Many local businesses invest heavily in marketing, referrals, and online visibility — yet still lose opportunities every day due to one overlooked issue: missed phone calls. Industry research shows that 20–40% of inbound calls to small businesses go unanswered, and studies indicate that 78% of callers will do business with the first company they successfully reach. When calls go unanswered during busy periods, after hours, or while teams are with customers, most callers don’t wait or leave a voicemail —