In the survey of over 220 tradespeople by the Builders Station, 60% of respondents said they struggled to answer the phone when they were at work.

The research also revealed that only 22% had a landline number advertised on their website.

Only 4% of respondents felt the landline was a “primary method of client communication,” with the vast majority of respondents saying the mobile was their main form of client communication. 

Following up on the research, The Clive Holland Show, called CEO of Voipfone Colin Duffy, to discuss why tradespeople allow so many business opportunities go begging.

“Most tradespeople are small businessmen… If they are halfway up a ladder, or under somebody’s sink and the phone goes, they can’t answer it very easily,” said Duffy.

“So, they really, really need a clever way of being able to answer, when they are not able to answer,” he added.

Voipfone offers several possible solutions for tradespeople, whether its voice over IP unit sat on a desk, forwarding calls to a mobile, or a call answering service.

But despite the exponential growth of mobile in the last ten years, a landline is still an important part of a tradesperson’s marketing arsenal.

According to OfCom research, telephone area codes are still ‘more trusted’ than mobile numbers, because they are associated with larger, more established firms.

“If it is a 07 number that is less trusted than a 01 or 02, or even 0800 number, because you think that is a bigger company,” said Duffy.

Dan Brown from the Job & Knock Podcast also joined the show.

He estimated he had passed on between 20-to-25% more work simply by missing the initial call or by not calling back. “You just can’t take all the calls – even if I do, I can’t take them on,” he said.

Brown, who has a landline directing calls to his mobile, finds his smart watch is a great way to keep track of missed calls.

“The phone needs to be out of the working areas for at least part of the day for efficiency, cost and safety… You are better off ringing those people back at the end of the day,” he added.

To listen the full show, please click below.