AI sales agent
Compare AI
Sales Agents
What we do
Compare Advantage is a free comparison service. Tell us how new enquiries reach you, and we match you with UK providers of AI sales agents that answer them, ask your qualifying questions and book the right ones into your diary.
- Answers new enquiries by phone, chat or email
- Asks your qualifying questions and books the good ones
- Set up to stay on the right side of UK marketing rules
Prefer to talk? Call 0330 057 7175
- UK providersMatched to your business
- One short formInstead of a demo per provider
- You set the rulesAnd a person stays in charge
- Open about AIIt says it is an AI assistant
- Free to compareNo obligation to go ahead
Compare before you commit
Use AI to answer buyers, not to chase strangers
The strongest use of an AI sales agent for a small business is simple: when someone enquires, they get a prompt, sensible answer and a booked next step, even when you are busy. That is inbound, and it is where most of the value is. Outbound, where the AI contacts people who have not asked, is a different proposition, with strict UK rules and large fines. Some providers sell both. Compare them on how well they handle your enquiries first.
- 1
Tell us once
A minute on the form: what you need help with, your business and how busy the phones are.
- 2
We match providers
Your request goes to UK AI agent providers that suit your size and the way you work.
- 3
You choose
Compare what they offer, try it, and only go ahead if it fits. There is no obligation.
What to compare
- Inbound, outbound or both. Answering people who contacted you is very different, legally and practically, from contacting people who did not.
- The qualifying questions it can ask, and whether you can change them yourself as you learn which leads turn into work.
- How it hands a good lead to you: a booked call, a live transfer, or a summary in your CRM. Fast hand-over is the point.
- Which systems it connects to, such as your diary, CRM or quoting tool, and what it can write as well as read.
- What the provider does about marketing rules if it offers outbound calls, texts or emails: screening, consent records and opt-outs.
Two very different jobs
Inbound and outbound
Inbound: people who contacted you
Website forms, calls, chats and emails from people who asked to hear from you. The AI answers, asks the questions you set, and books or passes on the good leads. You are responding, not marketing, so the hard consent rules for unsolicited contact do not usually come into it.
Outbound: people who did not ask
Cold calls, texts and emails. These are direct marketing under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. AI-voice calls in particular are treated as automated calls, which need specific consent in advance. Get advice before you switch anything like this on.
Qualifying a lead
Six questions worth teaching it
An AI sales agent is only as good as the questions you give it. Start with the ones you already ask in your head on every enquiry.
Need
What exactly do they want, and is it something you do?
Fit
Size of job, location, sector: the things that decide whether it is worth your time.
Timing
Are they ready now, comparing options, or just pricing for later?
Budget
Do their expectations fit what you charge? Ask in plain words, not a sales script.
Decision
Are they the person who decides, and who else needs to be involved?
Next step
Book a call or visit for the right leads; send helpful information to the rest.
The UK rules
Outbound marketing rules, in plain English
A summary of the ICO’s guidance on the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations as of November 2026. It is not legal advice.
| Type of contact | What the rules require |
|---|---|
| Live sales calls by a person | Screen numbers against the TPS and the Corporate TPS first. Do not call anyone who has objected. Sole traders and partnerships can be on either list. |
| Calls that play an automated or AI voice | Treated as automated calls. You need the person’s specific consent to automated marketing calls; general marketing consent is not enough. |
| Marketing emails and texts to individuals and sole traders | Consent, unless the “soft opt-in” applies to existing customers. Always identify yourself and give a simple way to opt out. |
| Marketing emails to limited companies and LLPs | Allowed without prior consent, but you must say who you are and give a valid way to opt out, and stop when asked. |
Since February 2026
The cost of getting it wrong has gone up
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 raised the maximum fine for breaking the marketing rules from £500,000 to the same level as UK GDPR. It applies to breaches from 5 February 2026.
£17.5m
maximum fine under PECR, or 4% of global turnover if higher
£500k
the previous maximum, for breaches before 5 February 2026
After the conversation
Where a good lead should land
In your diary
A booked call, visit or demo at a time that suits both of you, with the notes attached.
In your CRM
A new contact with the answers to your questions, the source and a suggested next step.
With you, now
For the best leads, a live transfer or an instant alert so you can call back within minutes.
For answering every call, not just sales enquiries, see AI receptionists and answering services. For chat and messages, see AI customer service.
What is an AI sales agent?
An AI agent that handles the first stage of selling: answering new enquiries, asking qualifying questions, and booking promising leads into your diary or CRM. Some providers also offer outbound contact, which has much stricter rules.
Can an AI make sales calls for my business?
Be very careful. The ICO treats calls that play an automated voice as automated calls, and it has taken action against calls made with “avatar” software. Automated marketing calls need the person’s specific prior consent. Most small businesses are better using AI for inbound enquiries.
What are the penalties for breaking the marketing rules?
Since 5 February 2026, fines under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations can reach £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover, whichever is higher, for breaches from that date.
Can it email prospects for me?
Marketing emails to limited companies can be sent without prior consent, as long as you identify yourself and offer an opt-out. Sole traders and partnerships are treated like individuals and usually need to have consented. Keep records of where every contact came from.
What does it do with a lead that is not a good fit?
Whatever you decide: politely explain you are not the right fit, point them to something useful, or take their details for later if they agree. A good agent does not waste a poor-fit lead’s time.
Does it work with my CRM?
Many providers connect to common CRMs and diaries, logging each conversation and booking the next step. Tell us what you use and we match you with providers that fit.
Will prospects know they are talking to AI?
They should. Say so at the start. Prospects who discover it later tend to trust the business less, which defeats the point of a sales conversation.
Can it follow up quotes?
Yes, a polite follow-up on a quote the customer asked for is normal service. Keep prices and negotiation in your hands. See also our AI email assistant page.
Is it only for big sales teams?
No. For a small business it often matters more, because the owner is the sales team and cannot always answer when a new enquiry comes in.
How is it different from an AI receptionist?
An AI receptionist handles every call; an AI sales agent focuses on new enquiries and how good they are. Many providers do both. Compare options on our answering service page.
Sources
- ICO: Guide to PECR, telephone marketing
- ICO: Guide to PECR, electronic mail marketing
- ICO: Enforcement notice, Home Improvement Marketing Ltd (automated calls using avatar software)
- ICO: Statement on the commencement of the Data (Use and Access) Act, 5 February 2026
- CMA: Complying with consumer law when using AI agents
Written by the Compare Advantage team, Chorley. Facts checked against the sources above on 4 November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Compare Advantage is a free comparison and introduction service. We pass your details to suitable AI agent providers so they can contact you about your request, and providers may pay us for the introduction. It costs you nothing to compare.