Virtual receptionist for hotels and restaurants: what it is and how it works
A virtual receptionist answers your guests by phone, WhatsApp, email and your website chat when your team can’t: overnight, mid-service, or when everyone’s busy. It doesn’t replace your team. It handles the questions that keep coming up, and passes your people anything that needs a person.
What a virtual receptionist does
- Answers calls and messages at any hour, including weekends and public holidays.
- Replies from your venue’s real information: rooms, rates, opening hours, menu and house rules.
- Checks availability and sends a link to book direct with you.
- Speaks each guest’s language.
- Passes complaints, groups and anything that needs a person to your team, with every detail.
What it doesn’t do
It doesn’t make answers up. If a question isn’t covered by your information, it says so and lets your team know. It doesn’t decide for you either: you choose what it shares (your mobile number or door codes, for example) and when it answers.
How it works day to day
You decide when Ruvi answers: when nobody picks up, when the line is busy, or always. You keep your phone number and your WhatsApp Business. Every conversation is written down in your dashboard, so you can see what was asked, what was booked and what was passed to your team.
Who it suits
Boutique hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, holiday rentals and restaurants that miss calls or messages because the team is busy. Whether you’re in Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast or a regional town, guests get in touch at all hours and expect a quick answer.
How long set-up takes
With Ruvi, 7 to 14 days, depending on the booking system you use. We set it up for you, and your team doesn’t need to learn anything new. See how it works in Ruvi for hotels and Ruvi for restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
Does a virtual receptionist replace my front desk?
No. It takes care of the repetitive questions and the hours nobody can cover, and passes your team anything that needs a person.
Do guests know it’s not a person?
Yes. Ruvi tells guests it’s your venue’s automated assistant, and passes anyone who wants a person to your team.
Do I need a new phone number?
No. You forward calls to Ruvi only when you choose, and keep your number.