Your business phone system is an essential asset that plays a pivotal role in your company’s success. Therefore, understanding the dynamics of your phone communication is vital for enhancing customer service and achieving your business objectives. However, making informed decisions in this regard requires access to valuable real-time data and statistics.
In this article, we aim to provide you with critical insights into consumer-business interactions over the phone, shedding light on customer preferences, industry practices, and strategies that work effectively. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 19 essential phone statistics to empower you to efficiently manage your business phone systems. Additionally, we have matched each statistic to its source, provided context, and offered our analysis to help you discern the implications for your business.
Business Texting Statistics
Text messaging has become a go-to communication channel for many individuals, not just for personal but also for business purposes. Let’s explore some key statistics related to business texting:
1) 68% of businesses claim to have texted their customers
- Source: Textypro, 2023
67% of people prefer to organize by texting a business rather than calling or emailing; while 68% of businesses say they currently use texting for customer services and support.
2) 93% of consumers trust text messaging as a communication channel
- Source: CTIA, 2016
CTIA, a telecommunications industry association, conducted a national tracking poll in 2016 through Morning Consult. The results indicated that a staggering 93% of consumers perceive wireless messaging as a trusted means of communication.
3) Text message open rates can reach as high as 98% to 99%
- Source: Protexting 2022
According to research by Protexting, open rates for text messages are as high as 98% to 99%, compared to email, which is at only 20%. This is one of the reasons why many businesses are starting to use SMS marketing. Digital Marketing Magazine also reveals that 75% of customers welcome text message offers sent by businesses. Also, the highest open rates are for organizations such as religion, the arts, and government where the messages are less promotional and subject lines are less likely to be labeled spam by either mail servers or recipients.
4) Response rates for business texts can be as high as 45%
- Source: SMS Comparison
Research has shown SMS to be highly effective in driving engagement and conversion. On average, SMS campaigns have an open rate 5x higher than that of email (98% vs 20%) and 45% of text messages receive a response compared to just 6% for emails. Also, regarding response time, the average time taken to respond after receiving an SMS is 3 minutes – which is 60x faster than 90 minutes for email.
5) Americans send 150 million texts a day to landlines that aren’t text-enabled
- Source: PRNewswire, 2021
It is clear that today’s consumers would rather text than wait on hold or leave a voicemail. Over 150 million text messages are already being sent to landlines daily and they go nowhere because most of these lines are not text-enabled. Thankfully, Nexa AI presents a better option for businesses that want to send and receive texts on their landline.
6) 9 out of 10 people prefer using messaging for interactions with businesses
- Source: Twilio, 2016
In a 2016 survey conducted by Twilio across seven countries, including a sample of 2,000 respondents in the US aged 18 to 55, the results were crystal clear: the vast majority of consumers prefer interacting with businesses through messaging. They appreciate the convenience of avoiding long wait times on hold and expect quick responses.
Business Phone Call Statistics
Let’s delve into the world of business phone calls and examine statistics that reveal how consumers perceive and use phone communication with businesses:
7) Customers greatly prefer human-to-human interactions like phone calls (62%), email (46%), and chat (37%) to self-service (14%) or bots (13%) when dealing with issues
- Source: Loyalty360
When asked which channels they would prefer if given a choice, customers also chose phone calls with a representative (62%), email (46%), and in-person (41%) as their ideal channels. What becomes clear is that customers still see an agent as necessary for successful service outcomes.
8) 59% of people use click-to-call for quicker responses
- Source: Google, 2013
In 2006, Google introduced the click-to-call feature, allowing users to call businesses directly from search results. Seven years later, they surveyed 3,000 smartphone users aged 18 to 74 to understand its usage. Their findings revealed that 59% of respondents preferred click-to-call for its perceived speed in getting a response from the business.
Additionally, 57% used it to speak with a live representative, while 54% turned to it when they required more information beyond what a website could provide.
9) Nine out of ten customers experience frustration when calling a business
- Source: Accenture, 2013
Consumers often face frustrations when calling businesses. An Accenture survey of 13,168 consumers across 33 countries found that 91% were annoyed by having to contact a company multiple times for the same issue, 90% disliked long hold times, and 89% were frustrated with repeating their problems to multiple representatives.
Frustration arises when calls go unanswered, unhelpful responses are given, or long wait times occur. Using a phone answering service can reduce wait times and missed calls. However, if the service can’t effectively assist callers, it can lead to customer dissatisfaction as they feel passed from one person to another – an experience people generally dislike.
10) Americans answer less than half of the phone calls they receive
- Source: Hiya, 2019
Americans are increasingly avoiding calls due to the surge in robocalls. Hiya, a leader in call protection, reports a 128% increase in spam calls in the first half of 2019, nearly reaching the 2018 total. Consumers now receive an average of 16 spam calls per month, up from seven at the end of the previous year. Answer rates have declined to 48%, and call volume has dropped by 17% to 178 calls per month.
11) 87% of consumers choose to filter out calls from numbers they don’t recognize.
- Source: ZipWhip, 2019
When it comes to receiving phone calls, consumers seek the most efficient method to determine their relevance and avoid wasting their time and attention on scams or sales calls. A survey of 500 consumers by ZipWhip revealed that a substantial 87 percent of them screened calls from unfamiliar numbers.
12) Most people anticipate spending at least 5 minutes on hold when calling a business
- Source: Avochato, 2019
A survey, which involved 1,000 U.S. adults with smartphones, found that while people desire interactive messaging and instant communication, a significant 92 percent anticipate waiting for at least 5 minutes on hold before connecting with a live representative. Furthermore, the majority of respondents (90 percent) express a preference for engaging with a company’s staff when they have inquiries, rather than interacting with automated bots or answering services.
13) Businesses miss around 22% of the calls they receive
- Source: Regus, 2023
Every missed call means missing out on a golden business opportunity. Imagine that the caller was actively seeking your services, eagerly scrolling through search results until they found a business that responded promptly. They might have been checking your business hours or product availability, ready to make a purchase.
But here’s the kicker: if you don’t answer, most won’t give you a second chance. They’ll either give up in frustration or, worse, turn to your competitors.
Back in 2016, Matt Rayner of Liquid11 revealed that the 10,000 companies they served were missing out on an average of around 22% of incoming calls. This included businesses of all sizes, from small ventures to massive enterprises.
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If your business receives five or more calls daily, Phonely can save you money and help you recapture those lost opportunities. Don’t let valuable leads slip through the cracks—seize every chance to grow your business with Phonely.!
14) Small and mid-sized businesses miss approximately 62% of calls
- Source: 411 Locals, 2016
In the realm of small and medium-sized businesses, resource limitations often extend to phone answering services. It’s a common scenario, with government data indicating that 80 percent of US businesses operate as “nonemployers,” essentially one-person operations.
This disparity in resources can lead to smaller businesses missing out on valuable calls, especially when compared to their enterprise-level counterparts.
Consider a recent study by 411 Locals, which monitored 85 businesses spanning 58 different industries over 30 days. Shockingly, these businesses were able to answer only 37.8 percent of incoming calls. Another 37.8 percent were directed to voicemail, and a staggering 24.3 percent didn’t receive any response at all from the business, leaving callers with no chance to connect or leave a voicemail.
Don’t let missed calls cost your business potential growth. Discover how our effective phone answering solutions can turn missed opportunities into revenue!
15) About one-third of consumers won’t wait on hold for customer service
- Source: Velaro, 2012
Avochato’s 2019 study highlighted that 92 percent of consumers expect to wait at least five minutes before reaching a human representative, while an earlier Velaro study showed that 32 percent of respondents were unwilling to wait on hold at all. The disparities in these findings could be attributed to various factors such as industry, age group, or regional variations, with no public disclosure of sample size or demographics in either study.
Notably, Velaro’s data indicated that younger adults, in particular, display less tolerance for hold times, with 40.8 percent of those aged 18 to 24 unwilling to wait compared to 27.7 percent of those over 65. These insights emphasize the significance of providing timely customer service, with customer demographics playing a crucial role in determining potential losses due to delayed responses to calls.
Business Voicemail Statistics
As technology has evolved, the use of voicemail has changed considerably. Let’s explore statistics related to voicemail usage:
16) Up to 80% of callers prefer to text instead of leaving voicemails
When presented with the option, many customers favor sending a text message to your business instead of leaving a traditional voicemail. How does this process function?
Enter Phonely, the dedicated phone answering service that offers this text-based alternative whenever you’re unable to answer a call. With our extensive experience in handling hundreds of thousands of calls each month across diverse industries, the percentage of callers initiating a text conversation varies by sector. Remarkably, some of our customers have witnessed as many as 80 percent of their callers opting for texting over leaving voicemails.
17) 67% of people do not listen to voicemails from business contacts
- Source: CBS News, 2013
Frequently, voicemails with a simple “call me back” request are seen as time-consuming and ineffective. According to a survey by eVoice, 67% of respondents admitted to ignoring voicemails from business contacts, even when they recognize the caller’s number. This can result in important messages being missed. To enhance communication and receive quicker responses, consider using more efficient channels like texting.
18) Only 18% of people listen to voicemails from phone numbers they don’t recognize
- Source: CBS News, 2013
When a customer hasn’t saved your number in their phone, the likelihood of them listening to your voicemail significantly decreases. Even though they see there’s a voicemail, the lack of familiarity with the caller’s identity often deters them from listening. In a 2013 survey by eVoice, a striking 82 percent of respondents admitted to not listening to voicemails from unknown numbers.
In such cases, only one in every five customers is inclined to hear your voicemail. With such low listening rates, your response rates are bound to be disappointing. If your business relies on outbound calls from a front desk receptionist or another employee, it can be challenging to achieve a worthwhile return on that investment.
Phone Answering Service Statistics
Phone answering services have become indispensable for businesses seeking to manage their calls effectively. Here’s a revealing statistic regarding the use of phone answering services:
19) 85% of consumers have abandoned a call after reaching an auto attendant
- Source: Vonage, 2019
Many businesses rely on Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, also known as auto attendants, to manage incoming calls. These systems offer callers a menu of options to obtain information or perform basic tasks, though navigating them can be frustrating and time-consuming, often leading to caller abandonment. In a 2019 survey by Vonage, 85 percent of respondents admitted to abandoning a call after encountering an auto attendant, and on average, consumers abandoned 27 percent of calls for the same reason. Notably, 51 percent of consumers even abandoned a business entirely after such an experience.
This is where Phonely excels: while it offers automation, conversations occur through text messages in your business’s voice, sparing customers from conversing with AI. This ensures efficient service without the hassle of listening to irrelevant options. With Phonely, customers get the service they need quickly, without the frustration of dealing with a robot, making it a seamless and customer-friendly solution.
20) It takes 3 cold call attempts on average to connect with a prospect
- Source: Cognism, 2024
Cognism in 2024, completed a report titled, The State of Cold Calling in 2024. In the study, they attempted over 55,000 calls, which led to around 5200 conversations, with 254 meetings booked. This gives a great insight into cold calling success rates as of 2024.
From this, we learn that there is a higher chance of connecting with your cold-calling prospects on a mobile phone, with a 75% chance that the prospect would answer.
These results are similar to earlier studies that have covered cold-calling statistics. On average you need two to three attempts before you connect with a prospect. Successful cold calls make up only 4.82% of cold calls made, where meetings get booked with a prospect.
ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS PHONE WITH PHONELY
Whether your aim is to minimize missed calls, reduce time spent on the phone, cut overhead costs, or enhance the customer experience, Phonely is an excellent solution for businesses of all sizes. Phonely empowers your customers with the option to switch to a text conversation, providing prompt answers to their questions via SMS.
