What a missed call actually costs a tradie
Honest maths on lost jobs from unanswered calls. Assumptions stated upfront so you can plug in your own numbers.
Every tradie has done it. Phone rings on site. You cannot answer. You tell yourself they will leave a message or call back. Most do not. They ring the next name on Google.
This is not a lecture. It is a back-of-the-ute calculation with assumptions you can change. No made-up client stories. Just maths.
Assumptions (change these to match your business)
- Average job value after costs: $850
- Missed calls per week you do not return in time: 3
- Share of those callers who would have booked if you replied within 5 minutes: 40%
- Weeks you work per year: 48
The calculation
Three missed calls a week times 40% conversion times $850 per job equals about $1,020 per week in jobs that went elsewhere because you were slow.
Over 48 working weeks that is roughly $48,960 a year. Not every missed call is a lost grand. Some are tyre-kickers. But even at half that conversion rate you are still looking at $24k walking past you while you are under a sink.
What a fast text-back changes
You do not need a call centre. You need a text in under 60 seconds that says you missed them and asks what the job is. That keeps you in the conversation while your hands are still dirty.
Deskhand's Workflow Kit includes missed-call text-back, booking, and a daily briefing so nothing sits in voicemail limbo. Website from $100/mo plus build. Full kit $199/mo with a 21-day free trial.