Secretarial support: every form, the cost, and how to choose
From the classic hire to a remote secretary, a live answering service, or an AI receptionist, “secretarial support” now comes in more forms than ever — at costs ranging from a few euros a day to a full salary. This guide puts the options in order: what each offers, what it costs, and which business each one fits.
One email when it’s ready — no spam.
The four forms of secretarial support
1 · Hiring a secretary. The fullest form: physical presence, every duty, human judgement. Also the most expensive — salary, contributions, bonuses, leave — with coverage only during working hours. Justified when the work beyond the phone (paperwork, front desk, payments) fills a full schedule.
2 · External / remote secretary. A person on partial commitment, often remote. Cheaper than hiring, flexible — but with the same limits of hours and availability.
3 · Live answering service. Operators answer on your behalf and take messages, billed per call or bundle. Good for overflow and peak hours; the appointment itself is usually booked by you afterwards.
4 · AI receptionist. Software that answers in natural Greek, 24/7, and books the appointment within the call, straight into the calendar. It covers the phone side of secretarial support — which, in appointment businesses, is the critical side.
Comparison at a glance
| Hire | External | Live answering | AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost/month | Salary + contributions | Lower, partial | Per call/bundle | Subscription — a fraction of a salary |
| Coverage | Working hours | Agreed hours | Shifts | 24/7 |
| Appointments | Yes, fully | Yes, in hours | Usually a message | Within the call |
| Beyond the phone | Everything | Much | No | No — phone only |
The practical conclusion: if your problem is the phone and appointments, you do not need a whole position to solve it. If your problem is the entire front office, AI covers the phone and frees the human for what genuinely needs human hands. See also the detailed cost comparison: AI receptionist vs a salaried secretary.
Frequently asked questions
What does secretarial support include?
Typically: answering the phone, managing appointments and the calendar, messages and reminders, and often basic customer service. Depending on the form — hire, external partner, answering service or AI — the coverage and hours differ.
How much does a secretary cost in Greece?
According to published job listings, a full-time secretary's net salary usually runs €850–€1,200 per month (mywage.gr range: €671–€1,556), plus employer contributions and statutory bonuses. The alternatives — answering services or an AI receptionist — generally cost considerably less, each with different coverage.
What is virtual secretarial support?
Secretarial support delivered remotely: either by a person working remotely or at an answering service, or by an AI receptionist — software that answers the phone, converses naturally and books appointments. The common trait: no physical presence needed at your premises.
Can AI replace a secretary?
On the phone and for appointments — largely yes: it answers 24/7, misses no call and books by itself. It does not replace human judgement on complex matters — there it takes the details and notifies you. For many small businesses, “AI on the phone, human for the complex” is the most efficient combination.
What should I check in an AI secretarial service?
Natural Greek with a real audio sample, appointments completed inside the call and written to your calendar, simple call forwarding with no new number, clear GDPR compliance, and transparency that the caller is speaking with a digital assistant.
Parousa is coming soon
Parousa is an AI phone receptionist that speaks natural Greek around the clock and books the appointment straight into your calendar — built for small businesses that live on appointments. Leave your email at parousa.com to hear when the first spots open — one email, no spam. Anything else: info@parousa.com · Instagram @parousa.ai.
One email when it’s ready — no spam.