English-speaking answering service in Germany: person or AI?
Your callers speak German, you'd rather read English. There are two ways to make sure no call is lost: a human telephone service (“Sekretariatsservice”) or an AI assistant. Here is what each does.
Human telephone service
A person in a call centre answers in your name, takes a message and emails it to you. Usually billed per call or per minute, often with a monthly base fee. Check: are messages written in English, how fast they arrive, and what happens outside office hours.
AI assistant
Answers every call around the clock, asks what the caller needs, when, and where to call back, and sends you the request right away. With Meldedirekt the conversation is in German (or Russian/Ukrainian) and the request comes to you in English, in Telegram, by email or SMS.
Meldedirekt: from €39 a month, no setup fee, cancel any month, first 14 days free. Your number stays: only unanswered calls are forwarded.
Send a requestWhat to check before you choose
- Language of the messages, German, English, or your choice?
- When it answers: office hours only or 24/7?
- Your number: does it stay, or do you get a new one?
- Contract: monthly or 12 months?
- Data protection: is there a data processing agreement (AVV)?
Questions
Is an AI assistant allowed in Germany?
Yes. If a caller asks whether they are talking to an AI, it says so honestly; a data processing agreement is included.
What does Meldedirekt cost?
Start €39 (100 call minutes), Standard €69 (300), Team €119 (800); beyond that €0.25 per minute, calls under 15 seconds are free. Final prices (§ 19 UStG), cancel any month, first 14 days free.
Can I test it first?
Yes: call the demo, say your business name and hear how it answers. Then set it up yourself in two minutes.
Related
- German callers, English notes: how it works.
- What an AI receptionist costs: prices and calculator.