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AI receptionist for pilates studios: cost per call, setup and a sample script

What an AI phone agent built on HighLevel Voice AI costs a Pilates studio, what it should and should not handle, and how a call sounds.

By Zaib Khan Prices checked against official pages Updated

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  • Answers, books and texts 24/7
  • Pay per use or $97 flat per business
  • Hands off to staff by transfer or task
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The short answer

An AI receptionist for pilates studios built on HighLevel Voice AI costs about $0.20 per answered call, or $29 a month for 140 calls averaging 2.5 minutes, phone line included. Roughly 42 of those calls (30%) would come outside office hours, which is where an AI answering service earns its keep. Emergencies, complaints and anything needing judgment should go to a person.

What the AI should handle

Book an intro private

Checks instructor availability, books the intro private, and texts the client the grip sock requirement, parking directions and the cancellation policy.

Explain reformer versus mat

Describes how reformer classes use spring-loaded machines with limited spots while mat classes need no equipment, and suggests where a newcomer should begin.

Handle cancellations

Cancels or moves a booking, says whether it falls inside the late cancellation window, and texts the confirmation.

Take waitlist requests

Notes the class a caller wants, tags them for that time slot so they receive the next open spot text, and offers the nearest class with space.

What to send to a person

  • Clients recovering from surgery or injury asking what is safe
  • Pregnancy and postpartum questions
  • Disputes over late cancellation fees
  • Private session packages for clients referred by a physical therapist

HighLevel's voice agents can transfer a live call, create a task, or trigger a workflow that texts the owner. Set the handoff rules before the agent goes live.

Cost per call and per month

Assumptions for a typical Pilates studio: 140 calls a month answered by the AI, averaging 2.5 minutes. Phone minutes are billed per call and rounded up, so each call bills 3 phone minutes at $0.01165.

Setup AI cost Phone line Per month Per call
Pay per use, Standard voice, GPT-4.1 Mini $23.80 $4.89 $29 $0.20
Pay per use, ElevenLabs voice, GPT-4.1 Mini $30.80 $4.89 $36 $0.25
Pay per use, speech-to-speech (OpenAI) $70.00 $4.89 $75 $0.53
AI Employee Unlimited, $97 flat $97.00 $4.89 $102 $0.73
Our estimate from HighLevel's published rates, checked 2026-09-29. Token use is estimated. Highlighted row is the cheapest at this volume.

The breakdown of every Voice AI charge is in our Voice AI pricing guide. Agencies can price this as a monthly service with the calculator's Price a client tab, preloaded for a Pilates studio.

Compared with staff time

Those 140 calls take about 6 hours of talk time a month. At the US median receptionist wage of $18.27 an hour (May 2025, Bureau of Labor Statistics), that talk time alone is worth about $107, before hold time, breaks, benefits and the calls that come in after hours. An AI receptionist does not replace a good front desk; it catches the overflow and the evenings, and frees staff for the people in front of them.

Sample call

Example AI receptionist call for a Pilates studioIllustration

AI AGENTHello, Core and Spring Pilates. I'm the studio's AI assistant. How can I help?

CALLERI want to try reformer classes, but I've never done Pilates.

AI AGENTWelcome. New clients start with a one-on-one intro private so an instructor can show you the reformer and its settings. After that you can join any Level 1 group class. Would you like to book one?

CALLERYes. Do I need special socks?

AI AGENTYes, grip socks are required on the reformers, and the front desk sells them if you don't have a pair. I have intro privates Thursday at 11 am or Friday at 4 pm.

CALLERFriday at 4.

AI AGENTBooked. Please arrive ten minutes early. Cancellations less than 12 hours ahead are charged, and I'm texting you all of this now.

CALLERThanks, that's clear.

Prompt tips

  1. Tip 1Spell out which classes need an intro private first, so the agent never books a brand-new client into a Level 2 reformer class.
  2. Tip 2Give the late cancellation window and fee as exact numbers, since callers often ask in the middle of rescheduling.
  3. Tip 3List the words that should trigger a handoff to an instructor, such as surgery, pregnant, postpartum, herniated or sciatica.

Rules to watch

Health questions stay with instructors. Pilates studios hear about back pain, pelvic floor issues and surgery recovery constantly. The AI should not give health guidance, and FTC guidance requires ad claims to be truthful and evidence-based, so keep phrases like 'fixes back pain' out of scripts, ads and texts.

Outbound AI calls need consent. If the studio uses Voice AI to call leads, the FCC ruled in February 2024 that AI-generated voices are artificial voices under the TCPA. Those calls need the person's prior express consent, and written consent for telemarketing, so put that wording on the intro offer form.

General information, not legal advice.

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Questions

Can an AI receptionist fill last-minute reformer openings?
Partly. When a caller asks for a full class, the AI can tag them for that slot and offer the nearest opening. The fastest fill still comes from a workflow that texts the tagged group when a spot opens. Outbound AI calls are possible too, within HighLevel's 8 am to 8 pm window and with consent.
What does an AI receptionist cost a Pilates studio?
We assume 140 calls a month at two and a half minutes. On pay per use, the voice engine plus a standard OpenAI or Cartesia voice costs about $21, and inbound phone minutes add about $4.90 because each call rounds up to three minutes. AI model tokens come on top of both.
Should the AI enforce late cancellation fees?
It should state the policy clearly and log when the cancellation came in, not argue. Anyone disputing a fee, or asking for an exception after an emergency, should go to the studio manager. Having the AI repeat the same policy on every call takes the awkward part of the conversation away from instructors.
How does the AI handle callers asking if Pilates will fix their back?
The prompt should have it explain what classes involve and suggest an intro private, where an instructor can learn about the issue in person. It should not promise results or give medical advice. If the caller mentions recent surgery, the AI takes their details for an instructor to call back.

Sources

  1. HighLevel pricing
  2. HighLevel AI product pricing
  3. HighLevel AI voice agents overview
  4. HighLevel class booking calendar guide
  5. HighLevel Voice AI outbound calling
  6. FCC Declaratory Ruling on AI-generated voices (FCC 24-17)
  7. FTC: Advertising and marketing basics
  8. HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
  9. AI Voice Agents overview
  10. HighLevel Phone System pricing and billing guide
  11. BLS Occupational Outlook: Receptionists (May 2025 pay)

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