Cost · ROI · Staffing
Receptionist Salary
Total compensation for a full-time front desk role across markets.
Base pay plus taxes, benefits, and coverage for sick days and PTO add up.
Define the cost problem
- •Wages + benefits + payroll taxes
- •Backfill costs for PTO and sick time
- •Overtime to maintain coverage
Hidden costs
- •Training time and productivity dip
- •Turnover resets the spend
- •Coverage gaps trigger missed revenue
Rough ranges
- •Salary bands + 20–30% burden
- •Overtime premiums during spikes
- •Temporary coverage premiums during PTO
Compare options
- •Pay market/above-market to retain
- •Layer in temps/agency for PTO
- •Use answering services after hours
- •Adopt AI coverage to smooth spikes and PTO gaps
AI reception advantage
- •Predictable platform cost vs. variable labor
- •Covers spikes, lunches, and PTO without OT
- •Keeps staff focused on in-office experience
What to do next
- •Map total comp + OT + PTO coverage costs
- •Compare to AI coverage + smaller core team
- •Keep humans for escalations and in-person care