Nail first, because that is the call
Generic “AI receptionist for small business” pages talk about qualifying leads. A nail salon does not have leads. It has a chair, a duration, and a person who asked for Linh. If the software cannot tell a fill from a full set, it will double-book Monday and you will find out at the table.
AIVA is trained for that menu. She answers the shop number, books the service, and texts the time. $200 one-time. No monthly plan fee. No free trial. The industry page with the floor setup is nail salons. The product hub is AIVA.
A fill call, without the diagram
- The line rings during a set. Nobody can pick up. She still answers. The wet-hands version of this hour is phone during a nail service.
- She hears gel or dip, fill or full set, and whether a specific tech was requested.
- She checks that tech’s calendar for the real duration. An open name with the wrong length is still a double book.
- She confirms by voice and by SMS. You see the booking when you look up.
After close, the same loop books Monday. After-hours nail salon calls is that shift. A solo tech with no one else in the shop: solo salon phone and calendar.
Full sets, deposits, and the text
A polish change and a full acrylic set should not follow the same no-show rule. You can require an optional deposit through your own Stripe account on the long services and leave a quick visit alone. That deposit is Stripe’s charge, not a Bukkii monthly fee. The steps are on deposits, SMS, and skill routing.
Owners who answer clients in English and run the floor in Vietnamese can read English on the phone for Vietnamese-owned shops. The caller still needs a clear confirmation. The text is that confirmation.
Keep the POS the floor already knows
AIVA does not replace SimplePOS, Vagaro, Booksy, Setmore, or Mangomint. Checkout stays on the register. We do not claim a native webhook into those systems. The phone is a layer next to them: keep Vagaro or Booksy and keep your nail salon POS.
Hair, lash, and spa after the nail menu works
The same phone books a color, a lash fill, or a massage once those services and durations are in the menu. Start with nails if that is the chair that rings. The other floors: hair, lashes, massage and spa. How the loop runs, in salon language: how AI receptionists work.
Price, in one place
Do not buy a monthly human desk by accident while you were shopping a nail phone. Public entry prices on September 22, 2026 start at $300/month on Smith’s human Starter and $250/month on Ruby. Those write-ups are Smith and Ruby. The comparison table is virtual receptionist pricing.
Two offers: the phone, or the book
AIVA — $200 one-time
AIVA is the phone. She answers the shop line, books gel, dip, fill, acrylic, and the rest of the menu, and texts the appointment. $200 one-time. No monthly plan fee. No free trial. Included on that payment: a dedicated number, training, calendar setup, forwarding, 100 voice minutes, and 1,500 SMS. After that, usage is $0.35/min voice and $0.035 per SMS. Get AIVA — $200.
Calendar — $20/month
Calendar is the booking website plus Google Reserve. $20/month. Unlimited staff. Unlimited customers. It does not answer the phone. Get Calendar — $20/mo. Both cards are on pricing.
Get AIVA — $200 for the nail line. Get Calendar — $20/mo if you only need the booking site and Google Reserve. Hear her at (215) 791-6766.
FAQ
What is an AI receptionist for a nail salon?
It is a phone layer that answers the shop line, understands services such as gel, dip, fill, acrylic, and pedicure, writes the live calendar, and texts the booking. AIVA does that job for $200 one-time. It is not a press-1 menu and it is not a POS replacement.
Can it tell a fill from a full set?
Yes. Duration is the inventory. A fill and a full set do not take the same chair time, and the booking has to respect that or Monday has two people in one seat.
How much is it for a nail salon?
AIVA is $200 one-time. No monthly plan fee. No free trial. Unlimited staff. Included: dedicated number, training, calendar setup, forwarding, 100 voice minutes, and 1,500 SMS. Extra usage is $0.35/min voice and $0.035 per SMS.
What if I only want Google booking and not the phone?
Calendar is $20/month. Unlimited staff. Unlimited customers. Booking website and Google Reserve. It does not answer the phone. AIVA is the separate $200 one-time phone.
Can the call take a deposit on a full set?
You can turn on optional deposits through your own Stripe account, per service or for the whole menu. The deposit is not a Bukkii monthly fee. AI Receptionist itself is $200 one-time.