How much does a receptionist cost a month? A worked example for a dental clinic
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
A receptionist’s cost is more than the salary: add payroll taxes and contributions, the desk, the phone line, and cover for holidays and sick days. For example, a receptionist earning 4.5 million so‘m costs a clinic about 5.4 million so‘m a month even before taxes. A big part of their time goes on the phone, while evening and Sunday calls go unanswered. Before hiring a second receptionist, compare: giving only evening and overflow calls to an AI operator can come to under 1 million so‘m a month.
A receptionist costs more than the salary
A receptionist does many things at once: greets patients, takes payments, keeps the schedule and answers the phone. To know what they cost, add everything else to the salary. Otherwise the decision, whether to hire a second receptionist or cover the calls another way, rests on the wrong numbers.
Example: a dental clinic receptionist
For example, the Sadaf dental clinic has one receptionist working 9:00–18:00, Monday to Saturday. These numbers are only an example.
| Cost | Per month, example |
|---|---|
| Salary | 4.5 million so‘m |
| Payroll taxes and contributions | your accountant works it out |
| Desk: computer, phone, line, share of software | 0.5 million so‘m |
| Cover for holidays and sick days (average) | 0.4 million so‘m |
| Total before taxes | 5.4 million so‘m |
Then there is the time to train a new receptionist: prices, doctors’ schedules, the software. If receptionists change often, that cost comes back every time.
How much of the day goes on the phone
- Take the number of calls answered a day from your telephony report. For example, 50.
- Find the time per call: the conversation plus the notes after it. For example, 2 minutes of talk + 45 seconds of notes.
- Multiply: 50 × 2.75 minutes ≈ 137 minutes, more than 2 hours a day.
- Divide by the working day: about a third of an 8-hour day goes on the phone.
- Count the missed calls separately: calls while the receptionist is busy with a patient, and calls after hours.
Often the last line is the most expensive. The phone rings just when there’s a queue at the desk: either the patient waits or the call goes unanswered.
Evening and weekend calls: three options
- A second receptionist for the evening shift and Sundays: another salary, desk and training. For example, 3.5 million so‘m or more.
- Forwarding calls to the owner’s phone: it costs nothing, but the owner gets tired, calls are still missed and bookings end up in a notebook.
- An AI operator for evening and overflow calls only: for example, 15 two-minute calls a day × 800 so‘m = 24,000 so‘m, about 720,000 so‘m a month.
Sado has no monthly fee; you pay only for talked minutes: pricing. A full comparison with staff: AI operator vs call center.
What an evening call sounds like
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, Sadaf dental clinic, Malika speaking.
Caller: Sorry it’s so late. Can I book a teeth cleaning?
Sado: Of course. There’s a slot tomorrow at eleven or Thursday at four. Which suits you?
Caller: Thursday at four.
Sado: Fine. May I have your name?
Caller: Ra’no.
Sado: Ra’no, you’re booked for Thursday at four. We’ll remind you the day before. Have a good evening!
In the morning the receptionist sees the new booking in the portal, with the recording, transcript and time. More for clinics: AI phone receptionist for clinics.
What stays with the receptionist
An AI operator doesn’t replace the receptionist. Greeting patients, payments, complaints and complicated questions stay with a person. The AI operator takes repeated questions (prices, address, hours), bookings, evening and weekend calls. When needed, it transfers the call to a staff member’s phone by your rule. To hear it, try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
Which receptionist costs are most often forgotten?
Cover for holidays and sick days, the time to train a new person, and missed calls. Missed calls aren’t in any sum, but the patient goes to another clinic.
Can the AI operator work only in the evenings?
Yes. You set its working hours and pay only for talked minutes. The receptionist answers by day; the AI operator takes evenings and Sundays.
How do I work out the tax part?
It depends on the employee’s contract and your tax regime. Ask your accountant for the exact amount and add it to the table.