Parents contact several providers at once
A parent who has just received a diagnosis for their child usually does not call one ABA provider and wait. They search, make a list and work through it. Many of the calls happen after the children are asleep, when it finally feels possible to sit down and ask.
On your side, the intake team is with families or running sessions for most of the day. Calls that arrive in the middle of that go to voicemail, and a parent who does not hear back soon may have already had a conversation with another provider by the time you call.
An AI chatbot on your website and an AI receptionist on your phone line do not replace your intake coordinator. They answer the general questions and make sure the message is recorded.
What the chatbot does on your website
Anchor Co AI trains a chatbot on your own website. It answers from what you have already published, so it only says what your practice has said. For an ABA provider, that usually means:
- Ages served and the kinds of services you describe.
- Where sessions happen, whether at home, a center or school, as your pages say.
- Insurance and funding sources you list.
- How intake begins, according to your own page.
When a visitor asks something your site does not answer, the chatbot says it is unsure and offers to take a name and number.
What the AI receptionist does on the phone
With the Front Office plan, an AI phone receptionist answers calls your intake team cannot take. It says it is an AI, takes the caller's name, number and a general reason for calling, and emails you a summary. It is not meant to collect information about a child's health.
It does not schedule evaluations, verify insurance, discuss diagnoses or send text messages.
Use cases a provider will recognize
The ten-o'clock-at-night parent. A mother reads your site after her kids are asleep and asks what ages you serve. The chat answers from your services page.
The in-session call. The intake coordinator is in a parent meeting when the line rings. The AI takes a message so she can call back that day.
The service-area question. A caller in a neighboring town asks whether you travel to homes. The chat repeats your service-area page.
The funding question. A parent asks which plans you accept. The chat repeats the list on your site and does not verify coverage.
What it will not do
No health information. The chat and receptionist must not be used to collect information about a child's diagnosis or care. Front Office is not HIPAA-compliant and we do not sign Business Associate Agreements.
No clinical advice. It does not discuss behavior, diagnoses, treatment plans or progress.
No emergencies. Anyone with an emergency should call 911, and anyone in a mental-health crisis can call or text 988.
No eligibility or benefits decisions.
Objections you should expect
"Parents of children with autism need a person." They do. The AI always says it is an AI and tells the parent that someone will call back. Its job is to make sure the message is not lost.
"The questions are very personal." That is why the chat is set up to keep to general information from your website and to send specific questions to your team.
What a good first reply looks like
A parent reaching out after a diagnosis is often anxious and has probably told their story several times already. A good first reply is calm and brief. The AI says it is an AI, answers the practical question if your site covers it, and tells the parent that a member of your intake team will call back. It does not ask about the child's diagnosis or behavior.
On your side, the summary email is short: a name, a number and a general reason such as "asking about intake" or "asking about locations." The coordinator can return the call with a clear head and a real answer on openings, instead of listening to a voicemail that starts mid-sentence.
As with any chatbot, the answers are only as good as your pages. A plain page on ages served, locations, funding sources and how intake works is the best investment you can make in the first reply.
What it costs
The Free plan is $0 with 1 bot and 20 messages a month. Starter is $29 a month for 2 bots and 1,000 messages a month. Growth is $49 a month for 5 bots and 5,000 messages a month.
Front Office adds a website and the AI phone receptionist. It is $297 one-time setup, then $249 a month with the receptionist, including 300 answered phone minutes a month and no overage fees. It is month to month with no contract and no partial-month refunds.
Setup
- Point the chatbot at your website. It trains on your own pages, so clear pages on ages served, locations, funding and intake make for better answers.
- Ask it the questions parents ask and tighten your pages where it comes back unsure.
- Add the chat to your site. For phone coverage, forward your overflow calls to the AI receptionist and give it the email address where summaries should go.