CallMerlin Front desk is your public Voice Agent on a dedicated number: answers from Front desk knowledge, transfers to Available staff, and queues Call back if nobody answers. Add-on from €79/mo.
CallMerlin Front desk is an AI receptionist on a dedicated business number: callers get answers from your public Front desk knowledge, can be transferred to a teammate who is Available in Call, and get a callback request if nobody picks up. It is an add-on for Professional or higher with fixed minute bundles (€79 / €149 / €279), not unlimited calling. Docs: Front desk.
What is an AI front desk for inbound calling?
An AI front desk (AI receptionist) answers inbound phone calls for your business: FAQs, intake, hours, and handoff to people. CallMerlin Front desk runs on its own number, separate from your internal Merlin line with PIN. The public agent only sees Front desk knowledge, not internal tools or CRM write rights.
- Dedicated Front desk number, separate from the internal Merlin line
- Knowledge only from the Front desk (public) tab, max 15 documents
- Transfer to an available PIN (softphone rings for max 25 seconds)
- On miss or offline: callback request with Call back in Call
How does CallMerlin Front desk work step by step?
You activate the Front desk add-on, get a dedicated number, upload public knowledge, and set teammates to Available in Call. Callers talk to the Voice Agent. If they ask for a person, an available colleague’s softphone rings with a handoff card (number, CRM name if known, reason).
- Activate Front desk under billing (Professional or higher)
- Upload docs under Settings → Knowledge sources → Front desk (public)
- Staff: extension + Available in Call for inbound transfers
- After a miss: Call back prefills the number; you place the return call
How much does an AI receptionist cost with CallMerlin in 2026?
Front desk starts at €79 per month for 200 minutes and 2 concurrent lines. Growth is €149 for 600 minutes and 5 lines. Scale is €279 for 2,000 minutes and 15 lines. Overage is €0.25 / €0.22 / €0.20 per minute. Extra concurrent line: €15 per month. No unlimited flat plan.
- Starter: €79/mo · 200 min · 2 concurrent · overage €0.25/min
- Growth: €149/mo · 600 min · 5 concurrent · overage €0.22/min
- Scale: €279/mo · 2,000 min · 15 concurrent · overage €0.20/min
- Add-on for Professional or higher only; separate minute meter
How is Front desk different from a classic IVR menu?
A classic IVR makes callers press keys (press 1 for sales). Front desk is a voice agent that answers from knowledge and transfers to an available teammate. This version does not promise a keypad menu as the core product, and it is not a human answering service as first-line coverage.
How does Front desk keep the AI out of internal CRM and tools?
Public sessions are quarantined: Front desk knowledge, transfer, callback, and optional read-only caller match by number. Internal PIN-tab documents never appear on the public line. Front desk documents are not searchable in internal Merlin sessions. No CRM writes from the public agent.
What happens if nobody answers the softphone?
If the teammate is offline or does not answer within 25 seconds, the agent takes a callback request. In Call you see Missed call or Missed request (offline) with Call back. Call back prefills the number; you start the call yourself. There is no automatic dial-out without your action.
Who should buy an AI front desk (and who should not)?
Front desk fits teams that miss calls, need lunch overflow coverage, or want FAQ intake with a warm handoff into the same CallMerlin app. It is not a bare $49 standalone bot without the CallMerlin stack, and not a full PBX. Starter plans without Professional do not get Front desk.
- Good fit: SMB and mid-market with repeat FAQs plus real transfer needs
- Good fit: teams already on CallMerlin for PIN, knowledge, and Call
- Poor fit: pure outbound sales campaigns (use softphone outbound)
- Poor fit: buyers who need unlimited minutes or keypad IVR as the core
Front desk vs softphone outbound: which one do you need?
Front desk is inbound: customers call your number. Softphone outbound is outbound: you call customers from Call, or via Suggest call from chat. Many teams use both: Front desk catches inbound, Call back and outbound softphone close the loop. See also Softphone outbound.
This article also covers
- How do I get an AI receptionist on my own number without a separate PBX?
- Can an AI receptionist transfer into my team app with caller context?
- What does an AI front desk with a fixed euro minute bundle cost?
- How do I separate public phone knowledge from internal company knowledge?
- What happens on a missed inbound call with Call back?
FAQ
Is Front desk included in every CallMerlin plan?
No. Front desk is an optional add-on for Professional or higher. Starter does not include Front desk. Activate it under billing / Front desk in the dashboard.
Do I get unlimited Front desk minutes?
No. Each Front desk plan has a fixed bundle (200, 600, or 2,000 minutes) plus per-minute overage. That keeps cost predictable on long speech-to-speech calls.
Can the public agent see my HubSpot or accounting tools?
Not for writes or internal tools. The public line uses Front desk knowledge and may match a caller number read-only for the log and handoff. Internal PIN tools stay out of the public session.
Will my phone ring if the desktop app is fully quit?
CallMerlin does not promise ringing if the softphone app is fully quit. Stay Available and keep the app running within OS limits. See the docs on Available for incoming calls.
How do I start today?
Start a 7-day free trial on Professional or higher, activate Front desk, upload public knowledge, set one PIN to Available, and dial your Front desk number. Full setup: Front desk docs.
