// virtual receptionist
Virtual receptionist, UK
Greet callers properly before the phone rings. LineHQ's virtual receptionist answers your number with your chosen greeting, uses a simple "press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support" menu, and sends each caller to the right person, team or voicemail.
// the short answer
LineHQ's virtual receptionist is automated, not a human answering service. It answers your chosen number, plays a greeting, routes callers by keypad option, and falls back to voicemail-to-email if nobody can take the call. Use it when you need a professional front door for Sales, Support or Accounts without hiring a call-handling bureau.
Last reviewed September 2026
Professional greeting
Answer every call with a branded welcome before it reaches a mobile, landline, app or team.
Press-1 menus
Send Sales, Support and Accounts calls to different phones or ring groups from one number.
No operator required
The receptionist handles greeting and routing automatically, so your team only answers calls meant for them.
Voicemail fallback
If nobody answers, callers can leave a message and your team receives it by email as a secure link.
Message slips become job requests
On Reception and Scale, enable job capture to turn a transcribed receptionist message into a structured request for your team. Review the details before agreeing any appointment.
// buyer guide
Is a virtual receptionist the same as a human answering service?
They solve different problems. A virtual receptionist gives callers a polished automated route into your team. A human answering service takes messages or talks to callers on your behalf.
Use it for routing
Choose a virtual receptionist when callers need to choose Sales, Support, Accounts or another simple department.
Use people for conversations
Choose a human answering service when you need someone to qualify enquiries, book appointments or hold a conversation.
Keep menus short
Two to four options usually works best. Long menus slow callers down and make small businesses feel harder to reach.
Add a clean fallback
Point missed or no-input calls to a default person or voicemail-to-email so callers are never stranded.
Virtual receptionist vs human answering vs basic call forwarding
| LineHQ virtual receptionist | Human answering service | Basic forwarding | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who answers | Automated greeting on your LineHQ number | A person at an answering bureau | No greeting; the call rings a phone |
| Routing | Press-1 menu to Sales, Support or Accounts | Operator takes details or transfers | One route unless you add rules |
| After hours | Greeting, schedule and voicemail-to-email fallback | Depends on bureau cover | Usually voicemail only |
| Control | Edit greetings and destinations in the dashboard | Request script or rota changes | Change the forwarded phone |
| Best for | Small teams that need professional call routing | Businesses that need live message taking | Solo lines with one destination |
| From | Included from £19.99/mo | Usually priced per call or minute | Included from £4.99/mo |
LineHQ does not pretend a person answered. It gives callers a clear automated menu and gets them to the right route quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What does a virtual receptionist do?
It answers your incoming calls with a greeting and a simple menu, then forwards each caller to the right person, department or ring group based on the option they choose. If nobody answers, it can send the caller to voicemail-to-email.
Is a virtual receptionist the same as a human answering service?
No. LineHQ's virtual receptionist is automated, not a human answering service. It greets callers and routes them instantly, but it does not hold a conversation, take bookings or qualify enquiries like a live operator would.
Can callers choose Sales, Support or Accounts?
Yes. You build a simple menu such as "press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support, 3 for Accounts" and point each option at a different phone, person or ring group. You can change those options and destinations from the dashboard.
Can I record my own greeting?
Yes. You can upload your own prompt, use a platform voice, or have the greeting generated for you. That lets a small team keep its opening message clear without needing studio audio.
Which plan includes the virtual receptionist?
The virtual receptionist and press-1 menu are included from LineHQ's £19.99 package upward, alongside call forwarding, recording and voicemail-to-email. Lower packages still give you a UK number with forwarding and voicemail.
What happens if a caller does not press anything?
You decide. LineHQ can send no-input callers to a default department, ring your main phone, or drop to voicemail-to-email so nobody is left stuck in the menu.
Can the receptionist work only outside office hours?
Yes. You can combine the receptionist with time-of-day rules so calls ring your team during opening hours and use the automated greeting or voicemail in the evenings and at weekends.
Does a virtual receptionist replace a full phone system?
It replaces the front-door routing many small businesses wanted from a phone system, but it is not a full PBX with internal extension dialling and handset fleets. Pair it with the small-business phone system page if you need the broader comparison.
Can a receptionist message become a job request?
Yes. Reception and Scale include structured job capture when it is enabled on the receptionist. Once a message slip is transcribed, LineHQ can extract the request details for your team to review and manage. This is not a live conversational receptionist and does not confirm a booking or promise a time to the caller.
Can the caller receive an acknowledgement text?
Where job-capture SMS confirmation is enabled and the account has a suitable messaging-ready number, LineHQ can send an acknowledgement that the request was received. Sending requires SMS eligibility and funding and uses the normal per-segment charge. It is not a booking confirmation or a free unlimited texting service.
Where can my team follow up a job request?
Use the job-request controls in LineHQ and supported Telegram or mobile notification actions. A request still needs a person to check the details and agree the next step with the caller. Available mobile controls depend on the installed app version.
// related
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