How it works, in under 90 seconds
Your phone, answered by a real person.
Our own team in Cape Town answers in your business name, puts calls through, takes messages, books appointments and looks after your WhatsApp.
Generated imagery and voices. The businesses and callers in it are fictional. Read it instead
Step by step
Follow the call sequence here:
Swipe along the line, or use the arrows to see how a Real Receptionist handles your company's calls.
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Step 01: Your phone rings
And you're with a patient, in court, or up a ladder.
Step 02: Nobody answers
It rings and rings, so the caller simply calls the next business on the list.
Step 03: A real person answers
Not a bot, not a menu: a trained receptionist, answering in your business name.
That's Jami, one of our receptionists. The voice in the film and the businesses are placeholders.
Step 04: On the call
They answer the questions your callers ask most, put the calls that need you through to your mobile, take messages, book appointments into your calendar, and ask your questions on every new enquiry.
Step 05: The message
When we take a message, it lands on your WhatsApp and in your inbox as soon as the call ends: who called, what they need and what happens next.
Step 06: Who answers
Our own team in Cape Town, trained on your business before your first call. Office hours, extended cover from 07:00 to 23:00 every day, or 24/7 by arrangement.
Step 07: Your price
We quote every business on its own calls. Tell us what you need, and we'll send you a monthly price.
Hear it for yourself
Hear one of our receptionists.
Our receptionist answers in the client's business name, offers to put the caller through and, when the person they asked for isn't free, takes a message.
A demonstration call recorded on our phone system by our own team. Edited only to remove a restart.
Read the call
- ReceptionistDirect Security Supplies, good day, how may I help you?
- CallerHi, can I please speak to Lara?
- ReceptionistSure, who may I say is calling?
- CallerIt's Fiona from ABC Fencing.
- ReceptionistOK, hold a moment please, I'll put you through.
- CallerThanks.
- ReceptionistHello, Fiona?
- CallerYes.
- ReceptionistLara's not available at the moment. Can I take a message for her?
- CallerYou can just ask her to call Fiona from ABC Fencing. She has my number.
- ReceptionistShe has your number. OK, no problem. Have a good day.
- CallerOK, you too. Thank you. Bye bye.
Before you ask for a quote
Decide which calls we answer, and on what terms.
Do you want us to answer every call, only the overflow, or is it only cover when you need it?
1 Which calls
All calls
We answer every incoming call.
Overflow
We answer the calls you miss when you're busy or away.
On demand
Temporary cover for leave, lunch breaks, staff shortages or busy periods.
2 Which hours
Standard
08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Extended
07:00 to 23:00, every day
24/7
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by special arrangement
3 On what terms
Monthly packages
Structured monthly packages, priced on the service you choose and the calls you expect.
Month to month
Month-to-month agreements are available.
No surprises
If you go over your package, we either bill the extra or suggest a package that fits better, and we tell you about any extra cost upfront.
Transfers included
No extra charge for transferring calls within our phone system.
We quote every business on its own calls.
Tell us what you need and we'll send you a monthly price.
Where your information goes
What we keep, where it is handled, and what you still decide.
Plain answers under POPIA, placed where they happen: on the line, at our desk, in your systems. The full detail is in the policy.
What we keep
A call log for billing
Date, time, length and the caller's number.
Copies of messages we send you
By email or WhatsApp, so we can answer questions about a message.
Managed WhatsApp chats, archived
If we run your WhatsApp for Business, messages can be kept and archived.
Kept As agreed with you
Where it's handled
Answered and handled in South Africa
Your calls are answered by our team in Cape Town.
We work in your systems
Where you give us logins, each receptionist records callers' details straight into your diary, CRM or practice system.
Confidentiality agreements
Every receptionist signs one, uses their own login and only sees what they need for your business.
Strict procedures for patient information
We follow strict confidentiality and information-handling procedures for medical practices.
Information Officer registered with the Information Regulator
Chenara Coetzee: privacy@arc-tech.co.za.
Running through power cuts
Backup power and backup internet keep us on the phones through outages and load shedding.
What you decide
We're your operator under POPIA
We handle your callers' information only on your instructions and keep it confidential.
Told within 48 hours
If we suspect your callers' information has been compromised, we tell you within 48 hours of becoming aware of it.
The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) applies to the calls we answer for you. For UK clients, the UK GDPR applies too.
Read the full privacy policyWhy not a bot?
Why not an AI receptionist?
“Ah, that was such a great chat with a bot,”
- People hear tone and pick up on hesitation, so they can escalate an unhappy caller straight away, without frustrating them first.
- Real empathy can't be replicated. A person knows when to slow down, and when to let someone speak.
- Giving your digital tools a voice doesn't make them any smarter. Most callers have already tried to solve the problem or find the answer online before they phone you.
- A human voice makes a business sound both established and personal.
- AI can confidently give the wrong information: made-up prices, trading hours or availability. This is called hallucinating. A person who isn't sure says, “Let me check and get back to you.”
The call you'd have missed
For businesses whose phone is their front door.
Every business has one call that pays for the month. These are the ones we answer.
“A new client, while you're in court.”
Attorneys and law firms
Clients reach a calm, professional receptionist while you're in court or with a client. We take detailed messages, put urgent calls through as you instruct, and make friendly payment reminder calls.
We never give legal advice. We take the details and pass them to the right attorney.
“A new patient, at twenty to eight.”
Medical, dental and allied practices
Patients reach a caring person first time. We book, move and confirm appointments, welcome new patients and put urgent calls through according to your procedures, so nobody interrupts a consultation to answer the phone.
We never give medical advice. Urgent calls go straight to the practice, the way you've told us.
“‘Do you have it in stock?’, while the shop is full.”
Shops and showrooms
Your staff look after the customer in front of them while we answer the phone: stock and price enquiries, trading hours and directions, deliveries and warranties, for one store or several.
“Two bookings arriving at once.”
Salons and wellness
Bookings arrive by phone and WhatsApp at once. We put them all in one calendar, confirm them, and move them when plans change.
“A burst geyser, on a Saturday.”
Tradespeople and home services
You're on a job, we answer. We take the details, put urgent call-outs through to your mobile and send everything else to you by WhatsApp or email, from a landline number you can advertise.
“Everyone's busy, and the phone rings anyway.”
Small offices
A few people, nobody on reception, everyone busy. We answer every call and put through only the ones meant for each person. Or we take the overflow when your receptionist is swamped, ill or on leave.
“‘The system's down’, at half past six.”
IT and service businesses
We answer your service calls during and after business hours and put them through as you instruct. When a customer needs help, we get hold of one of your technical people, so nobody is left waiting and frustrated.
“Something isn't right, and they can't tell their manager.”
Whistleblowing hotlines
An independent, anonymous and confidential whistleblowing hotline, hosted and answered by us. Callers speak to a trained person outside your organisation, without having to give their name, and what they report is kept confidential.
“A complaint that has to be on record today.”
Complaints and incident reporting lines
For organisations that need to offer a telephone line for complaints, or for reporting incidents and events, whether a regulator requires it or you simply want one. We host the line remotely and a trained receptionist answers every call in your name.
People who checked
What clients say.
“Real Reception’s telephone answering service has been a real time-saver. They help us attend to our clients when we are unavailable or busy with our students. Our customers always tell us how great Real Reception’s services are and how professionally they handle their calls.”
“We are very happy with Real Reception’s telephone answering service. We know that all of our client’s calls are answered professionally and our clients feel looked after even when we are in court and can’t speak to them immediately. I would definitely recommend this service!”
“Great service! A real timesaver and it adds a professional aspect to my business at a very affordable price. I cannot imagine ever going without it!”
Already with us?
A short review helps other businesses find a real person to answer their phone.
Request a quote
Tell us about your calls.
WhatsApp, call or email us, or leave your details below, and we'll recommend an option and send you a monthly price.
We use these details only to reply to you and prepare your quote. See our privacy policy.