Security and data handling
A receptionist hears names, phone numbers, addresses and sometimes why someone is unwell. This page says what happens to that, and what we cannot claim.
What a call leaves behind
| Data | Why it exists | Your control |
|---|---|---|
| Caller's phone number | So you can call back, and so repeat callers are recognized. | Delete a call and it goes with it. |
| Transcript | The record you act on the next morning. | Set a retention period, or delete individual calls. |
| Audio recording | For the calls where a transcript reads oddly. | Off by default. Turn it on with a disclosure setting. |
| Name and details the caller gave | To book the appointment and attach it to the calendar entry. | Deleted with the call. |
| What you typed during setup | Your hours, services and answers. This is what the assistant knows. | Edit or remove at any time. |
Turning the assistant off stops new calls being answered. It does not delete what is already stored, so if you are leaving, delete the data deliberately rather than assuming cancellation does it.
The questions worth asking any vendor here
Including us. If a supplier cannot answer these plainly, that is the answer.
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which subprocessors touch the call? | A voice assistant is a chain: the telephony carrier, speech-to-text, a language model, then voice synthesis. Each is a separate company hearing your caller. |
| Where is the data stored, and for how long? | Retention you cannot set is retention you cannot explain to a customer who asks. |
| Who at the vendor can read a transcript? | Support access is normal. Unlogged support access is not. |
| Is the audio used to train anything? | Ask explicitly rather than reading it from a policy page. |
| What happens to the data if I leave? | Export and deletion should both be things you can do yourself. |
What we do not hold
Common questions
Are calls recorded?
Only if you switch recording on. It is off by default, and when you turn it on you get a disclosure setting to go with it, because several states require every party to consent to a recorded call.
How long is a transcript kept?
For the retention period you set. Pick one deliberately rather than leaving the default, and make it match whatever you tell customers.
Can I delete a single call?
Yes, and that removes the transcript, any recording and the caller details attached to it.
Do you use my calls to train models?
Your call data is used to run the service you are paying for. If that changes, it would be a change to the terms and you would be told.
Can I get my data out?
Yes. Transcripts and call records export, and you should test that early rather than discovering it matters on the day you leave.
Ask us the awkward ones
Send the compliance questions before you send the contract.