Receptionist vs call answering service: cost compared

Key takeaways

Receptionist vs call answering service comes down to whether you need someone in the building. A full-time receptionist on £25,000 costs about £31,600 a year with desk costs. A call answering service priced per call might cost £4,800–£9,600 a year for 400 calls a month at an illustrative £1–£2 per call, with lunch and holiday cover included.

• Receptionist: about £31,600 a year for a £25,000 hire with desk costs.
• Call answering service: about £4,800–£9,600 a year for 400 calls a month.
• Receptionist: needed if visitors must be greeted in person.
• Call answering service: covers lunch, holidays and overflow.

Receptionist or answering service: what is the difference?

A receptionist is an employee who answers calls, greets visitors and handles front-desk admin on site. A call answering service is an outsourced team that answers your calls remotely in your business name, takes messages, books appointments or transfers calls. One covers the building; the other covers the phone.

• In-house vs outsourcing: which model is more cost-effective?
• Outsourced call answering for UK businesses

What does an in-house receptionist cost?

A receptionist on £25,000 costs about £28,563 a year after employer National Insurance and pension using 2026/27 rates. Add a desk, phone system and equipment, say £3,000 a year, and the total is about £31,600. That buys about 1,740 hours at the desk, with gaps at lunch, holidays and sickness unless someone else covers.

• Overhead cost per employee in the UK: what to add

What does a call answering service cost?

Call answering services usually price per call, per minute or as a monthly bundle, with extras for booking or out-of-hours. At an illustrative £1–£2 per call, 400 calls a month costs about £4,800–£9,600 a year. A managed team handling calls plus admin is priced by the hour, at an indicative £9–£18 offshore.

Always compare quotes on the same call volume, hours and tasks.

When do you still need a receptionist?

When visitors, patients or deliveries must be greeted in person, when the front desk handles cash or security, or when the role combines reception with a full day of on-site admin. A busy clinic or showroom usually needs a person at the desk.

• Staff utilisation rate: the cost of paid idle time

Can you combine a receptionist and a call answering service?

Yes, and it is common. The receptionist handles visitors and some calls; the service takes overflow when the line is busy, covers lunch and holidays, and answers out of hours. This removes the choice between the phone and the person at the desk.

• The hybrid model: part in-house, part outsourced

What does a missed call cost?

For businesses where calls become bookings or jobs, missed calls are the biggest cost. If one missed call a day would have become a £200 job one time in five, that is about £40 a day, over £10,000 a year. Compare that with the cost of cover before deciding.

• Call answering and admin for trades and construction firms

What should a call answering service be told?

Give the service a short call script and rules: how to greet callers, which calls to transfer and to whom, what to book directly, what information to take for messages, and what to say about prices or availability. Update it when services, staff or opening hours change.

• Greeting in your business name.
• Transfer rules and back-up contacts.
• Booking rules and the calendar to use.
• Message format and how it is delivered.

• Outsourced appointment booking and diary management

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see in UK garages and service centres: the service desk answers the phone while serving customers at the counter, and calls ring out at peak times. An outsourced line takes overflow and bookings, so the desk can focus on the customer in front of them.

• Call answering for garages and vehicle service centres
• See client work
• BPO Solutions for UK businesses

Receptionist or service checklist

Answer these before deciding.

• Do visitors need greeting in person?
• How many calls a month, and when do they peak?
• How many calls go unanswered today?
• What is a typical call worth to the business?
• Who covers lunch, holidays and sickness now?

Next step

Tell us your call volumes and whether you have visitors. We will compare a receptionist, a call answering service and a mix in a 30-minute call.