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I use AI in my business every day. Just not to answer the phone.

by Lisa | May 11, 2026 | Business

I use AI in my business every day. Just not to answer the phone. That probably sounds contradictory coming from someone who runs a virtual reception service. But there is a distinction worth making, and it is one I rarely hear in conversations about AI phone answering...
Lisa Willmott

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  • I use AI in my business every day. Just not to answer the phone. 11/05/2026
If you follow this page, chances are you're in Can If you follow this page, chances are you're in Canberra. Most of our audience is. Here's something that might surprise you: OWFY isn't only a Canberra business. Right now we answer calls for clients across the east coast, QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC and TAS. There's a reason it works so well there. Those states run on the same business day as us, AEST or AEDT, so when your phone rings during business hours, someone's actually at a desk to answer it. Virtual reception was never about being in the same suburb. It's about someone picking up the phone properly, in your business name. If you're further afield, get in touch anyway, we'd still love to talk.
I've spent the last few weeks working on something I've spent the last few weeks working on something a bit different behind the scenes: setting up a new gift voucher system for an accommodation business, and I'm loving it. It's not something I'd normally talk about publicly, most of what I do happens quietly, in the background, so a client's front of house runs the way it should. But this one has been a nice change of pace. A new platform, new supplier relationships, and the kind of detail work I genuinely enjoy. It's a good reminder that this job isn't just answering the phone. It's understanding how a hospitality business actually runs, and helping get the pieces in place so it runs smoothly behind the scenes.
You're in the middle of something. Your phone ring You're in the middle of something. Your phone rings. You can't get to it. You check later. No voicemail. You'll never know if it was a new enquiry, a time-sensitive question, or a wrong number. But the person on the other end made a decision in that moment and moved on. This is the part of running a small business that doesn't get talked about much. Not the missed calls you know about. The ones you don't. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.
63% of consumers don't believe AI could ever repla 63% of consumers don't believe AI could ever replace humans in customer service. Nearly 2 in 3. That's not a fringe opinion. It's a majority. And yet businesses are rolling out automated phone systems and AI responders faster than ever. The technology is changing. What customers want isn't. A real person answering your phone is exactly what most of your customers are asking for. Source: SurveyMonkey Customer Service Statistics 2026
This turned up on my doorstep on Friday. It was a This turned up on my doorstep on Friday. It was a lovely surprise and a great start to the weekend. After 6 years working casually with Novotel Canberra, my time there has come to an end, and this was a lovely gift. Thank you, Novotel Canberra. I'll be honest, after the weekend there's not much left đŸ˜†.
Tuesday is our busiest day of the week. On a busy Tuesday is our busiest day of the week. On a busy Tuesday, we might answer a call for a psychology practice in the morning, take a detailed catering order before lunch, and handle an urgent property enquiry in the afternoon. Every call answered in a different business name. Every caller gets a real person who knows enough about that business to help them. Behind the desk, it looks a lot like very focused multitasking. And a lot of hot chocolate. That's what a day at Office Work For You actually looks like.
6,015 calls answered in 2025. 14 years in busines 6,015 calls answered in 2025. 14 years in business. Tuesday is consistently our busiest day of the week. Every one of those calls was answered by a real person, in our client's business name, during business hours. Not a bot. Not a voicemail. A human voice. For the businesses we work with, that means enquiries don't slip through, clients are looked after even on the busiest days, and their phone sounds professional every single time.
How many bookings do you lose before they even sta How many bookings do you lose before they even start? You've found a venue that looks perfect for your event. You call to check availability. No answer. You try again an hour later. Voicemail. So you call the next venue on your list. This is happening to hospitality businesses every day. A group enquiry, a corporate booking, a private function, gone before any conversation has started. In hospitality, high-value bookings usually begin with a phone call. People planning events, group stays, or functions want to talk to someone before they commit. If that call isn't answered, they don't wait. Virtual reception means calls gets answered professionally, in your business name, while you're doing everything else a busy venue requires.
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