The problem
A hairdresser with clients in the chair, a dentist mid-appointment, a tradesperson up a ladder: none of them can answer the phone, and most callers won’t leave a voicemail. They just ring the next business.
What I built
- The receptionist: an AI voice agent that answers on a UK phone number, understands what the caller needs, answers questions about the business and takes messages.
- Customer portal: where business owners see calls, transcripts and messages, and set how their receptionist behaves.
- Sign-up and billing: a self-serve subscription flow.
- Admin: my side, for managing numbers, customers and support.
How it fits together
Callerdials a UK number
→TelephonyUK number pool
→AI agentunderstands + answers
→Messagecaller details + reason
→Ownersummary + transcript
What I learned
- Telephony is regulated. UK numbers need identity documents and proper registration. Building that into onboarding saves weeks.
- Never fall back silently. If a UK number isn’t available, the system should stop and tell me, not quietly use a foreign number that confuses callers.
- The best test is real calls. Monshi answers Archii’s own support line, so I hear exactly what customers hear.