You hear the word “receptionist,” and you probably think of someone sitting behind a desk, coffee in one hand, phone in the other, expertly transferring calls while dodging office small talk. But in today’s business world, that image is as outdated as dial-up internet.

Virtual receptionists can answer calls from anywhere and are much more cost-effective than in-office receptionists.

In this article, we’ll cover the virtual receptionist cost of two options — AI- and human-powered — plus other things to consider when adding a virtual receptionist to your business.