Direct phone leads convert to booked jobs at 38–52% in Australian trade businesses. hipages leads convert at 14–22%. The cost-per-booked-job from phone leads is typically $0–$42; from hipages, $85–$180. Phone leads come from customers who specifically chose your business; hipages leads are customers who were matched with multiple providers. Direct phone calls consistently outperform lead marketplace leads in both conversion rate and job value.
If you're spending $400–$600 per month on hipages leads while missing 30% of your inbound phone calls, you're optimising the wrong channel. The data on this is clear: direct phone calls convert 2.5–3× better than lead marketplace enquiries — and the jobs they generate are worth more.
Why phone leads convert better
When someone calls your number directly, they've already made a choice. They searched, they found you, they evaluated your website and reviews, and they picked up the phone to call specifically you. This is a warm lead. Their intent is high and their comparison shopping is mostly done.
When someone submits a job on hipages, they're broadcasting to 3–5 contractors simultaneously. They haven't chosen you — they've opened a competitive tender. The conversion dynamic is completely different: you're now in a race to respond first while also being price-competitive. Conversion is lower and job values are often depressed by the competitive pressure.
The maths on redirecting budget from leads to phone handling
Scenario: A plumber spends $500/month on hipages, receives 20 leads, converts 18% = 3.6 jobs at average $1,200 = $4,320 revenue per month. Cost per booked job: $138.
Alternative: The same $500 goes to AI call handling that captures 15 previously missed direct calls per month, converting at 40% = 6 jobs at average $1,400 = $8,400 revenue. Cost per booked job: $83.
The ROI on fixing your phone channel is nearly always higher than paying for lead marketplace leads — because the leads are warmer, the conversion is higher, and the jobs are worth more.
Frequently asked questions
Does this mean I should cancel hipages entirely?
Not necessarily. hipages provides a source of new customers you might not reach through organic search alone. The strategic recommendation is: use hipages to fill gaps in your calendar, but prioritise your phone channel first. If your phone answer rate is below 85%, fix that before spending on lead marketplaces. Once your phone is optimised, hipages can supplement volume during slow periods without being the primary revenue driver.
How do I track where my inbound phone calls are coming from?
Call tracking numbers allow you to assign different phone numbers to different channels (Google Ads, website, Google My Business listing, etc.) and measure call volume from each. CallSorted includes call tracking in the platform. Knowing that your Google My Business listing generates 12 calls per month and your website generates 8 tells you where to invest in SEO and GMB optimisation to grow your highest-converting channel.
What's the typical cost per inbound phone enquiry for trade businesses?
For businesses with a well-optimised Google My Business listing and basic website SEO, inbound phone enquiries from organic sources are essentially free — you're not paying per call. Paid search (Google Ads with call extensions) generates calls at $25–$85 per call depending on industry and competition. Even at $85 per call, a 40% conversion rate at $1,400 average job value gives a cost-per-job of $212 — significantly better than most lead marketplace economics.
Your phone calls are worth more than you think. Calculate your missed-call revenue with our ROI tool.