AI Receptionist for Auto Repair Shops and Garages

Short answer: an AI receptionist answers the shop phone while technicians and advisors are busy, books services, MOTs and inspections, tells customers whether their car is ready by looking it up in your shop system, and takes quote requests and breakdown calls. It never authorises extra work: when a technician finds something, the decision and the customer's approval stay with a service advisor.

What calls does a garage get?

Call	What the AI receptionist does
Book a service, MOT, state inspection or tyres	Asks registration or make and model, mileage and what is needed; books a slot
"Is my car ready?"	Looks up the job through your shop system's API and reads the status
"How much for front brakes?"	Reads your published price ranges, or books an inspection
Warning light, strange noise	Takes the symptoms and books a diagnostic slot
Broken down, needs towing	Follows your breakdown rule: recovery partner's number, or transfer
Approving extra work the technician found	Transfers to the service advisor or books an urgent callback
Complaints, warranty claims on your work	Takes the details for the manager

What does a booking call sound like?

An independent garage in Reading.

1. Greeting. "Thanks for calling Kennet Motors, this is the garage's booking assistant. What can I help with?"
2. The caller. "My MOT runs out on the 14th of next month."
3. A useful answer. From your knowledge base: "You can have the MOT up to a month, minus a day, before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. Would you like a slot next week?"
4. Details. Registration, mileage, a contact number, and whether they want a service at the same time.
5. Booking. Through tool calling it books the MOT bay: your garage software through its API, or Google Calendar through Cal.com.
6. Confirmation. A confirmation can go out as an approved WhatsApp template message, and you can send a reminder the day before.

In Chicago, the same agent might take a call from a customer asking if their car is done; with your shop system connected, it reads the status, and if the technician has flagged more work, it transfers the caller to the advisor rather than describing the repair. In Dubai, summer brings air-conditioning and tyre calls, and customers may ask in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi or English; voice agents speak all four.

What goes in the knowledge base?

• Services, makes you work on, and the ones you don't (EVs, classics, commercial vehicles).
• Opening hours, drop-off and collection times, courtesy car rules.
• Price ranges you are happy to quote, worded with "from" and what changes the price.
• Your breakdown and recovery arrangements.
• Whether you are an approved test centre: MOT in the UK, state inspections in the US, or registration inspections in the UAE.
• Topics to decline: diagnoses, whether a car is safe to drive, and anything about work not yet inspected.

When should it hand over?

• Authorising extra work, always.
• A customer unhappy with a repair or a bill.
• "Is it safe to drive?" questions: the agent should say a technician will advise.
• Fleet and trade accounts, if you want a person on those.

Advisors can take transferred calls on imported Telnyx and Plivo numbers. On an imported Twilio number, the agent books an urgent callback instead.

What rules apply?

A pointer for your own checks, not legal advice. You are responsible for estimates, approvals and the work you do.

• US: many states require a written estimate and the customer's authorisation before work over a set amount, and some require written approval for extra work. That is why the agent books and informs but never approves. Customers often ask whether using an independent shop affects their warranty; the FTC explains that a manufacturer generally cannot void a warranty just because you used one. If you want the agent to say that, write it in your words.
• UK: under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and anything said about price or the service can be binding. Keep the agent's price statements to what you publish. MOT rules are set by the DVSA.
• UAE: registration renewal and vehicle testing are run by the transport authority's approved centres, so tell callers whether you are one. Customer data falls under the UAE's data protection law, and international workspaces store data in London.

Is it right for your shop?

It suits independent garages and small chains where the advisor is also the phone, and shops that lose bookings after hours. It works best with a shop system that has an API, so "is my car ready" is answered live; without one, those calls become messages, which still beats voicemail but is less useful. A dealership service department may also want voice AI for automotive, which covers service reminders and outbound calls.

What do you need to start?

Your garage number imported from Twilio, Telnyx or Plivo, your services and price ranges, your breakdown rule and your booking diary. See the AI receptionist page, the UK, US and UAE pages, and pricing.