Overview
DialIQ provides an AI-powered omnichannel receptionist that handles calls, SMS messages, and chat conversations 24/7 — scheduling appointments, answering questions, and qualifying leads. This guide will walk you through the three-stage setup process from trial signup to going live. Time to complete: 3 minutes for first test call, 10 minutes for full configurationPrerequisites
Before you begin, have the following ready:- Business website URL (required for automatic data scraping)
- Business email address
- Industry/business type
Stage 1: Trial & Quick Onboarding (Under 3 Minutes)
Get your first “Hello World” test call working in under 3 minutes with our automated setup.Step 1: Start Your Free Trial
- Go to dialiq.ai/signup
- Enter your email address
- Create a password
- Click Start Free Trial — no credit card required
Your 7-day free trial includes full access to Growth tier features with 100 test calls included.
Step 2: Website Scraping (Automated)
Enter your business website URL and let DialIQ automatically extract:- Business name and address
- Phone number and hours
- Service menu and offerings
- About/description information
Why this matters: Website scraping eliminates manual data entry. You’ll review and approve all scraped data before it goes live — nothing is finalized without your confirmation.
Review Scraped Data
All extracted information appears in an Editable Card where you can:- Verify accuracy
- Edit any fields
- Add missing information
- Approve and continue
Step 3: Select Your Industry
Choose your industry from the dropdown menu. This selection:- Loads industry-specific templates
- Configures appropriate AI prompts
- Pre-fills common FAQs for your business type
- Healthcare (Medical, Dental, Veterinary)
- Legal
- Home Services (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, etc.)
- Real Estate
- Professional Services
- Fitness & Wellness
- Restaurants & Hospitality
- And 40+ more…
Step 4: Industry-Specific Configuration
Answer 2-3 quick questions tailored to your industry: Example (Home Services):- Do you offer emergency calls? (Yes/No)
- What’s your trip charge? ($)
- Service radius? (miles)
- Do you offer free consultations? (Yes/No)
- Practice areas? (Select all that apply)
- Preferred appointment length? (30/60 min)
This takes under 60 seconds and dramatically improves AI accuracy for your specific business.
Step 5: Get Your Trial Number & Make Test Call
- Click Provision My Number
- Receive your dedicated trial phone number instantly
- Call your new number immediately
- Experience your AI receptionist answering and handling your inquiry
Congratulations! You’ve completed Stage 1. Your AI receptionist is now live and answering calls.
Stage 2: Conversion (Day 3 of Trial)
Convert your trial to a paid plan to keep your phone number and unlock full features.Add Payment Method
- Navigate to Settings → Subscription
- Click Add Payment Method
- Enter credit card details via Stripe Checkout
- Select your plan tier (Essential, Growth, or Professional)
- Confirm subscription
Automated Reminders: You’ll receive email and SMS notifications on Day 1 and Day 3 prompting you to add payment. This ensures your number stays active.
Choose Your Plan
Review your trial usage and select the appropriate tier:- Essential ($49/mo): 50 calls/month — Solo operators
- Growth ($99/mo): 100 calls/month — Growing teams with SMS
- Professional ($499/mo): 600 calls/month — High volume with full integrations
Stage 3: Deep Onboarding (Post-Payment)
Once payment is confirmed, unlock advanced configuration options for maximum customization.Configure Business Profile
Navigate to Settings → Business Profile to review and refine your business information.Update Business Details
- Business Name: Verify auto-scraped name
- Address: Confirm location with Google Maps autocomplete
- Phone Number: Primary business line
- Email: Notifications and receipts
- Timezone: Ensures accurate scheduling
- Industry Tag: Locked from onboarding (contact support to change)
Set Hours of Operation
Navigate to Settings → Business Profile → Hours to define your availability.Configure Your Schedule
Set hours for each day of the week:- Select “Open” or “Closed” for each day
- Set opening time (e.g., 09:00 AM)
- Set closing time (e.g., 05:00 PM)
- Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Special Closures & Holidays
Add exceptions for holidays and vacation days:- Click Add Special Closure
- Select date or date range
- Choose “Closed All Day” or set custom hours
- Save changes
Configure Service Menu
Navigate to Settings → Service Menu to review and refine your service offerings.Auto-Populated: Services are pre-filled from your website scraping. Review for accuracy and add any missing services.
For Each Service, Configure:
- Service Name: Customer-facing name (e.g., “Initial Consultation,” “AC Repair”)
- Category: Optional grouping (e.g., “Air Conditioning Services”)
- Duration: Fixed time (30 min, 60 min) or “Variable”
- Price Type: Fixed / Range / Starting At / Call for Quote
- Price Value: Dollar amount (optional)
- Description: Brief explanation for AI context
- Service Name: Emergency Plumbing
- Duration: Variable
- Price Type: Starting At
- Price: $150
- Description: Emergency plumbing services for urgent leaks, clogs, and pipe repairs available 24/7
Set Up Call Handling Rules
Navigate to Settings → Call Handling Rules to configure urgency logic and after-hours behavior.Urgency Triggers
Define keywords that trigger high-priority handling:- Emergency keywords: “leak,” “no heat,” “urgent,” “ASAP”
- Action: Transfer to mobile / Mark high priority / Send immediate SMS
After-Hours Configuration
Choose how calls are handled outside business hours:- Option A: Take Message (Default) — AI captures info and promises callback
- Option B: Forward to On-Call — Enter mobile number for transfer
- Option C: Emergency Screening — AI asks urgency; only forwards emergencies
Add FAQs (Optional)
Navigate to Settings → Call Handling → FAQs to configure common responses. Example FAQs:- “Do you offer emergency service?” → Yes / No
- “Is there a trip charge?” → Yes / No + Amount
- “What payment methods do you accept?” → Custom text answer
Set Up Team & Scheduling
Navigate to Settings → Team & Scheduling to add staff members and connect calendars.Add Team Members
For each staff member:- Name and role
- Mobile number (for SMS notifications)
- Calendar link (Google Calendar, Outlook, or Calendly)
Calendar Integration
1
Click Connect Calendar
Choose your calendar provider
2
Authorize Access
Sign in and grant DialIQ read/write permissions
3
Select Calendars
Choose which calendars to sync for availability checking
4
Test Booking
Make a test call to verify appointment booking works correctly
Step 7: Integrate Your Calendar
Connect your calendar to enable automatic appointment scheduling.Supported Integrations
- Google Calendar
- Microsoft Outlook
- Apple Calendar
- Other CalDAV calendars
Setup Steps
- Navigate to Integrations > Calendar
- Click “Connect Calendar”
- Authorize access
- Select which calendar to use for bookings
Step 8: Test Your AI Receptionist
Before going live, test your configuration.Testing Checklist
Make a Test Call- Call your business number
- Verify AI answers appropriately
- Test appointment booking flow
- Confirm FAQ responses
- Verify test appointments appear
- Confirm correct timezone
- Test cancellation/rescheduling
- Navigate to Dashboard
- Listen to test call
- Note any improvements needed
Step 9: Go Live
Once testing is complete, your AI receptionist is ready to handle real calls.Final Checklist
- ✓ Business information complete
- ✓ Hours of operation set
- ✓ Services defined
- ✓ Appointment fields configured
- ✓ FAQs added
- ✓ Calendar connected
- ✓ Test call successful
What Happens Now
Your AI receptionist will:- Answer all incoming calls 24/7
- Book appointments directly to your calendar
- Qualify leads based on your services
- Send you email notifications for new bookings
- Provide call summaries and transcripts
Monitoring & Optimization
View Your Dashboard
Access real-time analytics:- Total calls handled
- Appointments booked
- Call duration averages
- Common caller questions
- Missed opportunities
Ongoing Optimization
Regularly review:- Call recordings - Identify improvement areas
- FAQ performance - Add new frequently asked questions
- Service descriptions - Refine based on actual calls
- Business hours - Adjust for seasonal changes
Common Issues & Solutions
AI Not Answering Calls- Verify phone number forwarding is active
- Check account status and billing
- Contact support if issue persists
- Reauthorize calendar connection
- Verify correct calendar is selected
- Check timezone settings match
- Review and update Business Profile
- Refine Service descriptions
- Add specific scenarios to FAQs
Next Steps
Now that your AI receptionist is live, explore advanced features:- Custom Scripts: Tailor conversation flows
- CRM Integration: Connect with Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.
- Analytics Dashboard: Deep dive into call metrics
- Multi-language Support: Serve international customers
- SMS Follow-ups: Automatic appointment reminders