Actually Covers

They work 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

They don't work evenings. They don't work weekends. They don't work bank holidays.

If they're sick or on holiday, you're covering the phone yourself. And research shows 43% of home service calls come outside business hours — exactly when your €40k receptionist isn't working.

So you've paid for coverage that only handles 57% of your inbound calls. The other 43%? Still going to voicemail. Still going to competitors.

What an AI Receptionist Costs

AlconBlu.ai offers two pricing options:

Build & Own: One-time build fee. You own the system outright. No monthly fees.

Managed Retainer: Monthly fee for ongoing support, updates, and optimization. Cancel anytime.

What an AI Receptionist Actually Covers

24/7. Every call. 365 days a year. Evenings, weekends, 3am, doesn't matter.

• Answers within seconds (not on hold, not transferred)
• Qualifies the lead (understands what they need, what you can do)
• Books appointments directly into your calendar
• Handles FAQs (pricing, hours, services, credentials)
• Takes messages if you want (though most don't need to)
• Sends you summaries by email after every call

No humans means no sick days, no turnover, no training, no coverage gaps.

Head-to-Head Comparison

But What About the AI Hangup Rate?

15-20% of callers will hang up when they realise they're talking to AI.

That's real. We don't hide it.

But here's the counter: you're currently missing 35% of calls entirely. An 80% capture rate on those calls is a massive improvement. Those are jobs you would have lost completely.

Plus, callers who stay on the line with AI have high conversion rates. They've already decided they want your service — they're just confirming details and booking.

When Should You Actually Hire a Human Receptionist?

If you're genuinely getting hundreds of calls per day and you need multiple people handling different departments, sure. At that scale, a dedicated team makes sense.

But for most home service businesses — owner-operators, small teams, growing companies — AI handles everything better, faster, and cheaper. No comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions