From missed calls to more clients: The ROI of AI receptionists for wellness brands

The average salon or spa loses thousands of dollars every year to missed calls, no-shows, and slow follow-ups.

Zenoti industry data shows that 37% of all calls go unanswered, and 82% of those missed calls happen during business hours, when front-desk teams are already stretched thin managing walk-ins, checkouts, and in-person guest requests.

Every one of those missed calls represents a client with a question or a need — whether they’re trying to book, reschedule, cancel, or simply get information — and many will move on to the next business that can help them right away.

It’s no surprise, then, that 71% of salon and spa regulars have skipped booking because it was too hard to reach someone.

And the financial impact doesn’t stop there. Recent data shows that salons lose, on average, $132 per week ($6,864 per year), while medspas lose an incredible $820 per week ($42,640 per year) just from customer no-shows.

It's not that your front desk team isn't doing their job, though. It's simply that they can't be everywhere at once. Between handling walk-ins, managing client checkouts, answering phones, and juggling last-minute changes, even the best reception team can only do so much.

Meanwhile, most clients don't want to wait on hold or give their information for a callback. Instead, they move on to the next business that can book or assist them right now.

This is where an AI virtual receptionist for salons and spas changes the game. These aren't just "cool tech toys." They're measurable revenue drivers. From recovering missed calls to boosting rebooking rates, AI automations deliver tangible ROI that traditional staffing models can't match. Here's what you need to know.

Up to 34% of all appointment requests occur after hours, and 63% of surveyed salon and spa regulars consider 24/7 access to a receptionist to be very or extremely valuable. That means businesses that rely solely on daytime staff can miss around one-third of potential revenue and may lose even more to unsatisfied regulars who decide to take their business elsewhere. Every unanswered call is a lost opportunity, not just for a single service but potentially for a lifelong client relationship.

As mentioned earlier, Zenoti industry data reinforces just how costly this gap can be: 37% of calls go unanswered, and 82% of those missed calls happen during business hours, when staff are typically juggling guests, checkouts, and in-person requests. Even when callers do reach voicemail, only 24% choose to leave a message, meaning the vast majority of missed calls result in no follow-up opportunity at all.

Many spas and salons don't realize how many calls they're missing out on because they aren't seeing the numbers. The calls come in after hours, no one picks up, and the chance of a potential client booking an appointment goes nowhere.

When your salon, spa, or medspa can recover a portion of those lost calls, there's a visible impact on the bottom line. It's not just about potential clients who would have booked a service, either. It's also about clients who can't reach someone when they need to change or cancel their appointment, resulting in a no-show. In short, missed calls equal missed revenue.

Here’s what ROI looks like in a typical real-world scenario:

With 500 calls per month, a $75 average ticket, and a $25 average add-on, the ROI impact of an AI Receptionist breaks down clearly:

This example shows how everyday call activity can translate directly into thousands of dollars in additional revenue — before even factoring in the cost savings that automation delivers.

To understand how these gains translate into business performance, start with a simple equation:

(Revenue Gained + Costs Saved) – Software Cost = Net ROI

When your salon or spa sees thousands of dollars in increased monthly revenue and cost savings, and you're paying far less than that for AI receptionist software, your net ROI can rise significantly.

Not only that, but the increases will continue to grow over time, because ROI is recurring and compounding. Once automation is live, the system keeps running day and night without requiring additional payroll or supervision. Each month,  the AI recovers more bookings, fills more cancellations, and builds on previous gains to continue moving your business forward.

In fact, Sunayana Reddy, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Zenoti highlights the deeper long-term effect: "Industry data shows that a better booking experience typically drives a 3–5% increase in rebookings."

Today's clients expect instant access. Whether it's a midnight scroll through Instagram or a Sunday afternoon spa search, availability is the new advantage. If your medspa or salon isn't offering 24/7 booking, you'll quickly find that your inquiries are dropping off and your client base isn't growing. Where are all those potential customers going? To your competitors who offer 24/7 booking system benefits.

According to Zenoti's 2026 booking communication trends:

An AI receptionist doesn't clock out. It can answer questions, confirm bookings, and handle reschedules at any hour, helping convert after-hours interest in your business into confirmed appointments for your services.

Plus, the 24/7 availability that comes with AI receptionist options means an upgrade to the client experience, which can generate buzz for your business and build loyalty for the future.

Having 24/7 AI is more than just a convenience. It's a growth engine that expands your business hours without increasing payroll.

Most people think of AI receptionists as appointment-booking software, but they do much more than that, including plugging the holes that are silently draining your revenue. For example, having AI front desk tools with waitlist automation means that when a client cancels, AI instantly offers the slot to the next waitlisted customer, ensuring zero downtime.

The value of an AI receptionist lies in support:

An AI receptionist never misses an opportunity to upsell, recommending the right add-on or product at the right time, every time. These recommendations are based on specific data, providing a truly personalized experience for each client and enhancing profits.

Even the most experienced front desk staff can only manage one conversation at a time. An AI receptionist can manage dozens simultaneously, without breaks or missed messages. This efficiency frees your human team to focus on high-value, in-person experiences such as welcoming guests, recommending products, and driving sales.

Replacing or augmenting front desk duties with AI doesn't mean cutting staff. Instead, it means reallocating talent toward what humans do best — creating memorable client experiences.

From a cost standpoint, it's easy math:

In other words, the value of an AI receptionist is in reducing your staff's "busywork" and freeing the team up to work directly with clients. Those clients get all the booking convenience they need on a 24/7 basis, and they feel welcomed and appreciated through human interaction when they arrive for their appointment. You capture value from booking automation ROI, and clients find value in convenience and connection.

To prove ROI internally, start by tracking a few key KPIs before and after implementing AI automation:

Even a slight improvement in each of these metrics compounds to significant gains over time. For example:

These gains can easily add $2,000–$3,000 in revenue, which far exceeds the cost of the technology.

In a platform like Zenoti, AI analytics dashboards make it easy to track and visualize impact. You can see exactly how many bookings, upsells, and recovered appointments your AI has generated each month.

For salons, spas, and medspas, AI receptionists are no longer a futuristic concept. They're an ROI reality. Even better, they're a revenue multiplier that your company can't do without. The world of communication and booking is changing rapidly, and AI receptionists enable you to meet client needs 24/7.

The value of using an AI receptionist lies in what it does for your business and your client base. It recovers lost revenue, automatically fills calendars, and provides client engagement that traditional staffing models simply can't sustain. Every missed call, every no-show, and every unbooked follow-up represents real dollars left on the table, and AI makes it possible to reclaim them.

With automation handling repetitive communication, your team can focus on what really drives growth, including exceptional service and client relationships. The bottom line is that AI receptionists don't replace your people. They empower your business to earn more, work smarter, and deliver a better experience at every touchpoint.

See how much revenue your business could recover with an AI receptionist built exclusively for beauty an wellness brands.