NEVER MISS A CALL
AI Employee for New Zealand Businesses — 24/7 Voice, Chat & Booking
A Done-For-You Setup of a Fully Trained AI Employee Ready to Work
Sunrise AI's AI Employee is a done-for-you AI voice and chat receptionist for New Zealand small businesses. It answers phone calls, SMS, website chat, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp messages 24/7, and books appointments directly into your calendar. Plans start from $197/month with a $199 one-off setup fee. SunriseAI handles all configuration and training — most clients are live within 3 business days.
The Real Cost of a Missed Call
A missed call isn't a missed call. It's a missed job. The research backs it up:
77%
of customers expect an immediate response the moment they call a business. Speed isn't a nice-to-have, it's the baseline people already assume.
25–60%
of calls to small and medium businesses go unanswered, and the rate climbs during busy periods and after hours — exactly when you're least able to pick up.
78%
of callers won't try again if their first call wasn't answered. They call the next business on the list instead.
85%
won't call back after reaching voicemail. Once a call is missed, that job is very likely gone.
Every one of these numbers says the same thing — the phone is still where the job starts, and every unanswered call is an opportunity handed straight to someone else.
Sources: CallRail, AnswerConnect, and industry answer-rate benchmarks.
The problem
Every missed call is a missed opportunity.
Most NZ small business owners miss calls every single day — while on the job, in a meeting, or simply after hours. And most of those callers don't leave a message. They just call the next business on the list.
Your AI Employee answers every call 24/7, handles chat enquiries via SMS and live website chat (all plans), Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram (Growth and Pro plans), and books appointments straight into your calendar (Pro plan) — while you get on with the work.
You don’t need to learn the tech, write scripts, build automations, or figure out how to train an AI agent. We handle every step — just like onboarding a real employee, minus the hassle, cost, and time. By the time we’re done, your AI employee knows your business, your process, your offers, your tone, and your expectations — and is ready to respond instantly to every customer inquiry.
Calls and chats going unanswered while you're busy doing the actual work
After-hours enquiries that go cold before you can call back in the morning
Potential jobs slipping away to competitors who picked up the phone
Time wasted on repetitive calls that ask the same questions every time
What it does
Your best employee — available around the clock
The AI Employee answers every phone call or chat professionally, asks the right questions, and books jobs straight into your calendar. It works quietly in the background so you never have to worry about a missed call or chat again.
Answers Calls, Texts and Chats 24/7
A Customer reaches out through their preferred channel
- Phone call
- Text message
- Website chat
- Social media message
Every call gets answered — mornings, evenings, weekends, and public holidays.
Books Appointments Automatically
It moves the customer toward booking (automatically). Once the customer is ready, your AI employee:
• Sends your booking link
• Schedules the appointment directly
• Or, guides them into the next step of your process
No delays, no back-and-forth, no dropped conversations.
Handles All Common Enquiries
Your AI employee answers all common customer inquiries just like a real receptionist:
- Service details
- Availability
- Pricing structure
- Service areas
- Process and next steps
Call Summaries Every Time
Get a summary of every call and chat — who called, what they needed, and what was booked.
All Customer information your AI employee collects syncs into your CRM automatically. Every detail — every message, every answer, every qualification step— gets added to the integrated CRM in real time.
Works with your Existing Number
No need to change your number. A simple call forwarding setup takes about two minutes. We provide full instructions.
Set it up your way. Your AI Employee can answer all calls, calls you miss, or just calls received after hours. It can also answer every text and Social Media chat you receive. Your choice.
Your Team Focuses on Delivery
Your AI employee handles the frontline heavy lifting so your team can focus primarily on delivery — not endless communication. The customer has already:
• Been guided
• Had their questions resolved
• Shared their details
• May already be booked
How it works
Up and running in 3 business days
Sign up and choose your plan
Select the Starter, Growth or Pro plan depending on your call volume. We handle all the setup from there.
We configure your AI Employee
We'll send you an onboarding form to gather info about your business — your services, trading hours, booking process, FAQs etc. Once we have your answers, we handle the configuration and train your AI Employee to represent your business accurately and professionally.
You set up call forwarding
A simple two-minute change on your phone forwards calls to your AI Employee. We provide step-by-step instructions for your phone carrier.
Go live and stop missing calls
Your AI Employee starts answering calls straight away. You get call summaries and bookings appear in your calendar.
Why NZ Businesses Are Switching to AI Voice Agents
Instant Answers That Improve Customer Satisfaction
24/7 Customer Service Without Additional Staff
Free Your Team to Focus on What Matters Most
Capture More Appointments and Sales Opportunities
Scale Customer Conversations Without Increasing Costs
Keep Your CRM Updated Automatically
Here’s everything we build for you:
Comprehensive AI Employee Training
We train your AI employee on:
• Your services
• Your pricing structure
• Your processes
• Your FAQs
• Your tone of voice
• Your policies
• Your service areas
• How to qualify leads
• How to guide customers to next steps
Your AI employee learns your business the same way a real staff member would — but never forgets anything.
AI Voice Agent NZ Setup (Your 24/7 Phone Representative)
We create and configure a natural-sounding AI voice employee capable of:
• Answering every call instantly
• Holding humanlike conversations
• Collecting customer details
• Providing accurate information
• Guiding callers forward
• Booking appointments or sending links
It sounds confident, knowledgeable, and trained specifically for your business.
AI Chat Agent Setup (Your Always-On Messaging Representative)
For website chat, SMS, Facebook/Instagram or WhatsApp messages, your AI chat employee:
• Responds instantly
• Handles inquiries consistently
• Asks qualifying questions
• Provides the right information
• Collects lead details
• Routes or books appointments
It gives customers fast, precise responses at any hour.
Custom Conversation Flows
We build structured flows so your AI employee knows:
• What to say
• When to say it
• What questions to ask
• How to collect details
• How to move toward a booking
• How to stay on-brand and on-message
Every conversation path reinforces confidence and clarity.
Appointment Booking & Lead Capture Automations
Your AI employee will:
• Send booking links
• Schedule appointments directly
• Collect customer information
• Confirm details
• Sync everything back into the integrated CRM
All of this happens automatically.
Testing, Optimisation & Quality Assurance
Before launch, we:
• Test every flow
• Correct every edge case
• Refine every answer
• Ensure accuracy
• Ensure brand alignment
• Ensure responsiveness
Your AI employee goes live polished, confident, and fully trained.
Ongoing Adjustments as Your Business Evolves
As your offers, services, prices, or processes change — we update your AI employee so they’re always current.
No downtime.
No inconsistencies.
Why does an AI Employee Beat a Traditional Human Receptionist?
Hiring a full-time receptionist costs between $3,500 and $5,000 per month once you factor in salary, KiwiSaver, and leave entitlements — and they can still only work business hours, take one call at a time, and have the occasional bad day. An AI Employee costs a fraction of that, works around the clock, never calls in sick, and responds to every enquiry instantly and consistently.
See the full cost breakdown: AI Employee vs Human Receptionist
PRICING
Simple, Transparent Pricing
All plans include a $199 one-off setup fee and voice, SMS and live chat channels. No lock-in contracts — cancel anytime.
Starter
$199 one-off setup fee
$197 per month
250 voice minutes included per month
Website live chat
24/7 call and message answering
SMS messaging
Instant SMS/Email Lead Alerts
Sends a booking link to self-schedule
Call and message summaries
No lock-in contract
Growth
$199 one-off setup fee
$297 per month
500 voice minutes included per month
Everything in Starter, plus:
Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp messaging
Sends a booking link to self-schedule
No lock-in contract
Pro
$199 one-off setup fee
$397 per month
1000 voice minutes included per month
Everything in Growth, plus:
Fully automatic calendar booking — the AI books appointments directly during the call or chat, no extra steps
Priority support
No lock-in contract
Overage rates
Additional voice minutes are charged at 50c per minute. We'll notify you if you're approaching your included allowance.
See our Terms of Service for acceptable usage policy on chat messaging.
Not sure which plan is right for you? Book a free intro call and we'll help you figure out the best fit based on your call and message volume.
Common questions
Good to know before you start
We understand that this technology can seem a little overwhelming, but below are the answers to some common questions.
Can the AI actually answer my customers’ questions accurately?
Yes, because it is trained specifically on your business.
We do not rely on generic responses. We build a knowledge base using your services, your processes, your FAQs, and how you want customers handled.
That means when someone asks about what you offer, how things work, or what the next step is, the AI can give clear and accurate answers.
If there is ever something outside of its scope, it can guide the customer toward the next step or pass the conversation along.
What do you need from me to get started?
We need a clear understanding of your business. This includes what services you offer, how your customers usually order or book, what questions customers typically ask, that sort of thing. Beyond that, we guide you through everything step-by-step so nothing feels overwhelming.
What if my customers prefer speaking to a real person?
That is completely valid, and the system is designed to support that. The AI handles the initial interaction, provides quick answers, and gathers key information. If a customer wants to speak to someone directly, the system can guide them to the next step or pass the details along. In many cases, customers simply want fast, clear answers. When they get that instantly, they are more comfortable moving forward. The goal is not to remove human interaction, it is to make it more efficient and better timed.
Can the AI Employee book appointments for me?
Yes, on the Pro plan the AI can guide customers directly to booking. If you are using an internal calendar, the AI Employee can offer time slots and book the customer directly into a time that's available. If you are using an external calendar, the AI will send the customer your booking link and direct them to choose a time that works best for them.
Do I have to change my business phone number?
No — you keep your existing NZ phone number. You simply forward calls to your AI receptionist number, which takes about two minutes to set up. We provide instructions for all major NZ carriers.
What if I want to answer calls myself during the day?
Easy — just use conditional call forwarding, which only sends calls to your AI employee if you don't answer within a set number of rings. The AI only kicks in when you can't get to the phone.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes — there are no lock-in contracts. Cancel anytime with no penalty.
Ready to stop missing calls?
Get your AI Voice Employee set up in 3 business days and start capturing every enquiry — day or night.
Want to see it in action first? Try the live demo →
Or see the cost comparison: AI Employee vs human receptionist
Quick Links
Contact Details
+64 6 880-2005
1A Poplar Grove, Whalers Gate, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand