Outsourced phone answering service costs
Enhancing your business image and capturing more customers has never been easier. Our outsourced reception services suit businesses of any size, with transparent answering service pricing, virtual phone numbers and more.
Choose a plan that fits how you work, with no lock-in contracts and the freedom to change as you grow.
The true cost of call handling for Kiwi businesses
Answering service pricing in New Zealand depends on how you want your calls handled and how many calls or minutes you use each month. ReceptionHQ plans start from $19 per month, so you only pay for the level of service you need. Because there are no lock-in contracts, you can scale up in busy periods and back down when things are quieter. For most small businesses, an outsourced receptionist costs a fraction of hiring in-house, while still giving callers a real person to talk to.
Answering service pricing in New Zealand depends on how you want your calls handled and how many calls or minutes you use each month.
ReceptionHQ plans start from $19 per month, so you only pay for the level of service you need. Because there are no lock-in contracts, you can scale up in busy periods and back down when things are quieter.
For most small businesses, an outsourced receptionist costs a fraction of hiring in-house, while still giving callers a real person to talk to.
| In-house receptionist | ReceptionHQ virtual reception | |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 availability | ✗ |
✓ |
| Overflow call handling | ✗ Calls unanswered when staff busy |
✓ Calls flow to us if you can’t answer |
| Cover for leave and illness | ✗ You arrange cover separately |
✓ Always available when you need us |
| Easy to scale | ✗ Recruit or reduce staff as needed |
✓ Change plan anytime |
| No lock-in contract | ✗ Employment agreements |
✓ Month-to-month flexibility |
| Additional employer costs | ✗ ~3% KiwiSaver + ACC levies |
✓ Not applicable |
| Recruitment and training | ✗ Your time and cost |
✓ Fully handled by us |
| Typical annual cost |
$60,000-$75,000+/year
(incl. salary, KiwiSaver, ACC levies, leave and overheads)
$60,000-$75,000+/year
(incl. salary, KiwiSaver, ACC etc)
|
From $228/year
(around $1,788/year on our most popular plan)
From $228/year
(most popular plan around $1,788/year)
|
NZ small businesses can save $55,000+ a year by switching to ReceptionHQ – while reducing missed calls and improving customer responsiveness
In-house costs based on Statistics New Zealand (Stats NZ) labour and earnings data for administrative and secretarial workers, plus employer KiwiSaver contributions, ACC levies, statutory entitlements under the Holidays Act 2003, and estimated recruitment and training costs amortised over a two-year average tenure. Costs vary by industry, region and individual circumstances.
ReceptionHQ pricing based on MessageExpress entry plan ($19/month) and MyReceptionist 50 ($149/month), excluding GST. Actual costs depend on call volume and plan selected.
Our Virtual Reception Services
MessageExpress
Pay-Per-Call Pricing
from
$19
per month
Message taking and instant delivery to a single recipient by email or SMS.
MyReceptionist
Pay-Per-Call Pricing
from
$20
per month
Messages plus call transfers with a fully custom greeting. Suitable for multiple staff or departments.
MyAssistant
Pay-Per-Minute Pricing
from
$49
per month
Lead capture via your CRM or webforms, order taking, payment processing and call scripting.
MyDiary
Pay-Per-Minute Pricing
from
$49
per month
Calendar management, appointment bookings, cancellations and rescheduling.
Need help deciding? We’re here to assist
If you have any questions or would like to know about our bundles, speak to one of our team today.
Specialised Call Answering Solutions
Complex Scripting
Enhanced Call Flow Management
from
$49
per month
Use conditional nested questions to ensure your callers always reach the right department.
Call Centre Services
Dedicated or Shared Resources
pricing on application
.
We can tailor solutions for high-volume, high-complexity needs, with all calls visible in real time.
On-Call Escalation
Delivery of Urgent Messages
from
$49
.
Always-on escalation management, including triaging and prioritising critical requests.
Additional NZ Business Solutions
Call Diversion Services
Answer Business Calls Anywhere
from
$20
per month
Divert calls made to your business number to your landline, mobile or voicemail.
Voicemail-to-Email Solutions
Automated Messaging
from
$5
per month
Have voicemail messages emailed to you instantaneously as audio files.
Interactive Voice Response Services
Voice Prompt Call Routing
from
$10
per month
Provide menu options on calls to assist customers in reaching the right department or location.
Local or Toll-Free 0800 Numbers
Additional Inbound Numbers
from
$5
per month
Cost-effective business numbers are available when bundled with live answering or call diversion.
Virtual reception pricing FAQs
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Want to try our call answering services for free?
Put New Zealand’s leading virtual receptionist solution to the test! We’re ready to answer your phone FREE for 7 days.
Want to try our call answering services for free?
Put New Zealand’s leading virtual receptionist solution to the test! We’re ready to answer your phone FREE for 7 days.
What does the free trial include?
Our free trial is based on our MyReceptionist service, with professional receptionists able to take messages and transfer calls based on your availability settings.