Your First Week with an AI Receptionist: Setup, Testing, and Going Live

October 9, 2026 · Marion AI

You signed up for an AI receptionist. Now what? Here’s what the first week looks like, from setup to taking real calls.

Day 1–2: Configuration

Business information: enter your hours, address, services, pricing, staff names, and any other facts callers commonly ask about
Call routing rules: which calls should the AI handle? Which should be forwarded to a human? Common setup: AI handles scheduling, hours, pricing, and FAQ. Emergencies and complaints go to a human
Greeting: customize how the AI answers. “Thank you for calling [Business Name], this is [AI Name]. How can I help you?”
Integration: connect your calendar (Google Calendar, Calendly, or scheduling software) so the AI can book appointments directly

Day 3–4: Testing

Call yourself. Ask the questions your customers typically ask. “What are your hours?” “How much does X cost?” “Can I book an appointment for Thursday?”
Test edge cases. What happens if someone asks something the AI doesn’t know? Does it gracefully transfer to voicemail or a human?
Have friends call. They’ll ask questions you didn’t think of. Note any gaps in the AI’s knowledge and add the information
Test during off-hours. Does it handle after-hours calls differently?

Day 5: Soft Launch

Forward your phone to the AI for after-hours only. Review every call transcript the next morning. Look for:

Questions it couldn’t answer (add that info to the knowledge base)
Calls that should have been forwarded but weren’t (adjust routing rules)
Anything that sounded unnatural or confusing (refine the greeting and responses)

Day 6–7: Go Live

Start forwarding all calls through the AI. Keep monitoring transcripts daily for the first 2 weeks. Most businesses need 3–5 knowledge base updates before the AI handles 90%+ of calls smoothly.

Ongoing Optimization

Review call logs weekly for the first month
Add new Q&A as seasonal questions come up
Update pricing, hours, and services whenever they change
Check booking accuracy monthly

Expect imperfection. The AI will misunderstand some calls in the first week. That’s normal. Each correction makes it better. By week 3, most businesses report 90%+ call handling accuracy.