The practice receptionist that also chases the paperwork
In the last week of January every client rings at once, and every accountant is on a return. An AI receptionist on your Line number answers in the practice's name, books the intro meeting for a new client, routes an existing client to the accountant who looks after them, and texts the ones who still owe you their records. It gives no tax advice. Start with Molly, the pre-built receptionist, or build your own agent for the way you work.
- Incoming call · team on self-assessment returnsTue 18:40
Fenwick & Ross, how can I help?
Molly, AI receptionistIt's Meera Nair, Nair Design. I've only just found my bank statements and my return's due. Am I going to get fined?
Hannah looks after your account and she'll answer that. I can book her to call you at 08:30 tomorrow. Shall I text you the client portal link so the statements are with her before she rings?
Molly, AI receptionistYes, please. And 08:30 is fine.
Existing client · Hannah · callback 08:30
Call logged against Nair Design in Karbon. Portal link texted. Nothing about the return or the deadline in the text.
Everything a practice receptionist does, done by the agent
A practice receptionist answers, routes, books, and chases. The accountants advise. Each row below is a thing the agent does on the call, or straight after it.
| What a receptionist does | How the agent does it |
|---|---|
| Answers in the practice's name through January | Picks up on the first ring in the last week of January and at every year end, or only when the desk is busy. Your greeting, your tone. |
| Takes a new-client enquiry | Asks about the business, its structure, the services needed, and when. Takes the name and contact details. |
| Books the intro meeting | Reads the partners' diaries in Google or Microsoft and books the first call or meeting with the right person. One-tap approval if you want it. |
| Routes an existing client to their accountant | Identifies the client from the CRM and flags the call to the accountant on the account, with the question. Answers nothing about their tax position. |
| Explains services and how the practice charges | Reads the services list and the fee structure you choose to publish. Says an accountant will confirm anything else. |
| Chases the missing records | Runs a workflow from the deadline date: texts and calls clients who have not sent their records, with the portal link, until the documents arrive. |
| Books the year-end and VAT meetings | Calls clients on the schedule you set and books their year-end review or VAT meeting into the accountant's diary. |
| Handles payroll and bookkeeping queries | Identifies the client and routes the call to the bookkeeper or the payroll team, with the question logged. |
| Keeps the practice system current | Logs every call, booking, and chase against the client in Karbon, Xero, QuickBooks, or your practice software through the integration. |
Workflows a practice builds before January
A trigger, a few conditions, and actions in the workflow builder. The deadline calendar drives most of them. No code.
- 1Text the client that records are still outstanding, with the portal link
- 2If nothing arrives in five days, the agent calls, confirms what is outstanding, and texts the link again
- 3If the client says the records are on their way, logs the date they promised
- 4Escalates to the accountant when the deadline is closer than your cut-off
- 5Updates the chase status against the client in the practice system
Records arrive before the deadline, and the accountant chases nobody.
- 1The agent asks about the business, its structure, and the services needed
- 2Takes the contact details and creates the contact in the CRM
- 3Books the intro meeting with the partner or manager who takes that kind of client
- 4Emails the practice's new-client pack and texts the meeting time
A qualified enquiry with a meeting in the diary, taken while the team stays on the filings.
- 1Known clients are routed to their accountant's queue with the question logged
- 2If the accountant is heads-down, the agent books a callback window and texts it
- 3Callers asking about their tax position are told an accountant will answer, and booked
- 4New enquiries go through intake and get an intro meeting after the deadline
The team works the returns and still speaks to every client that day.
Built in the workflow builder: a trigger, conditions, and actions. The agent is one of the actions.
Tools and integrations the agent works with
A receptionist is only useful if they can get into the diary and the CRM. Connect the tools and the agent uses them on the call.
A Tuesday in January with the agent on the phones
What actually happens when the phone is covered all day.
A sole trader rings before the office opens to switch accountants. The agent takes the business details and books an intro meeting for February.
The document-chase workflow texts nine clients who still owe records. Three upload before lunch.
A client asks how much tax they'll owe. The agent says the accountant will answer that, logs the question, and books a callback for 16:00.
Eight calls over lunch. Each existing client is matched to their accountant and gets a callback window by text.
A bookkeeping client asks about a supplier invoice. The agent routes the call to the bookkeeper with the question logged in Karbon.
A client has found their bank statements. The agent books their accountant for 08:30, texts the portal link, and puts nothing about the return in the text.
- Any question about a client's tax position, what they owe, or a penalty. The agent gives no tax advice. It logs the question and books the accountant.
- Anything that needs a figure the practice has not published. The agent quotes the fees you publish and nothing else.
- Any detail of a client's finances a caller wants in writing. The agent keeps financial detail out of texts and asks the accountant to follow up.
Questions accountancy practices ask
Straight answers on setup, limits, and cost.
Related
Line for accountants
The whole phone system for your trade: numbers, routing, texts, and the inbox.
AI receptionist
What the receptionist does on every call, and what it costs.
Workflow builder
Triggers, conditions, and actions for calls and messages.
Integrations
Zapier, Make, n8n, and the REST API.
Last reviewed .
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