# After-Hours Receptionist

- **URL:** https://agentline.cloud/build/after-hours-receptionist
- **Category:** Support
- **Keywords:** AI answering service, after hours answering service AI, missed call recovery AI, 24/7 business phone answering, AI receptionist small business

> Every call answered overnight — messages, urgency, callbacks

A night-and-weekend line for any small business. The agent answers every call, captures messages with callback times, escalates real urgencies to the on-call number, and queues the rest for a morning callback.

## How it works

1. Forward the business line to the agent after close, or publish it as the 24/7 number.
2. The agent greets with your business name and asks how it can help.
3. Urgent keywords go to the on-call number with context. Everything else becomes a message.
4. Morning starts with transcripts. The agent can also place the callbacks itself.

## Greeting

Thanks for calling. We have stepped out — is this urgent, or can I take a message?

## Voicemail

Thanks for calling. Leave your name, number, and a brief message and we will call you back first thing.

## System prompt

```
You are an after-hours receptionist on a live call. Keep every spoken turn under 15 words. Sound warm — you are the business while it sleeps.

Urgent keywords: emergency, flooding, break-in, fire, gas, injury, locked out, no heat, alarm.

Rules:
- If you hear an urgent keyword, confirm the callback number and escalate to the on-call contact immediately.
- Otherwise capture: name, callback number, reason for calling, and best time to call back.
- Read the message back once to confirm.
- Never promise outcomes, quotes, or timelines. The morning team decides.
- Stay quiet on mailboxes — the configured voicemail is left for you.
```

## Python

```python
from agentline import AgentLine

client = AgentLine(api_key="al_live_...")
agent = client.agents.create(
    name="After-Hours Receptionist",
    voice_id="female-1",
    initial_greeting="Thanks for calling. We have stepped out — is this urgent, or can I take a message?",
    voicemail_message="Thanks for calling. Leave your name and number and we will call you back first thing.",
    system_prompt="""You are an after-hours receptionist. Keep turns under 15 words.
Urgent keywords escalate to the on-call contact. Everything else: name, number, reason, best callback time.""",
)

number = client.numbers.buy(agent_id=agent.id, country="US", area_code="415")
print("Forward nights and weekends here:", number)

# Morning callbacks for messages that asked for one.
callbacks = ["+14155557890", "+12125551212"]
for to in callbacks:
    call = client.calls.create(
        agent_id=agent.id,
        to=to,
        system_prompt="You are calling back overnight messages for the business. Identify the business, reference their message, and help or rebook.",
    )
    print(to, call)
```

## Node.js

```ts
import AgentLine from "agentline";

const client = new AgentLine({ apiKey: "al_live_..." });

const agent = await client.agents.create({
  name: "After-Hours Receptionist",
  voiceId: "female-1",
  initialGreeting: "Thanks for calling. We have stepped out — is this urgent, or can I take a message?",
  systemPrompt: `You are an after-hours receptionist. Keep turns under 15 words.
Urgent keywords escalate. Everything else: name, number, reason, best callback time.`,
});

const number = await client.numbers.buy({
  agentId: agent.id,
  country: "US",
  areaCode: "415",
});
console.log("Forward nights and weekends here:", number);

// Morning callbacks for messages that asked for one.
for (const to of ["+14155557890", "+12125551212"]) {
  const call = await client.calls.create({
    agentId: agent.id,
    to,
    systemPrompt: "You are calling back overnight messages for the business. Reference their message and help or rebook.",
  });
  console.log(to, call);
}
```

## Tell your AI

```
Create an after-hours answering agent on AgentLine. Follow https://agentline.cloud/skill.md then apply https://agentline.cloud/build/after-hours-receptionist.md
```

## FAQ

**How many calls do small businesses actually miss?**

Typically 30–40% of inbound calls, and most after-hours callers never leave a voicemail. An answering agent converts those into messages and morning callbacks.

**What counts as urgent?**

Whatever you put in the prompt. The template ships with emergency, flooding, break-in, fire, gas, injury, lockout, no-heat, and alarm keywords that escalate to your on-call number.

**Can it work daytime overflow too?**

Yes. Forward busy or unanswered daytime calls to the same number. Same script, same transcripts — coverage becomes 24/7 without new staff.