← All docs Channels

Web voice

Enable browser-based voice on the widget; tune ASR / TTS defaults.

Web voice guide

Web voice lets a visitor on your website talk out loud to your AI receptionist using their microphone. The conversation transcript lands in the same admin inbox as your text chats and phone calls. There is no separate widget to install.

What you can do

  • Turn on web voice for any chatbot
  • Pick a voice provider, voice ID, and a maximum call length
  • Test it in your own browser
  • See voice transcripts and minutes in the admin

Web voice is included on Starter, Professional, and Business plans. Chat-only plans do not include it.

Step-by-step

1. Turn on web voice

  1. Sign in to the admin.
  2. Open Chatbots and pick the chatbot you want to enable.
  3. Open the Widget tab.
  4. Find the Voice section.
  5. Switch on Enable web voice.
  6. Choose a speech recognition provider. Use SenseVoice unless we tell you otherwise.
  7. Choose a text-to-speech provider. Use Volcano unless we tell you otherwise.
  8. Pick a voice ID. The default for NZ English is en-NZ-MollyNeural.
  9. Leave the maximum call length at 15 minutes unless you have agreed something different with us.
  10. Click Save voice settings.

If the Enable web voice switch is greyed out, your plan does not include web voice. Upgrade to Starter or higher and the switch will be available.

2. Test it on your website

  1. Open your website in a fresh browser window.
  2. Confirm the page is loaded over https://.
  3. Open the BestAI chat widget.
  4. Look for the microphone button in the widget header.
  5. Click it. The browser asks for microphone permission — click Allow.
  6. Say a short test question, for example “What are your opening hours?”
  7. The transcript appears in the widget while the AI is listening and speaking.
  8. Listen to the AI reply.
  9. Click Hang up when you are done.
  10. In the admin, open Conversations. The latest conversation should be tagged with the web voice channel.

The transcript is saved. The audio recording itself is not stored.

3. Check usage

In the admin, open Usage. You will see the Web voice minutes card showing how much of your monthly allowance you have used this month, plus the 30-day trend. See the usage guide for the details.

Browser requirements

BrowserDesktopMobile
ChromeSupportedSupported on Android
EdgeSupportedSupported on Android
SafariSupported on macOSSupported on iOS Safari 14.5 and newer

For web voice to work, your visitor needs:

  • A page loaded over HTTPS (browsers block microphone access on plain HTTP)
  • To allow microphone access in their browser
  • A modern browser that supports getUserMedia and AudioWorklet

If the visitor blocks microphone access, the text chat continues to work normally.

Fair use

Web voice is built for short, receptionist-style conversations. The fair use limits are:

  • One voice call can run for up to 15 minutes
  • Up to 5 concurrent voice calls per workspace
  • Monthly minutes depend on your plan
  • When monthly minutes are used up, the microphone button is hidden, but text chat keeps working

Troubleshooting

The microphone button does not appear.

  1. Confirm Enable web voice is on for the chatbot.
  2. Confirm your plan includes web voice (Starter, Professional, or Business).
  3. Refresh the page on your website.
  4. Confirm the page is on a domain you have registered in Sites.
  5. Confirm the page is loaded over HTTPS.

If it still does not appear, send us the page URL.

The browser does not ask for microphone permission.

  1. Confirm the URL starts with https://.
  2. Click the lock icon in the browser address bar.
  3. Open the site permissions and set the microphone to Allow.
  4. Refresh the page and try again.

No sound from the AI.

  1. Check the device volume.
  2. Confirm the browser tab is not muted.
  3. Try a different browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari).
  4. End the call and start a new one.
  5. If the transcript shows but you hear no voice, contact us.

The transcript is slow.

  1. Check the visitor’s internet connection.
  2. Reduce background noise and move closer to the microphone.
  3. Try a shorter test phrase.

If delays are consistently more than a few seconds, contact us with the time of the call so we can look at the logs.

Common error codes

CodeWhat it meansWhat to do
VOICE_DISABLEDWeb voice is switched off for this chatbotTurn it on under Chatbot, Widget, Voice
VOICE_PLAN_NOT_SUPPORTEDYour plan does not include web voiceUpgrade to Starter or higher
VOICE_LIMIT_EXCEEDEDThis month’s voice minutes are used upContinue with text chat or get in touch about an upgrade
VOICE_SESSION_TIMEOUTThe call hit the maximum lengthStart a new call if needed
VOICE_PROVIDER_FAILUREThe speech provider is temporarily unavailableTry again, then contact us if it persists

Common questions

Do my visitors need to install anything?

No. Web voice runs in the browser they are already using to view your site, as long as they allow microphone access on a HTTPS page.

Is the call recording stored?

No. Only the text transcript and call metadata are saved. This keeps us aligned with the Privacy Act 2020 principle of data minimisation.

Can the AI speak with a New Zealand accent?

Yes. The default voice is en-NZ-MollyNeural. Other voices are available — pick from the dropdown in the Voice section.

What if a visitor needs urgent help?

Web voice is not an emergency service. We recommend you tell visitors in your prompt that for emergencies they should call 111 directly.

Does web voice count against my chat plan?

No. Web voice minutes are tracked separately on the usage page.

How web voice fits with text chat and phone

Web voice, text chat, and phone share the same admin inbox. They use the same chatbot prompt and knowledge base. So:

  • Change the prompt once and all three channels behave the same.
  • Voice transcripts are searchable like text conversations.
  • Inbox triage (assignee, mark as read, summary) works identically.

For a comparison with phone, see the phone guide.

Next steps