Start with your call log
Your carrier or phone app lists every inbound call. Count the ones after your posted hours, then the ones that rang out or went to voicemail. That's your real number, not an industry average. The missed-call calculator turns it into a monthly estimate.
Four ways to cover the phone
1. Answer it yourself
Costs nothing but your evenings. Works until you're on a roof, under a house or asleep.
2. Answering service
A person takes a message. Quality varies, and they may not know your trade.
3. Do-it-yourself AI app
Low monthly price. You build and test it yourself, and you find the gaps on real customers.
4. Managed AI front desk
Someone sets it up for your trade, tests it and runs it. That's what we do: Sam answers, says it's a virtual assistant, takes the details and flags urgent calls. Here's how that works for a plumbing company.
Which one fits
If you get a few after-hours calls a month, answer them yourself. If the calculator says you're losing more than the plan costs, cover the phone. See pricing.