What do missed calls really cost a contractor?
Published October 2026 by Six Points Media. Prices in Canadian dollars.
You're on a roof, under a sink or driving between jobs, and your phone rings. You can't pick up. By the time you call back, the customer may have already booked whoever answered first.
This guide shows you how to work out what missed calls cost your business, using your own numbers rather than someone else's. It then covers the simplest fix, a missed-call text-back, including the Canadian texting rules to know about.
The short answer
A missed call costs you whatever that job would have been worth, multiplied by the chance you'd have won it. You can estimate it in five minutes from your phone's call log. If the number is meaningful, a missed-call text-back sends the caller an automatic text within moments of the call going unanswered. That keeps them talking to you instead of dialling the next contractor. In Canada, that text needs to follow Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) if it promotes your business (CRTC).
Work out your own number
We won't quote an industry "average cost of a missed call". We haven't found one based on solid Canadian data, and your business is what matters anyway. Use this formula:
Missed calls a month × share from new customers × share you'd normally book × average job value = work at risk each month
- Missed calls a month: check your phone's call log or your provider's online account for a normal week, then multiply by about 4.3.
- Share from new customers: leave out suppliers, spam and existing customers who'll call back anyway.
- Booking rate: of new callers you actually speak to, how many become jobs?
- Average job value: use a typical invoice, not your biggest one.
| Example only (made-up numbers) | Value |
|---|---|
| Missed calls a month | 10 |
| Share from new customers | 1 in 2 → 5 calls |
| Share you'd normally book | 1 in 3 → about 1.7 jobs |
| Average job value | $400 → about $670 a month at risk |
These numbers are invented to show the arithmetic. They're not a prediction. Swap in your own. A text-back won't win back every one of those jobs, so track your real results for a month or two before you decide it's worth keeping.
Why calls get missed in the trades
- You're working with your hands, on a ladder or in a crawl space.
- You're driving, and you shouldn't be answering anyway.
- Evenings and weekends, when homeowners finally have time to call.
- Busy season, when every line rings at once.
Voicemail asks the caller to wait. Many people just try the next name on the list instead, especially for urgent jobs like a leak or no heat.
What a missed-call text-back is
When a call to your business number isn't answered, the system automatically sends the caller a short text. A good one says who you are, that you saw their call, when you'll call back, and asks one easy question. The caller can then describe the job by text while you finish what you're doing.
Sample text you can adapt:
Hi, it's Dan from Smith Plumbing. Sorry I missed your call, I'm on a job. I'll call you back by 3:30. What do you need help with, and what's the address? Reply STOP to opt out.
Keep it short, sound like yourself, and only promise a callback time you can actually keep.
Your options compared
| Option | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Voicemail only | Caller leaves a message | Many callers don't leave one, and you lose the lead |
| Text them back yourself | You check missed calls and text manually | Easy to forget on busy days, and slow |
| Automatic missed-call text-back | Software texts every missed caller straight away | Monthly cost, and the wording has to follow Canadian texting rules |
| Answering service | A live person picks up | Usually costs more, and the person may not know your trade |
Canadian texting rules (CASL) in plain English
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation covers commercial electronic messages, including SMS. If a message promotes your business, the CRTC says you need to (1) have consent, (2) identify yourself and (3) provide a way to unsubscribe. For texts, replying "STOP" is one of the CRTC's examples (CRTC CASL FAQ). The CRTC also notes that:
- unsubscribe requests must be processed within 10 business days,
- it's the sender's job to prove consent, so keep records, and
- penalties can reach $1 million per violation for an individual and $10 million for a business.
A plain reply to someone who just called you about a job is different from a marketing blast. Even so, it's safest to identify your business, offer a STOP option, send one auto-reply per missed call with no follow-up sequence unless the person replies, and not add caller numbers to promotional lists without proper consent. This is general information, not legal advice. The CRTC's FAQ is the place to check specifics.
Note for US readers: texting from US local numbers involves separate carrier registration rules. This guide covers Canada.
Make sure people can find your number first
A text-back only helps if people call you. For most trades, calls start with your Google Business Profile and your website. Our Google Business Profile guide for contractors covers the setup.
What Six Points Media charges
We work with local service businesses on monthly plans. Prices are in CAD, plus HST.
- Get Found: a one-page website with your domain (registered in your name at no charge), hosting and up to 2 edits a month. $399 setup + $119/mo with a 12-month minimum, or $0 down at $169/mo for the first 12 months, then $119/mo. Live within 7 days of receiving your payment and content, or your first month is free.
- Never Miss a Call: everything in Get Found plus missed-call text-back, a lead pipeline and a monthly report on the missed calls we texted back. $499 setup + $269/mo, 6-month minimum.
- Full Service: everything in Never Miss a Call plus follow-up sequences, Google Business Profile upkeep (hours and info kept current), and review requests and replies. $797 setup + $397/mo, 6-month minimum.
- Limited founding offer: our full Tier 3 bundle, first 3 clients only: Everything in Full Service (Tier 3, our most complete plan) at a founding price, with a 6-month minimum. Tier 3 is normally $797 setup + $397/mo. Tier 3 only, contract only, limited to 3 spots. Not available to regulated health or legal practices. The Local SEO add-on stays at its regular price. Founding price: $497 setup · $297/mo · 6-month minimum.
- Local SEO add-on: up to 4 Google Business Profile posts, 1 new service or service-area page, 3 new directory listings and a monthly report. No setup fee + $349/mo, 3-month minimum.
We register your domain in your business's name at no charge, so it's yours, and it stays with you if you leave. We build, host and run the website for you as part of your plan. If you leave and want to keep the website itself (its design and files), there's a one-time buyout of $2,499 + HST, the same on every plan, once all fees owed are settled.
A no-contract option is available on request for every plan.
Common questions
How much does a missed call cost a contractor?
It depends on your numbers. Multiply missed calls a month by the share from new customers, by how often you'd normally book them, and by your average job value. Check your call log for a week to get real figures.
Is missed-call text-back legal in Canada?
Yes, but commercial texts fall under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). The CRTC says commercial messages need consent, identification and an easy unsubscribe such as replying STOP. This is general information, not legal advice.
Will a text-back replace answering my phone?
No. It catches calls you can't answer and gives the caller a quick way to reach you. You still need to follow up quickly.
Do I need a new phone number?
Not always. It depends on how your current number and provider are set up. Ask before you sign up for anything.
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Talk it through with us
Book a free call at a time that suits you, or send us a request and we'll get back to you.