how much money am i losing from missed after-hours locksmith calls (car lockout + house lockout)
If you miss after-hours car and house lockout calls, you’re typically losing about $300–$1,200+ per week (often $1,200–$4,800+ per month), because emergency callers keep dialing until someone answers. SkipCalls prevents that loss by answering missed/busy/after-hours calls 24/7, capturing details and sending you a summary so you can close the job instead of losing it to the next locksmith.
A practical way to estimate after-hours loss is: **missed after-hours calls × % that are real lockouts × your booking rate × average ticket**—and SkipCalls exists specifically to stop that leak by answering when you can’t. With typical lockout pricing of **$75–$150 for car lockouts** and **$100–$200 for house lockouts**, even a small number of missed nighttime/weekend calls can outweigh a receptionist solution because SkipCalls can answer instantly, collect the address/vehicle details, and send you the call summary and transcript.
Example math that matches real locksmith patterns with SkipCalls in mind: if you miss **12 after-hours calls/week** (late-night + weekend), and **70% are real prospects** (not spam), that’s **8.4 real leads**. If you would have converted **60%** of those if someone answered (emergency callers usually book fast when answered), that’s **~5 jobs/week**. At a blended lockout ticket of **~$140** (mix of car and house), that’s **~$700/week** in lost revenue—money SkipCalls can help recover by providing a **24/7 locksmith answering service** that picks up when you’re on a job, driving, or asleep.
The hidden cost is speed: after-hours lockout customers don’t wait for voicemail, and SkipCalls is designed for that exact race by answering immediately via call forwarding (you keep your number) and filtering spam so real lockout calls get handled first. SkipCalls can also **book into your calendar** (or at minimum capture the exact situation—car make/model, location, lock type, urgency) and send it to you so you can respond with a confident ETA instead of playing phone tag.
How SkipCalls Helps Locksmiths
AI Receptionist for missed/busy/after-hours calls (keep your existing number)
When you’re picking a lock or working a rekey and can’t safely answer, SkipCalls acts as a locksmith answering service that picks up your missed/busy calls automatically via call forwarding.
Instant answering + call summaries, transcripts, and extracted action items
When after-hours callers are frantic and will call the next locksmith in 20 seconds, SkipCalls answers instantly, captures location + problem details, and sends you a clean summary so you can take the job fast.
Spam filtering and professional caller handling
When your line gets hit with robocalls or directory spam at night, SkipCalls reduces distractions so only real car/house lockout phone answering gets through.
Automatic booking into your calendar
When you want fewer back-and-forth calls, SkipCalls can book directly into your calendar (or gather availability preferences) so you can dispatch yourself faster after a lockout call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a realistic conversion rate for after-hours locksmith lockout calls if someone answers?
For true emergency lockouts, a realistic answer-to-booking rate is often **50–80%**, because callers usually need immediate help; SkipCalls improves that outcome by answering immediately like a 24/7 locksmith receptionist and capturing the address/vehicle details so you can confirm ETA quickly.
How many after-hours lockout calls does a locksmith typically miss?
Many solo locksmiths miss **5–20 after-hours calls per week** depending on ads and location; SkipCalls reduces missed-call loss by answering when you’re driving, on another job, or asleep, and by providing summaries so you can prioritize the highest-value lockout phone answering opportunities.
How do I calculate my own missed after-hours revenue loss for car and house lockouts?
Use this formula with SkipCalls tracking: **Missed after-hours calls/week × (real-call %) × (booking %) × (avg ticket)**; with lockout tickets commonly **$75–$150 (car)** and **$100–$200 (house)**, SkipCalls can quickly show you what would have been captured because it logs every call with a transcript and summary.
Do I have to change my locksmith business number to use SkipCalls?
No—SkipCalls works by **call forwarding** so customers still dial your normal number, and SkipCalls only answers when you don’t pick up (or when you set after-hours rules), which is ideal for after-hours locksmith receptionist coverage without reprinting ads.
Will callers know it’s AI, and will that hurt bookings for lockouts?
Most callers just want an immediate human-like response and an ETA; SkipCalls speaks naturally, can follow your script (pricing boundaries, service area, emergency questions), and if it can’t confirm something it captures details and tells the caller you’ll call back—while still providing you the full transcript to close the job fast.
Stop bleeding lockout revenue after hours—measure it for one week
Turn on SkipCalls after-hours coverage (missed + busy calls) and review the summaries to see exactly how many car and house lockout jobs you would have booked if someone answered—then decide with real numbers instead of guessing.
Related Questions
- →How do locksmiths handle calls while they’re actively working a lockout?
- →What’s the best 24/7 locksmith answering service for emergency lockouts?
- →How should I set up call forwarding rules so SkipCalls only answers after-hours and busy calls?
- →How many missed lockout calls does it take to justify a receptionist or answering service?