How much are your missed calls actually costing you?

We look at how many calls go unanswered each month, estimate what proportion are new or upgrade enquiries, apply a realistic conversion rate, and multiply by your average deal or booking value. We show a range — conservative to optimistic — because not every missed call would have converted.

We add up the hours your team spends on live calls, post-call admin, and chasing callbacks for unanswered calls. This surfaces the labour cost of phone handling, not just the opportunity cost — and it often surprises people.

Lifetime value, not a single transaction

A new customer is not worth one bill cycle or one booking — they are worth every interaction over the course of your relationship. A business customer who stays two years and upgrades their plan is not worth £50 a month. They are worth thousands. When a new enquiry can't get through and goes to a competitor, that entire relationship leaves with them.

Referrals that never happen

Happy customers refer colleagues, friends, and family. A customer you never acquired can not refer anyone. If even a small share of your new business comes from word of mouth, every lost caller has a compounding knock-on effect.

Marketing spend wasted

If you invest in paid search, social, or outbound to generate inbound calls, every missed call has an acquisition cost already attached. You paid to make the phone ring. If no one answers, that spend is gone. And in competitive markets, the next provider on Google is happy to take the call you paid for.

Your competitor's gain

Callers are often ready to act. If they can't reach you, many will try somewhere else immediately. In telecom and services, the first team to answer often wins the deal — not the best product, just the fastest response. You didn't lose the customer to a better offer. You lost them because someone else picked up the phone.

Hire more support staff

The traditional solution. Works well for predictable, high-volume environments during core hours. Doesn't solve overflow during peak windows or out-of-hours calls. Comes with salary, onboarding, holiday cover, and the ceiling that even great staff can only handle one call at a time.

Best for: Larger teams with steady demand and budget for full-time headcount.

Virtual receptionist service

A remote team answers on your behalf — usually charged per minute or per call. Gives you human coverage without the full-time cost. Quality varies and agents won't know your product or customer base. Costs scale up quickly at higher volumes.

Best for: Businesses wanting overflow support or extended hours without hiring.

Self-service portals and chatbots

Let customers handle simple queries via your website or app. Available 24/7, no phone call needed. Reduces repetitive inbound load. Won't capture every caller — some customers, especially on complex plans or disputes, need to speak to a person.

Best for: Reducing routine query volume and supporting the self-serve segment.

Voicemail and callback systems

The lowest-cost option. Captures missed calls for a later return. Better than nothing — but most callers won't leave a message, and by the time you call back, they may have churned or escalated. Creates extra admin rather than solving the problem.

Best for: Very low call volumes, or as a last resort alongside other options.

AI voice agent (like Revti)

AI answers every call, instantly, 24/7 — handling enquiries, booking callbacks, triaging issues, and escalating to a human when needed. Typically a fraction of the cost of a human team. Integrates with your existing systems. Some customers may prefer a human, but many can't tell the difference — and all of them prefer an answer to voicemail.

Best for: Teams that need reliable, scalable coverage without ongoing staffing challenges.