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Introduction
I'm super excited to share something cool with you all. Have you heard of Vapi AI? It's a new AI phone agent that's been getting a lot of attention lately, and I just had to check it out.
So, what exactly is Vapi AI? Well, it's like a super smart robot that answers phone calls for you. It can talk to customers, take messages, and even help solve their problems. Imagine having a helper who never gets tired and is always ready to assist – that's what Vapi AI promises to be.
In this review, I'm going to tell you all about my experience using Vapi AI. I'll talk about how easy it was to set up, how well it worked, and whether I think it's the best AI phone agent out there. Spoiler: I was pretty impressed! But I'll let you decide for yourself after you hear all the details.
What is Vapi AI?
So, what is Vapi AI? In simple terms, it's a smart robot that answers phone calls for your business. Imagine having an assistant who never gets tired, always answers the phone, and knows exactly what to say. That's what Vapi AI does.
Vapi AI is mainly used for outbound calls within a business but can also be used as a phone support assistant to help your customers solve different problems or answer questions on the phone. There are many use cases for Vapi AI but its main and core feature is creating AI Agents (phone call bots) that you can prompt to talk about your business and sell different types of services through the phone.
Vapi AI Set Up
In order to set up Vapi AI you will need to sign up for a free account here. Once you sign up you will land on the Dashboard section of Vapi AI. The best part about Vapi AI is its simple user interface that anyone can use even if you’re not tech savvy you will understand how to navigate through it which is one thing I really like about Vapi AI.
Step 1: Navigating The Dashboard
Once we log in, we should see the “Platform” tab and then we can click on “Assistants”. From here we will see the button “Create Assistant”. This is our first step in order to start creating our AI voice agent and assistant.
Step 2: Creating a Voice Assistant
You will see a new tab that opens up on the left side of your screen where you will be able to choose the name of your AI voice assistant and the type of assistant. Whether you want to create a customer support voice assistant or an inbound questions and answers assistant, there are a variety of options within Vapi AI. Once you are finish with picking the name and the type just simply click “Create Assistant”.
Step 3: Configuring Your AI Voice Agent
Now that we created our AI voice agent we can simply configure it. There are a lot of things you can configure such as:
- First message (first thing AI bot will say on the call)
- System prompt (most important one)
- Provider (who is providing the prompts)
- Transcriber (which software is transcribing)
- Voice (who is providing the voice)
- Functions
- Advanced
- Analytics
The most important part to configure is the first message, system prompt and if your AI voice agent will comply with some of the rules such as HIPAA compliance or any other compliances. All other things such as what kind of voice your AI agent has or other functions can be changed but are not necessary for your AI agent to work.
The most important part is always going to be the “System Prompt” since this is the core of your AI voice agent. Make sure to customize your prompt in a way that suits your business and what you’re trying to do. If you just want your bot to be a support agent for you, do that, you just need to instruct the bot to do what you want it to do, it’s that simple literally. Vapi AI gives us a lot of ease while creating our bot and it’s a really awesome and simple tool to work with from my experience.
In the free trial account you will also be able to test out your calls with your AI agents which is a super cool feature. This way you can clearly see how your AI agent performs. I tried this myself and I can say that I am pleasantly surprised how well it dodges some of the objections. While some voices might sound like AI voices, other voices sound really human-like so that’s something that I’ve noticed along the way.
Vapi AI Features Overview
Now that we’ve covered the setup and the introduction I want to cover my thoughts and feedback on Vapi AI’s features. There are a lot of cool features that Vapi AI offers so I wanted to write about each feature in small detail and what I’ve experienced personally trying all of them.
Intelligent Call Routing
One of the first things I noticed was how effectively Vapi AI handles call routing. It automatically directs calls to the right department or person based on the caller's needs. This ensures that customers quickly get the help they need without being transferred multiple times. It’s super efficient and keeps my customers happy.
Voice Recognition and Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Vapi AI uses advanced voice recognition and NLP technology. This means it can understand and respond to customers in a natural, conversational manner. Whether the customer is asking about our business hours, product details, or even troubleshooting an issue, Vapi AI can handle it smoothly.
Automated Responses
I love how Vapi AI can be programmed with automated responses for common questions. For instance, it can provide information about our latest promotions, answer FAQs, and even guide customers through simple processes like resetting passwords or placing orders. This has significantly reduced the number of routine calls I have to handle.
Customizable Voice Options
Vapi AI offers customizable voice options, allowing me to choose a voice that best fits my brand's personality. This helps make interactions feel more personal and professional. I was able to pick a friendly and clear voice that aligns perfectly with how I want my business to sound to customers.
Call Transcriptions
One of the most useful features for me has been call transcriptions. Vapi AI provides detailed transcriptions of all calls, which are incredibly helpful for reviewing conversations and extracting important information. This feature also makes it easy to train new team members by showing them real examples of customer interactions.
Integration with CRM
Vapi AI integrates seamlessly with my CRM system. This means all call data, including transcriptions and customer information, is automatically synced with my CRM. It helps me keep track of customer interactions and follow up on leads more effectively.
Analytics and Reporting
The analytics and reporting features of Vapi AI are a marketer’s dream. It provides detailed insights into call volumes, common customer issues, and overall performance metrics. I can see which questions are asked most frequently and how effectively calls are handled. This data is invaluable for improving our customer service and tailoring our marketing strategies.
24/7 Availability
One of the best features, in my opinion, is that Vapi AI is available 24/7. This means my business never misses a call, even after hours or on weekends. I can go about my day without worrying that I’m missing out on potential customers. It’s reassuring to know that Vapi AI is always there to help.
Multi-Language Support
Vapi AI supports multiple languages, making it perfect for businesses that serve diverse customer bases. I was able to set it up to handle calls in both English and Spanish, ensuring that we can communicate effectively with more customers.
Easy Setup and Customization
Setting up Vapi AI was straightforward. The platform guided me through the process of integrating it with my existing phone system and customizing it to fit my business needs. I could easily set up different scripts for various call scenarios and adjust the settings as needed.
Vapi AI Pricing Overview
Since Vapi AI is best used in paid plans, let me break down Vapi AI’s pricing plans and how they work. It’s extremely important to understand how the pricing works because you can easily increase the price of your AI agent within Vapi AI without knowing it. It can happen all of a sudden once you start using your AI agent for many calls. Let’s breakdown the entire pricing for Vapi AI.
Pricing Tiers
Vapi AI offers a few different pricing tiers to cater to businesses of various sizes and needs. Here’s a breakdown of the main pricing plans:
Flat Rate for Calls
Vapi AI charges a straightforward $0.05 per minute for calls. This rate is prorated to the second, so you only pay for the exact time you use.
Phone Numbers
If you purchase phone numbers through Vapi AI, it costs $2 per month per number. This is a reasonable rate, especially if you need multiple numbers for different campaigns or departments.
Additional Costs
There are a few additional costs to be aware of, depending on how you use Vapi AI:
Provider Costs
Transcription, model, voice, and telephony services are charged at cost. This means Vapi AI passes these costs directly to you without additional markup. You can also bring your own API keys for these services, which can help manage costs.
Starter Credits
Initial Credits
When you sign up, you receive $10 in free credits to test Vapi AI's voice workflows. This is great for getting started without needing to immediately invest money.
Enterprise Plan
For businesses handling a large volume of calls, Vapi AI offers an Enterprise Plan with benefits like:
- Higher concurrency and rate limits
- 24/7 support
- Dedicated Slack channel with their team
- Volume pricing for included minutes
- Regular calls with their engineering team
My Experience with Vapi AI Pricing
When I first started, I appreciated the clear, flat-rate pricing. The $0.05 per minute cost was easy to understand and fit well into my budget. The $2 per month for phone numbers was also reasonable and helped me keep track of different campaigns.
Using the $10 starter credits, I was able to test Vapi AI thoroughly without any upfront cost. This was a huge plus as it allowed me to see the value before committing financially.
One thing to note here is that Vapi AI has a lot of moving parts such as: calling providers, transcription providers, voice providers, etc. This means that the price can change depending on what you’re choosing so I would recommend everyone to be careful when choosing each service and adding new services into the mix.
If you want to check “estimated” costs associated with Vapi AI, you can do that by checking out the “Estimating Costs” page here.
Overall, Vapi AI's pricing is transparent and reasonable. It offers flexibility with bring-your-own-keys options and caters to different business sizes with its scalable plans.
Vapi AI Integrations
Within Vapi AI you will not find a lot of integrations. This is because Vapi AI provides you with an option to connect automations from GoHighLevel and Make.com to Vapi AI. This gives you an opportunity to connect Vapi AI with other tools especially when you’re connecting Make.com with Vapi AI since Make.com has an option to connect many other tools and CRMs with Vapi AI. This is similar to what Zapier is doing with other tools as well.
GHL Workflows and Make Scenarios
Vapi AI integrates seamlessly with GHL workflows and Make scenarios, allowing you to bring powerful automation into your voice assistant setup. This means you can trigger various app integrations using voice commands, making your operations smoother and more efficient.
Key Integrations
Scheduling Meetings: With Vapi AI, you can connect to your calendar app to schedule meetings and send out invitations using voice commands.
CRM Updates: It integrates with your CRM, enabling you to update customer information gathered during voice conversations automatically.
Messaging Apps: Vapi AI can send emails or messages through your preferred communication apps based on voice instructions, enhancing your communication efficiency.
Getting Started
To start using these tools, navigate to the Tools section in your Vapi dashboard. Import your existing GHL workflows and Make scenarios, then add them to your voice assistants. This setup is user-friendly and helps you create voice assistants that perform actions triggered by voice commands. Since connecting these tools is a bit technical, I would highly recommend you to either hire someone to help you out with this or teach yourself how to integrate these tools within Vapi AI.
Is Vapi AI Hipaa Compliant?
The short answer is yes, Vapi AI offers features to help ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Vapi AI provides a Hipaa enabled configuration setting that, when turned on, ensures that no call logs, recordings, or transcriptions are stored. This setting is crucial for maintaining the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI) as required by HIPAA regulations.
To enable HIPAA compliance in Vapi AI, you need to manually adjust the settings in your assistant's configuration by going to the Platform, Assistants and then simply click on the “Advanced” setting and you will see Hipaa Compliance, just turn the toggle on. Vapi AI has a very simple process of enabling Hipaa compliance so you will be good to go in just a few seconds.
Overall Rating of Vapi AI & My Experience
To end this off here, I want to share my overall rating and personal experience using Vapi AI to test it out and see how good of a tool it really is. I was pleasantly surprised with some of the features and the overall performance of Vapi AI. Let me break down some of the positive things I have noticed while using this tool.
Performance and Efficiency
First off, Vapi AI works surprisingly well. The voice recognition and natural language processing are top-notch, making interactions smooth and natural. Whether it’s answering common customer questions or handling more complex tasks, Vapi AI delivers consistent performance. I found that it greatly reduced the time I spent on routine calls, allowing me to focus on more important aspects of my business.
Cost-Effectiveness
One of the best parts about Vapi AI is its cost. It’s reasonably priced, especially considering the features it offers. With the flexible pricing model, I was able to find a plan that fit my budget without compromising on functionality. The cost is decent and provides excellent value for money, making it an affordable option for businesses of various sizes.
Customization and Settings
Vapi AI offers a variety of settings and customization options. From choosing the type of voice to setting up automated responses, I had full control over how the AI interacted with my customers. This flexibility allowed me to tailor the experience to fit my brand perfectly. The ability to customize settings is a huge plus, as it means the AI can adapt to different business needs and preferences.
Overall Satisfaction
Overall, I would rate Vapi AI a solid 9 out of 10. It’s a powerful tool that has significantly improved my workflow and customer service. The only area for improvement is the voice quality. While the current voices are good, they could be more natural. However, I’m confident that this will improve over time as technology advances.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Vapi AI has proven to be a valuable tool for enhancing customer service and streamlining sales operations. My experience with this AI phone agent has been overwhelmingly positive. The system is highly efficient, easy to set up, and offers a lot of customization options that allow it to adapt to various business needs.
The cost is reasonable and provides excellent value for the features offered. Whether you are a small business owner or managing a larger enterprise, Vapi AI can fit seamlessly into your workflow and significantly reduce the time spent on handling routine calls.
While the voice quality has room for improvement, the overall performance, reliability, and user-friendly interface make Vapi AI a standout choice. I am confident that as the technology evolves, we will see even more enhancements in this area.
If you're looking for an AI solution that can handle customer interactions with efficiency and ease, I highly recommend giving Vapi AI a try. It's a solid 9 out of 10 for me, and I believe it can be a game-changer for your business too.
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