AI receptionist or a salaried receptionist? What each one really costs
If you're thinking about who will answer your business's phone, it's reasonable to worry about the cost: what does an AI receptionist cost, and what is a full-time receptionist's salary? In this article we lay the numbers on the table — fairly, for both sides — and explain why, for most small businesses, the right answer isn't "one or the other."
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What a salaried receptionist offers
A good receptionist doesn't just pick up the phone. They welcome customers on site, know them by name, keep the waiting area and the schedule in order. They handle invoices and payments, file paperwork, order supplies, remember which customer needs special handling. And when something unexpected comes up, they exercise judgment on the spot — something no technology does in the same way.
If your business has a workload that justifies a full-time position, a receptionist is an investment, not an expense. The cost question mainly matters for smaller businesses, where the front-desk work is currently done by the owner themselves — in between appointments.
What is a receptionist's salary in Greece?
According to published job-listing data, a full-time receptionist in Greece is typically paid €850–€1,200 net per month. mywage.gr salary data shows a wider range, from €671 to €1,556 per month, depending on experience and role. On top of these net amounts come social-security contributions and holiday bonuses, so the real cost to the employer is noticeably higher.
There's also a cost that doesn't show up in the numbers: the schedule. A receptionist works set hours and is entitled to days off, leave and public holidays — as is only fair. But calls don't follow a schedule. The ones that come in at midday, in the evening or on the weekend either get picked up by you or are lost.
What an AI receptionist offers — and what it doesn't
An AI receptionist answers the phone in natural Greek, around the clock — including weekends and public holidays. It books the appointment in your calendar itself, takes a message when needed and keeps you informed. It has no days off or leave and never gets sick. It always introduces itself as a digital assistant — never pretends to be human — and the call details are used only to manage the appointment.
But there are things it doesn't do, and it's right that you should know them from the start:
- It has no physical presence — it doesn't welcome customers on your premises.
- It doesn't handle administrative work: invoicing, filing, orders.
- It doesn't replace human judgment on complex or sensitive matters.
As for the cost of an AI receptionist, the logic is different: you pay a monthly subscription for one specific job — the phone — with no contributions, holiday bonuses or cover costs during leave.
The takeaway: it's not either/or
The dilemma "AI receptionist or salaried receptionist" is, in practice, the wrong question. One doesn't do the other's job.
If you already have a receptionist, the AI covers the hours when they're away: midday, the evening, the weekend, their leave — or simply when they're already on another line. You divert to it only the calls you can't get to, you keep your number, and no call goes unanswered.
If you don't have a receptionist — like most small businesses that work by appointment — the AI takes over the phone side entirely. Say you miss two calls a day because you're serving a customer; if even one of them was a new appointment, the cost of the missed calls quickly exceeds any subscription. The number is hypothetical — measure it in your own business: how many missed calls does your phone show at the end of the week?
Frequently asked questions
What is the salary of a full-time receptionist?
According to published job-listing data, a full-time receptionist in Greece is typically paid €850–€1,200 net per month, while mywage.gr salary data shows a range from €671 to €1,556 per month. On top of the net amounts come social-security contributions and holiday bonuses, so the total cost to the employer is higher.
Can an AI receptionist fully replace a human receptionist?
No. An AI receptionist answers the phone, books appointments in your calendar, takes messages and keeps you informed — but it has no physical presence on site and does not handle administrative work such as invoicing or filing. In practice it works as a complement: it covers the hours when the receptionist is away, or the businesses that have no receptionist at all.
What hours does an AI receptionist answer?
Around the clock, every day — including weekends and public holidays. It has no working hours, days off or leave, so the calls you divert to it get answered whenever they come in — in the evening and on Sundays too.
Does the caller understand they are speaking with a digital assistant?
Yes. The AI receptionist always introduces itself as a digital assistant and never pretends to be human. The call details are used solely to manage the appointment.
Do I need to change my phone number to use an AI receptionist?
No. You keep the number your customers already know and simply divert to the AI receptionist the calls you can't get to in time — for example when you're already on the line or when the call comes in outside working hours.
Want to be the first to know when Parousa launches?
Parousa is an AI phone receptionist in natural Greek, for businesses that work by appointment. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know as soon as the first spots open up.
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