AI Receptionist for executive search firms
An executive search brief shared with another firm first is a fee you will not recover.
Ava is the AI receptionist for executive search firms that answers every partner-level enquiry, captures the assignment brief discreetly, and books your callback before the referral goes to another firm.
A single missed executive search retainer costs £15,000–£80,000 per assignment. These high-trust, high-value referrals expect an immediate professional response — and will not leave a second voicemail.
The short answer
- £15,000–£80,000 per retained assignment — a single missed referral call can forfeit a six-figure annual client relationship.
- Partner-level tone trained in from the first ring, matching the expectations of CEOs, chairs, and board-level callers.
- Sensitive briefings captured with minimal probing — caller name, company, role nature and preferred callback time.
- Partner routing by specialism routes CFO searches to finance practice, board appointments to governance practice.
- 48-hour go-live gets Ava trained on your firm's positioning and partner areas before the next referral arrives.
The problem
A group CEO calls to discuss a sensitive CFO succession. They have been referred to your firm by a mutual contact. You are in a briefing meeting. The call goes to voicemail. They feel the firm is not available at the right level and call the next firm on the recommendation list.
What Ava does
Ava answers every inbound executive search call with a tone that matches your firm's positioning, captures the nature of the brief or enquiry, and books a partner-level callback or introductory call at the earliest opportunity.
An executive search retainer is worth £15,000–£80,000 per assignment. These clients expect to reach a professional response — not a generic voicemail. One missed call can forfeit a relationship worth a six-figure annual fee.
How does Ava handle an executive search enquiry?
Ava answers with a measured, professional tone, captures the caller's name, company, the nature of the assignment, how they were referred, and their preferred time for a partner callback, then routes the enquiry to the appropriate practice lead. She never presses for sensitive detail the partner should hear directly.
Executive search clients are evaluating the firm from the first call. A warm referral that reaches a professional, calm response confirms their adviser made the right recommendation. A voicemail or generic answering service raises doubts before the first partner conversation has happened.
Ava captures what the partner needs to prepare: who the caller is, what the assignment is at a high level, who referred them, and when they want a callback. The sensitive commercial detail — succession context, board dynamics, restructuring rationale — is for the partner conversation, not the booking call.
Every executive search enquiry writes into Invenias or your CRM with caller name, company, assignment nature and partner routing, so the practice lead reviews the brief before calling back, rather than approaching the conversation cold.
Why does tone matter so much for executive search call handling?
C-suite and board-level callers are accustomed to being treated as principals, not callers. A generic answering tone, a long hold, or an AI that sounds mechanical will end the call before a brief is given. Ava's tone is trained to reflect your firm's positioning and the seniority of the clients you serve.
Executive search is a relationship business at the highest level. Partners who work at this level have built their practices on discretion, judgment, and trust. The first touchpoint — the person or system that answers the phone — signals all three. A firm that cannot answer a call professionally is not the firm a group CEO trusts with a sensitive board appointment.
Referrals are the primary source of executive search mandates. A referred client who reaches a mediocre first response is less likely to proceed than one whose experience confirms the strength of the recommendation. Ava protects the referral channel by ensuring the first impression matches the expectation the referrer has set.
The candidates approached through the search process also call the firm. A CEO who is being discreetly approached for a board role calls the search firm's number. That conversation must be handled with the same professional discretion as a client brief, because the candidate may be a future client.
£15,000–£80,000
Typical retainer fee per executive search assignment
Figures already used in this page; UK executive search industry estimate
Referral
Primary source of executive search mandates — first impression must match the referrer's recommendation
UK executive search industry observation
C-suite
Level at which executive search clients call — they do not leave voicemails and do not call back
UK executive search industry observation
The difference
Voicemail takes a message. Ava books the appointment.
What callers ring about
Every executive search call, handled.
- CFO and C-suite succession briefings
- Retained assignment enquiries
- Board-level and NED appointment calls
- Confidential restructuring role briefings
Hear it in action
This is what your callers hear.
- Good afternoon, Meridian Executive Search — how can I help?
- I was referred to your firm by James Thornton. I'm the CEO of a mid-market PE-backed business and we need to discuss a CFO succession.
- Thank you — James has mentioned your firm. I'll make sure the right partner calls you back today. Can I take your name and the best number to reach you, and whether you'd prefer morning or afternoon?
- I'm Richard Hallett. Mobile is best. This afternoon works.
- I'll ensure the finance practice partner calls you this afternoon, Mr Hallett. Thank you for reaching out.
Before you choose
What to look for in an AI receptionist for executive search.
Tone calibration
Executive search clients are senior. The receptionist tone must match that seniority — measured, professional, never hurried or generic. Test it with a C-suite scenario before committing.
Minimum brief capture
Caller name, company, role nature and preferred callback time is what the partner needs. Confirm the system captures these without pressing for detail the client is not ready to share on a first call.
Partner routing by practice
CFO searches, board appointments, and technology mandates have different practice leads. Confirm the routing is configured by specialism.
Invenias or CRM integration
The brief must write into Invenias, Vincere or Bullhorn against the correct company record so the partner prepares from a complete picture.
Common questions
Everything you’re wondering.
Does Ava's tone match the expectation of C-suite and board-level callers?
Yes. Ava is trained to a professional, measured tone that reflects your firm's positioning. She never sounds like a generic answering service.
What information does Ava capture from an executive search enquiry?
Caller name and company, the nature of the assignment (role title, level, sensitivity), how they were referred to the firm, their preferred timeline for an introductory conversation, and a direct contact number for the partner callback.
Can Ava handle sensitive and confidential briefings appropriately?
Yes. Ava captures the nature of the enquiry without pressing for detail beyond what is needed to book the partner callback. Confidential restructuring, board succession, and CEO transition calls are handled with appropriate discretion.
Can Ava route calls to different partners based on sector or role type?
Yes. Ava is trained on your partner areas of specialism and routes CFO searches to your finance practice lead, board appointments to your governance partner, and technology searches to your technology practice, for example.
Does Ava give any guidance on the search process or fees?
No. Ava captures the brief and books the partner callback. All discussion of the search process, methodology, retainer structure, and fees is for the partner conversation.
How quickly can Ava go live for our executive search firm?
Typically within 48 hours. We train her on your partner routing, firm positioning, and call handling tone before she goes live.
Does Ava integrate with executive search CRM software?
Yes. Ava integrates with Bullhorn, Invenias and Vincere, logging the enquiry with caller name, company, role nature and partner routing so the partner prepares for the callback correctly.
Can Ava handle calls from candidates approached through the search process?
Yes. Candidate calls are captured with appropriate sensitivity — role interest, availability and contact details — and routed to the relevant research or delivery team.
Pricing
Ava pays for herself on call one.
An executive search retainer is worth £15,000–£80,000 per assignment. These clients expect to reach a professional response — not a generic voicemail. One missed call can forfeit a relationship worth a six-figure annual fee. Plans from £397/mo. One recovered job a month covers it — everything else is pure upside.
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