2 min read · Updated
What do missed calls cost me?
The short answer
More than most owners think. Some people who reach your voicemail just call the next business. Use the calculator below with your own numbers to see what that adds up to.
How common are missed calls?
One small 2016 study of 85 businesses found that 62% of calls to small businesses went unanswered. It is old, and it was done by a company that sells call answering. Treat it as a rough signal.
Still, most owners know the feeling. Your hands are under a sink, or a client is in the chair, and the phone rings.
Work out your number
Pick the numbers closest to yours. It’s a rough estimate, not a promise.
About $90 a week in lost jobs — roughly $4,700 a year.
2 missed calls × $150 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $150 a week in lost jobs — roughly $7,800 a year.
2 missed calls × $150 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $210 a week in lost jobs — roughly $10,900 a year.
2 missed calls × $150 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $180 a week in lost jobs — roughly $9,400 a year.
2 missed calls × $300 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $300 a week in lost jobs — roughly $15,600 a year.
2 missed calls × $300 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $420 a week in lost jobs — roughly $21,800 a year.
2 missed calls × $300 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $360 a week in lost jobs — roughly $18,700 a year.
2 missed calls × $600 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $600 a week in lost jobs — roughly $31,200 a year.
2 missed calls × $600 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $840 a week in lost jobs — roughly $43,700 a year.
2 missed calls × $600 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $720 a week in lost jobs — roughly $37,400 a year.
2 missed calls × $1,200 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,200 a week in lost jobs — roughly $62,400 a year.
2 missed calls × $1,200 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,680 a week in lost jobs — roughly $87,400 a year.
2 missed calls × $1,200 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $225 a week in lost jobs — roughly $11,700 a year.
5 missed calls × $150 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $375 a week in lost jobs — roughly $19,500 a year.
5 missed calls × $150 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $525 a week in lost jobs — roughly $27,300 a year.
5 missed calls × $150 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $450 a week in lost jobs — roughly $23,400 a year.
5 missed calls × $300 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $750 a week in lost jobs — roughly $39,000 a year.
5 missed calls × $300 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,050 a week in lost jobs — roughly $54,600 a year.
5 missed calls × $300 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $900 a week in lost jobs — roughly $46,800 a year.
5 missed calls × $600 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,500 a week in lost jobs — roughly $78,000 a year.
5 missed calls × $600 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $2,100 a week in lost jobs — roughly $109,200 a year.
5 missed calls × $600 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,800 a week in lost jobs — roughly $93,600 a year.
5 missed calls × $1,200 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $3,000 a week in lost jobs — roughly $156,000 a year.
5 missed calls × $1,200 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $4,200 a week in lost jobs — roughly $218,400 a year.
5 missed calls × $1,200 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $450 a week in lost jobs — roughly $23,400 a year.
10 missed calls × $150 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $750 a week in lost jobs — roughly $39,000 a year.
10 missed calls × $150 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,050 a week in lost jobs — roughly $54,600 a year.
10 missed calls × $150 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $900 a week in lost jobs — roughly $46,800 a year.
10 missed calls × $300 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,500 a week in lost jobs — roughly $78,000 a year.
10 missed calls × $300 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $2,100 a week in lost jobs — roughly $109,200 a year.
10 missed calls × $300 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,800 a week in lost jobs — roughly $93,600 a year.
10 missed calls × $600 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $3,000 a week in lost jobs — roughly $156,000 a year.
10 missed calls × $600 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $4,200 a week in lost jobs — roughly $218,400 a year.
10 missed calls × $600 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $3,600 a week in lost jobs — roughly $187,200 a year.
10 missed calls × $1,200 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $6,000 a week in lost jobs — roughly $312,000 a year.
10 missed calls × $1,200 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $8,400 a week in lost jobs — roughly $436,800 a year.
10 missed calls × $1,200 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $900 a week in lost jobs — roughly $46,800 a year.
20 missed calls × $150 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,500 a week in lost jobs — roughly $78,000 a year.
20 missed calls × $150 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $2,100 a week in lost jobs — roughly $109,200 a year.
20 missed calls × $150 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $1,800 a week in lost jobs — roughly $93,600 a year.
20 missed calls × $300 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $3,000 a week in lost jobs — roughly $156,000 a year.
20 missed calls × $300 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $4,200 a week in lost jobs — roughly $218,400 a year.
20 missed calls × $300 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $3,600 a week in lost jobs — roughly $187,200 a year.
20 missed calls × $600 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $6,000 a week in lost jobs — roughly $312,000 a year.
20 missed calls × $600 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $8,400 a week in lost jobs — roughly $436,800 a year.
20 missed calls × $600 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
About $7,200 a week in lost jobs — roughly $374,400 a year.
20 missed calls × $1,200 × 30% who call someone else, each week.
About $12,000 a week in lost jobs — roughly $624,000 a year.
20 missed calls × $1,200 × 50% who call someone else, each week.
About $16,800 a week in lost jobs — roughly $873,600 a year.
20 missed calls × $1,200 × 70% who call someone else, each week.
Where to find your real numbers
Your phone’s call log shows missed calls. Count them for one normal week. For your average job, use what you charged for your last ten jobs, divided by ten.
Ways to catch more of them
- Text back every missed call within minutes: “Sorry I missed you — I’m on a job. What do you need?”
- Add a “Text us” button to your website.
- Say on your voicemail when you’ll call back.
- Salons: link your booking app so people can book without calling.
Do it yourself
- For one week, write down every missed call: day, time and whether you called back.
- Call or text each one back as fast as you can.
- Change your voicemail: say when you’ll call back and that texting works too.
- Turn on your phone’s auto-reply text if it has one, or use a text-back app.
- Put your real numbers into the calculator above.
Want us to do it?
Text back missed calls
When you can’t pick up, the caller gets a text from you in seconds. They can wait for you instead of calling the next number.
$200 one-time, added to your website
Not sure what you need? The free check looks at how your business shows up online.
Sources
- 411 Locals (2016): Small business owners don’t answer 62% of phone calls. A small, older study (85 businesses, 30 days) by a company that sells call answering. Use as a rough signal only.
Last checked . This guide is general information, not legal advice.