The calls that interrupt an appointment
In a salon, the phone usually rings while your hands are busy. Callers ask how much a men's cut is, whether a particular stylist works Saturdays, how long a colour takes, whether you do massages, or what happens if they cancel. Others want to book, move or cancel an appointment.
What the assistant does
- Quotes your prices. List your services with prices in your business details (for example each cut, colour and 60-minute massage with its price) and the assistant quotes them exactly. If a service or price isn't listed, it says it doesn't know and offers to take a message.
- Explains your cancellation policy in your words, for example how much notice you need and what a late cancellation costs.
- Answers questions about services and stylists from your details and Knowledge Base, such as who does colour, which treatments need a consultation, or whether you have parking.
- Takes booking and change requests. It collects the service, preferred day and time, name and phone number, reads them back and tells the client the team will confirm. Connect Calendly or Google Calendar and it can offer real open times and book them instead.
- Answers texts. Many clients would rather text. Turn on SMS or WhatsApp and the assistant replies from the same information, with every conversation in one inbox. On WhatsApp, free-form replies are possible for 24 hours after the client's last message; outside that window you use an approved template. See SMS and WhatsApp.
What it won't do
- It won't confirm an appointment as booked unless a connected calendar actually booked it.
- It won't invent a price, a stylist's schedule or a discount.
- It won't take card details to hold an appointment or charge a cancellation fee. That stays with your existing process.
- It tells callers it's an AI assistant if they ask.
Setting it up
- Choose the salon and spa receptionist in the Brain Marketplace.
- Enter your hours, services with prices, and your cancellation policy, which is required.
- Add FAQs about your stylists, treatments and aftercare products to the Knowledge Base, or import your services page and approve the sections you want used.
- Publish, run the automatic tests (they check that it quotes a listed price and explains your cancellation policy) and try it in the playground.
- Get a RingMind number and connect it to the assistant.
Following up on requests
Booking requests appear as messages in your dashboard with the client's name, number and what they asked for. You can turn them into tasks or reply by text from the inbox. Each call is saved with a transcript. If you'd rather speak to someone yourself, use Take over in a text conversation and the assistant stops replying to that client until you hand it back.
Tools it can connect
Besides a calendar, you can keep client details in HubSpot. All integrations are in Beta. See pricing for plans.