An AI receptionist for auto repair shops that answers while you're under the car
Set up a number in minutes and the agent keeps answering while you're under a car or out on a test drive. It books appointments, notes the make, model and the problem described, and never invents a price or a diagnosis.
Where it hurts
The phone rings, your hands are in the engine
A repair shop is busiest exactly when it's hardest to get to the phone - under a raised car, with greasy hands, in the middle of a test drive. A customer who can't get through usually doesn't call back, they try the next shop down the road instead.
How it works
Buy a number and write a few sentences
Buy a number in the portal and tell the agent what the shop does, its opening hours, and when it should transfer straight to a mechanic. Copy the ready-made prompt below and just fill in your shop's name.
Forward your existing line
Either forward your old number to the new one, or keep the new number separate, say for booking appointments, while you keep handling picked-up cars on the old line.
It notes the make, model and the problem
The agent writes down what the customer described - make, model and how the problem shows up - into fields you define for it in advance (dataFields), which show up in the call transcript and the call.completed webhook.
What it handles
Books an appointment for a repair or service check
Asks what car it's about and what's wrong with it, then offers the nearest available slot.
Notes the make, model and the problem described
You know what the customer is bringing in and what they described before they even arrive, not just once they're at the counter.
Never quotes a repair price or a diagnosis
Asked how much a repair costs or what's actually wrong with the car, it says a mechanic can only tell after inspecting the vehicle.
Transfers to a mechanic for anything complicated
With transfer enabled for the agent, an unusual fault, a complaint, or a customer who insists on talking to a mechanic gets handed off instead of guessed at.
Keeps answering when the shop is fully booked
In the morning rush when everyone's under a car, or after closing time, the agent still answers and books a slot.
Sample conversation
The prompt you can copy
Paste it into the portal (Agent -> New agent) and fill in only the company name and opening hours in the brackets - otherwise it works as is.
You are the voice receptionist for [shop name], an auto repair shop. You speak plainly and to the point - the way an experienced service advisor would on the phone, not a robot.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- At the start of the call, say that the call is recorded for quality purposes.
- Book an appointment for a repair or a service check: ask for the car's make and model, what's wrong with it, and the customer's name and phone number.
- State the current opening hours: [opening hours].
- Repeat the agreed appointment back at the end, along with what to bring (registration, keys), so the customer can write it down.
- If a caller asks whether they're speaking to a person, tell the truth - you're the shop's voice assistant.
- Find out whether the problem is urgent (the car won't start, a warning light, it won't drive) and prioritize those cases.
- If a customer needs a specific replacement part, say the shop will check availability and confirm it along with the appointment.
WHAT YOU NEVER DO:
- Never quote a repair price or guess what's wrong with the car - only a mechanic can tell after inspecting it. Say the exact price comes after the inspection, and don't offer a rough range either.
- Never invent an available slot you're not sure about - say the shop will confirm it with a call back.
- Never advise a customer on whether it's safe to keep driving the car - that's for a mechanic to judge.
- Never confirm a repair can be done while the customer waits - that depends on the scope of the problem, which only the mechanic can determine.
If a caller describes an unusual or dangerous fault (brakes, steering, smoke from the engine), has a complaint, or insists on speaking to a mechanic, and transfer is enabled for the agent, hand off the call - let the customer know they'll need to repeat the details briefly.
HOW TO END THE CALL:
Repeat the agreed appointment or next step, wish them a good day, and end the call. If a caller needs something you can't handle, tell them to call again during opening hours.What it costs in this industry
At 20 calls a day averaging 3 minutes, an AI receptionist costs 5,425 CZK (~EUR 226.04) a month - the number, call minutes and the agent surcharge combined.
- Number
- 25 CZK
- Calls
- 900 CZK
- Agent
- 4,500 CZK
- Total per month
- 5,425 CZK (~EUR 226.04)
Prices exclude VAT; it's added when you top up credit.
Work out the exact price for your volume in the calculator on the AI receptionist page.
Call the demo line
+420 266 266 641
Listen to how the AI receptionist answers a call and talks - ask it something like your opening hours.
Call the demoThis is volai's shared demo line, not this industry's own receptionist - your own operator bills the call at its standard rate; volai charges you nothing and it signs you up for nothing.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the agent tell customers it's a voice assistant, even if nobody asks?
- Yes, it introduces itself as the shop's voice assistant as soon as it picks up - it doesn't wait to be asked, and it never pretends to be a live person.
- What if a customer calls saying their car won't start and they need a tow?
- The agent recognizes it as urgent and notes the make, model and how the problem shows up in the transcript. It doesn't arrange the tow itself - with transfer enabled, it hands the call straight to the shop, otherwise it takes a phone number so someone can call back.
- How much does an AI receptionist cost for an auto repair shop?
- You pay only for the minutes that actually happen plus a monthly fee for the number, no extra package for calls. There's a rough monthly example further up this page.
- Will the AI receptionist tell a customer how much a repair costs?
- No, deliberately - only a mechanic can price a repair after inspecting the car. The agent books the appointment and leaves pricing to you.
- Does the agent need to know in advance what kinds of repairs the shop does?
- Yes - it won't guess without being told. Put it in the prompt along with your opening hours and when it should transfer straight to a mechanic; the ready-made prompt is further up this page, just fill in your shop's name, and setup takes a few minutes.
Try an AI receptionist for free
Registration takes a minute, no card required - you get 50 CZK of credit on us.