Why You're Still Playing Phone Tag While Your Competition Gets Booked
You're out on the water. Phone buzzes—missed call. By the time you get back to the dock, they've booked with someone else.
That happened to Captain Danny three times last month. $1,800 in lost trips because he couldn't answer the phone while he was, you know, actually fishing.
Here's what successful operators have figured out.
The Phone Problem Nobody Talks About
Every captain we talked to said the same thing: "I got into this to fish, not to be on the phone all day."
But here's the reality. When someone calls to book a charter, they're ready to book right now. They're on their lunch break. They're planning a trip with their buddies. They've got three tabs open with different charters.
If you don't answer? They call the next tab.
One captain in the Florida Keys told us he started tracking his missed calls. In one month:
- 23 missed calls during trips
- 11 voicemails that never got returned (he forgot)
- 8 people who called twice and gave up
That's potentially $4,000-6,000 in lost bookings. For a solo operator, that's the difference between a good month and a great one.
Why "Call Me Back" Doesn't Work
You might think: "I'll just call them back when I get in."
Here's the problem. Think about what you'd do as a customer: you want to book a fishing trip, you call, no answer. Do you sit by the phone waiting? Most people don't.
The reality for most missed calls:
- Many callers immediately try another charter
- Some leave a voicemail but book elsewhere if they don't hear back quickly
- A few patient ones will wait — but even they have limits
By the time you're back at the dock, most of those potential customers have already booked with someone who answered — or someone who had online booking available.
What the Successful Captains Do
The captains we talked to who'd solved this problem fell into three camps:
1. The "Partner Answers" Approach
Some captains have a spouse, business partner, or someone who can answer calls during trips. This works, but:
- It requires someone available during all your trip hours
- They need to know your availability, pricing, and policies
- You're now paying someone (or asking a huge favor)
If you've got a reliable partner who knows your business, this can work great. Many multi-boat operations do this with a shared office manager.
2. The "Answering Service" Approach
A few captains use professional answering services. They take messages and basic info, then you call back.
The problem? It's still a callback situation. And the answering service can't book the trip—they can only take messages. By the time you call back, see the phone problem above.
Cost is usually $50-200/month depending on call volume.
3. The "Book Online" Approach
This is where most successful solo operators land. You set up a booking page where customers can:
- See your availability
- Choose their trip type
- Pay a deposit
- Book—all while you're out fishing
The phone still rings. Some people will always prefer to call. But now your voicemail can say: "Hey, I'm out on the water. Book online at [your site] and I'll confirm your trip today."
That gives them an action to take right now, instead of calling your competitor.
The Math on Online Booking
Let's run some numbers.
Say you're a solo operator doing 15 trips a month at $600 average. That's $9,000/month gross.
If you're losing even 3 trips a month to phone tag (conservative based on what captains told us), that's $1,800/month.
Over a 6-month season: $10,800 in lost revenue.
Booking software typically runs $40-200/month. Even at the high end, you're looking at $1,200/year in software versus $10,800 in recovered bookings.
The ROI isn't subtle.
But I Like Talking to My Customers
Here's something captains worry about: "If everything's online, I lose that personal connection."
Fair concern. But here's what actually happens.
The booking becomes more efficient, not less personal. When someone books online, you get:
- Their contact info
- What they want to catch
- How many people
- Any special requests
Now when you do call them (and you should, the day before), you already know everything. The conversation goes from "So, uh, what were you looking to do?" to "Hey Mike, excited for tomorrow! You mentioned you're hoping for some tarpon action—the tide's looking perfect."
That's more personal, not less. You're not scrambling to take notes while driving the boat. You've got everything in one place.
The Objections We Hear
"My customers aren't tech-savvy."
Some aren't. That's fine—they can still call. But you might be surprised. We've seen captains in their 60s booking trips for corporate groups through online systems. If someone can use Facebook, they can book a charter online.
"I don't want to pay credit card fees."
Card processing is usually 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. On a $600 trip, that's about $17.
Compare that to a no-show. If even 1 in 10 people who book without a deposit no-shows, you're losing $60 on average. The deposit more than pays for the processing fee—and dramatically cuts no-shows.
"Setting it up sounds complicated."
Ten years ago? Yeah, it was a pain. Today, most booking software can be set up in an afternoon. You add your trip types, set your availability, connect your bank account, and you're live.
The longest part is usually writing your trip descriptions—and you should do that anyway.
Getting Started
If you're convinced online booking makes sense, here's how to think about it:
What to Look For
- Simple setup — You should be able to get running in a day, not a week
- Deposit collection — This is non-negotiable for reducing no-shows
- Mobile-friendly — Your customers are booking on their phones
- Calendar sync — So you don't double-book
- Reasonable pricing — Watch out for percentage-based fees that eat your margins
What to Avoid
- Platforms that take 5-10% of every booking (those fees add up fast)
- Systems that "own" your customer data and won't let you export it
- Anything that takes more than an hour to learn
The Transition
Don't go cold turkey on phone bookings. Start by:
- Setting up online booking
- Adding the link to your voicemail message
- Putting it on your website and social media
- Mentioning it when people do call
Over time, more bookings shift online. Your phone still rings, but now it's for questions, not basic scheduling. That's a better use of everyone's time.
The Bottom Line
Phone tag is costing you money. Probably more than you think.
The captains who've fixed this aren't more tech-savvy than you. They just got tired of losing bookings while they were doing their actual job.
Online booking isn't about replacing the personal touch. It's about making sure interested customers can actually book with you—even when you're 20 miles offshore with no cell signal.
The best time to set this up was last season. The second best time is today.
Want to see what online booking looks like for a charter? Check out our interactive demo or start a free trial to try it yourself.