> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.limecall.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.limecall.com/start-here/quickstart-ai-receptionist.md).

# Quick start: AI Receptionist

Get an AI voice agent answering your calls in about fifteen minutes.

Goal: a caller dials your number, an AI answers in your business's voice, handles the enquiry and writes it up.

Time: about 15 minutes.

## 1. Create the assistant

Open **AI Receptionist**. If you have no agent yet, choose **Create agent**.

You are asked for your business type. Pick the closest match — home services, dental/medical, legal, real estate, or auto/dealership — and LimeCall pre-writes the scenarios and qualifying questions for that industry. You can change every word later.

## 2. Check what it knows

Open the **Knowledge** group in the left-hand menu and work down it:

* **Company Details** — your business name and description.
* **Contact Information** — where you are, and when customers can reach you.
* **Products & Services** — what you sell, and the prices it is allowed to quote.
* **Additional Knowledge** — FAQs, policies and files it can draw on.

If your website was scanned at signup, much of this is already filled in. Read it anyway — this is what the AI will tell your customers.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Anything wrong here becomes something the AI says to a real caller with total confidence. Check prices and opening hours before you go live.
{% endhint %}

## 3. Set the voice and opening line

Open **Your Assistant** and set the assistant's name, its language, and the opening message — what the caller hears first.

Open **Voice & Tone** to pick a voice (Olivia, Sophie, Alex, Ethan, Freya or Oscar) and how quickly it replies. **Balanced** suits most businesses; **Patient** is better if your callers are older or tend to pause mid-sentence.

## 4. Decide what it should do

Open **Scenarios**. This is what the assistant actually does on a call — answer questions and take a message, take booking or order details, book into your calendar, or transfer the call.

Open **Transfers & Escalation** and set a number for calls the AI should hand over, plus what it says before connecting.

## 5. Test it

Open **Test your agent** and start a test call from your browser. Talk to it the way a real customer would, including the awkward questions.

Listen for: wrong prices, invented services, opening hours that do not match reality, and whether the transfer works.

## 6. Point a number at it

Open **Phone Numbers**. For any number you own, set **Who answers your calls** to your AI receptionist.

No number yet? See [Quick start: Virtual number](/start-here/quickstart-virtual-number.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
Recording and AI disclosure requirements vary by country and state. Read [Recording, consent & AI disclosure](/ai-receptionist/recording-consent-and-disclosure.md) before taking live calls.
{% endhint %}

## Next steps

* Teach it what a good lead looks like: [Lead qualification](/ai-receptionist/lead-qualification.md)
* Let it book meetings: [Calendar & booking](/ai-receptionist/calendar-and-booking.md)
* Send call data onward: [Actions & webhooks](/ai-receptionist/actions-and-webhooks.md)