While most small businesses chase Black Friday deals on office furniture and tech gadgets, the smartest operators know the real opportunity lies elsewhere. The best Black Friday buys for small business aren’t discounted products – they’re services that help generate revenue every single day. Here’s what successful Australian business owners are doing differently. (Note: now Black Friday 2025 has ended, this guide helps Australian small businesses plan smart Black Friday investments for 2026.)
Quick answer: what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday
- Smart investment: Professional virtual reception services
- Pays for itself in: 2-4 weeks
- Why it matters: Captures every lead, saves 15+ hours weekly, costs 90% less than hiring
- Bottom line: Stop buying things that sit on desks or software you won’t use. Invest in ensuring someone answers the phone when customers call, whatever the time of day or night.
- Planning ahead: OfficeHQ typically unveils an offer like 30% off virtual reception for three months during Black Friday.
Table of contents
The Black Friday mistake most small businesses make
Every November, Australian small businesses are among the over $37 billion spent during the Black Friday period, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. But here’s the problem: most are buying things that sit on desks, or software they hardly use.
Smart small business owners are using Black Friday deals to invest in services that bring in more customers. We’ve
The reality check: According to research by The Brevet Group, it takes an average of eight call attempts to reconnect with someone after a missed call – by which time they’ve already moved on to your competitor. If you’re missing just two calls per week at an average value of $1,200 per new customer (based on home services industry data), that’s over $124,800 annually walking out the door. Yet most business owners will spend Black Friday hunting for a $200 discount on a monitor!
Comparison: smart vs wasteful Black Friday purchases
We’ve answered about 100 million calls on behalf of other businesses, across 22 years, with the majority of our clients continuing their service beyond their first year. And many still trusting in us to answer their calls after more than a decade!
We know the value of preventing missed calls and lost opportunities … and so do those long-term clients!
Consider these revenue impact calculations and weigh up for yourself where it’s best to spend this Black Friday.
| Purchase type | Upfront cost | Generates revenue? | Pays for itself in | Annual impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional call answering (smart) | $300–900/year | Yes – captures every lead | 2–4 weeks | +$50,000–150,000 in captured revenue |
| Office furniture discount | $500–2,000 | No | Never | $0 |
| Discounted laptop | $800–1,500 | No | Never | $0 |
| Coffee machine deal | $200–800 | No | Never | $0 |
| Printer/scanner combo | $300–1,000 | No | Never | $0 |
| Desk accessories bundle | $100–400 | No | Never | $0 |
The best Black Friday deals for small business
The smartest Black Friday deals for small business aren’t about scoring 40% off a new coffee machine. They’re about putting services in place that pay for themselves within weeks.
Strategic buyers ask: “Will this make money or just sit in my office?”
Impulse buyers think: “This is 50% off, I should probably buy it.”
The services worth investing in
Every time your phone rings, it’s either a current customer needing support or a potential customer ready to buy. When those calls go unanswered because you’re in a meeting, on another call, or simply trying to get actual work done, you’re actively losing money.
According to Zendesk research, 52% of consumers will switch to a competitor after just one bad customer service experience. An unanswered phone call? That’s a bad experience before you even get the chance to serve them.
The solution isn’t working longer hours or hiring expensive full-time staff. It’s having professionals answer your calls for you – they can handle it better than you can, for a fraction of the cost. Explore live call answering services.
Three trends making Black Friday critical
The cost of hiring has skyrocketed
According to Hays salary data, a full-time receptionist in Australia costs $52,000-$60,000 annually in base salary, plus superannuation (currently 11.5%), leave entitlements, workspace costs, and equipment. Virtual reception services deliver the same outcome for $300-$1,200 annually – a saving of over 90%.
Customer patience is at an all-time low
If your phone rings out, they’re calling your competitor within minutes. As noted by The Brevet Group, it takes an average of eight call attempts to reconnect with someone after a missed call – by which time they’ve already moved on.
Small businesses are competing with larger operations
Professional call handling used to be something only corporations could afford. Now, virtual receptionists give you the same advantage, letting solo operators and small teams deliver the same customer experience as much larger businesses.
How professional call answering transforms your business
Australian businesses across every industry rely on OfficeHQ’s virtual reception services to ensure they never miss an important call.
Real estate agencies use virtual receptionists to capture every enquiry during the spring selling season. Trade businesses ensure urgent customer calls are answered even when they’re on job sites. Professional services firms deliver the high-touch experience their clients expect without hiring additional admin staff.
The common thread? They’ve all discovered that professional call answering delivers ROI that far exceeds its cost.
Start the new year organised, professional and focused
Imagine having a professional virtual receptionist handling all your business calls. No more juggling your phone while trying to get actual work done. No more missed opportunities. No more apologising to potential clients because you were in a meeting.
Here’s what changes when you have professional call answering in place:
You get every potential customer
When your phone is answered within seconds by a friendly, professional receptionist, potential customers don’t get the chance to call your competitors. They get immediate help, their details are recorded, and you can follow up when it suits your schedule.
For businesses that get customers through Google Ads, local SEO, or any form of marketing, this changes everything. You’re already paying to get the phone to ring. Professional call answering makes sure you actually turn those expensive enquiries into paying customers.
From our experience: Across over 5 million calls answered since 2003, we’ve found that businesses using virtual reception services get 40-60% more customers than when handling calls themselves, simply because every call is answered professionally, every time.
Your customers feel valued
There’s a massive difference between reaching voicemail and speaking to a real person. Professional receptionists make every caller feel heard and important—even if you’re not immediately available. Research shows 92% of callers prefer speaking to a real person over leaving a voicemail.
You gain back your time
The average business owner is interrupted by phone calls 12 to 15 times per day. Each interruption takes 23 minutes to fully regain focus on what you were doing.
When calls are handled professionally on your behalf, you work without interruption. You return calls when it suits you, not when your phone decides to ring.
Client insight: Our most successful long-term clients report saving an average of 15-20 hours per week by not having to personally handle routine calls.
You appear larger and more established
A business that answers calls professionally, every time, appears more established and trustworthy than one that sends callers to voicemail. Your virtual receptionist answers in your business name and follows your specific instructions for different call types.
The revenue generation test
Smart small business owners use Black Friday to invest in services that bring in more customers, not products that sit on desks. Here’s how to evaluate whether a Black Friday deal is worth it … simply ask yourself: “Will this make money or just sit in my office?”
Professional virtual reception services pass this test because they help you:
- Capture more leads (preventing lost revenue from missed calls)
- Save 15–20 hours weekly (time you can spend on revenue-generating activities)
- Cost 90% less than hiring a receptionist ($300-$1,200 annually vs $52,000-$60,000)
What OfficeHQ offers during Black Friday
For the past few years, Black Friday has been when OfficeHQ has offered its biggest discount for new clients.
The 2025 offer: Black Friday 2025 has ended. The promotion offered 30% off virtual reception services for three full months, giving business owners professional call coverage throughout the busiest summer trading period.
For 2026 planning: The exact offer for Black Friday 2026 is yet to be determined, but if there is one it will likely go live by mid-November.
How to prepare for Black Friday 2026
Want to make the most of next year’s Black Friday? Here’s how smart business owners approach it.
Start planning in October
Audit your current business operations in October. Identify where you’re losing revenue (missed calls, lack of after-hours coverage, time wasted on admin) so you know exactly what to invest in when Black Friday arrives.
Set a budget for revenue-generating services
Unlike product discounts, service investments compound over time. A virtual reception service that costs $300 annually (even at full price) can generate thousands of dollars in captured revenue. Budget accordingly.
Don’t wait for Black Friday if you’re losing revenue now
If you’re currently missing calls and losing customers, the cost of waiting for a Black Friday discount far exceeds the discount itself.
The maths: If you’re missing just two calls per week at $1,200 average customer value, waiting 11 months until Black Friday 2026 costs you $124,800 in lost revenue. The Black Friday discount has traditionally been capped at $50 per month, so saves you a maximum $150.
Start a free trial now and begin capturing revenue immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How much does virtual reception cost at standard pricing?
At standard pricing, plans start from $25 per month for message-taking services. Virtual reception typically costs $300-$1,200 annually depending on call volume – a fraction of the $52,000-$60,000 annual cost of a full-time receptionist. There are no lock-in contracts.
Can virtual receptionists handle calls for my specific industry?
Yes. OfficeHQ has been in business since 2003 and we answer well over 5 million calls per year, serving every industry from real estate and trades to legal services and healthcare. You can provide detailed instructions to receptionists and, on certain plans, follow custom scripts specific to your industry needs.
What happens if I need someone to answer calls right away?
Most businesses are can be set up and have receptionists answering calls within minutes of signing up. You'll receive a unique phone number to forward your existing business line to and, once you enable call forwarding, receptionists will start answering calls in your business name.
Do I need to commit to a long-term contract?
No. OfficeHQ operates on month-to-month agreements with no lock-in contracts. You have complete flexibility to adjust your service level or cancel at any time.
Can virtual receptionists transfer calls to me when I'm available?
Absolutely. Call transfer is included in most plans. You can set specific rules about when calls should be transferred to you and when messages should be taken instead, giving you the best of both worlds.
How do I know if a call is urgent or can wait?
Receptionists follow your specific guidelines to determine call urgency and flag urgent calls.
Can I use virtual reception just for after-hours or overflow calls?
Yes. Many businesses use virtual reception specifically for after-hours coverage, overflow during busy periods, or while their in-house receptionist is unavailable. You have complete flexibility to set when calls are forwarded to OfficeHQ.
How does live call answering services compare to AI call answering services?
Real human receptionists offer clear advantages over AI. They handle complex questions, show genuine empathy, adapt to unexpected situations, and build relationships with callers in ways AI cannot yet match. At OfficeHQ's pricing (starting from $25/month), the cost difference is minimal while the quality difference is substantial. We do, however, also offer a hybrid AI receptionist service (AI answers the calls but we still keep humans in the loop because of the reasons already outlined).
