Voicemail mode: what happens when the AI is off
When AI answering is off, forwarded calls go to RankLadder voicemail. Every message is recorded, written out, summarized, and lands in your Inbox. It uses no voice minutes.
When AI answering is off, your calls do not disappear. Forwarded calls go to RankLadder voicemail: the caller hears your greeting, leaves a message, and that message lands in your Inbox like any other call.
What the caller hears
The caller hears your voicemail greeting, spoken in your AI's voice. You set it up in Receptionist, under Identity & Voice, in the Voicemail greeting section. If you haven't recorded one yet, the app asks you to set it up before you can turn AI answering off.
What you get in your Inbox
Every voicemail arrives as a conversation in your Inbox with:
- The full recording, so you can listen.
- A written transcript, so you can read it instead.
- A short summary, so you can see what it's about at a glance.
You can filter your Inbox by Voicemail to see just these calls.
What it costs
Nothing from your allowance. Voicemail uses zero voice minutes. This is why the AI switches itself off when your trial minutes run out or your subscription ends: calls keep arriving safely as voicemails, and you never lose a message.
What voicemail mode does not do
- It does not change your carrier forwarding. Your calls still forward to your RankLadder number. Only what happens after they arrive changes.
- It does not make your own phone ring. Ringing is controlled by your forwarding setup at your carrier.
- It does not turn off texting or your website chat. Only call answering changes.
Voicemail also acts as a fallback while the AI is on: if a call can't be answered for any reason, the caller gets your voicemail greeting instead of dead air.
Related guides
Turn AI answering on or off
One switch controls whether your AI answers forwarded calls or sends them to voicemail. Either way, every call still lands in your Inbox.
Choose how RankLadder notifies you
Pick which events send you a mobile push notification, an email, or both. Missed calls, answered calls, texts and chats, bookings, and new reviews each have their own switch.