AI Receptionist Niche Selection Scorecard

Status
No-send, no-spend decision-support only. No real prospect research, outreach, phone setup, voice platform, CRM writes, pricing, customer data, prospect data, spend, or live service launch is approved.

Purpose
Choose which broad home-services niche should get the first AI Receptionist review pass before any live workflow exists.

Score categories
- Missed-call pain: how costly or urgent a missed call might be.
- Simple handoff: whether an AI summary can safely route to a human without promises.
- Low claim risk: whether the page can avoid licenses, guarantees, emergency promises, and regulated advice.
- Review clarity: whether Aibert/Vern can judge the mock flow without technical setup.
- Future pilot fit: whether the niche could become a small controlled pilot after separate approval.

Candidate notes
- HVAC: strong demand signal, but emergency, license, and availability language need tight control.
- Plumbing: useful, but urgent/emergency language can become risky fast.
- Cleaning: lower urgency and easier fictional handoff; strong first-review candidate.
- Roofing: storm, warranty, insurance, and inspection wording can raise risk.
- Landscaping: easier to keep generic; seasonality and service-area questions matter.
- Handyman: broad category can work, but scope and license language need guardrails.

Recommended first review
Cleaning or landscaping.

Why
- The handoff can stay simple.
- Urgency claims are lower.
- Fictional examples are easier for Aibert or Vern to judge.
- The review can focus on clarity instead of tool setup.
- The lane stays safely inside no-send/no-spend decision support.

Evidence still needed
- Aibert pass/needs-edits result.
- Whether Vern should do a second visual review.
- Chosen first review niche.
- Exact human handoff owner.
- Blocked claims list for that niche.
- Maximum monthly spend Matt would consider later.
- Exact approval phrase for any real prospect, phone, tool, or live pilot step.

Stop before
Real company or prospect research; scraping/list building; customer/prospect contact; phone number purchase or connection; voice-platform setup; live calls; CRM/form/booking/calendar/SMS/email/voicemail/Discord/Telegram/ClickUp writes; pricing/guarantee/refund/availability/license/insurance/credential/emergency-response/service-area promises; spend; paid tool research; account setup; live service launch.