Open 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, is 40 hours. Leave out lunch if the phone goes unanswered then.
Your estimate. Your call log shows the time of each call if you want to check it.
Leave out spam, wrong numbers and existing customers with quick questions.
Revenue calling after hours each month
$3,897
About 52 calls a month come in while you are closed. At your booking rate that is about 16 customers, or $46,764 a year.
Calls a week × 20% after hours × 4.33 weeks = after-hours calls a month. × 30% booking rate × $250 a job = revenue at stake.
The Real Talk plan is $199 a month and answers all 168 hours.
Answer after hoursYour phone keeps ringing after you lock up
Customers call when they have the problem or a free moment, not when you happen to be open. A leaking pipe at 9 pm, a haircut booked on a lunch break, a quote request on a Sunday afternoon. When those calls reach voicemail, some callers wait for you to open and some call someone else.
This calculator shows two things: how many hours a week your phone is effectively switched off, and what the calls in those hours could be worth, using your own estimate of how many come in after hours.
How to use the after-hours call calculator
1
Enter your open hours
Add up the hours someone can actually answer the phone in a normal week. Leave out lunch if the phone goes unanswered then.
2
Estimate your after-hours share
Check your call log for calls outside your hours. If you cannot tell, start with a low guess and move the slider to see how much it matters.
3
Add booking rate and job value
Of the new customers who call, how many usually book? What is an average first job worth? Use honest middle numbers, not your best week.
Counting the hours nobody answers
A week has 168 hours. Subtract the hours your phone is answered and the rest is time when every call goes to voicemail. A business open 9 to 5 on weekdays answers 40 hours and is closed for 128, which is more than three quarters of the week.
How the math works
Calls per week times your after-hours share gives after-hours calls a week. Times 4.33 weeks (52 weeks divided by 12) gives a month. Multiply by your booking rate for the customers at stake, then by the value of an average job for the revenue at stake.
Why after-hours callers are worth answering
A caller at 8 pm is still a customer. If someone answers, you can book them into your first open slot. If voicemail answers, you hear about it in the morning, and by then they may have booked with whoever picked up. Your after-hours share is your own estimate, so check your call log to firm it up.
Or let FrontDesk Talk handle it
Open for calls every hour of the week
FrontDesk Talk answers nights, weekends, and holidays, books the job on Real Talk and up, and Talk Back texts anyone you missed. Urgent calls go straight to your cell.
Questions
How do I find out how many calls come in after hours?
Your phone’s recent calls list and your carrier’s call log show the time of each call. Count the ones outside your open hours over a normal week or two and divide by your total calls.
Should I count spam and robocalls?
No. Leave out spam, wrong numbers, and existing customers with quick questions when you set your booking rate. The number that matters is callers who could become paying work.
What if callers leave a voicemail?
Some will, and you will win some of them back the next day. If you know roughly how many call back or leave a message, lower the booking rate so it only counts the ones you lose.
Is it worth covering nights and weekends?
Compare the revenue at stake here with what coverage costs. The talk time calculator and the answering service cost calculator show what answering those hours would cost you.
How does FrontDesk Talk handle after-hours calls?
It answers every call 24/7, answers questions about your services and prices, books appointments on Real Talk and up, and transfers urgent calls to your cell. You get a Talk Note after each call.
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