The true cost of phone calls for small businesses
Phone calls seem free. The phone rings, you pick up, you talk. But that time has a price, and for small business owners, it's usually higher than they think.
When you answer calls yourself, you're not doing the work you're paid for. A lawyer billing 120 euros per hour who spends 45 minutes on the phone per day is spending over 1,700 euros per month in opportunity cost. That's money not earned, not billed, not recovered.
Your four options, compared
1. Answer calls yourself
The cheapest option on paper, the most expensive in practice. Every call interrupts your work. Studies show it takes 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption. So a 3-minute call really costs you 26 minutes of productive time.
2. Hire a receptionist
A part-time receptionist in Germany costs 1,500 to 2,500 euros per month including social contributions. A full-time position costs 2,800 to 4,000 euros. They cover office hours only, need vacation days, and can only handle one call at a time.
3. Use an answering service (Büroservice)
Traditional answering services charge 1.50 to 3 euros per call. For a business getting 15 calls per day, that's 660 to 1,320 euros per month. They work from scripts, can't access your calendar, and callers often notice they're talking to a generic service.
4. Use an AI phone assistant
Safina answers calls 24/7, asks the right questions based on your business, sends you a structured summary, and can book appointments directly into your calendar. Plans start at 9.99 euros per month with 30 minutes included.
Which calls should you answer yourself?
Not all calls need the same treatment. Urgent matters from existing clients deserve your personal attention. But first-time inquiries, appointment requests, and routine questions? Those are where an AI assistant pays for itself many times over.
Wondering what your missed calls are costing you? Try our Missed Call Cost Calculator.