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How much does a missed call cost an Australian tradie?
Published 16 October 2026 · By the KookaDesk team
Every tradie misses calls – you can't answer from under a house or up a ladder. The real question is how many of those calls were paying work, and how many went to someone else before you rang back. Here's a simple way to estimate it for your own business.
This is an example calculation, not research. We haven't surveyed Australian tradies and we don't quote industry statistics here. Every number below is an assumption we've labelled so you can swap in your own.
The formula
Lost revenue per week = missed calls × share that are new work × share who book elsewhere before you call back × share you'd normally win × average job value.
Each step matters. Not every missed call is a customer (some are suppliers, spam or existing clients), not every new customer is lost (some wait for your call back), and you wouldn't have won every job anyway.
Worked example: a sole-trader plumber
| Step | Assumption (example only) | Result |
|---|
| Missed calls per week | 8 – about 1–2 a working day | 8 |
| Share that are new work | 50% | 4 new enquiries |
| Share who book someone else before you call back | 50% | 2 lost enquiries |
| Share you'd normally win | 50% | 1 lost job |
| Average job value | A$450 | A$450 a week |
| Working weeks | 48 | about A$21,600 a year in revenue |
Remember this is revenue, not profit. Your real cost is the margin on those jobs, plus the follow-on work you'd have got from a happy customer (repeat jobs, referrals, reviews). Those are harder to estimate, so we've left them out.
What changes the answer most
- How fast you call back. If you can reliably ring back within a few minutes, fewer people book elsewhere. If calls wait until the evening, more do.
- The type of work. Emergency jobs (burst pipes, lockouts, no power, active leaks) are the least patient. Big planned jobs (renovations, decks, ducted air) give you more time, but the first organised reply often wins.
- After-hours calls. If you don't answer nights and weekends at all, count those calls separately – they can be a large share of urgent work.
- Job value. A locksmith call-out and a re-roof are very different numbers. Use your own average from your invoicing software.
Work out your own number
Change the numbers to match your business. Nothing you type is sent anywhere – the sum runs in your browser.
How to find your real numbers
- Missed calls: your phone's call log shows missed calls. Count a typical fortnight and halve it.
- Share that are new work: for that same fortnight, mark each missed number as new, existing, supplier or spam.
- Share who booked elsewhere: when you call back, note who says "already sorted, thanks".
- Win rate and job value: from your quoting or job-management software.
Ways to cut the cost (not all of them are us)
- Better voicemail – a short greeting saying when you'll call back and asking for suburb and job type. Free, but many callers still won't leave a message.
- A family member or part-time admin answering during the day – great if you have one.
- A human answering service – takes messages, usually charged per call or per minute. See AI receptionist vs answering service.
- An AI receptionist like KookaDesk – answers instantly, 24/7, asks your questions, and texts you the job to confirm. It costs a flat monthly fee, so it's worth it only if your own number above is clearly higher than the fee.
Whatever you choose, diverting only the calls you miss means you still get first chance to answer every call yourself.
FAQ
Is a missed call really a lost job?
Not always. Some callers leave a message or wait for a call back. That's why the example only counts callers who book someone else before you ring back.
Is the calculator result profit?
No. It estimates revenue. Your real loss is the margin on those jobs plus any repeat work or referrals they would have brought.
Stop losing jobs to voicemail
KookaDesk is an AI receptionist for Australian trades and clinics, in every time zone. It answers missed calls, emails and web enquiries within 60 seconds, 24/7, and texts you the job. From A$199/month +GST. 7-day free trial, cancel anytime.
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