The terms you run into shopping for phone help

AI receptionist

Software that answers business phone calls and texts using artificial intelligence instead of, or in addition to, a human. It can answer questions, collect caller information, and book appointments automatically.

Robin is an AI receptionist built specifically for small businesses: it answers calls and texts, books real appointments from your calendar, and hands off anything it should not handle straight to you.

Call forwarding

A phone feature that automatically redirects incoming calls from one number to another, either always, when the line is busy, or after a set number of unanswered rings. It is a setting on the original number, not a new number.

You keep your existing business number and simply forward calls to Robin, either all the time or only when you cannot pick up.

Missed call text-back

An automated feature that sends a text message to a caller within seconds of a missed call, so they get a response even if no one could answer the phone.

Robin texts every missed caller back automatically and then carries on a real conversation from there, rather than sending a single canned message.

IVR (interactive voice response)

An automated phone menu system that lets callers navigate options by pressing numbers or speaking simple commands, like "press 1 for billing." IVR systems route calls but generally cannot hold a real conversation.

Robin is not a menu tree. Callers talk or text naturally and Robin responds conversationally, the same way a real front-desk person would.

A2P 10DLC

Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code: the registration system US wireless carriers require for businesses sending text messages from a standard local phone number, to reduce spam and improve deliverability.

Every Robin number goes through this carrier registration process so text messages to your customers deliver reliably.

Toll-free verification

A review process carriers require before a toll-free number (like an 800 or 844 number) can send text messages at scale, confirming the business and its messaging use case are legitimate.

Virtual receptionist

A receptionist service that answers calls remotely rather than sitting at a physical front desk. It can refer to a live human answering service or an AI-based system.

Robin functions as a virtual receptionist, but unlike a live answering service, it is available every hour without staffing shifts.

Answering service

A company that employs live human operators to answer calls on behalf of a business, typically for a per-minute or per-call fee, then relays messages to the business owner.

See the full breakdown of the differences on our guide comparing a phone answering service to an AI receptionist.

Call routing

The process of directing an incoming call to the right person, department, or system based on rules like time of day, caller history, or the option selected in an IVR menu.

Voicemail transcription

A feature that converts a voicemail recording into readable text, usually delivered by email or text message, so the recipient can scan it without listening to the audio.

Lead capture

The process of collecting a potential customer's contact information and interest so a business can follow up, rather than losing the inquiry entirely.

Robin captures a caller's name, need, and best contact number on every call it handles, whether or not it books the appointment itself.

Appointment booking software

A tool that lets customers see a business's real availability and reserve a time slot, usually syncing with a calendar to prevent double-booking.

Robin books directly from your real calendar during a call or text conversation, instead of requiring the caller to separately visit a booking website.

Two-way texting (business texting)

The ability for a business to send and receive text messages with customers from its main business phone number, as a real back-and-forth conversation rather than one-way notifications.

Click-to-call

A button, usually on a website or ad, that lets a visitor tap or click to immediately start a phone call to the business, skipping the need to dial manually.

SMS opt-in

A customer's agreement to receive text messages from a business, typically required before automated marketing or transactional texts can legally be sent under US carrier and TCPA rules.

STOP / HELP keywords

Standard text-message commands required by US carriers: texting STOP unsubscribes a recipient from future messages, and texting HELP returns information about the sender and how to get support.

Every automated text Robin sends honors STOP and HELP immediately and permanently, as required by carrier rules.

Missed call rate

The percentage of inbound calls to a business that go unanswered, whether to voicemail, a busy signal, or simply ringing out. A business can calculate its own rate by dividing missed calls by total calls over a period.

After-hours coverage

The ability for a business to answer calls and texts outside its normal operating hours, such as evenings, weekends, and holidays, when staff are not present to pick up the phone.

Emergency escalation

A process where an urgent situation, identified from a call or text, is immediately flagged and routed to a live person, rather than handled the same way as a routine inquiry.

You can teach Robin which situations count as urgent for your business, and it alerts you right away instead of treating them like any other call.

Multi-location phone system

A phone setup that allows a business with several branches or franchises to route calls to the correct location, share coverage across sites, or manage all locations from one system.

Business hours line

A phone configuration where calls are only answered, or answered differently, during a business's posted operating hours, with a separate behavior for calls outside those hours.

Front-desk software

Any software tool that handles the tasks typically done by a physical receptionist: answering calls, greeting customers, scheduling, and routing inquiries.

Call analytics

Reporting on phone activity, such as call volume, missed calls, call duration, and outcomes, used to understand how well a business is handling its inbound calls.

Customer intake

The process of collecting a new customer's basic information, like contact details and the reason for their visit, before or during their first interaction with a business.