An AI receptionist budget should include the subscription, connected call usage, setup and any separately scoped connections. Operopsy’s standard US inbound plan is $299 per month with 500 AI minutes, $0.35 per additional minute and $499 one-time setup. SMS is separate.
Compare the same call workload
Start with a month of your own incoming calls. Record answered and missed calls, connected duration, the hours that need coverage and the questions people ask. Keep customer information private; counts and anonymized examples are enough for an initial estimate.
A per-call plan and a per-minute plan cannot be compared using the headline price alone. A short opening-hours question and a longer appointment request use different amounts of time. Ask what starts the meter, how rounding works, and whether transfers or other charges sit outside the quoted allowance.
- How many minutes need AI handling, rather than a person?
- Which calls should collect a request, book a supported appointment or reach your team?
- What happens outside business hours or when a calendar is unavailable?
- Who maintains answers when hours, prices or service areas change?
Three examples from our published plan
These are calculations, not promises about your future usage or savings. They use the standard Operopsy US inbound AI plan and exclude taxes, setup and separately agreed services.
| Monthly AI time | Additional minutes | Monthly service charge |
|---|---|---|
| 300 minutes | 0 | $299 |
| 500 minutes | 0 | $299 |
| 800 minutes | 300 | $404 |
At 800 connected AI minutes, 300 minutes fall above the included 500. The additional charge is 300 × $0.35 = $105, making the monthly service charge $404. Setup adds $499 once; at 500 minutes, the first month plus setup would therefore be $798 before tax or separately quoted work.
We add connected AI seconds across the month, then round the total up to a whole minute once. Individual calls are not rounded up separately. Unused minutes do not roll over. One US local number is included. International calls, SMS and email, custom CRM development and nonstandard integrations are separately agreed.
Buy a useful handoff, not just an answered call
Define the next step for each type of request before comparing vendors. Routine questions can use approved business information. A supported booking can check configured availability and confirm the caller’s choice. Requests that need judgment should reach the person responsible with enough context to act.
Ask a provider to demonstrate an unavailable time, an unfamiliar request, a correction and a caller who asks for a person. Confirm which handoff options are actually included. A demo conversation does not establish that your own calendar or phone setup is connected.
- Approved service, hours, coverage and pricing information.
- The exact details needed for a useful request.
- Appointment types, buffers and approval requirements.
- An owner and a next step for exceptions.
- Scenario checks and sign-off before activation.
When to start with a smaller scope
If most calls need specialist decisions, begin with answering common questions and collecting a structured request. If the team already answers consistently but forgets follow-up, improving the CRM process may be the higher priority. If volume is uncertain, estimate several usage levels and review actual connected time after launch.
We review your call flow before confirming the plan. The aim is a reliable next step for the customer and a clear record for your team.
Sources & further reading
Published by Operopsy. Our service scope is separate from the external guidance linked below; providers set their own eligibility and search requirements.
A useful plan starts
with your business.
Tell us what you want to improve. We review the requirements and agree the scope and price before work starts.
Review my call flow