You paid for Checkatrade leads — then missed the call

You are paying Checkatrade, MyBuilder, or Bark somewhere between £8 and £15 per lead. That lead comes through as a phone call. Your phone rings while you are on a job. You miss it. The customer calls the next plumber on the list.

That is not just a missed call. That is £8-15 you have already spent, generating zero return. Do that three times a week and you are burning £1,500-2,000 a year on leads you never even spoke to.

The Checkatrade lead lifecycle

A homeowner searches for a plumber on Checkatrade. They see your profile, your reviews, your pricing. They tap "Call." Your phone rings. You are under a boiler. It goes to voicemail. They hang up and tap "Call" on the next profile. That plumber answers. Job gone.

The cruel part is that Checkatrade has already charged you for the lead. Whether you answer or not, you pay. The only variable is whether you convert it into revenue.

Why AI answering changes the ROI on paid leads

An AI receptionist answers instantly — before the second ring. It sounds professional, asks about the issue, checks your calendar, and books the job. The Checkatrade customer gets the experience they expect from a top-rated tradesperson. You get a confirmed booking in your diary.

Your Checkatrade spend stays the same. Your conversion rate doubles. That is the difference between paying £15 for a lead and paying £15 for a booked job worth £200.

The maths on 10 Checkatrade leads a week

Say you get 10 leads a week at £12 each. That is £120 per week, £480 per month. If you answer 6 of those and convert 4, your cost-per-job is £120. If an AI answers all 10 and you convert 7, your cost-per-job drops to £69. Add the £69 AI subscription and you are still ahead — with 3 extra jobs per week.