What a missed call really costs a UK trade business
When you are under a sink or up a ladder, the phone has to wait. The problem is that most callers will not.
What the research says
Moneypenny's Small Business Call Report looked at 300 UK businesses with up to nine staff. A third of them, 33%, did not answer their incoming calls. Of the callers who reached voicemail, 69% did not leave a message. The report is from 2016, and Moneypenny sells call answering, so treat it as a guide rather than gospel. It is still one of the few UK studies of small firms.
More recently, a CallRail survey of 1,000 US consumers found that 82% say they will call a competitor if you do not answer. That is the US, not the UK, but anyone who has rung round for a plumber will recognise the habit.
Put the UK figures together and, out of every 100 calls, about 23 people ring off without leaving any way to call them back.
What one job is worth
WaterSafe, the national register of approved plumbers, publishes typical UK prices. A repair is rarely a small sum.
Typical UK plumbing job prices
WaterSafe, "How much does a plumber cost?", 2026. Burst pipe and shower installation can cost more.
Show as a table
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Leaking tap | £60 to £120 |
| Toilet repair | £80 to £250 |
| Burst pipe | £100 to £500 |
| Radiator replacement | £150 to £500 |
| Shower installation | £300 to £1,500 |
HomeServe's 2026 repair guide, using BCIS cost data, puts a burst pipe repair at about £232 and a radiator replacement at about £530, including call-out and VAT.
Work out your own number
The sum is simple. Take the calls you miss in a week, multiply by 4.33 to get a month, then by your average job value, then by the share of calls that would have turned into work.
Say you miss 15 calls a week, your average job is £180 and six in ten calls would have become a booking. That is 15 × 4.33 × £180 × 60%, or about £7,000 of work a month that rings someone else instead.
Your numbers will differ. Our calculator lets you move the sliders and see the result, including how long a receptionist would take to pay for itself.
What you can do about it
- Forward your mobile to a person or a service when you are on a job.
- Return voicemails within the hour, not at the end of the day.
- Use an AI receptionist that answers every call, books the job and texts you the details.