Missed-call math for handyman businesses
You cannot answer the phone from a ladder. A worked example of what the calls you miss may add up to, with labelled assumptions.
Illustrative numbers. The figures here are example assumptions to show the arithmetic. They are not measured results. Replace them with your own call records.
A handyman business is often one or two people. When you are mid-repair, on a ladder or holding a drill, the phone goes to voicemail. That is not carelessness. It is the job. It is also why the cost of missed calls is worth working out once, calmly.
Everything below is an example assumption, not a measured result. Swap in your own numbers.
Example assumptions
- 28 inbound calls in a typical week.
- 25% go unanswered while you are on a job. That is 7 calls.
- 40% of those callers would have booked a visit if someone had answered. That is 2.8 jobs.
- An average job of $220.
The arithmetic
7 missed calls x 40% = 2.8 jobs a week. 2.8 x $220 = $616 a week. Over 50 working weeks, that is $30,800 a year.
Change the inputs and the answer moves:
- Low case: 7 missed, 30% would book, $150 job = $315 a week.
- Base case: 7 missed, 40% would book, $220 job = $616 a week.
- High case: 7 missed, 50% would book, $300 job = $1,050 a week.
Why handyman calls behave differently
Handyman callers often have a list, not a single problem. A sticking door, a loose railing, a shelf to hang. Someone who finally sits down to write their list wants one person to take all of it. If you answer, you may get the whole list. If you do not, they may hire the first company that does, and the whole list goes with it.
These are also calls that are easy to put off. A caller who gets voicemail may well decide the repair can wait another month.
What the math leaves out
- Revenue is not profit. Subtract travel, materials you do not mark up, and your time.
- Some missed calls are not jobs: wrong numbers, sales calls, work outside what you do.
- Some callers will leave a message and wait for your callback. Count the ones who actually do.
- Jobs you would not take. If a caller needs licensed electrical or plumbing work, a good answer is a polite referral, not a booking.
Use your own numbers
Pull a month of call history from your phone. Count missed calls, then count how many left a message and how many you returned that day. Then look back at your last 20 jobs and work out their average value.
If most of your misses cluster at the times you are on site, you know when coverage matters. The point is not to answer every call yourself. It is to make sure a caller reaches something that can check your real calendar, take down the list of jobs and the address, and book a visit.