This AI Phone Receptionist Sounds So Real, People Are Arguing With Her Over The Phone
Is this the next disruptor for small businesses? (call recordings included)
BY TYLER WELCH APR 25, 2025
Key Takeaways
AI helped a small HVAC business increase its call conversion rate from 23% to 79%
Customers give five stars because of their impeccable customer support
The answer rate is 100%, while the no-show rate has dropped to almost 0%
"Our phone booking rate increased by 75%, so we get 5–8 new customers every week and nobody is touching the phone anymore. The AI is doing everything for us" - John M.
Knowing that 72% of small businesses now use AI in 2025 (according to the latest McKinsey research), it’s just a matter of time until all of them use it… or are left behind.
But the ones who are using it first are getting a huge competitive advantage in their local market.
Most of them started using it for small tasks like posting on Facebook or automating emails to customers — but John Miller, a smart entrepreneur from Austin, took it one step further, and it paid off really well.
Inspired by an interview with Jeff Bezos, where he was talking about how the most successful entrepreneurs make fast decisions, he did just that — and decided to take a step forward and choose a better future for his business.
Jeff Bezos x Lex Freedman - On Decision Making
If you had told me a year ago that an AI would be answering my business calls, I would’ve laughed.
But here I am — and honestly, I wish I had done it sooner.
My name’s John Miller.
I run a small company just outside of Austin, Texas.
We’re not some giant corporation — just me and a few great employees who feel like family.
Most days, I’m out there with them fixing things, solving problems, handling whatever comes up. And most days, I’m trying to answer the phone while juggling everything else — customers, paperwork, emergencies — all at once.
I knew I was working harder than ever… but somehow, it still felt like I was falling behind.
One night, after another long day of missed calls and running from job to job, I crashed onto the couch, exhausted, and started flipping through YouTube — just trying to shut my brain off for a while.
That’s when I stumbled across a short interview clip — Jeff Bezos talking to Lex Fridman. I almost kept scrolling, but something about the way Bezos was speaking caught my ear. He said:
Jeff Bezos
“There’s no such thing as a perfect decision. There are only decisions that move you forward.”
He talked about how successful people don’t obsess over getting everything right - they just keep moving forward and fix things along the way.
I sat there thinking about how much time I’d wasted being scared to try new things… waiting for the perfect plan, the perfect solution, that perfect moment that never actually comes.
Right there, half-asleep on the couch, I decided:
No more waiting. No more overthinking. It’s time to just take a step forward!
How I Stumbled Upon This AI Phone Receptionist
The next day, I started thinking seriously about ways to get help, especially with the phones because missed calls were costing us jobs & clients.
And hiring a full-time receptionist? It would’ve meant another $3,000–$4,000 a month – money I just didn’t have lying around. That’s when a buddy of mine who runs a few small businesses around the country told me about this AI phone receptionist that he’s using for all of them.
He said: "Man, this thing answers every call, sounds just like a real person, and it’s booking me clients every day while I’m going about my day."
At first, I thought he was pulling my leg. An AI that sounds human? Yeah, right. But he sent me a couple of recordings… and to be honest, I almost couldn’t tell the difference. It sounded just like a real, friendly receptionist.
"Over 23 million small businesses are already using AI to increase their market share while the rest are left behind."
I figured, if it worked for him, maybe it could work for us too. I asked for the contact and reached out to their team — and within a week, they built a custom version just for our business. They didn’t just plug in some basic script, either.
They customized everything, and Molly (our AI phone receptionist) knew all of our services, our pricing, the appointment system, the way we talk to our customers, the way our customers like to be talked to, the slang people use in our area, and all the technical knowledge from our industry — which some of our team members are still struggling with.
They matched me with a voice that sounded warm, natural, and trustworthy — not robotic or stiff.
Here's one of the convo she had:
This is incredible ↑
The First Conversation With A Customer
Turning Molly on for the first time felt like a huge leap of faith.
I kept thinking:
"What if customers get mad?"
"What if they find out it’s AI and stop calling?"
But instead… something amazing happened. The phone kept ringing. Appointments kept booking. And nobody batted an eye. Actually, something even crazier happened:
When I started listening to the call recordings, I realized people weren’t just talking to Molly — they were arguing with her. One guy spent five minutes trying to convince Molly to squeeze him in earlier.
Another lady went on and on about her dog’s birthday party. Nobody realized they were talking to an AI… or they didn’t care because they had fun.
And what I like about Molly is that I have a dashboard where I can see and listen to every conversation, and I get an SMS and an email every time we have a new hot lead.
So when I check the phone and see a new customer booked, I know the business is doing well.
The First Results After Using AI Were Crazy
Since then, things have completely changed for our business.
Every single call is answered, 24/7 — even nights and weekends. This brought us the highest number of customers we’ve ever had, without having to touch a thing
Phone conversions jumped by 75% - more jobs booked, less missed revenue
No-shows have dropped to almost nothing — because Molly automatically confirms appointments
We’re saving at least $2,500 a month compared to hiring a full-time receptionist
The whole team is less stressed - no more juggling between fixing leaks and answering random calls
We see new bookings come in every single day, even while we’re sleeping
My team's morale is at an all time high and our customer service is better than it’s ever been
And all this for about $10–$15 a day.
John's Recommendation for Other Business Owners
It’s funny now, looking back — the thing that scared me most, taking that first step, ended up being the best thing I’ve done for the business in a long time.
Today, I don’t worry about missing calls. I don’t stress about losing leads. And my guys can focus on doing great work instead of scrambling to answer the phone.
Also, I don’t stress about being left behind in this AI revolution anymore — which is a big plus for me because it allows me to focus on running the business the best way I can.
Meanwhile, Molly handles everything — and sometimes even wins arguments.
Best part is, I didn’t have to learn anything technical about this AI — the same way I don’t necessarily know how my phone works… I just know that it works, and I can see the results.
This isn’t a luxury anymore. In 6 months, every serious local business will have an AI receptionist. The only question is… will they be calling you, or your competitor?
The Latest AI Trend For Small Businesses In Your Inbox
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