How the calculation works
The maths is built on industry-observed conversion rates for service-business DM enquiries:
- Reply within 30 minutes: ~40% of enquiries become bookings
- Reply within 30 minutes to 4 hours: ~20% of enquiries become bookings
- Reply after 4 hours: ~5% of enquiries become bookings
A "fast-reply business" is one that consistently replies under 30 minutes, regardless of the time of day. That benchmark is what your customers are comparing you to, because there is always another clinic / salon / studio that replied first.
The lost-bookings number is the gap between what a fast-reply business would capture at your DM volume, and what you currently capture at your response time. Multiply by your average appointment value, and you have the monthly cost of slow replies.
Honest caveats. This is an estimate, not a measured outcome. The conversion rates above are observation-based, derived from conversations with UK clinic and salon owners who track this. Your actual numbers depend on your offer quality, your reply quality once you do reply, your service mix, and your local competition.
The calculator does not factor in word-of-mouth or returning customers, both of which dilute the headline number. It also does not factor in DM enquiries that are not real booking intent ("are you hiring", "what hair products do you use"), which inflate the headline number. Net-net, our experience is the numbers above sit in the right ballpark for a single-site UK service business with steady Instagram presence.
What to do with this number
If the monthly figure surprises you, three options:
- Free fix: set a smart auto-reply on Instagram that quotes your top three prices and your booking link. Adds 1-2 bookings a week from late-night enquiries. Template here.
- £49/mo fix: use a reply system that writes a real reply to each DM using your real prices, hours and booking link. Replies within 30 seconds. Lite tier details.
- Full system fix: if your enquiries are also coming via WhatsApp, web form and missed calls, a full system covers all of them with calendar booking and deposit collection. Founding tier.
You can also read the deeper economic breakdown, or just try the live demo with messages a real patient might send.