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What do missed calls cost a small business?
Every unanswered call is a potential job. Put your own numbers into the calculator, then decide what is worth fixing.
In short
Multiply the calls you miss each week by the share that were real enquiries, the share you would have won and the average job value, then by 4.33 weeks. That is a monthly figure for work that went elsewhere.
- Monthly cost = missed calls × genuine share × win rate × job value × 4.33 weeks.
- Use your call log, not a guess, for the missed-call count.
- Be conservative on win rate. The result is only as good as your inputs.
- Cheap fixes come first: forwarding, voicemail-to-text and a roster.
Missed-call cost calculator.
The starting numbers are placeholders. Replace them with yours. Nothing you enter is stored or sent.
Check your phone provider's call log for unanswered calls, or count for two weeks.
Exclude spam, wrong numbers and existing customers.
Think of your usual enquiry-to-job rate. Be conservative.
Revenue, not profit.
Your estimate
$1,624a month
About $19,485 a year in work that went to voicemail, based on your own assumptions.
This is an illustration built from the numbers you entered, not a measured loss and not a forecast of what any service would recover. Check it against your real call log before acting on it.
See the longer view. The same calls, counted over each customer's lifetime instead of a single job.
See the lifetime value lostHow to find your real numbers
- Pull the unanswered and abandoned calls from your phone provider or mobile call log for the last two to four weeks.
- Ring back a sample and note how many were genuine new enquiries.
- Use your own enquiry-to-job rate for the win rate, and be conservative.
- Use average revenue per job or client, not your best job.
Ways to stop missing calls, simplest first
- Call forwarding: ring your mobile if the office line is not answered.
- Voicemail-to-text: a short greeting that asks for name, number and job, sent to you straight away.
- A roster: someone is responsible for the phone at set times.
- A human answering service: a person takes a message or follows a script.
- A managed AI receptionist: answers, qualifies, books approved work and hands off to your team.
If your estimate is small, the first three are usually enough. If it is large and calls need more than a message taken, read about a managed AI receptionist, including the version for tradies and medical practices. Plans start at A$390 a month for trades and A$590 for healthcare, after a 14-day pilot.
FAQ
Questions.
How many calls does a small business miss?
It varies widely, so use your own data. Your phone provider's call log shows unanswered and abandoned calls. Count them for two weeks and divide by two for a weekly figure.
Do callers leave voicemail?
Some do, but many people with an urgent need ring the next business instead. That is why the calculator asks what share of missed calls were genuine enquiries you would have won.
What are the ways to stop missing calls?
Call forwarding to a mobile, voicemail-to-text, a shared roster, a human answering service, or an AI receptionist. The right one depends on call volume, job value and how much judgement calls need.
When is an AI receptionist worth it?
When missed calls are frequent and each genuine enquiry is worth real money, such as trades, clinics and professional services. If you miss only a handful of calls a week, simpler fixes are usually enough.
By Alban de Vaucorbeil, Geelong. Published . An estimate tool, not a guarantee.
Worth a conversation about your calls?
A free 30-minute conversation with Alban. If an AI receptionist is not worth it for you, he will say so.
For established, multi-employee businesses.