Set the menu before you forward the number
Routing fails when the book is vague. On a nail salon floor, add gel versus fill, dip, acrylic, pedi, and the duration of each. A fill should not occupy a new-set block. A first acrylic should not land in a polish slot. On a lash studio floor, classic, hybrid, and volume are different skills and different lengths. AIVA books the duration you stored.
Then tag people. Gel, dip, acrylic, art, pedi — only the techs you mark can take that work. A guest who asks for nail art does not land on a pedi-only chair. If they name Tina and Tina is free and tagged, Tina gets the chair. If Tina is booked or not tagged for that service, AIVA says so and can offer someone who is, according to the policy you set in training. She does not invent a skill.
Deposits: your Stripe account, your amount
The booking page at bukkii.ai/online-booking says: connect Stripe in Settings, then turn deposits on per service or for the whole menu. That same page recommends $10–$20 on first-time bookings and states that this cuts no-shows by about 70% on new customers. We are quoting that page, not publishing a new study. It also says Stripe charges their standard 2.9% + 30¢ per deposit transaction — their fee, not a Bukkii markup and not a monthly plan fee.
The pricing compare (September 22, 2026) lists “No-show / AI deposit” on AI Receptionist, not as a reason to buy a POS. Use deposits on the long holds — a full set, a new lash set — if that is your rule. Leave a quick polish visit alone if you do not want a card to book it. The nail industry page says the same thing in setup: turn deposits on for long sets if you use them.
SMS: confirmation, then reminders
After the call, AIVA texts the appointment so you can glance between coats and the client has the time without calling back. The AI Receptionist plan includes 1,500 SMS and appointment reminders, then $0.035 per credit. Voice included is 100 minutes, then $0.35/min. Packs never expire. There is no second monthly plan for texts.
For lashes, the eyelash page says a fill reminder goes out at about 2.5 weeks by default, and you can change the window, with a one-tap rebook link. We will not pretend that same 2.5-week default is the nail cadence. Nail reminders are the appointment reminders on the plan, timed the way you set them. A separate tactics post, prevent salon no-shows, shows one sample cadence. Treat it as a pattern, and confirm the switches in your account before you promise a client a specific text.
A test call before you forward
- Services, durations, and tech skills saved.
- English greeting, deposit rule, and the policies AIVA may say after she books.
- Call the dedicated number that comes with setup. Ask for a gel fill with a named tech. Ask whether a full set needs a deposit. Ask for a pedi with someone who only does gel, and listen for the refusal.
- When it sounds like your shop, forward the public number.
AI Receptionist is $200 one-time. No monthly plan fee. No free trial. The line-item bill is on AI receptionist cost. An answering service that only takes a message never reaches this setup: the one that books. Get AIVA — $200 or hear her at (215) 791-6766.
Two offers: AIVA on the phone, Calendar on Google
Keep the POS you already run if you want it. Vagaro, Booksy, Square, Mangomint, Setmore, or a nail register can stay the checkout. Bukkii sells two layers next to that stack. Both are full offers.
AIVA — the phone layer — $200 one-time
AIVA is the AI receptionist for inbound calls. She answers the shop number, books the service, and texts the appointment. $200 one-time. No monthly plan fee. No free trial. Get AIVA — $200. Hear her at (215) 791-6766.
Calendar — the booking layer — $20/month
Calendar is the booking website plus Google Reserve — the Book Online button on Google Maps. $20/month. Unlimited staff. Unlimited customers. It does not answer the phone. Choose it when the public book and Google are what you need, and you are keeping the POS you already have. Get Calendar — $20/mo. Both cards are on pricing.
FAQ
How do I take a deposit with an AI receptionist?
Connect your Stripe account, then turn deposits on per service or for the whole menu. AIVA can ask for that deposit when the appointment is booked. The live booking page says Stripe’s standard charge is 2.9% + 30¢ per deposit transaction, which is Stripe’s fee. AI Receptionist itself is $200 one-time, not a monthly plan fee.
Does AIVA text reminders?
The AI Receptionist plan includes appointment reminders and 1,500 SMS, then $0.035 per SMS credit. After a booking she texts the appointment. On the lash page, a fill reminder defaults to about 2.5 weeks and you can change the window. We do not invent a separate reminder subscription.
How does tech routing work for a nail salon?
Tag each tech’s skills — gel, dip, acrylic, art, pedi — and AIVA only books techs marked for that work, or the named tech if they are free. She does not invent a skill you did not store.
Is the deposit a monthly fee?
No. A deposit is optional and goes through Stripe for the services you choose. AIVA is $200 one-time with no monthly plan fee and no free trial.
What does the Calendar plan cost?
Calendar is $20/month. It is the booking layer: a booking website plus Google Reserve, with unlimited staff and unlimited customers. It does not answer the phone. AIVA, the phone layer, is a separate $200 one-time payment with no free trial.