This non-technical roadmap shows Shepherd users how to integrate a Voice AI receptionist to capture bookings, answer after-hours calls, handle multiple callers simultaneously with no hold times, and reduce no-shows — plus what to prepare and expected results. Book a free 20-minute discovery.

What it means to integrate a Voice AI Receptionist with Shepherd

When you integrate a Voice AI receptionist with Shepherd, incoming calls (including after-hours) are answered instantly by the AI, which checks real-time availability in your Shepherd calendar, confirms an appropriate slot with the caller, and writes the new appointment back into Shepherd. The system can also trigger SMS/email confirmations and reminders so clients get automatic updates without extra staff work.

• Booking flow: availability lookup in Shepherd → confirm slot with caller → create appointment in Shepherd (with source tag).

• Reschedule / cancel flow: locate existing appointment by phone number or appointment ID → update or cancel the booking in Shepherd.

• Reminders & follow-ups: automated SMS/email reminders and post-visit follow-ups sent via Shepherd or your linked messaging provider.

Automated vs. escalation: routine tasks—booking, rescheduling, reminders, basic intake—are handled automatically. The AI escalates to staff for clinical triage, complex medical questions, payment disputes, or when a caller specifically requests a person.

How integrating voice AI with Shepherd drives revenue and saves staff time

Integrating a Voice AI receptionist with Shepherd turns missed calls into measurable business outcomes. The AI captures after-hours and overflow calls, triages urgent requests into Shepherd as tickets or provisional appointments, and answers multiple callers at once so no one waits on hold. That reduces lost bookings, lowers receptionist workload, and improves client satisfaction — all without adding headcount.

• After-hours capture & triage: Calls outside business hours are logged into Shepherd as tickets or tentative appointments so you don’t miss late-night booking requests or urgent triage needs.

• Answer multiple calls at once — no hold times: The AI can handle concurrent callers, eliminating queues and reducing abandoned calls and missed opportunities.

• Staff-hours reclaimed & fewer no-shows: Automated booking, confirmations and Shepherd reminders cut routine admin. Example impacts (illustrative):

  • Single-vet clinic: ~25 calls/day → booking uplift ≈ 10–20% and 8–12 receptionist hours saved/week.

  • Multi-vet clinic (3+ vets): ~80 calls/day → booking uplift ≈ 15–30% and 25–50 hours saved/week.

  • No-show reduction: automated reminders commonly cut no-shows by ~15–40%, recovering appointment revenue and improving schedule reliability.

Will integrating with Shepherd work for your current setup? (what connects)

Yes — for most Shepherd users the integration is straightforward. After Peak Demand connects your Voice AI to Shepherd (sandbox first, then production), owners will see new, clearly labeled entries in Shepherd so nothing gets lost: appointments created by the AI include a source tag, call notes summarize the interaction, and deposit flags show whether a token/payment link was issued or completed. After-hours calls are marked with an “after-hours” source; simultaneous calls handled by the AI appear as separate, time-stamped records so your team can review each interaction without confusion.

• Dashboard changes you’ll see: new appointment source tag (e.g., “Voice AI”), concise call notes/transcript summary, deposit/payment flags, and an after-hours source marker.

• Messaging & notification touchpoints: confirmations, SMS reminders, and follow-ups are sent either via Shepherd’s built-in messaging or your linked SMS/email provider (configurable).

• Pre-req checklist (what Peak Demand will ask for):

  • Shepherd admin/API access (sandbox & production)

  • Export/list of services & operating hours in Shepherd

  • Deposit rules and preferred payment provider/token flow

  • Shepherd sandbox credentials for early testing

Who should integrate a voice AI with Shepherd? Real business use cases

Short owner-facing intro: Ready-to-publish one-line use cases Shepherd customers can scan to see if Voice AI fits their operation — each line shows the core benefit and where after-hours or multi-call handling is especially valuable.

• Small veterinary clinic — routine appointment booking and post-visit follow-up.

• Animal hospital — ER triage intake and multi-provider scheduling, ideal for high call volumes and after-hours triage.

• Pet groomer — multi-pet appointments, recurring bookings, and automated reminders.

• Mobile vet — route-aware scheduling and on-the-road confirmations for appointments.

• Specialty clinics (dentistry/derm/ortho) — specialist scheduling, pre-visit intake, and prep instructions.

• Shelter / adoption clinics — mass clinic sign-ups, vaccination drive registrations, and follow-ups.

• Boarding / daycare — check-in/out scheduling, capacity management, and deposit handling.

• Multi-location groups — centralized call capture, simultaneous call handling, and local Shepherd writebacks.

How the customer experience changes after you integrate (3 real call scripts)

After integration, callers get instant, human-sounding responses with no hold times — and multiple callers are served at once. The AI confirms availability in Shepherd on the fly, creates or updates the appointment, and immediately sends confirmation or a deposit link when required. Below are three TTS-ready scripts you can use as-is.

Script 1 — Book

1. Hi — thanks for calling [Clinic Name]. I’m the virtual receptionist. May I have your name and your pet’s name?

2. Great — what service do you need (exam, vaccine, grooming, other)?

3. Which provider or date do you prefer, or should I find the next available slot?

4. I see an opening on [date/time]. Would that work for you?

5. Perfect — I’ll save that now in your Shepherd calendar.

6. If your clinic requires a deposit, I’ll send a secure payment link to [phone/email] now. You’ll get a confirmation shortly.

Script 2 — Reschedule

1. Hi — I can help reschedule. Can you confirm the phone number on the appointment or your appointment ID?

2. Thanks — I found your booking for [date/time] with [vet]. Would you like a different day or time?

3. Here are the next available options: [option 1], [option 2], [option 3]. Which works best?

4. Got it — I’ll update that in Shepherd now and send the new confirmation.

5. Anything else we should note about your pet before the visit?

6. All set — new confirmation sent.

Script 3 — Cancel

1. I can cancel that for you — may I have the phone number or appointment ID?

2. I see your booking on [date/time] with [vet]. Do you want to cancel entirely or reschedule?

3. Confirming cancellation now in Shepherd.

4. If you paid a deposit, our refund policy is [brief policy]; we’ll start the refund and notify you.

5. Would you like me to offer alternative dates if you want to rebook?

6. Cancellation complete — you’ll receive a confirmation message shortly.

Tone & speed note: Use a calm, warm, conversational voice. Suggested WPM: 150–160 for routine calls; slightly higher cadence for urgent triage (170–180 WPM) and include a prompt to transfer to staff immediately for clinical emergencies.

Step-by-step: What integrating with Shepherd looks like (owner checklist)

This non-technical checklist shows exactly what Peak Demand will need and the simple 4-step timeline for integrating Voice AI with Shepherd — including the tests we run for after-hours handling and simultaneous-call scenarios so you know the launch is reliable.

What Peak Demand will ask you to provide (owner checklist):

• Shepherd admin / API access (sandbox & production credentials).

• Export or list of services, appointment types, and operating hours in Shepherd.

• Staff roster with roles (who accepts transfers, who receives alerts).

• Deposit rules and preferred payment provider/token flow.

• A test phone number we can use for live validation.

4-step timeline (owner-friendly):

1. Discovery (3–7 days): Kickoff call, scope, collect Shepherd access and service list.

2. Prototype (5–10 days): Build a small pilot in Shepherd sandbox and wire basic booking flows.

3. Test (7–14 days): Live tests including after-hours scenarios, deposit link flows, and simultaneous-call/load tests to confirm no hold times and proper Shepherd writebacks. Iterate as needed.

4. Launch (1–3 days): Move to production Shepherd instance, final validation, and go-live with monitoring and 30-day support.

Typical budget range to integrate a Voice AI with Shepherd (example bands + timelines)

Below are three non-technical budget bands tailored to Shepherd users. These describe scope and timelines so owners can pick the right level—note that pilot work always includes after-hours and multi-call (concurrency) testing to confirm there are no hold times.

• Prototype / Test (Pilot) — Quick Shepherd sandbox demo + validation

  • Scope: basic booking, reschedule, cancel flows wired to Shepherd sandbox; deposit link flow proof; after-hours & simultaneous-call load tests.

  • Timeline: 1–3 weeks.

  • Ideal for: single-location clinics wanting a fast proof-of-value before committing.

• Production (Standard Launch) — Full Shepherd integration for day-to-day operations

  • Scope: production OAuth/webhook setup, phone number provisioning, deposit/token flow, full appointment writebacks, SMS/email confirmations, staff transfer rules.

  • Timeline: 4–8 weeks.

  • Ideal for: clinics wanting a complete, supported launch with monitoring.

• Enterprise (Multi-location / Custom) — Scaled integration with custom reporting & SLAs

  • Scope: multi-location rollouts, custom post-call reporting, SSO/advanced security, higher SLAs, custom routing and analytics. Includes extended QA and concurrency validation.

  • Timeline: 8–14 weeks.

  • Ideal for: hospital groups, clinic chains, or operations requiring bespoke workflows.

Integrating payments and deposits with Shepherd — what owners need to know

Accepting deposits cuts no-shows and protects your schedule — and with Shepherd you can do this safely without collecting raw card data over the phone. Peak Demand recommends using secure payment links or a tokenization flow so callers never speak card numbers aloud; the payment occurs outside the call and Shepherd stores only a token or a record that a deposit was taken.

• Why deposits help: reduce last-minute cancellations, recover lost revenue, and improve schedule reliability; common owner-friendly policies are a small flat fee or a percentage hold for higher-value services.

• Tokenization flow (owner-friendly): AI sends a secure payment link → owner/guest completes payment on a secure page → Shepherd receives a payment token or deposit record and links it to the appointment. The call itself never contains raw card details.

• Refunds & disputes: refunds are recorded in Shepherd against the appointment; staff handle disputes via the Shepherd refund workflow and payment provider dashboard, with notes logged on the appointment for audit.

What you don’t have to worry about when you integrate (privacy, recordings, refunds)

Integrating Voice AI with Shepherd keeps privacy and payment safety front-and-center. Calls are consented and logged, no raw card data is captured on voice channels, and Shepherd records refunds and dispute notes against the appointment so your team has a clear audit trail. After-hours and simultaneous-call handling follow the same consent, logging, and retention rules as daytime calls.

• Owner-facing consent script (use at call start): “This call may be recorded to help manage your appointment and improve service. Do I have your permission to proceed?”

• Retention & access (suggested): store raw recordings for 30 days, searchable transcripts for 90 days, and appointment records indefinitely; apply role-based access in Shepherd (receptionists = limited, managers = full, auditors = read-only).

• Refunds & disputes: refunds are initiated in your payment provider and logged in Shepherd against the appointment; staff notes and dispute status are attached to the record for clear follow-up and audits.

How Peak Demand will integrate and manage everything for you (we handle the dev work)

Peak Demand runs the full Shepherd integration end-to-end so your team can stay focused on patients. We lead discovery, build a Shepherd sandbox prototype, connect via OAuth/webhooks, and run live validation — including simultaneous-call (load) tests and after-hours scenarios — before moving to production. After go-live we monitor performance and provide 30 days of support to iron out any issues.

Our process (owner-friendly):

1. Discovery: scope, goals, Shepherd access collection, and success metrics.

2. Sandbox prototype: wire booking, reschedule, cancel, reminders, and deposit flows in Shepherd’s demo environment.

3. OAuth / webhook setup: secure production connection and authentication to Shepherd.

4. Test calls: live tests with staff — including after-hours validation and concurrent-call/load testing to confirm no hold times.

5. Go-live & monitoring: launch to production, monitor key signals, and triage any issues.

6. 30-day support: tuning, reporting, and follow-up adjustments.

Exact deliverables you’ll receive:

• AI Voice Agent Setup and Customization

• Dedicated Phone Number Management

• Custom Data Extraction

• Custom Post-Call Reporting

• OAuth/webhook connection to Shepherd

• Post-launch performance report

Integrate Voice AI with Shepherd — FAQ for Shepherd Users (Veterinary & Pet Services)

Q: How much does integration cost?
A: Costs vary by scope. Expect a pilot band for sandbox proof-of-value, a production band for full launch, and an enterprise band for multi-location rollouts. We’ll propose a tailored quote after a short discovery.

Q: Which Shepherd subscription or API access is required?
A: You’ll need Shepherd admin access and API credentials (sandbox & production). Peak Demand will guide you through requesting the right Shepherd permissions during discovery.

Q: Will the AI sound like our receptionist?
A: Yes. We use natural TTS voices and tune tone, pacing, and local phrasing to match your clinic’s voice for a friendly, professional experience.

Q: Can the AI transfer urgent calls to staff or on-call vets?
A: Absolutely — the AI follows your escalation rules and can transfer calls, page on-call staff, or flag urgent tickets in Shepherd for immediate human follow-up.

Q: Will the AI answer multiple calls at once? Are there hold times?
A: The AI can handle concurrent callers, eliminating hold queues. Each call is logged separately in Shepherd so no interactions are missed.

Q: How are deposits handled in Shepherd?
A: We use payment links or tokenization so card data isn’t collected on calls. Shepherd records the deposit token or payment status against the appointment for reconciliation and refunds.

Q: How long until we launch on Shepherd?
A: Typical timelines: pilot 1–3 weeks, production 4–8 weeks, enterprise 8–14 weeks — final timeline set after discovery.

Q: How is client & pet data protected in Shepherd?
A: Calls require consent, recordings and transcripts follow retention rules, and Shepherd role-based access controls protect sensitive data. Peak Demand follows PCI and data-security best practices.

Integrate Voice AI with Shepherd — Expected Results & Metrics for Shepherd Users

Here are the owner-facing KPIs you’ll use to judge success after integrating Voice AI with Shepherd, plus a simple 3-step prototype validation plan and reporting cadence.

Key metrics (example ranges & definitions):

• Booking capture rate: 30–60% — % of inbound calls that result in a booked appointment (source = Voice AI in Shepherd).

• Bookings uplift: 10–35% — relative increase in weekly bookings vs. baseline (compare Shepherd weekly reports).

• Staff time saved: 5–20 hours/week — estimated receptionist/admin hours reclaimed from automated bookings, confirmations, and intake.

• No-show reduction: 15–40% — drop in no-shows after automated reminders and deposit flows are enabled.

• After-hours & concurrency KPIs: after-hours booking capture rate (e.g., % of after-hours calls converted) and concurrency throughput (avg concurrent calls handled; peak concurrent calls; calls answered/sec as a throughput metric for load testing).

3-step prototype validation plan:

1. Small-scope Shepherd sandbox test: run live calls for 1–2 weeks, include after-hours windows and concurrency/load scenarios.

2. Measure via Shepherd reports: verify appointment source tags, conversion rates, no-show rates, and call logs/transcripts.

3. Iterate & scale: tune prompts, retry logic, and deposit flow; then roll to production.

Reporting cadence: weekly Shepherd KPI dashboard (booking capture, uplift, no-shows, after-hours captures, concurrency stats) + a 30-day performance summary with recommendations.

Ready to integrate? Book a free 20-minute discovery call (CTA + next steps)

Ready to move forward? Book a free 20-minute discovery so we can review your Shepherd setup, confirm after-hours and load-testing needs, and map a fast pilot. Book here: https://peakdemand.ca/discovery

What we’ll ask for at discovery

• Shepherd admin / API access (sandbox & production)

• Export of services & operating hours from Shepherd

Suggested form fields to speed onboarding

• Clinic name, contact name, phone, email, Shepherd account ID, number of vets/locations, primary goal (bookings / no-shows / after-hours)

We’ll include an after-hours and simultaneous-call/load-testing plan in the discovery so you get a reliable, no-hold launch.

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