Right now, as you're reading this, there's a good chance someone is trying to call your business. And there's an equally good chance that call is going unanswered.
It's not because you're negligent or don't care about customers. You're busy. You're working. You're with a client. You're in a meeting. You're on another call. You're human.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: every missed call is a missed opportunity. And those opportunities add up faster than you think.
The Real Numbers Behind Missed Calls
Recent studies show that 85% of customers won't call back if their first call goes unanswered. They don't leave voicemails. They don't wait. They move on to your competitor.
For a small business receiving just 20 calls per day, missing 30% of them means 6 lost opportunities every single day. That's 42 per week. 168 per month. Over 2,000 per year.
If your average customer value is £500, those missed calls just cost you £1,000,000 in potential revenue.
10 Types of Calls You're Missing (And What They Cost You)
1. The "Ready to Book" Call (Cost: £200-2,000 per call)
This is your hottest lead. They've done their research. They've compared options. They've chosen you. They just need to book an appointment.
What happens when they can't reach you: They call the next business on their list. Within 5 minutes, they've booked with someone else. You never even knew they existed.
2. The "Quick Question" Call (Cost: £100-500 per call)
"How much does it cost?" "Are you open Saturday?" "Do you service my area?"
These seem like small queries, but they're actually buying signals. They're checking if you meet their requirements before committing. Miss this call, and they assume the answer is "no" to whatever they were asking.
3. The Emergency Call (Cost: £300-5,000 per call)
Burst pipe. Electrical fault. Urgent appointment needed. Emergency calls are high-value because urgency removes price sensitivity. People need help NOW and will pay premium rates.
Miss an emergency call, and you've lost not just the immediate job, but also a potential long-term customer who remembers you weren't there when they needed you.
4. The Referral Call (Cost: £500-3,000+ per call)
"My friend Sarah recommended you..."
Referrals are gold. They come pre-sold, have higher conversion rates, and typically spend more. Missing a referral call doesn't just lose you that customer—it wastes the trust your existing customer invested in you.
5. The "Thinking About It" Call (Cost: £150-1,000 per call)
These callers are mid-funnel. They're not ready to book immediately, but they're gathering information. They might have called three businesses today.
The one who answers gets the mental "tick." The ones who don't answer get mentally eliminated. When they're ready to book tomorrow or next week, guess who they'll call back?
6. The Repeat Customer Call (Cost: £200-2,000 per call + lifetime value)
Your best customers are the ones you already have. When they call to book again, answering that call should be your highest priority.
Miss it, and they might try a competitor "just once." If that competitor delivers, you've lost years of repeat business.
7. The After-Hours Call (Cost: £300-2,000 per call)
The call that comes at 6:05 PM when you've just closed. The Sunday enquiry. The early morning booking attempt.
People call when it's convenient for THEM, not you. If you're only available during traditional business hours, you're missing a huge segment of potential customers.
8. The "Shopping Around" Call (Cost: £100-800 per call)
Yes, they're calling five businesses. But here's the thing: the one that answers first has a massive advantage.
Studies show the first business a customer speaks to has a 35-50% chance of winning the job, even if they're not the cheapest. Answer the phone, and you're immediately ahead of 60% of your competition.
9. The Follow-Up Call (Cost: £200-1,500 per call)
"You quoted me last week, and I have a few more questions..."
These calls are critical. The customer is at decision time. They're choosing between you and someone else. Being available to answer their concerns is often the difference between winning and losing the job.
10. The Complaint/Issue Call (Cost: £500-10,000 in reputation damage)
Something went wrong, and the customer is calling to discuss it. Miss this call, and a resolvable issue becomes an online review, a refund request, or lost referrals.
Answer it, handle it professionally, and you can turn a problem into a testimonial.
Why Traditional Solutions Don't Work
Voicemail
Only 10% of people leave voicemails. The other 90% just hang up and call someone else.
Hiring a Receptionist
At £12-20 per hour, plus holiday pay, sick leave, and training, you're looking at £25,000-40,000 per year. And they still go home at 5 PM.
Call Center Services
Generic scripts, long hold times, and poor service quality. Customers can tell they're not speaking to your business.
"I'll Just Call Them Back"
Remember: 85% won't answer when you call back, and 70% have already moved on to another provider.
The Solution: Never Miss Another Call
What if you could answer every call, 24/7/365, with someone who sounds professional, knows your business, and can take bookings or messages immediately?
That's exactly what Genni does.
She answers in 2 rings. She knows your pricing, your availability, and your policies. She sounds like a real person because she's an AI receptionist trained specifically for your business. And she never calls in sick, takes a lunch break, or goes on holiday.
Cost: £150/month.
That's less than one day's revenue from a single captured lead.
What Business Owners Say
"We were missing 20-30 calls a week. Now we miss zero. Genni has paid for herself 10 times over in the first month alone." - Craig, Gym Owner
"The emergency calls we were missing were costing us thousands. Now someone always answers, and we're getting jobs we would have never known about." - Sam, Plumbing Business
Try It Risk-Free
Start your 14-day free trial today. No credit card required. We'll set up Genni for your business in under 48 hours.
Call our demo line right now to experience it yourself: +44 1234 567890
Because the calls you're missing right now? They're adding up.