AI virtual receptionist: route website inquiries to the right employee
A useful AI receptionist does not trap customers in a bot. It shortens the path to the right person.
Begin with a defined reception scope
The receptionist should answer from approved company information, collect the visitor’s purpose, and identify what is still missing. It should not browse arbitrary systems or invent policies, availability, prices, or employee commitments.
Start with public notices, verified links, office hours, service categories, and a small set of permitted actions. Sensitive employee data and private workspace content should remain outside the receptionist context unless an administrator explicitly allows a narrow field.
Preserve one inquiry thread
Customers become frustrated when they repeat the same explanation to a chatbot, a receptionist, and an employee. Keep the initial question, collected contact details, AI answer, unresolved points, and handoff reason in one conversation thread.
When an employee accepts the handoff, show that context before opening chat, phone, video, or a consultation room. The AI should stop presenting itself as the active owner once a person takes over.
Plan for concurrency, retention, and cost
Each visitor needs an isolated thread so simultaneous inquiries never share context. Administrators should see active message and call counts, failed handoffs, transcript settings, retention periods, and the current service credit balance.
Usage limits and automatic recharge require a hard monthly cap. If a charge fails or the cap is reached, the service should fail clearly and offer a human or asynchronous contact path instead of silently continuing an expensive AI session.
Sources and further reading
Kiguri product overview, Kiguri pricing, security information, and Kiguri guides.