Is there a Telugu AI receptionist for small businesses?
Yes. Outpero's AI employee answers calls to your business number in Telugu, 24/7, switching to English mid-sentence when the caller does. It handles enquiries, takes bookings and sends you a summary. There is no setup fee or monthly subscription: calls cost ₹5 per connected minute on Standard, plus ₹649 a month for the business number, excluding 18% GST.
Who this suits
Small businesses lose enquiries when the phone rings while the owner is with a customer. A dental clinic in Kukatpally, a coaching centre in Vijayawada, an interior designer in Visakhapatnam or a wedding photographer in Guntur all have the same problem: the caller wants a quick answer in Telugu and will try the next number if nobody picks up.
What a call sounds like
నమస్కారం, Sri Sai Dental Clinic కి స్వాగతం. ఇది AI అసిస్టెంట్. మీకు appointment కావాలా, లేక వేరే ఏదైనా సమాచారం కావాలా?
In English: 'Namaskaram, welcome to Sri Sai Dental Clinic. This is an AI assistant. Would you like an appointment, or do you need other information?' The agent identifies itself as an AI and keeps English words such as appointment and timings as callers say them.
What it costs a small business
As a worked example, 150 inbound calls a month averaging 2 minutes is 300 connected minutes, or ₹1,500 on Standard. Add ₹649 for the dedicated number, which includes one channel, and the total is ₹2,149 before 18% GST. A human receptionist reference cost in India is around ₹18,000 a month, for one shift and one call at a time.
Setting it up
- 01Sign up at app.outpero.com. The 50 free credits need no card.
- 02Choose Telugu and a voice tier, Standard at ₹5 or Premium at ₹6.8 per minute.
- 03Write the brief: services, timings, fees, address and what the agent should never promise.
- 04Pick a dedicated +91 number or forward your existing line to the agent.
- 05Call it yourself in Telugu and in Tenglish, then read the transcripts after the first week.
Limits to know
The agent speaks standard conversational Telugu and does not claim separate training for Telangana, Rayalaseema or coastal Andhra speech, so pilot with your own callers. It should take details and hand over, not give medical, legal or financial judgement. Each channel handles one call at a time, so a busy front desk may want a second channel at ₹649 a month.
Want to hear an AI voice agent handle this on a real call?
Follow-up questions
Can the Telugu receptionist answer in English too?
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Yes. If a caller switches to English, even mid-sentence, the agent follows in the same voice, which covers the Tenglish heard in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. A caller who needs a language outside Outpero's seven is better served by a person.
Do I need a new phone number to use it?
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Not necessarily. A dedicated +91 number is available at ₹649 a month, or your existing line can be forwarded to the agent so callers keep the number printed on your boards and cards.