As a contact center, you’re no longer in the early days of figuring out how to handle customer inquiries. You have a steady stream of calls, your service metrics are solid, and now you’re looking to reduce overhead while scaling your operation. This article walks you through the top AI call-answering services in the space and gives you a framework for making a decision on a provider.
What is an AI Answering Service?
Before we jump into the detailed reviews, it’s crucial to understand what an AI answering service is and how it works. These services are designed to handle calls using advanced technologies like transcription, language models, and voice synthesis to create humanlike call center agents entirely powered by AI. For a deeper dive into how AI calling works, check out this guide on conversational AI for customer support.
What Makes a Good Voice AI Provider?
Choosing the right AI phone provider is essential, but it can be tricky with so many options available. Here’s what you should look for in a voice AI provider:
- Feature Set: The best voice AI companies offer features like simulation testing, latency metrics, tracking, analytics, and prebuilt software integrations that are crucial for running a contact center effectively.
- Ease of Use: Many AI services are built with developers in mind, requiring you to navigate documentation and set up simulations and integrations. Simpler platforms will save you time and effort.
- Software Integrations: Look for providers offering prebuilt integrations with popular software like calendars and CRMs. Some even support live integrations during calls, a key feature for dynamic customer interactions.
- Latency and Analytics: Latency affects how quickly the AI responds to customers, and analytics help track performance. These metrics can vary significantly among providers.
Top AI Phone Providers in 2024
Now that you know what to look for, let’s dive into the top AI phone providers in 2024. We’ve carefully reviewed each provider based on their features, ease of use, software integrations, and overall performance.
1. Phonely: The All-In-One AI Phone Assistant
Phonely stands out as the most feature-rich platform on the market, allowing you to build both simple and complex AI phone agents in minutes. Its comprehensive features make it the best all-around provider for AI phone services.
- Feature Set: Phonely is the first to combine AI vision and voice technology, enabling seamless integration with any software. This unique feature lets Phonely interact with software just like a human, whether it’s scheduling appointments, managing CRMs, or using custom in-house tools.
- Ease of Use: Phonely simplifies the setup process, handling all prompt engineering with minimal input from you.
- Technology and Testing: With inbuilt simulation software, Phonely allows you to test your agents using existing call recordings, ensuring they perform as expected before going live.
- Built for Enterprise: Phonely operates on a private internet backbone with dedicated infrastructure, ensuring reliable and secure phone operations.
Pros:
- Live integration workflow builder
- Ease of use
- Testing and simulation suite
- Low latency fully managed stack
- Website import and fully managed knowledgebase
- Affordable, scalable pricing
Cons:
- No voice AI API (though API integrations can be done within the platform)
Phonely Pricing: Phonely offers flexible pricing based on usage, starting at $34.99 per month for 200 minutes, with costs scaling down to 10 cents per minute for higher usage.
Overall, Phonely offers a feature-rich platform that can be customized for both basic and complex phone answering needs. It excels in customer support optimization and stands out with its AI vision feature, which eliminates the need for complex API integrations. Learn more about how Phonely is revolutionizing the industry in our detailed analysis.
2. Poly.ai: Conversational AI for Enterprises
Poly.ai is known for its advanced natural language processing, making it a strong contender for enterprises needing robust conversational AI.
- Feature Set: Poly.ai supports omnichannel interactions and provides detailed analytics and reporting.
- Ease of Use: While powerful, Poly.ai is primarily geared toward enterprises, with a focus on high-level customization and implementation.
- Latency and Analytics: Poly.ai’s latency is slightly higher compared to others, but it offers advanced natural language processing for handling complex inquiries.
Pros:
- Robust natural language understanding
- Omnichannel support capabilities
- Advanced analytics and reporting
Cons:
- Expensive with a lengthy deployment time
- Limited customization for non-enterprise users
- High latency
- No self-serve option
Poly.ai Pricing: Poly.ai requires a custom quote for pricing, with enterprises reporting costs around $0.95 per minute, significantly higher than other options.
Poly.ai is ideal for industries requiring high-grade security and extensive customization, though its high costs and complex implementation process may be a barrier for some.
3. Bland.ai: Customizable AI Voices for Developers
Bland.ai offers a low-cost solution with highly customizable AI voices, making it a good option for developers who are comfortable with prompt engineering.
- Feature Set: Bland focuses on providing a voice API solution that allows developers to build custom AI calling applications.
- Ease of Use: The platform is basic and requires significant input from users in terms of software development and prompting.
- Reliability: While Bland has had some reliability issues, it remains a viable option for those needing a customizable solution.
Pros:
- Highly customizable AI voices
- Prompt-based conversational flows
- Low cost
Cons:
- Basic platform interface
- Reliability challenges
- Requires custom software development and prompting
Bland.ai Pricing: Bland offers affordable pricing but requires significant technical expertise for optimal use.
Bland.ai is best suited for developers looking for a customizable AI voice solution that they can build upon.
4. Synthflow.ai: White-Label AI Voice Provider
Synthflow.ai is tailored for agencies and businesses seeking a white-label AI voice solution, especially in the small to medium enterprise space.
- Feature Set: Synthflow integrates with popular software like GoHighLevel and offers a Zapier-like post-call flow for automating actions after calls.
- Ease of Use: While the platform includes a drag-and-drop editor, it still requires experience in prompt engineering and independent testing.
- Integration: Synthflow lacks extensive API integrations and supports only a few appointment scheduling software.
Pros:
- Zapier-like post-call flow
- Supports inbound and outbound calling
- No-code development platform
Cons:
- Primarily focused on white labeling
- Reliability challenges
- Limited live integrations
Synthflow.ai Pricing: Synthflow offers various pricing plans, from the Starter plan at $29 per month to the comprehensive Agency plan at $1,400 per month, which includes white-label options.
Synthflow.ai is a strong choice for agencies looking to resell voice AI solutions, though its limitations in live integrations may be a drawback for some.
5. Thought.ly: Intelligent Conversation Design Platform
Thought.ly offers a platform for designing and deploying AI-driven conversations, ideal for companies prioritizing detailed conversation design.
- Feature Set: Thought.ly’s flow-based conversation builder allows for highly customized customer interactions.
- Ease of Use: The platform has a steep learning curve and may require significant developer time for setup and optimization.
- Integration: Though Thought.ly integrates with popular business tools, the number of direct integrations is limited.
Pros:
- Flow-based conversation builder
- Limited prompt engineering required
- Integration with popular business tools
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Limited evaluations
- Fewer direct integrations
Thought.ly Pricing: Thought.ly offers custom pricing based on business needs, making it a flexible option for larger enterprises.
Thought.ly is ideal for businesses that require a high level of control over their AI-driven conversations, though it may require a more hands-on approach compared to plug-and-play solutions.
Which AI Phone Provider is Right for You?
Whether you’re looking for an AI phone provider to handle customer inquiries or seeking a broader AI service for marketing automation and development, there’s certainly a solution for you on this list.
For example, Phonely offers the most comprehensive features for all-around use, while other providers like Poly.ai and Bland.ai specialize in tools for specific needs.
To help you choose the right AI phone provider, we’ve put together a comparison table highlighting key features and pricing for each service.
| Feature | Phonely | Poly.ai | Bland.ai | Synthflow.ai | Thought.ly |
| Feature Set | Comprehensive, including AI vision | Advanced NLP, omnichannel support | Customizable AI voices | Zapier-like post-call flow, white-label | Flow-based conversation design |
| Ease of Use | User-friendly, minimal setup required | Enterprise-focused, complex setup | Basic interface, requires technical setup | No-code editor, requires testing | Steep learning curve |
| Software Integrations | Extensive, supports various tools | Limited, focuses on high-level integration | Limited, mainly voice API | Few integrations, limited API | Popular business tools, fewer direct integrations |
| Latency | Low latency, fully managed stack | Slightly higher, advanced NLP | Basic latency, customizable | Variable, focused on white-label | Depends on setup |
| Analytics and Reporting | Inbuilt simulation and analytics | Advanced reporting capabilities | Basic analytics | Post-call automation analytics | Detailed conversation analytics |
| Pricing | Starting at $34.99 per month for 200 minutes, the cost can be as low as 10 cents per minute*. | Custom quote, around $0.95/minute | Affordable, varies with usage | $29 – $1,400/month depending on plan | Custom pricing based on needs |
No matter your choice, these top AI phone providers in 2024 are leading the way in transforming customer service and business communications. Additionally, make sure to consider your specific requirements and budget when selecting the right provider for your contact For more insights on the future of AI in business communication, read our article on the impact of AI on business communication systems.
AI Phone Providers: Common Questions and Answers
How do AI phone providers differ from traditional phone systems?
Unlike traditional phone systems that rely on human operators, AI phone providers use machine learning and AI algorithms to handle calls. This allows for automated responses, improved scalability, and advanced features like real-time analytics and seamless software integrations.
What features should I look for in an AI phone provider?
Key features to consider include ease of use, integration capabilities, latency and response time, analytics and reporting tools, and pricing. Additionally, evaluating the scalability of the system and its ability to adapt to future growth is crucial. Furthermore, reliable customer support and regular updates are essential to ensure the system remains effective and secure. Ultimately, it’s important to choose a provider that offers a comprehensive set of features suited to your business needs, ensuring long-term success and satisfaction.
Is Phonely a good choice for AI phone services?
Yes, Phonely is considered one of the best AI phone providers due to its comprehensive feature set, user-friendly interface, and extensive software integrations. It offers unique capabilities like AI vision for seamless appointment scheduling and low-latency performance, making it a top choice for businesses of all sizes.
What are the pricing options for AI phone services?
Pricing for AI phone services varies widely depending on the provider and the features offered. For example, Phonely starts at $34.99 per month for 200 minutes, with scalable pricing that can drop to 10 cents per minute at higher usage. Other providers may offer custom pricing or more expensive plans based on usage and features.
Can AI phone systems integrate with my existing software?
Most AI phone providers offer various levels of software integrations. However, Phonely, in particular, excels in this area with extensive support for different software tools and CRM systems. Moreover, this seamless integration capability ensures that AI phone systems can work harmoniously with your existing business processes, ultimately enhancing efficiency and productivity.
