Build Your Own AI Phone Answering Service
Pay a one-time build fee for a custom AI system you own, not a recurring per-call or per-agent fee. This replaces a human operator with an AI agent that qualifies leads and books appointments 24/7.
The build scope depends on the complexity of your call routing and the number of systems to integrate. A service business needing to qualify leads and check appointment availability in Calendly is a typical project. A firm needing to triage support calls by checking ticket status in a live CRM system requires deeper integration.
We built an AI answering system for a 12-person law firm that was handling 60 inbound calls per day. The system went live in three weeks, automatically booking consultations for new clients and routing existing clients to the correct paralegal, reducing front-desk workload by 70%.
What Problem Does This Solve?
Traditional answering services bill per-minute or per-call, creating a conflict of interest. They profit more from longer, inefficient calls. Their operators follow static scripts, unable to access your live business data like a CRM or scheduling tool. This leads to misrouted calls and a frustrating experience for both new leads and existing customers.
A potential client with a high-value case calls your business. The answering service operator asks the same five screening questions they ask everyone. They cannot see the caller's company is already in your HubSpot CRM as a high-priority account. The operator takes a message, promising a call back in 24 hours. The high-value prospect, needing a faster answer, calls a competitor.
These external services are a layer on top of your business, not integrated into it. They are black boxes that you pay for but cannot control or improve. An automated IVR system ('press 1 for sales') is just as bad, offering a poor customer experience without any real intelligence.
How Does It Work?
We start by mapping your ideal call flows and qualification logic into a state machine diagram. We provision a new business number through Twilio's API or port your existing one. Every inbound call is transcribed in real-time, providing a clean data feed for the AI agent.
We use Python and the Claude API to build a conversational agent that understands caller intent. The agent does not follow a rigid script; it has a conversation guided by goals. For a home services company, it learns to distinguish between a 'leaky faucet' (urgent, schedule now) and a 'kitchen remodel query' (new lead, book a consultation). It pulls business context directly from your provided documents and call history.
The agent connects to your core business systems using a custom FastAPI service and httpx for asynchronous requests. It checks your Google Calendar or Calendly for availability and books appointments directly. When a new lead calls, it queries your HubSpot CRM to see if they are a known contact. Every call transcript, summary, and outcome is logged to a Supabase database in under 100ms.
The entire system is deployed on AWS Lambda, which costs fractions of a penny per call. It scales instantly from one call to one hundred simultaneous calls with no change in performance. We use structlog for structured logging so every decision the AI makes is traceable. The final system can process a 3-minute qualification call for less than $0.25 in total API and infrastructure costs.
What Are the Key Benefits?
Live in Three Weeks, Not Three Quarters
From call flow mapping to a production-ready system in 15 business days. Stop training human operators and start automating calls immediately.
One-Time Project, Permanent Asset
Pay a fixed price for the build. After launch, you only cover minimal cloud hosting and API fees, not expensive monthly retainers.
You Receive the Full Source Code
The complete Python codebase is delivered to your GitHub account. You are never locked into a proprietary platform and can have any developer extend it.
Every Call Transcribed and Logged
A searchable database in Supabase stores every call transcript and AI-generated summary. Monitor performance and find customer insights easily.
Integrates With Your Business Tools
The AI agent connects directly to your CRM, calendar, and support desk. It uses your live data to have smarter conversations with callers.
What Does the Process Look Like?
Call Flow Design (Week 1)
You provide existing call scripts and access to your calendar and CRM. We deliver a detailed call flow diagram showing exactly how the AI will handle different caller types.
AI Agent Build (Week 2)
We build the core conversational logic using the Claude API. You receive a private phone number to test the agent and provide feedback on its conversational style.
System Integration (Week 3)
We connect the agent to your live systems and deploy it on AWS Lambda. You get a production-ready system that starts taking real calls.
Monitoring and Handoff (Weeks 4-8)
We monitor the first 200 live calls for accuracy and tune the AI's prompts. You receive the full source code, documentation, and a runbook for maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is pricing determined for a project like this?
- Pricing depends on two main factors: the complexity of the conversation logic and the number of API integrations. A system that only qualifies and books appointments is straightforward. A system that also needs to check inventory in an ERP or update tickets in a helpdesk requires more custom development. We provide a fixed-price quote after our initial discovery call.
- What happens if the AI misunderstands a caller?
- The system is designed with a fallback. If the AI detects confusion or the caller says 'speak to a human,' the call is automatically rerouted to a designated cell phone. We get a Slack alert with the call transcript, allowing us to analyze the failure and update the AI's instructions to prevent it from happening again.
- How does this compare to just hiring a receptionist?
- An AI agent works 24/7 without breaks, vacations, or benefits. It can handle dozens of calls simultaneously during peak hours. Its memory is perfect; it never forgets a detail from a past call logged in the CRM. The one-time build cost is typically less than three months of a full-time receptionist's salary.
- What if a caller absolutely needs to speak to a person?
- We build an escalation path directly into the call flow. The caller can request a human at any time, and the AI will transfer them to a pre-set number. It can also be programmed to escalate automatically based on keywords like 'urgent' or if the call is from a number tagged as a VIP client in your CRM.
- How does the AI handle strong accents or background noise?
- We use Twilio's speech-to-text engine, which is trained on millions of hours of diverse audio data. It is very effective at understanding different accents, dialects, and calls from noisy environments like a car or a construction site. The raw transcript is logged, so we can always review any parts the AI found ambiguous.
- Can the system also handle text messages?
- Yes. Since the core logic is a conversational AI, we can connect the same agent to your business number's SMS channel through Twilio. This allows it to qualify leads, answer questions, and book appointments for people who prefer to text instead of call, using the exact same business logic and integrations.
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