How accurate is this missed-call cost calculator?

Accuracy depends on the inputs you provide. The math (annual loss = missed calls/week × avg job value × 50% close rate × 52) is conservative on purpose — real close rates for qualified inbound contractor calls are typically 60–80%. The default trade values are weighted averages from HomeAdvisor 2025, Angi 2025, and ServiceTitan benchmarks. Plug in your own real numbers from your call log and CRM for the most accurate result.

Why does the calculator use a 50% close rate?

It's a defensible floor. Most contractor businesses close 60–80% of inbound qualified calls when they answer in real time. We use 50% so the calculator never overstates the loss — your actual recoverable revenue is likely higher than what's shown.

What counts as a 'missed call'?

Any inbound call that either went to voicemail, hit a busy signal, or got disconnected before reaching a human (or AI). It doesn't include calls you returned within 5 minutes — those are usually recoverable. The benchmark research counts calls where the caller couldn't reach anyone live, since many of those callers hang up and call a competitor (82% of consumers say they will, per CallRail's September 2025 survey).

Does the calculator account for repeat customers and referrals?

Not directly — the displayed loss is first-job revenue only. The true cost is higher because a missed initial call often costs you the customer's lifetime value (a 2025 Service Direct report puts contractor customer LTV at $1,800–$4,500 across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing). Treat the calculator output as a floor, not a ceiling.

Is $297/mo really worth it for an AI receptionist?

For any contractor whose calculator output exceeds $297/mo in monthly losses, yes — the math is immediate. For contractors with very low call volume (under 10 calls/mo missed), a cheaper option like Rosie ($49/mo entry) or Goodcall ($59/mo) might be a better fit. See the comparison of all the major AI answering services for contractors in the related reading section.

Free tool

How much do missed calls cost your business?

Pick your trade — we'll pre-fill the average ticket value and missed-call rate for your industry. Tweak the numbers to match your reality.

In short

A typical contractor missing 5–8 calls per week loses $40,000–$130,000 in annual revenue depending on ticket value. A $297/mo AI receptionist pays for itself with a single captured service call in nearly every trade. The calculator below uses real industry-average ticket sizes — change the inputs to match your business.

Your numbers

What trade are you in?

We'll pre-fill the rest with industry averages — adjust to match your business.

Average job value ($)

Weighted average of service-call and larger-job values.

Estimated missed calls per week

Published rates vary widely: CallRail measured 14% of home-services calls missed (January 2025, 1.1M leads); a 2016 411 Locals study of 85 small businesses found only about 38% of calls reached a live person.

Your results

Annual revenue lost

$130,000

from missed calls alone

Monthly revenue lost

$10,833

ROI of Local Call AI ($297/mo)

3,548%

return on investment

Break-even time

Less than 1 day

to pay for the service

See pricing

How does the missed-call cost calculator work?

The math is intentionally simple so you can sanity-check it:

annual loss = missed calls/week × average job value × 50% close rate × 52 weeks

The 50% close rate is conservative — most contractors close 60–80% of qualified inbound calls when they answer in real time. We use 50% to keep the estimate defensible.

Trade defaults come from the weighted-average ticket sizes in our 2026 missed-call cost research. Sources: HomeAdvisor 2025, Angi 2025, ServiceTitan industry benchmarks, weighted by typical service-call vs. larger-job frequency per trade.

Where do the missed-call benchmarks come from?

Published missed-call rates range widely, which is why the calculator asks for your own number:

14% of home-services calls missed, from CallRail's January 2025 report on 1.1 million leads (healthcare 32%, legal 28%, real estate 9%).
Only about 38% of calls reached a live person in a 2016 411 Locals study of 85 small businesses across 58 industries; another 38% went to voicemail and 24% got no response.
One example, not an average: SkipCalls describes a South Carolina HVAC company that tracked 90 peak-season days, missed about 4 calls a day, and estimated about $45,000 in lost revenue (SkipCalls blog, April 2026).

For trade-specific missed-call rates: HVAC and plumbing run higher (7–8/week typical for small operators) due to emergency call frequency; landscaping and general contracting run lower (4/week) but ticket values are higher.

Is the ROI number realistic?

For most contractors, yes — the math is dominated by ticket value, not by call volume. Even one captured roofing or HVAC system replacement pays for an AI receptionist for years. The harder question is whether you'd actually capture those calls without the AI; the calculator assumes the missed calls you enter are genuinely going to competitors today, not just being recovered via voicemail callbacks. (See the missed-call research for why voicemail-to-callback is <15% in practice.)

How do I know how many calls I'm actually missing?

Four ways to get a real number for one month:

Check your VoIP call log. RingCentral, Vonage, Nextiva, OpenPhone all expose missed-call counts per day/week.
Add CallRail or a similar tracking number. Free trials available; reports inbound call patterns including after-hours.
Check your Google Business Profile insights. "Calls" tab shows how many people clicked your "Call" button vs. how many connected.
Ask your team. A single week of self-reporting will get you within 20% of the real number.

Want help recovering this revenue?

$297/mo flat, 250 minutes included. Drop your info and we'll be in touch.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is this missed-call cost calculator?: Accuracy depends on the inputs you provide. The math (annual loss = missed calls/week × avg job value × 50% close rate × 52) is conservative on purpose — real close rates for qualified inbound contractor calls are typically 60–80%. The default trade values are weighted averages from HomeAdvisor 2025, Angi 2025, and ServiceTitan benchmarks. Plug in your own real numbers from your call log and CRM for the most accurate result.
Why does the calculator use a 50% close rate?: It's a defensible floor. Most contractor businesses close 60–80% of inbound qualified calls when they answer in real time. We use 50% so the calculator never overstates the loss — your actual recoverable revenue is likely higher than what's shown.
What counts as a 'missed call'?: Any inbound call that either went to voicemail, hit a busy signal, or got disconnected before reaching a human (or AI). It doesn't include calls you returned within 5 minutes — those are usually recoverable. The benchmark research counts calls where the caller couldn't reach anyone live, since many of those callers hang up and call a competitor (82% of consumers say they will, per CallRail's September 2025 survey).
Does the calculator account for repeat customers and referrals?: Not directly — the displayed loss is first-job revenue only. The true cost is higher because a missed initial call often costs you the customer's lifetime value (a 2025 Service Direct report puts contractor customer LTV at $1,800–$4,500 across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing). Treat the calculator output as a floor, not a ceiling.
Is $297/mo really worth it for an AI receptionist?: For any contractor whose calculator output exceeds $297/mo in monthly losses, yes — the math is immediate. For contractors with very low call volume (under 10 calls/mo missed), a cheaper option like Rosie ($49/mo entry) or Goodcall ($59/mo) might be a better fit. See the comparison of all the major AI answering services for contractors in the related reading section.