How to Create a Call-In Virtual Receptionist Using Unlimited Digital Marketing
Every missed call is a missed opportunity. Whether your team is on another line, wrapping up a client, or it's after hours — when a prospect calls and no one answers, most of them don't call back. They move on to whoever responds first.
A call-in virtual receptionist powered by Voice AI inside Unlimited Digital Marketing solves this permanently. It answers every inbound call, qualifies the lead, books appointments, and handles common questions — without any staff involvement. And with the AI Agent Marketplace, you can deploy one using a prebuilt template in minutes instead of building it from scratch.
This is how to set it up.
What Is a Virtual Receptionist — and Why Does It Matter?
A virtual receptionist is an AI Voice Agent that handles inbound calls the same way a front desk employee would — greeting callers, asking qualifying questions, routing them to the right action, and booking them into your calendar.
The difference is that it works 24/7, never puts someone on hold, and never forgets to follow up.
For service businesses — law firms, med spas, home services, real estate offices, healthcare practices — this means:
No more missed calls turning into lost revenue — every call gets answered, every time
After-hours coverage with zero extra cost — leads calling at 9pm get the same experience as calls at 9am
Consistent intake process — the agent asks the same qualifying questions every time, with no variation
Less front desk load — your team handles clients, not call screening
What Is the AI Agent Marketplace?
The AI Agent Marketplace inside Unlimited Digital Marketing is a catalog of prebuilt Conversation AI and Voice AI templates built by agencies and specialists. Each template comes packaged with the assets it needs — workflows, calendars, custom fields, and custom values — so you're not building from zero.
For a virtual receptionist specifically, Voice AI templates are designed to handle inbound calls, qualify leads, book appointments, and trigger follow-up workflows automatically.
How to Set Up a Call-In Virtual Receptionist
Step 1: Go to Voice AI in your sub-account
Log into your sub-account inside app.ajaxunion.com. In the left sidebar, navigate to AI Agents → Voice AI.
Step 2: Click "Create Agent"
On the Voice AI dashboard, click Create Agent to open the setup flow.
Step 3: Select "Marketplace Templates"
When prompted, choose Marketplace Templates instead of building from scratch. This opens the full template catalog filtered for Voice AI agents.
Step 4: Browse and find a receptionist template
Search the catalog for templates tagged as inbound receptionist, call handling, lead qualification, or appointment booking. Each listing shows the agent's description, bundled assets, install count, and ratings. Read the descriptions closely — a good receptionist template will specify exactly what the agent says, what questions it asks, and what it does with the answers.
Step 5: Install the template
Click into the template you want and click Install. The platform will display all bundled assets — workflows, calendars, custom fields, and custom values. Confirm and complete the installation. Everything is added to your sub-account automatically.
Note: Voice AI templates don't include a live preview before install (chat preview is available for Conversation AI only). Use the description, ratings, and install count to evaluate before committing.
Step 6: Customize the agent for your business
After installation, open the agent in your Voice AI dashboard and update:
Business name and greeting — set the opening line the agent uses when it picks up
Qualifying questions — edit the script to match your actual intake process (service type, location, urgency, budget, etc.)
Goals and Actions — define what happens when the call is complete: book a calendar appointment, tag the contact, create a CRM opportunity, trigger a follow-up workflow, or send an internal alert to your team
Language and voice — select the language and voice style that fits your brand
Knowledge Base — add your services, hours, pricing FAQs, and location so the agent can answer common questions accurately
Step 7: Set a safe-hours schedule
Before routing live calls through the agent, configure a call schedule. This controls when the Voice AI is active. You may want it running 24/7, or only after hours when your team is unavailable — either way, set this before going live to avoid routing calls incorrectly.
Step 8: Assign a phone number
To activate the agent, assign it a phone number from your account. This is the number callers will reach — either your main business line (forwarded) or a dedicated line. The agent will not receive calls until a number is connected.
To disable the agent later without deleting it, simply remove the assigned phone number. The configuration stays intact.
Step 9: Enable Missed Call Text-Back
Pair your Voice AI with Missed Call Text-Back for full coverage. If a call comes in through a channel the agent doesn't cover, GHL automatically sends a text to the caller:
"Hi! Thanks for calling. We missed your call but would love to help. Are you looking to book an appointment?"
The lead stays warm and the conversation continues — even when the call wasn't answered at all.
Step 10: Connect a follow-up workflow
The real power of a virtual receptionist comes from what happens after the call. Inside your bundled or custom workflow, build a sequence that:
Sends a confirmation text and email after the call
Follows up 1–2 hours later with a booking link if no appointment was made
Notifies your team when a high-intent lead calls in
Moves the contact to the correct pipeline stage automatically
Your Voice AI captures the lead. The workflow nurtures it to a booking.
Step 11: Test before going live
Place a test call to the assigned number. Go through the full flow as a prospect would — answer the questions, ask about services, try to book. Check that:
The agent greets correctly and sounds natural
Qualifying questions flow logically
The booking link or calendar invite triggers properly
The contact record in your CRM is updated with the right tags and fields
Fix anything that feels off before sending real traffic to the number.
Step 12: Monitor calls and refine
Voice AI logs every call so you can review transcripts and recordings. Check them regularly in the first few weeks. Look for calls where leads dropped off, questions the agent wasn't prepared for, or objections it didn't handle well. Update the script and Knowledge Base as you learn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Voice AI as my main business phone line?
Yes. You can forward your main business number to the Voice AI agent's assigned number, or use the assigned number directly in your marketing.
What happens to calls that come in outside the agent's schedule?
Calls outside the active schedule go unanswered by the agent. Pair it with Missed Call Text-Back to ensure those callers still receive an immediate response.
Can I disable the agent without losing my configuration?
Yes. Remove the assigned phone number. The agent stays fully configured but stops receiving calls until you reconnect a number.
What assets come with a Voice AI Marketplace Template?
Templates can include workflows, calendars, custom fields, and custom values depending on what the creator packaged with it.
Can I preview a Voice AI template before installing?
Not yet — live call previews for Voice AI are planned but not currently available. Conversation AI templates do support a live chat preview before install.
Can the agent book appointments directly?
Yes, if the template includes calendar integration. After installation, connect your calendar so the agent can check availability and book in real time during the call.
Can I run both Voice AI and Conversation AI at the same time?
Yes. Many businesses run a Voice AI agent for inbound calls and a Conversation AI agent for website chat and SMS — covering every channel from one platform.
Ready to Build a Virtual Receptionist That Never Misses a Call?
The Voice AI tools inside app.ajaxunion.com let you launch a fully automated call-in receptionist in minutes — no coding, no scripts to write from scratch, just a ready-to-deploy agent that answers, qualifies, and books leads around the clock.
Stop losing revenue to missed calls. Start converting every inbound inquiry automatically.
If you don't have an account yet, sign up for a free trial here: 👉 https://UnlimitedDigitalMarketing.com
Set up your virtual receptionist and start turning every call into a booked appointment today.
