How to Set Up Sawy: Receptionist Setup Guide

To set up Sawy, create an agent, add the business details it answers from, run a test enquiry from start to finish, and then turn on only the channels you have tested. Do not forward your business line until a real test call works end to end.

Before you start

• An account and a plan. The Free plan includes trial minutes, one agent and one number. Paid plans add minutes, agents and numbers. See pricing.
• Your business information: services and prices, opening hours, timezone, common questions and answers, and who handles calls the agent can't. The knowledge base worksheet helps you collect it.
• An escalation number (optional) if you want callers who ask for a person to be transferred.
• Access to your phone carrier's forwarding settings if you plan to forward an existing number.
• Test details only. Use made-up names and numbers during testing, and keep sensitive or regulated information out of conversations.

1. Create your agent

Sign up, open Agents and choose New agent. Start from the Salon, Home services or Professional services preset, or from a blank form. Presets only pre-fill example settings; everything is editable.

2. Add the details customers ask about

In the agent form, set:

• Business name, industry and greeting
• Language (English, or Spanish (bilingual), which answers in Spanish and switches to English if the caller speaks English)
• Tone
• Business timezone and hours for each day
• Services, one per line with an optional price
• Business info

Add common questions and answers under Knowledge base. The agent answers only from these details. When it doesn't know something, it offers to take a message or connect the caller to a person.

To save typing, enter your website under Business website to import and choose Preview website details. Sawy reads that single public page and shows a preview. Review and edit the details before you choose Use these details in the form.

For handoffs, add a Forward / escalation number and plain-text Escalation rules, one per line in the form "trigger -> action". Transfers are a cold hand-off to that one number.

If you create a custom voice, submit only a recording of a voice you own or have permission to use.

3. Test a sample enquiry

Open Test chat for the agent and play a customer. Example enquiry (illustrative):

"Hi, how much is a color consultation, and are you open Saturday? I'd like to book something next week. I'm Sam, 555-0100."

Then check:

1. The prices and hours in the replies match what you entered.
2. The agent asks for missing details (name, callback number, service, preferred time) and says the business will confirm availability.
3. A question it can't answer gets a message or handoff offer, not a made-up answer.
4. When the conversation ends, it is saved to Calls with a transcript, a one-sentence summary and an outcome, and Leads shows the contact linked to that conversation.

4. Confirm the appointment as staff

Sawy collects appointment requests; it does not confirm a time on its own. In Appointments, create an appointment from the test lead. Choose the date, time and duration in your business timezone, and practise rescheduling and cancelling it. Add a follow-up note on the lead in Leads.

5. Turn on the channels you will use

• Phone. Go to Numbers, choose Get a phone number, search by area code and assign the number to your agent. Call it from your own phone and repeat the step 3 checks in Calls: transcript, summary, outcome and caller details. Then test a transfer request if you set an escalation number. Only after that, forward your business line to the Sawy number or publish it. The forwarding and rollback guide explains how to keep your existing number and switch back.
• Website chat. Tick Enable website chat, add the embed snippet to your site and send a test message from the live page.
• Email. Tick Enable incoming email to get an inbox address. Incoming emails become conversations and leads in the Email inbox. Replies are sent by your staff; Sawy does not reply to email on its own.
• Spam blocking (phone). The default threshold is Medium. Aggressive settings may block legitimate callers, so check Calls after changing it.

SMS replies are not currently available.

6. Connect optional tools and test them live

• Cal.com. Add a Cal.com API key and event type ID to the agent. Staff send a reviewed appointment request to Cal.com from Appointments, and it is marked confirmed only after Cal.com accepts the booking. Test one booking, a reschedule and a cancellation before relying on it.
• HubSpot. Add a HubSpot private app key in Settings. Run a test conversation and check that the contact appears in HubSpot as expected.

Both connectors should be tested with your own accounts before you depend on them.

7. Check billing and notifications

In Billing, check that your plan covers your expected minutes, agents and numbers. When an account reaches its minute limit, calls hear "This line is temporarily unavailable" and are not answered by the agent, so leave headroom. In Notifications, check that call summary and digest emails are being delivered.

Before real customers call

Run the full AI receptionist testing checklist and pilot before you forward your main line. Review the privacy policy and terms for your intended use.

Create an account, try the demo or compare plans.