Allied health and dental clinics
Answering after-hours calls and booking appointments in Microsoft Bookings, instead of leaving messages for reception to return the next morning.
AI news
Microsoft’s AI receptionist for Teams Phone is now available
Microsoft
What’s new
Teams Phone Agent is an AI voice agent that answers calls to a Microsoft Teams phone number. Callers say what they need instead of pressing menu numbers. It answers common questions from information you give it, including pages on your website, which it refreshes daily.
It can book appointments in Microsoft Bookings, put callers through to a person or team by name, send them to voicemail, and pick out and hang up on spam calls. You can set different call handling for business hours, after hours and public holidays.
It speaks English (Australia), with a voice tuned for Australian callers, and many other languages. Microsoft added 33 new voices on 14 October.
Who can use it
- Generally available to all customers since 30 September 2026. Microsoft lists India as unsupported.
- You need at least one Microsoft Teams Phone licence, a business phone number connected to Teams and a free resource account for the agent.
- It is paid for by usage, with Microsoft Copilot Credits. Microsoft’s set-up pages don’t list a price per call, so check current rates before you start.
- Booking appointments needs Microsoft Bookings.
For small businesses
Work it can take off your team’s hands
Trades businesses
Answering routine questions about opening hours, service areas and call-out fees, and putting urgent jobs through to the person on call.
Accounting and law firms
Putting each caller through to the right person or team by name, which reception would otherwise do for every call.
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- Set-up happens in the Teams admin centre and needs admin roles, and some options, such as spam rules, can only be set with PowerShell. Most small businesses will want an IT partner for set-up.
- If your Copilot Credits run out, the line falls back to a standard phone menu until more credits are available.
- Calls end after 4 minutes by default. You can change the limit, so check it suits your callers.
- By default, the agent tells callers they are speaking with a virtual assistant. If you turn this off, you become responsible for any notices the law requires.
- Microsoft lists some known issues, for example with transfers between agents and with automatic call recording, so test your call handling before going live.
Our view: A strong option if you already use Teams Phone and miss calls after hours or at busy times. Start with common questions and bookings, keep a person reachable for everything else, and check the cost per call before letting it answer every call.
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Discuss what this could do for your business
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