Ringmere

Ringmere is an AI receptionist for UK small businesses. It answers calls around the clock, books into Google Calendar or Outlook, escalates urgent callers to a human, and adds WhatsApp and text chat on higher plans.

Ringmere is an AI phone receptionist aimed at small UK businesses that live on inbound calls, such as salons, dental practices, vets, garages, trades, restaurants and hotels. It picks up calls at any hour, answers questions using information the owner has approved, books appointments into a connected calendar, and passes urgent or sensitive callers to a human with context attached. On the Growth and Pro plans it also handles WhatsApp and text conversations. Setup follows three steps. The business connects its existing number or takes a new local one, then supplies services, prices, opening hours and FAQs, either by typing them in or importing them from a website, price list, PDF, spreadsheet or photo. Everything is reviewed before it goes live, and the assistant sticks to that material instead of improvising quotes or policies. Bookings are written to Google Calendar or Outlook after a live availability check, which prevents double-booking. Restaurants can take reservations and takeaway orders, and hotels get room bookings, with Beds24 and Cloudbeds channel manager sync on higher plans. Calls are transcribed and summarised in a dashboard that estimates the revenue recovered, and owner alerts and a daily summary go to WhatsApp. Compliance is part of the pitch. Customer records are stored in the UK, the AI and recording disclosure is switched on by default, and emergencies, complaints and vulnerable callers are escalated rather than handled by the AI. A browser demo lets a prospect hear a sample receptionist before adding a card, although that demo runs on a lighter model than live lines do. Among alternatives, Ringmere sits between traditional answering services, which rely on human agents and per-call fees, and general-purpose voice agent platforms that need scripting and engineering time. It is narrower than either: UK-focused, centred on appointments, and sold as monthly plans with included minutes. Businesses outside the UK, or those needing heavily customised call flows, may find that focus limiting.