Guide
How do I stop losing jobs to voicemail?
Updated July 2026
The short answer
Stop relying on people leaving messages — most won't. The fixes, in rising order of effectiveness: divert to a mobile you actually answer, add missed-call text-back so silent hang-ups get an instant SMS, use conditional call forwarding so unanswered calls go somewhere staffed, or put a 24/7 receptionist (human or AI) on the line so the call is answered and the job is booked the first time.
Fix 1: conditional call forwarding (free, ten minutes)
Every Australian mobile supports it: dial a short code and unanswered or busy calls quietly forward to another number — a partner, an office, or an answering service. Your number stays the same; callers never know. It's the plumbing that every better solution builds on.
Fix 2: missed-call text-back
When you can't answer, an automatic SMS lands within a minute: 'Sorry we missed you — reply here and we'll get back to you shortly.' It converts silent hang-ups into open conversations. It doesn't book the job, but it stops the caller feeling ignored long enough for you to call back.
Fix 3: answer every call with a 24/7 receptionist
The full fix is nobody hitting voicemail at all: every call answered in seconds, the job booked into your real calendar during the call, a confirmation text sent, and genuine emergencies escalated to you. That's the product category Kora is in — the call is handled, not just captured.
What doesn't work
A cheerful voicemail greeting promising to 'call back as soon as possible' doesn't change caller behaviour — the large majority still hang up and ring the next business. And heroically trying to answer everything yourself just moves the cost: every answered call interrupts paid work, and the ones during jobs still get missed.
Hear it answer a call, live
The fastest way to judge an AI receptionist is to ring one. Call Kora now and try to book a job.