The difference, in one call
With an answerphone, the caller hears a recorded message and, if they want, leaves one of their own. If they don't fancy talking to a machine, they hang up, and you don't know what they wanted. If they do leave a message, they do it their own way: you have to listen to the whole thing to find out who it was, what they wanted and whether it's urgent.
With Voani, the caller talks to an agent that answers them: it tells them the opening hours, the price of a service or how to get there, asks whatever it needs to and takes a note. You don't listen to messages: you read a summary with their name, their number and what you need to do.
Compared, point by point
| Answerphone | Voani | |
|---|---|---|
| What the caller hears | A recorded message | A conversation, with a natural, native voice |
| Answers questions (opening hours, prices, directions) | No | Yes, with what it knows about your business |
| Appointments, bookings and orders | Whatever they say in the message | Notes them down with name, number and what they're asking for; your team confirms them |
| What you're left with | Voice messages to listen to | A written summary, what you need to do, the caller's details and, if you like, the recording |
| Anything urgent | You find out when you listen to it | Flagged for you |
| Languages | The language you record the message in | Spanish, English, French, German and Italian (one per agent) |
| Out of hours | A “we're closed” message | Its out-of-hours greeting, and it still takes a message |
| Setting it up | Recording a message | A few minutes: name, voice and your website address |
| What it costs | Depends on your phone provider or your phone system | 0.13 € a minute of conversation, VAT included, by the second |
When an answerphone is enough
If you get few calls, almost all from people who already know you and don't need an answer there and then, an answerphone may be enough: there's nothing to set up and you don't pay by the minute.
Voani pays off when calls bring questions that can be answered, appointments or orders you don't want to lose, or people who don't leave messages. Every call answered leaves you something useful: what they wanted, their details and what to do next.
What Voani doesn't do yet
- Connect to your number: coming very soon. Today you create your agent and try it from your browser.
- Book the appointment into your diary: it notes it down with all the details and your team confirms it.
- Put the call through to a person: it takes a note so you can call back.
Try it with no strings attached
With “Try it with your website”, on the home page, our AI reads your website and you talk to your trial agent from your browser, without signing up. If you like it, you create your account and start with 20 free minutes, no card needed. If you're torn between Voani and a person, see Voani versus a receptionist or a call answering service.