How an AI calling agent works
Behind every AI voice agent is the same chain. A telephony provider such as Exotel or Twilio connects the call. Speech-to-text turns the caller's words into text in real time. A large language model decides what to say and whether to take an action, like checking a slot, booking an appointment or creating a CRM lead. Text-to-speech speaks the reply in a natural voice. Platforms such as Vapi orchestrate this chain so the gap between the caller finishing and the agent replying stays short enough to feel like a conversation.
The agent works from a script and a knowledge base you approve: your timings, prices, policies and the questions it must ask. It can transfer to a person at any point, and it writes a summary, the outcome and the next step into your CRM after every call.
Where it helps, by industry
| Industry | Inbound (AI receptionist) | Outbound |
|---|---|---|
| Clinics and hospitals | Bookings, timings, directions, doctor availability | Appointment reminders, follow-up and feedback calls |
| Real estate | Project details, price ranges, site-visit booking | Instant call-backs on portal and ad leads |
| Education and coaching | Course, fee and batch questions | Enquiry qualification, demo-class reminders |
| Insurance and lending | Policy or loan status questions | Renewal and EMI reminders to existing customers |
| D2C and e-commerce | Order status and returns | COD confirmation and feedback calls |
| Services and repairs | Job booking and slot changes | Technician arrival and payment reminders |
What it costs
| Cost item | What it covers | How it is priced |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Scripts, voice, telephony number, CRM and calendar integration, testing | One-time; at Silvane from ₹50,000 |
| Run | Transcript reviews, script updates, new call types | Monthly; at Silvane from ₹40,000 a month |
| Telephony | The phone number and call minutes | Per minute, paid to the provider at cost |
| Voice AI usage | Speech-to-text, language model, text-to-speech | Per minute, paid at provider cost |
Per-minute charges depend on the providers and the voice quality you choose, so ask for them in writing and model them against your real monthly call volume. Compare the total with what missed calls and telecaller hours cost you today.
The rules for India
Answering inbound calls with AI raises few regulatory questions beyond good practice: tell callers they are speaking with an automated assistant, and say if the call is recorded. Outbound calling is different. Commercial calls in India are governed by TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR). Promotional calls need registration on the DLT platform, must respect the customer's Do Not Disturb preferences and come from the number series allotted for promotional calls (the 140 series). Service and transactional calls to your own customers are treated differently, and dedicated number series have been introduced for them. Rules are tightening, so confirm the current position with your telephony provider and legal adviser.
Calls involve personal data, so the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 also applies: collect consent, use the data only for the stated purpose and keep recordings secure.
When not to use an AI caller
- Complex, high-value negotiations where trust is built person to person.
- Upset customers with a serious complaint; route them to a person quickly.
- Medical, legal or financial advice. The agent can book the appointment, not give the advice.
- Cold calling lists without consent, which is both a legal and a reputation risk.
Rollout checklist
- List your top five call types and what a good outcome looks like for each.
- Write the script and the facts the agent may use; mark anything it must never say.
- Decide the hand-over rules: which phrases or situations go straight to a person.
- Connect the CRM and calendar so bookings and summaries land automatically.
- Test with your own team on 50 or more realistic calls, including Hindi and Hinglish.
- Start with a share of calls or after-hours only, and review transcripts weekly.
- Track answer rate, bookings, transfers and complaints before scaling up.
Getting started
Silvane builds AI calling and voice agents in Hindi and English for clinics, real estate, education, insurance and D2C businesses. Start with a ₹199 discovery call for founding members (normally ₹15,000); you get a one-page plan with a fixed build price. See AI calling and voice agents and pricing.