Virtual receptionist
Virtual receptionist for small business
Every call answered, 24/7, without hiring anyone. TradeRing is a fully managed virtual receptionist for small UK businesses — £89 a month, unlimited calls.
A receptionist without the overheads
Hiring someone to answer the phone costs a small business well over £20,000 a year, and they still go home at five. A virtual receptionist gives you the same front door for a fraction of that.
TradeRing is a virtual receptionist that runs on AI. It answers on the first ring, day or night, holds a real conversation with the caller, and hands you a written summary before you've finished what you were doing.
It is a fully managed service. You don't build scripts or fiddle with settings — an expert trains your receptionist on your business and keeps improving it based on the calls it actually takes.
What it does on every call
- Answers in seconds, 24/7, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays
- Greets callers with your business name, not a generic call-centre script
- Asks what the job is, where it is and how urgent it is
- Answers common questions about your services and coverage area
- Books a callback or appointment while the caller is still on the line
- Texts and emails you a lead card with the full transcript
Virtual receptionist options compared
Typical UK options for a small business that can't always get to the phone.
| Option | Typical cost | Hours covered | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voicemail | Free | Always | Most callers hang up and ring the next business |
| Human answering service | £50–£300/mo, often per call | Usually office hours, extra for out of hours | Name and number taken |
| In-house receptionist | £20,000+/year | Office hours only | Full conversations, but only while they're at their desk |
| TradeRing AI receptionist | £89/mo flat (£79 annual) | 24/7, unlimited calls | Qualified lead card, transcript, booked callbacks |
Best for small businesses that
- Are out on jobs, on site or driving when the phone rings
- Lose enquiries to voicemail and never hear back
- Get calls in the evening and at weekends
- Can't justify hiring someone just to answer the phone
- Want the details of a job, not just a missed-call notification
Virtual receptionist questions
What is a virtual receptionist?
A virtual receptionist answers your business calls without sitting in your office. TradeRing's is an AI receptionist: it picks up 24/7, asks about the job, captures the caller's details and sends you a lead card with a full transcript.
How much does a virtual receptionist cost in the UK?
Human virtual receptionist services usually charge per call or per minute, typically £50 to £300 a month depending on volume. TradeRing is a flat £89 a month, or £79 a month paid annually, with unlimited calls and no extra charge for evenings or weekends.
Is a live receptionist better than an AI one?
A live receptionist handles unusual conversations better. An AI receptionist never misses a call, never queues, works nights and weekends at no extra cost, and gives you a written transcript of every call. For a small business where the alternative is voicemail, AI wins on cost and coverage.
Do I need a new phone number?
No. Keep the number your customers already know and divert unanswered calls to TradeRing. You can also have it answer every call if you prefer.
Who sets it up?
We do. Tell us about your business and an AI prompt engineer writes, trains and tests your receptionist, then keeps tuning it on real customer calls. You never configure anything.