Why Every Missed Call Costs You
If you’re running your business from your phone, you already know how it feels to miss an important call. Inbound calls, voicemails, and texts pile up while you’re handling appointments or meeting clients. You want to answer the phone every time — but it’s impossible.
Many small businesses turn to virtual receptionist services or call centers like Ruby, AnswerConnect, VoiceNation, or Abby Connect. But these answering services can feel disconnected, slow, or expensive. You need a smarter way to manage your callers and inbound calls that doesn’t require hiring staff.
That’s exactly what Beside delivers — a mobile-first, AI-powered phone system that acts as your personal virtual receptionist, answering service, and virtual assistant all in one iOS app.
The Problem: When You’re the Receptionist, You’re Losing Time
Whether you’re a consultant, real estate agent, or small business owner, you’re constantly juggling phone calls, chat inquiries, and follow-ups. You can’t afford to miss client calls, but you also can’t handle high call volume manually.
You’ve probably tried old-school answering services or virtual receptionist companies like Ruby, VoiceNation, or Moneypenny — but those options can get expensive quickly and don’t always fit your business needs. They may answer the phone but often leave you with more administrative work.
Missed Calls = Missed Clients
Imagine this: a new client calls while you’re in a meeting. Your virtual receptionist from an outsourced call center answers but doesn’t capture key details. You get a message later that simply says, “They’ll call back.” You just lost an opportunity.
Traditional answering services can’t personalize your caller experience or sync with your CRM. You still have to listen to voicemails, review call forwarding logs, and manage inbound inquiries manually. You’re back at square one — just with more paperwork.
Introducing Beside: The AI Virtual Receptionist for Modern Professionals
Beside replaces old-fashioned receptionist services with an intelligent assistant that manages all inbound and outbound calls, voicemails, and texts — automatically. It’s the perfect solution for small businesses, law firms, and consultants who want to look professional without hiring staff.
Designed exclusively for iOS, Beside gives you a second business phone number, smart call routing, and AI-driven call summaries that help you stay focused on your work.
The Beside Assistant — Your On-Call Virtual Receptionist
With the Beside Assistant, you get a responsive AI receptionist that answers inbound calls, records messages, and provides instant summaries. It’s your own 24/7 answering service that never takes a break. Whether you handle high volume calls or occasional inbound inquiries, Beside has your back.
Call Summaries, Transcriptions, and Voicemail Receptionist
Beside’s Call Summaries and Voicemail Receptionist features capture every voicemail, transcribe it, and summarize the key details. Unlike standard answering services or live call receptionists, Beside provides structured notes you can act on immediately. No need to replay messages or dig through voicemails.
Appointment Scheduling and CRM Sync
Need to follow up or book appointments after calls? Beside’s AI takes care of appointment scheduling reminders and connects with your Integrations, so your CRM stays up to date. Every caller interaction — inbound or outbound — is tracked and summarized automatically.
How Beside Handles Complex Caller Needs
Unlike human receptionists or answering services that follow strict scripts, Beside adapts dynamically to your incoming calls. Whether your callers need bilingual support, appointment confirmations, or detailed follow-up messages, Beside delivers consistent customer service every time.
Small businesses often face challenges handling large call volumes during peak hours. Beside’s AI receptionist automatically manages routing, forwarding, and recording — ensuring no inquiry or message is missed. This gives your clients a professional image and keeps your availability clear.
Real Examples of Smart Handling
- A bilingual real estate agent uses Beside to manage phone calls and live chat messages from both English and Spanish-speaking clients.
- A consultant uses call forwarding to ensure every inbound call is answered promptly by the AI receptionist.
- A small law firm relies on Beside’s voicemail summaries to review client inquiries quickly and maintain accurate records.
The Hidden Costs of Traditional Answering Services
Many small businesses think an answering service is the simple fix for missed calls. But traditional services — like Ruby, AnswerConnect, VoiceNation, and Abby Connect — come with hidden costs that add up fast.
Human receptionists need training, follow strict scripts, and can only handle a limited number of incoming calls at once. That means delays, mistakes, and inconsistent customer service when call volume spikes. Even worse, you’re often charged per minute — every second the clock runs while your callers wait on hold.
For growing law firms or consultants, that pricing model gets expensive quickly. And when bilingual callers or clients with complex questions reach out, live agents often can’t provide the personalized attention they need.
A virtual receptionist like Beside eliminates all those inefficiencies. No per-minute billing. No outdated scripts. No need to manage a separate team of human receptionists. Every incoming call is answered instantly, summarized automatically, and available for review on your phone number in seconds.
Small businesses no longer need to rely on costly call centers or hire extra administrative help. Beside provides all the reliability of Ruby or AnswerConnect — but at a fraction of the price, and with smarter AI that’s always available.
Why Beside Beats Ruby, VoiceNation, and AnswerConnect
Let’s be realistic. Human virtual receptionists are great, but they can’t compete with AI speed and 24/7 availability. Beside answers every inbound call, transcribes messages instantly, and routes your calls intelligently. No call center scripts, no waiting queues.
- Ruby Receptionists: Friendly, but pricey. Beside provides an AI receptionist experience for a fraction of the cost.
- AnswerConnect: Focuses on live chat and message handling, but lacks built-in AI summaries and follow-ups. Beside handles everything automatically.
- VoiceNation: Great for high volume calls, but not integrated with your phone’s CRM or voicemails. Beside centralizes everything inside one iOS app.
- Abby Connect: Offers live receptionists, but can’t handle outbound calls or automate follow-ups like Beside can.
Real-World Examples
- A small business uses Beside for routing and answering multiple phone numbers while maintaining a professional image.
- A law firm handles incoming calls using Beside’s AI summaries and voicemail transcriptions, reducing administrative overhead.
- A marketing consultant replaces an entire answering service with Beside’s 24/7 AI receptionist — saving both time and money.
The Future of Answering Services Is AI
The world of answering services is changing fast. Traditional call centers rely on human receptionists reading from scripts and manually managing incoming calls. That approach is slow, expensive, and limited by human availability.
AI virtual receptionists like Beside are redefining how small businesses manage communication. Instead of waiting on a human to answer, Beside instantly greets callers, records messages, and creates clean summaries — no errors, no delays. It even supports bilingual interactions, ensuring every client feels understood.
This new generation of AI-powered answering gives small businesses the same professionalism as a staffed office without the overhead. From live chat to phone calls, Beside’s assistant manages every conversation while maintaining a consistent tone and professional image.
Unlike traditional answering services, which rely on rigid scripts, Beside adapts to your callers dynamically. Whether you’re a busy law firm handling sensitive information or a solo consultant managing multiple clients, Beside acts as your personal receptionist — available around the clock.
For professionals tired of paying premium rates to companies like AnswerConnect or Ruby for basic call forwarding, Beside is the next logical step. AI doesn’t just replace old answering services — it improves them.
Beside as a Central Hub for All Communications
Beside is more than a virtual receptionist — it’s your communication command center. It combines phone calls, voicemails, texts, and chat in one app. Whether you need outbound call tracking, customizable routing rules, or bilingual message handling, Beside adapts to your business needs.
With Beside, your availability stays visible, your calls are always answered, and your callers receive fast, professional responses. It’s the perfect fit for small businesses that need reliable customer service but don’t want to pay for full-time receptionists.
Beside Features That Replace Traditional Call Centers
- Business Phone: One app for all phone calls, texts, and voicemails.
- Beside Assistant: AI receptionist for inbound and outbound calls.
- Voicemail Receptionist: Answers and summarizes voicemails.
- Call Summaries: Transcribed details from every live call.
- Integrations: Connect with your favorite CRM or scheduling tools.
- Voice Memos with AI summaries: Capture thoughts, convert to text, and send messages fast.
Pricing: Transparent and Affordable
Unlike expensive call center subscriptions, Beside costs only $19.99/month or $199/year, including a 7-day free trial. You get a full-featured AI virtual receptionist and answering service designed for iOS users — no contracts, no hidden costs.
A Smarter Way to Handle Calls, Clients, and Conversations
Beside turns your phone into a complete receptionist system — managing inbound calls, voicemails, and live chat-style interactions through text. You’ll never miss an important message, client inquiry, or appointment again. It’s built for small businesses and professionals who need simplicity, availability, and a polished image without hiring staff.
Try Beside Free for 7 Days
FAQ
What makes Beside better than traditional answering services?
Beside combines an AI virtual assistant, voicemail service, and business phone system in one iOS app. It automates inbound call handling, messaging, and summaries. Learn more at Beside Assistant.
Can Beside handle high call volume and call forwarding?
Yes. Beside supports high-volume inbound calls with smart routing and forwarding options, ensuring no callers are left unanswered.
Does Beside offer appointment scheduling or follow-up reminders?
Yes. Beside’s AI automatically adds reminders for follow-ups and appointment scheduling after phone calls.
Can Beside record and summarize voicemails?
Definitely. The Voicemail Receptionist feature records, transcribes, and summarizes every voicemail for fast review.
Is Beside suitable for law firms or small businesses?
Absolutely. Beside helps law firms, consultants, and small businesses manage client calls, CRM updates, and customer service without hiring staff.
How much does Beside cost?
Beside is $29.99 monthly or $199 yearly, with a 7-day free trial. It’s more affordable than traditional virtual receptionist or answering service options.
Can Beside handle bilingual callers?
Yes. Beside easily manages bilingual callers and client inquiries, giving small businesses a more inclusive customer service experience without extra hiring.
How does Beside compare to Ruby Receptionists and Moneypenny?
Beside provides the same professional image as Ruby Receptionists or Moneypenny but with AI speed, customizable call forwarding, and live chat summaries.
Does Beside support live chat and text message handling?
Yes. Beside includes chat and text functionality for managing live conversations alongside phone calls and voicemails.
Can I use Beside for outbound calls as well as incoming calls?
Of course. Beside handles both inbound and outbound calls, letting you stay connected to your clients while maintaining a separate business phone number.
How does Beside improve customer service for small businesses?
By answering every call, routing callers efficiently, and providing summaries instantly, Beside helps small businesses maintain excellent customer service and availability 24/7.