Free Tool
How much are no-shows costing you?
Adjust the numbers below to see your real monthly and annual losses — including time wasted and pipeline at risk.
Your numbers
Cost estimate
6
no-shows / month
6h
time wasted / month
$5.1k
monthly cost
$61k
annual cost
That's 72 hours a year spent waiting for people who don't show — and 14 deals that never get a first conversation.
With Intent (estimate)
~$41k / year
No-shows could drop from 6 to ~2 per month. That's ~4 fewer missed calls — roughly $3.4k back every month.
All figures are estimates. Includes 15 min prep per no-show. Assumes 20% close rate. Most customers see no-show rates drop to 5–15% with card verification — this calculator uses 10% as a conservative midpoint. Actual results vary.
Why no-shows cost more than you think
The obvious cost is time: a 45-minute call that ghosts you is 45 minutes gone. But the real number is higher. Add 15 minutes of prep, the mental overhead of chasing a response, and the opportunity cost of a slot that a serious client could have taken. Then multiply by your close rate.
Industry data puts the average no-show rate for unverified B2B discovery calls at 25–40%. If you're running 20 calls a month, that's 5–8 missed conversations — each representing a deal that never got the chance to close. If you're weighing your options, our guide on discovery call pricing breaks down the tradeoffs in detail.
The fix isn't charging — it's committing
Charging for discovery calls adds friction before any trust has been established. In B2B, that friction often kills legitimate deals before the first conversation.
Card verification does something different: it requires a real commitment (entering card details) without moving any money. Someone who took that step is dramatically more likely to show up — not because of the financial risk, but because of the psychological act of committing.
Consultants using Intent report no-show rates dropping to 5–15%, down from 25–40%. The calculator above uses a conservative 10% estimate — your real results may be better.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a typical no-show rate for B2B discovery calls?
- Industry data puts the average no-show rate for unverified B2B discovery calls at 25–40%. The rate drops significantly — to 5–15% — when prospects go through a card verification step before booking.
- How do you calculate the cost of a no-show?
- The real cost has two components: time value (your hourly rate × call duration + prep time) and pipeline at risk (the deal value × your close rate, for the leads that ghost you). Most consultants underestimate it because they only count the call itself, not the prep, follow-up, and blocked slot.
- Should I charge for discovery calls to reduce no-shows?
- Charging dramatically reduces no-shows but adds friction that kills legitimate B2B deals before they start. A better approach is card verification: the prospect enters their card details but $0 is charged. The commitment signal filters tire-kickers without alienating serious buyers.
- How does card verification reduce no-shows?
- Someone who entered their card details — even with nothing charged — is far more likely to show up than someone who clicked a free link. It's not about financial risk. It's about the psychological act of committing. The friction filters casual leads; serious clients complete it without hesitation.
Add card verification to your booking link
Intent works on top of Calendly, Cal.com, Acuity, or any scheduling tool. Setup takes 5 minutes. No-shows drop. Serious clients get through.
No credit card required