Hiring a Receptionist vs AI

You need someone to answer phones. You're debating hiring.

Here's the real math.

Receptionist Costs

Salary: $15-20/hour = $31,200-$41,600/year

Plus:

• Payroll taxes: +7.65%


• Benefits (if offered): +$3,000-10,000


• Training time: 2-4 weeks unproductive


• Sick days/vacation: ~15 days


• Turnover costs: Hiring again in 12-18 months

True annual cost: $40,000-$55,000

And they still can't work 24/7.

AI Answering Costs

Fixly pricing:

• $0/month base


• $1 per job booked

100 bookings/month = $100/month = $1,200/year

Side-by-Side

When Humans Still Win

• Complex scheduling with multiple variables


• High-touch customer relationships


• Admin tasks beyond phones


• In-person greeting

The Hybrid Model

Many contractors use:

• AI for calls (answering, booking)


• Part-time admin for paperwork (10 hrs/week)

Cost: $1,200/year (AI) + $15,000/year (part-time) = $16,200

Still less than half the cost of full-time, with 24/7 phone coverage.

The Decision

Not sure what you need? Take our 2-minute quiz →

If your main need is answering phones and booking jobs:
→ AI wins on cost, availability, and consistency

If you need broad admin support:
→ Hire part-time, let AI handle phones

Don't hire full-time just to answer phones. The math doesn't work.