Digital MacaroniHow to calculate the cost of missed calls
Multiply your missed calls by the share who would have booked, then by what one booking is worth to you. 20 missed calls × 1 in 4 × $350 = $1,750 a month, or $21,000 a year.
How the math works
Missed calls × share who would have booked × what one booking is worth = revenue lost per month. Multiply by 12 for the year.
That’s all the calculator does. It leaves out repeat customers, referrals and the lifetime value of a new customer, so your real loss is usually higher than the number it shows.
Here’s what 20 missed calls a month looks like by kind of business, at 1 in 4:
| Business | Typical booking | Lost per month | Lost per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | $350 | $1,750 | $21,000 |
| Plumbing | $341 | $1,705 | $20,460 |
| Electrical | $351 | $1,755 | $21,060 |
| Roofing | $1,174 | $5,870 | $70,440 |
| Garage doors | $265 | $1,325 | $15,900 |
| Pest control | $172 | $860 | $10,320 |
| House cleaning | $150 | $750 | $9,000 |
| Lawn care and landscaping | $123 | $615 | $7,380 |
| Auto repair | $500 | $2,500 | $30,000 |
| Law firm | $3,000 | $15,000 | $180,000 |
| Accounting and tax | $250 | $1,250 | $15,000 |
| Insurance agency | $150 | $750 | $9,000 |
| Dental | $450 | $2,250 | $27,000 |
| Chiropractic | $80 | $400 | $4,800 |
| Physical therapy | $150 | $750 | $9,000 |
| Veterinary | $200 | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| Med spa | $435 | $2,175 | $26,100 |
| Hair salon | $95 | $475 | $5,700 |
| Massage and spa | $110 | $550 | $6,600 |
Each typical value links to its source, listed at the bottom of the page. They’re national figures for one booking only: a law firm’s figure assumes a small matter, an insurance agency’s is first-year commission, and a dental or physical therapy figure is the first visit. Repeat visits and renewals would add more. Your own number is better: use it if you know it.
Why 1 in 4
Not every caller is a job. Some want a quote, some are out of your area, some are spam. ServiceTitan’s data from more than 3,000 trade businesses found the typical shop books 42% of its calls, and shops with fewer than five technicians book 24%. We default to 1 in 4 so the estimate stays careful. If your team books more than that, pick 1 in 3 or 1 in 2.
What happens to the calls you miss
- They call someone else. In CallRail’s 2025 survey of 1,000 US consumers, 82% said they’ll call a competitor if you don’t answer, and 78% have given up on a business after an unanswered call.
- Most don’t leave a message. Only 42% of consumers in the same survey leave a voicemail.
- Callbacks come too late. Quo’s analysis of 16.7 million missed business calls found 69% didn’t get a callback within 48 hours.
- It happens more than you think. CallRail’s benchmark of 1.1 million conversations found home services businesses missed 14% of calls, law firms 28%.
Where to find your missed calls
- Your phone provider. Most business phone apps and carrier portals show missed and unanswered calls by month.
- Your call tracking or field service software. If calls run through it, it logs the ones nobody picked up.
- Count for a week. No report? Tally missed calls and voicemails for one week and multiply by four.
What answering them would cost
An AI phone agent runs roughly 15 cents a minute all-in, for the phone line, the speech and the AI. A typical 3-minute call costs about 45 cents, so answering 20 missed calls costs about $9 a month in minutes, against $1,750 in lost jobs.
Our Hosted plan is $349 a month with 500 minutes and your dashboard included. See what an AI phone agent costs for the full picture. And if the calculator shows a small number, you may not need one at all.
Common questions
How do you calculate the cost of missed calls?
Multiply your missed calls by the share who would have booked, then by what one booking is worth to you. 20 missed calls × 1 in 4 × $350 = $1,750 a month, or $21,000 a year.
What share of callers would have booked?
ServiceTitan found the typical trade business books 42% of its calls, and shops with fewer than five technicians book 24%. We default to 1 in 4 so the estimate stays careful.
Do people call a competitor when you don't answer?
In CallRail's 2025 survey of 1,000 US consumers, 82% said they'll call a competitor if a business doesn't answer, 78% have abandoned a business after an unanswered call, and only 42% leave a voicemail.
How many calls do home service businesses miss?
CallRail's 2025 benchmark of 1.1 million conversations found home services businesses missed 14% of calls. Your own call log is the number to use.
How much does it cost to answer every call with AI?
An AI phone agent costs roughly 15 cents a minute all-in, so a 3-minute call costs about 45 cents. Digital Macaroni's Hosted plan is $349 a month with 500 minutes included.
Sources
24 sources, checked October 7, 2026
- Call booking rates: data from 3,000+ trade businessesServiceTitan, October 2022
A typical shop booked 42% of calls in June 2022 (HVAC 38%, plumbing 43%, electrical 41%, garage door 31%). Shops with fewer than five technicians booked 24%.
- Missed calls cost businesses more than everCallRail, September 2025
Survey of 1,000 US consumers: 78% have abandoned a business after an unanswered call, 82% say they'll call a competitor, and 42% leave a voicemail.
- CallRail benchmark reportCallRail, January 2025
From 1.1 million conversations: home services businesses missed 14% of calls, legal 28% and healthcare 32%.
- Small business callback statisticsQuo, August 2026
From 16.7 million missed business calls over three months: 69% didn't get a callback within 48 hours.
- HVAC repair costHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $350 for an HVAC repair.
- Cost to hire a plumberHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $341 for a plumbing job.
- Cost to hire an electricianHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $351 for an electrical job.
- Roof repair costHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $1,174 for a roof repair.
- Garage door repair costHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $265 for a garage door repair.
- Pest control costHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $172 per pest control visit.
- House cleaning prices and ratesHomeAdvisor, June 2026
A standard house cleaning runs about $100 to $200; we use $150.
- Lawn care and mowing costHomeAdvisor, June 2026
National average $123 per lawn care visit.
- State of general auto repair shops 2025PartsTech, 2025
Survey of 752 shops: the most common average repair order was $500 to $749.
- Compare average lawyer hourly ratesClio Legal Trends, March 2026
Average lawyer rate about $349 an hour. Our $3,000 case value assumes a small matter of roughly nine hours; it is our estimate.
- What do tax preparers charge?Accounting Today (NATP 2025 fee study), December 2025
Form 1040 with schedules 1 to 3: $185 from a non-credentialed preparer, $228 from an enrolled agent, $280 from a CPA. We use $250.
- 2023 auto insurance database average premium supplementNAIC, July 2025
Average auto insurance spend of $1,282 a year.
- How much do independent insurance agents make?Insurance Business, June 2023
Independent agents earn up to 15% on new auto and home business, captive agents 5% to 10%. We use about 12% of an average auto premium: $150.
- How much does a dental exam cost?Pearl, May 2026
Exam about $100, cleaning about $155 and X-rays about $195 (Pearl's cleaning and X-ray pages): about $450 for a new patient's first visit.
- 28th annual fees and reimbursements surveyChiropractic Economics, September 2024
Average US fee of about $80 per chiropractic visit.
- How much does physical therapy cost?Forbes Health, January 2024
A first evaluation at a private clinic costs $150 to $200; follow-up visits $80 to $120.
- Cats gain ground in US vet clinics as visit volumes declineGlobalPETS, August 2026
Transaction data from 19,000 practices: about $161 per puppy visit and $246 per cat clinical visit. We use $200.
- Botulinum toxin costAmerican Society of Plastic Surgeons (2023 statistics)
Average fee of $435 for a botulinum toxin treatment.
- How much does a hair stylist cost?Fash, June 2026
A stylist service typically costs $40 to $150; we use $95.
- How much does a massage session cost?Massage Magazine Insurance Plus, October 2023
A standard 60-minute massage runs $85 to $135; we use $110.
Checked against the original sources on October 7, 2026. Industry figures are estimates; your own numbers are better.
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