AI for SMEs and freelance professionals. The smart way not to miss opportunities.

Many times, what’s missing isn’t customers, but time; time to answer the phone, time for follow-ups, to return that call that came in just when you were with another client. But today this is something that can be changed. A small business can automate tasks and calls without making large investments. We’re talking about something very practical: systems capable of answering calls, responding to questions, and filtering clients without a person having to intervene.

AI is not just for big companies

Artificial intelligence is no longer a tool only for big companies; it is now also a lever for SMEs and freelance professionals who need to do more, but in a way they can afford. How many opportunities are you losing each week by not having AI working for you?

The problems of an SME often focus on customer service:

• Calls that come in while you’re busy.
• Customers who call outside business hours.
• Appointments that are not confirmed.
• Repetitive inquiries that consume time.

For this reason, AI connected to telephony fits perfectly into small businesses. Because it automates repetitive tasks and frees up time. In addition, its implementation does not require major development. Today there are VoIP solutions ready to use in a matter of minutes. Well-applied artificial intelligence means choosing not to miss calls and not to depend exclusively on your physical availability, and it is in SMEs where the impact of AI can be noticed most quickly.

Why can AI work very well for SMEs and freelance professionals?

AI in an SME can start generating results in a short time compared to a large company; that agility is a real advantage.

AI makes it possible to cover the gaps of a small business like those mentioned in the previous section: it answers calls when there is no availability, responds to inquiries outside business hours, can filter potential clients, and confirm appointments automatically. It’s not about replacing people; it’s about not depending solely on your availability. An AI-powered voice agent doesn’t get sick, doesn’t have working hours, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

And why could an SME compete with a large company?

Big companies have the advantage of offering permanent service with large sales teams and automated processes. But an SME can achieve this as well, through AI voice agents that can provide complete service and immediate response.

What can AI do for an SME and freelance professionals?

When a freelance professional or an SME considers implementing artificial intelligence, questions arise such as what AI can actually do for the business.

There are several things that can be highlighted about AI integrated into telephony for an SME. From conversation analytics and call transcriptions to virtual agents. A PBX telephone system offers all of this to users who join VoIP telephony.

The AI voice agent from Megacall is designed to cover the blind spots that generate silent losses for SMEs. It can answer calls outside business hours, when the business is closed or when the team is overloaded. It is not limited to taking a message; it can maintain a structured conversation with the appropriate knowledge base. It understands the reason for the call and answers frequently asked questions.

Answering calls outside business hours

One of the biggest areas to strengthen is availability. A business has set hours, but customers do not, and SMEs need to find a way to cover these times. Through the Megacall PBX, it is possible to set schedules on an extension (AI agent) so that the AI can answer calls both outside of business hours and on holidays. This allows the business to remain operational 24/7, and for a small business or self-employed professional, this means no longer losing customers simply because they cannot answer the phone at that moment.

Reducing team interruptions

The virtual agent can identify the reason for the call, detect whether it is an urgent matter, a new client, or a basic inquiry, and act accordingly. If the situation requires it, the call is transferred to the appropriate person. If not, the inquiry is resolved directly without interrupting the team.

From the Megacall PBX’s AI Studio panel, it is possible to define a transfer route for the AI agent based on different scenarios, for example, transferring to a specific person, another agent, or a predefined scenario.

In practice, this means that for SMEs, constant interruptions are reduced because calls reaching the human team are already filtered.

Expanding into other markets

Many SMEs and freelance professionals have the potential to work with international clients, but language can sometimes be a barrier. It is always beneficial to have staff who speak multiple languages, but finding such personnel can be difficult and costly.

This is why AI solutions like virtual agents are ideal for addressing these challenges, as they can handle calls in different languages. They can maintain fluid conversations and explain services using the information provided to the AI agent.

For businesses in the tourism sector, this is essential to provide complete service to foreign clients. For an SME, it also means the ability to grow beyond its local market without the traditional costs of expansion.

Handling multiple calls simultaneously

Sometimes businesses accept that only one call can be handled at a time, and this is true when we talk about human operators. But when it comes to AI, voice agents powered by artificial intelligence can handle multiple calls simultaneously. For an SME, this means that campaign periods or promotions no longer pose a risk, as the business can absorb the increased call volume.

It also improves the customer experience, since immediacy conveys professionalism, and when someone calls and is attended to instantly, it is highly valued.

An AI agent can manage multiple conversations at the same time. This eliminates busy signals, waiting times, and clients hanging up out of frustration. During high-demand periods -campaigns, peak seasons, or sudden spikes- this functionality is extremely useful for managing calls.

In the case of Megacall, the AI agent settings allow you to set the number of simultaneous calls, the total calls per day, and even the maximum duration of each conversation.

Providing services aligned with the business’s values

The usefulness of AI will always depend on the quality of the information it uses. That is why it is essential to work from a knowledge base adapted to the business, such as a website, policies, or relevant documents.

The AI agent is configured with real services, processes, schedules, conditions, and frequently asked questions defined by the company. This allows an SME or self-employed professional to have a voice agent that provides coherent responses aligned with the business. Instead of giving generic information, it can explain how a service works, what documentation is required, or even the steps to contract a service.

From the Megacall PBX, uploading this information is very easy, you simply add it in the Knowledge Base section, either via a link, a document, or directly as text.

Turning conversations into useful information

An AI-powered voice agent can automatically record every conversation: who called, when, and the reason for the call, among other details. For an SME, this primarily means continuity, as returning customers already have a real context. Additionally, it enables customer follow-up, allowing the business to view call transcriptions and turn that information into opportunities. For a small business, this is a way to personalize call management without improvising, while starting to build a real database.

To view conversation transcriptions and call durations from Megacall’s AI agent, simply go to the Call History section in the AI panel.

Other AI-powered tools for SMEs and freelance professionals

In addition to AI agents -the newest feature from Megacall- a PBX system can include other AI-powered tools that are equally useful and can help an SME grow its business.

At Megacall, for example, we can highlight the functionalities of call analytics and call transcriptions.

Speech analytics and call transcriptions

For freelance professionals and SMEs -and any type of business- the ability to have call metrics at their fingertips allows them to adjust schedules, improve resources, and even identify opportunities for improvement.

For example, from the Megacall PBX, you can access the dictionary feature which, by filtering words or phrases, lets you know what is selling best, what is failing, who is not providing good service, if any agent is ignoring company policies, and more.

All of this is made possible thanks to call transcriptions and voice recognition powered by advanced artificial intelligence, which can adapt to different conversation intonations to ensure accurate call transcriptions.

How to start using AI for SMEs and freelance professionals

Implementing artificial intelligence in a business does not mean transforming the entire company. In reality, the best approach is to introduce it gradually. For example, start with telephony; phone calls, inquiries, or appointment management are necessary tasks, but they shouldn’t take up the professional’s main time.

This is where a system like Megacall fits perfectly. The key is to understand that AI is implemented for the continuous improvement of the business, where AI grows, the business grows.

To start using AI in a company, it is necessary to find a provider that best suits SMEs, since today there is a wide variety of virtual PBX systems, but many are not the best option for startups, small businesses, or freelance professionals.

With Megacall’s PBX, however, there are just 5 simple steps:

1. Create your account on Megacall.
2. Choose a virtual number from over 100 countries available.
3. Activate your PBX. Here you will already have access to all the features of Megacall’s virtual PBX.
4. Create your AI agent directly from the PBX.

Megacall also offers different plans to fit each business. For SMEs, it is ideal to start with the standard plan, which is the most popular among small businesses. You only pay for the number, and it includes 100 free minutes in 5 countries for 5 users. For the AI agent, the cost is usage-based, starting at €0.07/min, making it one of the most affordable options on the market.