Choosing between an AI receptionist and a traditional answering service? As the founder of an AI receptionist company, I'm obviously biased — but I've also spent months talking to Canadian business owners who've tried both. Here's an honest comparison based on what I've seen and heard.
The Core Difference
Traditional answering services employ human operators who answer calls on behalf of multiple businesses. They work from scripts, take messages, and transfer urgent calls.
AI receptionists use artificial intelligence to have natural conversations, answer questions, book appointments, and handle complex interactions — all without human involvement.
Cost Comparison
Pricing varies widely depending on the provider, your call volume, and which features you need. Here are the typical ranges we've seen while evaluating options in the Canadian market:
| Human Answering Service | AI Receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Varies widely by provider | Generally lower fixed cost |
| Per-minute fees | Common, adds up quickly | Some charge per minute, some don't |
| Setup fees | Often required | Usually free |
| After-hours premium | Typically costs extra | Usually included |
The bottom line on cost: AI receptionists tend to be more predictable month-to-month. With human services, costs can spike when call volume increases or when you need after-hours coverage. That said, the cheapest answering service may still beat the cheapest AI option for very low call volumes.
Quality Comparison
This is where things get interesting. Based on conversations with business owners who've used both, the most common complaint about traditional answering services is inconsistency — operators handle calls for many businesses and can't deeply know each one.
AI receptionists are trained specifically on your business. They know your services, pricing, FAQs, and policies. They never have a bad day, never get flustered, and deliver consistent quality on every call.
AI receptionists pick up instantly, every time — no hold music, no wait. With human services, wait times vary and calls can get missed during busy periods, especially outside business hours.
Capability Comparison
Here's a general sense of how capabilities tend to differ, based on what we've observed across the market:
| Capability | Human Service | AI Receptionist |
|---|---|---|
| Answer questions | Basic scripts only | Full knowledge base |
| Book appointments | Sometimes (extra cost) | Yes, real-time |
| 24/7 availability | Extra cost | Standard |
| Consistent quality | Varies by operator | Always consistent |
| Handle complex inquiries | Transfer to voicemail | Full conversation |
| PIPEDA compliance | Varies | Built-in |
When to Choose Each Option
Choose a traditional answering service if:
- Your callers strongly prefer human interaction over AI
- You need operators to handle complex, emotionally sensitive calls
- Your call volume is very low (under 20 calls/month)
Choose an AI receptionist if:
- You want consistent, 24/7 coverage at predictable cost
- You need appointment booking integrated with your calendar
- You want every caller to get immediate, knowledgeable responses
- PIPEDA compliance is important for your business
My Take
I started Polaris Voice because I believe AI receptionists are the better option for most Canadian service businesses — lower cost, higher consistency, 24/7 availability, and deeper integration with business systems. The technology has reached a point where conversations feel natural and callers often can't tell they're speaking with AI.
That said, I'd be dishonest if I didn't acknowledge that traditional answering services still have their place. If your business handles highly sensitive or emotional calls — a crisis line, for example — a human touch may still matter. For everything else, it's worth trying an AI receptionist and seeing the difference for yourself.
Experience the difference yourself
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