Why 27% of Contractor Calls Go Unanswered (And How to Fix It)

You’re elbow-deep in a water heater installation when your phone buzzes. You glance at the screen. Unknown number. Could be a new customer, could be spam. Either way, you can’t answer right now.

This scene plays out millions of times daily across the trades. And it’s costing contractors far more than they realize.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

According to Invoca’s research on home services businesses, 27% of calls to contractors go unanswered. That’s more than one in four potential customers who never get through.

But that number might actually be conservative. Data from CallBird, analyzing 1,200+ contractors across plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and general contracting, found that 62% of calls go unanswered when crews are on job sites.

Here’s the part that really hurts: 78% of those callers won’t leave a voicemail. They simply hang up and dial the next contractor on their list.

Think about that. You spent money on Google Ads, SEO, truck wraps, yard signs. A customer found you, picked up their phone, and called. And they’re gone before you even knew they existed.

Why This Happens

Let’s be honest about why contractors miss calls. It’s not laziness or bad customer service. It’s the nature of the work.

You’re on the job. When you’re running diagnostics on an HVAC system, crawling through an attic, or operating power tools, you physically cannot answer the phone. Your hands are occupied. The environment is loud. Stopping mid-task isn’t always safe.

You’re driving. Contractors spend hours in trucks between jobs. Some states have strict hands-free laws. Even where it’s legal, taking a sales call while navigating traffic isn’t ideal.

It’s after hours. Emergencies don’t wait for Monday at 9 AM. Pipes burst at midnight. AC units die on the hottest Sunday of the year. Without an after-hours answering service, you’re missing the customers who need you most desperately.

You’re already on another call. Small operations often have one person handling everything. When you’re on the phone with a supplier, scheduling a permit inspection, or helping an existing customer, new callers hit voicemail.

You’re understaffed. The skilled trades face a well-documented labor shortage. Finding someone reliable to answer phones is another position you can’t fill.

What This Actually Costs You

Here’s the uncomfortable math.

The average plumbing service call generates around $275 in revenue. Emergency calls, which make up roughly 30% of after-hours calls, average $450. For HVAC, research from Adaptify shows each missed call costs contractors an average of $180 in lost revenue, with installation opportunities ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.

According to the CallBird analysis, the average small contracting business loses $45,000 to $120,000 per year to unanswered phone calls.

For plumbers specifically, Suzee AI’s research puts the annual loss at $50,000 or more.

That’s not theoretical revenue. That’s real customers with real money who wanted to hire you. They just called someone else instead.

The Speed Factor

Response time compounds the problem.

MIT researchers found that companies who respond to leads within five minutes are 21 times more likely to convert that lead into a customer. Not 21% more likely. Twenty-one times more likely.

After 30 minutes, the odds of qualifying a lead drop by 21x. After an hour, you might as well not bother.

When someone has a plumbing emergency or their AC dies, they’re not going to wait around for a callback. They’re calling down the list until someone picks up. The first contractor who answers gets the job.

The Compounding Problem

Missed calls don’t just lose individual jobs. They create a compound effect that damages your business over time.

Lost referrals. Every customer you don’t get is a network of future referrals you’ll never receive. The customer who called about a drain cleaning might have needed a bathroom remodel next year. Their neighbor might have needed a new HVAC system. Gone.

Wasted marketing spend. You’re paying to generate those calls. Every missed call is ad spend that generated zero return. Your cost per acquisition skyrockets when 27% of leads evaporate before you can talk to them.

Reputation damage. Customers who can’t reach you leave frustrated. Some will leave negative reviews. Others will simply tell friends that you never answered. Word spreads.

Competitor advantage. Every call you miss is a call your competitor answers. They’re not just getting the job; they’re building the customer relationship you could have had.

How Contractors Are Solving This

The good news: this problem is solvable. Here are the approaches contractors are using, from simplest to most sophisticated.

Hire an Office Manager

The traditional solution. One person dedicated to answering calls, scheduling, and customer communication.

Pros: Human touch, can handle complex situations, knows your business.

Cons: Expensive ($35,000-$50,000/year), only covers business hours unless you hire multiple people, still misses calls during lunch or bathroom breaks.

Use a Virtual Receptionist Service

Companies like Ruby or AnswerConnect provide live humans who answer your calls.

Pros: 24/7 coverage available, human conversation, scalable.

Cons: Per-minute or per-call pricing adds up fast, scripts can feel impersonal, may not know your specific business well enough.

Forward Calls to Your Cell

Simple call forwarding so calls reach you directly.

Pros: Free, immediate, you control every conversation.

Cons: Doesn’t solve the core problem. You still can’t answer when you’re on the job. Now you’re also getting work calls at dinner.

AI Phone Answering Services

The newest option. AI-powered systems that answer calls 24/7, capture caller information, answer common questions, and can even book appointments directly.

Pros: Never misses a call, 24/7/365 coverage, consistent experience, costs $50-100/month typically.

Cons: Some callers prefer humans, technology is still maturing (though quality has improved dramatically).

Quick Comparison

Solution	Cost	Coverage	Best For
Office Manager	$35-50K/year	Business hours	Established businesses
Virtual Receptionist	$200-500/month	24/7 available	High call volume
Call Forwarding	Free	When you’re free	Backup only
AI Answering Service	$50-100/month	24/7/365	Solo operators, after-hours

What’s the Right Choice?

The best solution depends on your situation.

Solo operator or small crew: AI answering makes the most sense. The math is simple: one booked job per month pays for the service many times over, and you can’t justify a full-time office person.

Growing operation with 5+ employees: Consider a hybrid approach. AI handles after-hours and overflow, a part-time office person handles complex scheduling during business hours.

Established business with steady call volume: A dedicated office manager or receptionist team might make sense, potentially supplemented with AI for after-hours coverage.

The one option that doesn’t make sense: doing nothing. Losing 27% of your calls isn’t a minor inefficiency. It’s a significant revenue leak that gets worse the more you spend on marketing.

The Bottom Line

Every missed call is a customer you lost before you had a chance to compete. They wanted to hire you. They picked up the phone. They tried.

The 27% statistic isn’t inevitable. It’s a problem with solutions. Whether you hire someone, use a service, or implement AI, the goal is the same: make sure every caller reaches someone who can help them.

The contractors who figure this out don’t just capture more revenue. They build better reputations, generate more referrals, and spend their marketing dollars more efficiently.

Your phone is ringing. The question is whether anyone’s there to answer.