Getting Started

Complete instructions for setting up your First Hello AI Receptionist.

1. Keep Your Existing Number - Forwarding
- 1.1 Comcast
- 1.2 Google Voice
2. Keep Your Existing Number - Porting
3. Setup New "Quick Response" Number
4. Use First Hello Number as Primary Contact

1. Keep Your Existing Number - Forwarding

Forward calls and SMS from your existing number to First Hello.

1.1 Comcast

Get your First Hello app phone number from https://dashboard.firsthello.ai/receptionist
Follow the Comcast Business instructions here for "Call Forwarding Always" https://business.comcast.com/support/article/voice/phone-managing-call-forwarding-routing
You can use their web dashboard to make the changes or use a special "*" number to setup the forwarding.
Test the forwarding by calling your main business line - the AI Receptionist should answer.
Send a text to your main business line - the AI Receptionist should reply.
If you have any issues, please contact [email protected]

1.2 Google Voice

Please reach out if you use another carrier + Google Voice together, as the instructions will be different.

Get your First Hello app phone number from https://dashboard.firsthello.ai/receptionist
Access Google Voice Settings > "Account" > Click "+ New linked number"
Type in the First Hello app phone number and click "verify by phone"
Click "Call" button to start the process. Google Voice will call the First Hello app phone number and say the code.
Visit the First Hello Dashboard to view the call log: https://dashboard.firsthello.ai/calls It may take a minute for the recording and the transcript to be available. View the transcript or playback the recording to hear the code.
Type the code into the Google Voice settings to complete the linking process.
Make sure these two settings are kept "OFF" as shown below: "Screen calls" and "Show my Google Voice number as caller ID when forwarding calls" Both need to remain toggled off.
Now we will forward SMS. First we need to setup a forwarding rule for the Gmail account tied to your Google Voice number. Later we will setup a specific filter for this, but it helps to setup the forwarding rule first.

In Gmail, go to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > "Add a forwarding address" Add "[email protected]"

The First Hello team will verify this request asap, please wait for confirmation from the First Hello team before proceeding.
Enable "Forward messages to email" setting in Google Voice. Send a text message to your Google Voice number to test it out.
In your GMail account, find the test message that was just sent to you by Google Voice. Click the three dots > "Filter messages like these"
Set the "From" field to txt.voice.google.com so that it matches *all* incoming texts. Click Create Filter.
Set the rule to "Forward to" and select [email protected] from the list. (Note that if [email protected] is not in the list, we need to finish adding the address from the step above.)
You're done.

Messages received by Google Voice will be forwarded to your Gmail, which forwards to [email protected] for processing and replies.

2. Keep Your Existing Number - Porting

Transfer your existing business phone number to the First Hello telephony provider: Twilio.com

You maintain control of the phone number and pay small fees per-minute and per-message. Access all First Hello features and receive a discount on services provided since you are covering the costs of minutes and messages. Note that you will incur a small fee for starting the porting request and the whole process typically takes 1-2wks. You can maintain your current phone service during the process.

Please contact [email protected] to walk you through the steps.

3. Setup New "Quick Response" Number

Some clients use the First Hello number as a separately listed number on their website for "quick response." This is the simplest option but you will obviously still get calls/texts on your main line, this can just lessen the load and give clients more options to reach you. You might call this the "after hours hotline" or just the "texting number."

So in this scenario you would not change your existing phone number and you would list the new First Hello number on your website next to your main line.

4. Use First Hello Number as Primary Contact

You can use the First Hello number as your main business line. We can handle all calls and texts, and do call forwarding.

If you ever decide to stop working with First Hello, I can transfer the number back to you or the service of your choosing for a small fee, approximately $20 depending on the new carrier's fees.