Missed Call Cost Calculator: Put a Number on Unanswered Calls
This calculator estimates what unanswered calls cost you: enter how many calls you get, how many you miss, the share that would turn into jobs and your average job value. The result is a monthly and yearly figure based on your own numbers, not an industry average. Use it to decide whether fixing missed calls is worth the effort.
Contents
- How to find your numbers
- Calculate your cost
- How the sum works
- Why we do not use an industry average
- What to do with the result
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
How to find your numbers
- Calls received and missed: your phone provider’s call log, or a week of notes. Count missed calls during jobs, at lunch, in the evening and at weekends.
- Close rate: of the callers you do speak to, what share become a job? Use your own past figure.
- Average job value: the typical value of a job, in pounds.
Calculate your cost
This tool runs in your browser. We do not receive, store or send what you enter.
Want a second pair of eyes? Clariti Digital can review your setup and show you what to fix first.
How the sum works
Lost jobs per week equal missed calls times your close rate. Lost revenue per week equals lost jobs times your average job value. We multiply by 52 for a year and divide by 12 for a month. As an illustration only: with 20 calls a week, 6 missed, a 30% close rate and a £400 job, that is 1.8 lost jobs and £720 a week, about £3,120 a month and £37,440 a year. Your numbers will differ.
Why we do not use an industry average
Statistics such as 62% of calls going unanswered and 85% of those callers never calling back are widely quoted, but their origin is unclear and most come from vendors. A UK business with a quiet phone may lose far less, and a busy tradesperson may lose far more. Your own call log is better evidence than any average.
What to do with the result
If the figure is small, a simple missed-call text may be enough. If it is large, compare your options in AI receptionist vs text-back vs answering service. Read how an AI receptionist works and how missed-call text-back works in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know how many calls I miss?
Check your phone provider’s call log for unanswered calls, or keep a tally for a week. Include after-hours and busy-time calls.
What close rate should I use?
Use your own figure: the share of callers you speak to who become jobs. If you do not know, estimate cautiously and test again later.
Does the calculator include repeat customers?
No. It counts the value of one job per lost caller. A repeat customer would add to the loss.
Is the result a forecast?
No. It is an estimate from your inputs. Not every missed call would have become a job, which is why the close rate is part of the sum.
Is my information stored or sent anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent to us or stored.
Sources
- Onvert, Missed call revenue calculator, checked 11 October 2026.
- Stammer, AI receptionist for small business, checked 11 October 2026.
- Quo, Small business callback statistics, checked 11 October 2026.
Sam, Editor at Clariti Digital.
Related guides
- AI receptionist for UK small businesses: How an AI receptionist answers calls and books appointments, and when it fits.
- AI receptionist vs text-back vs answering service: How to choose between AI answering, text-back and a human service.
- Missed-call text-back in the UK: How missed-call text-back works and what to check under UK rules.
Need help with this?
Clariti Digital is a UK digital growth agency for established local businesses. We start with a diagnostic, then fix what holds back visibility, enquiries and trust. Call +44 7435 063827 or email sam@claritidigital.com.