Missed customer check
The missed customer check is a free test of what happens when a new customer tries to reach your business. We get in touch the way a real customer would, record how quickly and how well you reply, and then spend about 15 minutes going through the results with you. There is no obligation, and the fixes are often simpler than you might expect.
Why reply speed matters for winning work
When someone needs a service, they rarely contact just one business. A homeowner with a leaking roof or a person looking for a new accountant will often send two or three enquiries and go with whoever replies first with a clear, helpful answer. The business that responds the next day may do excellent work, but by then the customer has already booked.
This is why missed calls are such a costly problem for small businesses. If you are on a job, with a client or simply busy, a call that goes unanswered with no follow-up is usually a customer lost for good. Many people do not leave voicemails, and a slow reply to a web form can feel like no reply at all. The money you spend on being found online, through your website, your Google Business Profile or local SEO, only pays off if the enquiries it brings are answered well.
How fast should a business reply to enquiries
The honest answer is as quickly as you reasonably can, and certainly faster than your competitors. For urgent services, such as emergency repairs, minutes matter. For considered purchases, a same day reply is usually the minimum customers expect, and a prompt acknowledgement followed by a fuller answer works well.
Speed is only half of it. A fast reply that ignores the question, asks the customer to repeat themselves or gives no next step can do as much harm as a slow one. The best replies confirm what the customer needs, set clear expectations about timing and make it easy to take the next step, whether that is booking a visit or getting a quote.
How the missed customer check works
We contact your business in the same ways a new customer would. Depending on how you take enquiries, that might be a phone call, a message through your website form, an email or a message through social media or your Google Business Profile. We behave like an ordinary customer and keep the enquiries realistic for your type of business.
For each contact, we record how long it took to get a reply, whether missed calls were followed up and how helpful the response was. We note whether the reply answered the question, gave a clear next step and left a good impression. We then arrange a call of about 15 minutes to talk you through what we found.
What you get from the check
The check gives you a clear, practical picture of your business from the customer's side, which is surprisingly hard to see from the inside.
- A record of each contact we made, how quickly you replied and what happened next.
- Plain observations on the quality of each reply, including anything that might put a customer off.
- Practical fixes you can put in place straight away, many of which cost nothing.
- Suggestions for where automation or better call handling would make the biggest difference.
The results are yours to use however you like. Some owners simply tighten up their own habits, while others ask us to help with the larger fixes.
Free, with no obligation
The missed customer check is completely free and there is nothing to sign up to. We offer it because it is a useful way to show business owners where they may be losing work, and because the conversation often reveals simple improvements that help straight away. If you decide you want help afterwards, we will explain the options and costs clearly.
If you would rather not take it further, that is entirely fine. You will still have a clear picture of how your business responds to new customers and a list of practical steps to act on in your own time.
Fixes that commonly follow
Many of the problems we find fall into a few familiar patterns, and most have a straightforward fix. Missed calls with no follow-up can be handled with an automatic text that lets the caller know you will ring back soon. Web enquiries that sit unanswered can trigger an instant, helpful reply that confirms the message arrived and asks a couple of useful questions.
Other fixes include better call handling, such as clear voicemail messages, call forwarding during busy periods or a simple rota for who answers the phone. Quotes that go quiet can be followed up automatically at sensible intervals, and happy customers can be asked for a review once a job is finished. You can read more about how we set these up on our AI automation page, or see what support is available on our pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Will you tell me when you are contacting my business?
We agree the general approach with you when you book, but we do not say exactly when each contact will happen. That way the results reflect how your business normally responds, which is what makes the check useful.
What types of business is the check suitable for?
It suits any business that wins work through enquiries, including trades, salons, clinics, professional services and local shops. If customers call, email, message or fill in a form before buying, the check will tell you something useful.
Is the missed customer check really free?
Yes. There is no charge and no obligation to buy anything afterwards. If you would like help with the fixes, we will explain the options and give you a quote first.
How long does the results call take?
About 15 minutes. We go through what happened with each contact, highlight anything that might cost you customers and suggest practical fixes you can start on straight away.
Do I need to prepare anything?
Not really. We simply need to know the ways customers usually contact you, such as your phone number, website form, email address and any social media accounts you use for enquiries. After that, just carry on as normal.
Related services
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Automations that reply to enquiries, text back missed callers and follow up quotes.
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Help trades businesses get found by local customers and turn searches into enquiries.
Find out moreBook your free missed customer check
Tell us how customers usually reach you and we will test your replies, then talk you through the results and practical fixes in about 15 minutes.
Book my check