AI receptionist NZ
An AI receptionist for New Zealand businesses
An AI receptionist answers your business phone in a natural voice, at any hour. Hello by Leadica answers calls, website chat and email 24/7, books jobs into your calendar, puts urgent calls through to your team and emails you a summary of every conversation. It costs from NZ$149 + GST a month, with no setup fee and no lock-in.
What an AI receptionist does
It does the parts of a front desk that follow a pattern, every time, without a break.
- Answers every call, including several at once, and says it's an AI assistant
- Answers questions from information you've approved, and takes a message when it isn't sure
- Books jobs and appointments into your Google or Outlook calendar, with a confirmation to the caller
- Puts urgent calls through to the right person, with a text first saying who's calling and why
- Emails you a summary of every call, chat and email
- Answers website chat, talk-in-browser and email with the same knowledge
What it costs, compared with the alternatives
| Option | Cost | When it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Employed receptionist | NZ$55,000 to NZ$65,000 a year average salary, plus 3.5% KiwiSaver and ACC levies | Business hours, when not on a break or another call |
| Receptionist at minimum wage | About NZ$49,800 a year for 40 hours a week at NZ$23.95 an hour, before KiwiSaver | Business hours |
| Hello Solo | NZ$1,788 + GST a year (NZ$149 a month) | 24/7 |
| Hello Team | NZ$3,588 + GST a year (NZ$299 a month) | 24/7 |
An AI receptionist doesn't replace a great person on your front desk. Most businesses use Hello for the calls nobody can get to: lunch breaks, busy periods, nights, weekends and public holidays. Your team gets fewer interruptions and every caller gets an answer.
Why answering every call matters
There's little New Zealand research on what callers do when nobody answers, so treat the overseas figures below as a guide, not a rule.
In a June 2026 YouGov survey of 2,046 UK adults, commissioned by the answering service Answer4u, only 6% said they'd leave a voicemail. In a 2025 survey of 1,000 US consumers by CallRail, which sells call tracking, 82% said they'd call a competitor after an unanswered call. Both come from companies that sell call handling. Both point the same way: most people don't wait.
- Source: Answer4u, How long will customers wait on the phone
- Source: CallRail, Missed calls cost businesses more than ever
What to look for in an AI receptionist in New Zealand
It says it's an AI.
Callers should know who they're talking to. The Privacy Commissioner expects businesses using AI to be open with customers about it. Hello says it's an AI assistant at the start of every call, and every conversation is logged so your team can check what it said.
Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Artificial intelligence
You keep your number.
You shouldn't have to change the number on your van, website and invoices. With Hello you forward your calls, or move a landline, 0800 or 0508 number across later.
It only says what you've approved.
Prices, guarantees and health, legal or financial claims should be checked before an AI repeats them. Hello flags these for approval before they go live, and keeps every version so you can roll back.
NZ dollars, GST stated, no lock-in.
Check whether the price includes GST, what counts towards your allowance and what extra calls cost. Hello's prices are in NZ dollars plus GST, a conversation is a call, chat or email, and you can cancel in the app.
It handles more than one call.
A busy morning or a storm can bring several calls at once. Hello answers them at the same time.
You can see what it did.
Look for a summary of every call and a regular review. Hello emails you after every conversation and sends a monthly review of what callers asked and what it couldn't answer.
Built for your industry
Electricians
Faults, call-outs and quotes while you're on the tools
Builders
New builds, renovations and granny flat enquiries
Professional services
Accountants, lawyers, advisers and busy offices
Dentists
Bookings, recalls and after-hours toothache calls
Restaurants
Bookings, dietary questions and the Friday rush
Fish and chips
Hours, menus and questions through the teatime rush
Salons
Hair, nails, beauty and barbers
Workshops
WoFs, servicing and "is my car ready?"
Questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost in New Zealand?
Hello costs NZ$149 + GST a month for up to about 150 conversations, or NZ$299 + GST for up to about 900. There's no setup fee. Some other providers charge by the minute or the call, so compare what's included as well as the headline price.
Will callers know it's an AI?
Yes. Hello says it's an AI assistant at the start of every call. Most callers just want their question answered or their job booked.
Does it sound like a New Zealander?
Hello uses a natural New Zealand English voice and says phone numbers and times the way Kiwis do.
What happens when it can't answer a question?
It answers only from knowledge you've approved. If it isn't sure, it takes a message and emails you straight away. Each month you'll see the questions it couldn't answer, so you can add them.
Do I have to change my phone number?
No. Forward calls from your existing number, all the time or only when you're busy or closed. You also get a local 09 number at sign-up.
Is there a contract?
No lock-in on Solo or Team. Cancel in the app any time. The Leadica HQ add-on has a 3-month minimum.
Is it worth it for a one-person business?
Usually, if you miss calls while you're working. Hello Solo is built for owner-run businesses where every call matters.
Written by Phil Dossett, co-founder of Leadica, the Auckland company that makes Hello. Facts checked 20 October 2026.
Sources
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