Question 1

How fast is setup, really?

Accepted Answer

One working day. You fill in a five-minute form, a real person on our team builds Maisie for your business — your services, prices, areas, opening hours and what to do with urgent calls — and tests her. Within 24 hours she rings you so you can hear her for yourself and tell us what to change. Most businesses are live the same day they sign up.

Question 2

Do I have to change my number?

Accepted Answer

No. You keep the number you already advertise — on your website, your Google listing and everything you've printed. We give you a Maisie number and you divert your calls to it — that's a 30-second job on your phone or with your provider. You can divert everything, or only the calls you don't answer within 15 seconds, so you always get first refusal.

Question 3

Does it sound like a robot?

Accepted Answer

No — and you don't have to take our word for it, because you can hear her before you spend anything. Maisie has a natural British voice, she pauses, she listens, and she doesn't read a script at people. Callers usually just get on with telling her what they need. She always says she's the virtual receptionist if someone asks who they're speaking to; we don't pretend she's a person.

Question 4

Can I turn her off when I'm in the office?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Most people set their phone to divert only when they don't answer within about 15 seconds, so you pick up when you can and Maisie catches the rest. You can also cancel the divert entirely with a short code on your handset (##21#) and turn it back on the same way, or set a schedule so she only takes evenings, weekends and lunchtimes.

Question 5

Do I need a new phone number?

Accepted Answer

Only if you want one. You keep the number your customers already have and we give you a Maisie number to divert to — a 30-second job on your handset. Some businesses instead advertise the Maisie number on a new listing or advert so they can see exactly which calls came from it.

Question 6

What if someone asks something Maisie doesn't know?

Accepted Answer

She says she'll find out rather than guessing. Maisie is built from your website, your Google listing and the questions you tell us you get asked, so she covers the everyday stuff — prices, areas, opening hours, what you do and don't take on. When something is outside that, she takes the caller's details, tells them when you'll be back to them, and texts you straight away. If the same question comes up twice, tell us and we'll add the answer.

Question 7

Can Maisie book into my diary?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on Pro and Scale — booking into your calendar (Google, Outlook, Apple). We set it up, you just tap “Allow” once: we build the calendar and the appointment types from your answers, then text you a link that takes about 30 seconds on your phone. That's usually done within a day of going live, and it never holds her up — until it's connected she takes the caller's preferred days and times and you confirm by text. On Starter she always takes the details and texts them to you so you can book it yourself.

Question 8

What counts as a minute?

Accepted Answer

Only time Maisie spends actually talking to a caller, measured from when she answers to when the call ends, rounded to the nearest second and totalled monthly. Ringing time doesn't count. Calls she transfers to you stop counting the moment you pick up. Texts, WhatsApp summaries, recordings, transcripts and bookings are all included at no extra cost.

Question 9

When is my card charged?

Accepted Answer

At sign-up we store your card but take nothing. The first charge happens when Maisie is ready — within 72 hours — and then monthly or annually on that date.

Question 10

What if I go over my minutes?

Accepted Answer

Nothing stops working and no call is refused. Extra minutes are charged at 35p a minute on your next invoice, and we email you when you pass 80% of your allowance so there are no surprises. If you're regularly over, we'll tell you — moving up a plan is almost always cheaper than paying overage.

Question 11

Is there a setup fee?

Accepted Answer

No. Building, testing and going live with Maisie is included on every plan, even though a real person does the work.

Question 12

Do annual plans really save two months?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Starter is £990 a year instead of £1,188, Pro is £2,490 instead of £2,988 and Scale is £4,490 instead of £5,388. The 14-day money-back guarantee applies to annual plans in exactly the same way.

Question 13

Can I change plan later?

Accepted Answer

Up or down, at any time, from your dashboard. Upgrades take effect immediately and we pro-rate the difference; downgrades take effect at your next billing date.

Question 14

Is there a contract?

Accepted Answer

No. Every plan is rolling — monthly or annual — with no minimum term and no notice period. Cancel from your dashboard or email us and your plan stops at the end of the period you've paid for. We don't charge an exit fee.

Question 15

What exactly does the 14-day guarantee cover?

Accepted Answer

The 14 days start the day Maisie goes live for you, not the day you sign up. If she isn't right for your business in that time, tell us and we refund the payment you made in full — monthly or annual. You don't have to justify it and there's nothing to send back.

Question 16

Can I cancel?

Accepted Answer

Any time. There's no contract and no notice period — cancel from your dashboard or email us and your plan stops at the end of the month you've paid for. We don't charge a cancellation fee and we don't hold your number hostage: cancel the divert on your handset and your calls come straight back to you.

Question 17

Is it GDPR compliant and are calls recorded?

Accepted Answer

Calls are recorded and transcribed so you have a record of what was agreed, and Maisie tells the caller at the start that the call is recorded. Data is processed in the UK and EU, you're the data controller and we're your processor under a written agreement, recordings are kept for 90 days by default (you can ask for 30 or for longer), and you can delete any call or request an export at any time. See our Privacy Notice and Call Recording Notice for the detail.

Everything people ask before they get Maisie

Getting started

Calls & bookings

Billing

Data & privacy

Ask us anything — or ask Maisie yourself