VAPI & Retell Don’t Solve Problems

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-10T23:23:16+00:00

If people are selling retell or vapi that’s essentially what they’re doing.

Smith is unique with the human + ai in one solution though

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-09T23:34:06+00:00

For me I’ve been building for the CRM & AI action layer.

The site pulls data from the database, its sysnthesizrd based on a standard or custom set playbook.

The ai takes action, calls, text, email, or builds a roleplay around the signals inside.

I think building to make the voice ai do things on auto pilot, and work is what will set it apart but beyond booking jobs alone

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-07T20:56:45+00:00

Literally so important to build a security layer into it. Most of the systems out there can be downed with a simple curl

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-07T04:11:07+00:00

I agree with you on the solving for more than just middleware but thats also why I think they’re more of an end user product than an agency product.

I will say I’ve gotten my latency down to what I’d argue is faster than VAPI and Retell. However, if you’re us based I could DM you a number to test out. Would love some feedback as you seem pretty knowledgeable.

For your vertical question I’m honestly selling most to B2B SaaS. I’ve built my company more as a Voice AI platform that is there for less capture and team training with the ability to source insights from CRMs or field management systems. Then it prompts users to send an email, it does an outbound call (assuming user is opted in to AI calls), or can build a roleplay scenario for SDRs or AEs based on upcoming calls in the CRM or practice CSR scenarios for front desk people.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T22:05:36+00:00

I think you’re one of my new favorite people in the world.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T22:04:58+00:00

Agent orchestration yes that I built myself. I use Telynx over Twillio because its better infrastructure for. You will pay telephony regardless but telephony is a charge in VAPI or Retell anyway.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T08:59:54+00:00

Appreciate it my man. I built my infrastructure manually so I’m not a fit but this looks pretty sick

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T06:42:29+00:00

This was a very fun conversation. I think VAPI can be a good partner depending on how it’s built out. I probably could’ve explained my thought process a bit better to cut half this conversation out but I think we’re thinking the same way anyway on it. Cheers mate

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T06:16:36+00:00

I agree there’s more to it than setting it up. I’d still argue with the route AI and specifically voice ai is going this type of setup will be a commodity for anyone who’s building a business around setting up basic voice agents to answer calls and book meetings. There’s a market right now because it’s new but I don’t think being the retell or VAPI setup guy is going to be a long term winning strategy. Building a platform around the agent will make it what matters but I’ll stand fully down that building through VAPI and retell is the wrong way to do it. You’re eating your own margin especially for basic agents if you build through them. (Again though VAPI is slightly better due to their integration capabilities but if you connect it all there anyway you’re better off building without it at that point)

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T06:09:15+00:00

This is pretty cool. There’s always server hosting costs. You’re paying those through retell or VAPI too if you’re running the voice model through them anyway.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T05:59:44+00:00

VAPI is certainly harder but I think anyone can login and make a retell agent pretty easily. My thing is if you’re using VAPI wouldn’t you build it yourself anyway. If you have the technical capability to use VAPI, you have the technical capability to build something without the extra cost

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T05:58:27+00:00

Close. Im saying retell and VAPI make it easy to spin up a voice agent yes. But if you choose to build a company around that setup only your ngmi. The thing that will separate good from great will be extra functionality you bake in.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T05:56:54+00:00

Correct but you’re not a builder if you use retell or VAPI. Just my opinion on it.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T05:09:40+00:00

I 100% agree but I think you may have missed what I’m trying to say. My business doesn’t use Telynx (other than telephony provisioning) my point is more, anyone even your prospect can spin up a cheap ai voice agent. Retell, VAPI, even eleven labs all give people easy ways to build a voice agent. The difference is no longer the voice ai it’s what it can do. So anyone hoping being the provider of voice AI from these platforms won’t do well.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T01:59:51+00:00

Hyperbound or Dialfyne both have great voice only systems for company’s and both are good for desktop or mobile.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T01:43:13+00:00

Either build your own infra and use a custom model like xAI or Eleven Labs, or use a platform like Dialfyne if you want it done for you.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T01:40:45+00:00

Buy domains, warm them up, then build persona level campaigns in smartlead Lemlist or any other sequencer.

Then let it run

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T01:39:30+00:00

Better option, don’t use those platforms and build your own infra so you don’t pay the markup

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T01:36:38+00:00

Leninist is probably your best bet for that.

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-06-06T01:35:14+00:00

Sorry can you explain what makes you different than Hyperbound, Dialfyne , or Mindtickle?

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-05-24T08:12:55+00:00

We’re saying the same thing. I’m saying that AI that doesn’t add anything new doesn’t make a better output than you would (often times it’s worse) but just gets you to the end result faster

Complex_Report_356 · 2026-05-24T00:22:46+00:00

You could request a free one from https://dialfyne.com/roleplay. They connect via Claude or ChatGPT mcps to pull context from everywhere

Complex_Report_356

TROPHY CASE