Short answer: To work out what missed calls cost, multiply the calls you miss each month by the share of callers who don’t call back, your conversion rate and your average job value. This free calculator does the maths for you in seconds.
The formula
Lost revenue per month = calls per week × 4.33 × % missed × % who don’t call back × % who’d become customers × average job value.
For example, a business taking 40 calls a week that misses 25% of them, where 60% of those callers try someone else, 30% would have booked and the average job is $800, loses about $6,200 in revenue a month, or roughly $75,000 a year.
Why missed calls cost more than you think
- Most callers who reach voicemail don’t leave a message; they ring the next business on the list.
- Missed calls cluster at the worst times: after hours, on weekends and when your team is busiest on jobs.
- You’ve often already paid for the call through advertising or SEO, so a missed call wastes that spend too.
How to stop losing them
An AI receptionist answers the calls your team can’t: it has a natural conversation, captures the enquiry and books callers into your calendar. You can try ours by calling 1800 063 182. For a fuller picture of what automation could save across your business, use our AI automation savings calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many calls does a typical small business miss?
It varies widely by industry and team size. The best way to know is to check your phone system or call tracking for unanswered calls over a normal month and enter that percentage.
Should I use revenue or profit?
This calculator shows lost revenue. For a stricter view, multiply the result by your gross margin, which our automation savings calculator does for you.
Talk to us
Book a time with our founder, Richard Monheit, call us or request a proposal.
Book a time with Richard Call 1800 512 124 Request a proposal
Month to month, no lock-in contracts.