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Every business has lived through it: that critical moment when a customer wants to get in touch, to buy, to ask, to connect… and no one answers. It’s the invisible gap between intent and response. At NFON, we call it the drop-off point — the place where opportunity meets silence, and growth quietly slips away.
This idea took center stage at Bits & Pretzels 2025, Europe’s leading founders’ festival, where over 7,500 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators gathered in Munich to explore what’s next in tech, business, and growth.
NFON joined the innovators and took the stage with the expert session “The Drop-Off Point: What Happens Between ‘I’m Interested’ & ‘No One Picked Up’”, led by Andreas Wesselmann, NFON CEO and moderated by Stefania Popa, NFON Go to Market Strategy Lead. Together, they unpacked one of the most overlooked challenges in scaling a business: how broken communication structures cost startups not only efficiency, but trust, momentum, and revenue.
The Moment Where Intent Meets Silence
In his talk, Andreas described the drop-off point as the exact moment when “intent meets a dead end.” It’s not that companies don’t care — it’s that communication processes often aren’t clearly owned or structured. Messages fall through cracks. Calls aren’t routed. Teams are scattered across tools and channels. And in that chaos, opportunities disappear.
As Andreas Wesselmann explained:
“Teams end up firefighting instead of building. The cost isn’t just operational — it’s relational. When a customer reaches out and feels ignored, growth slows and trust fades.”
From Chaos to Clarity
Most startups react to these communication gaps by adding more: more tools, more channels, more noise. But, as Andreas Wesselmann pointed out, “you don’t fix chaos by adding more chaos.”
The key is structure.
Mapping communication touchpoints.
Defining what to automate — and what needs a human touch.
That’s where NFON’s AI-powered communication ecosystem comes in — combining cloud telephony, omnichannel contact centers, and intelligent assistants into one seamless experience. With AI communication assistants that detect intent, route messages, and escalate conversations intelligently, startups can automate the repetitive, stay connected 24/7, and free their teams to focus on what matters most.
The result?
Fewer missed messages. Clearer ownership. Better data.
Calmer teams and happier customers.
The Future Is Already Here
The message resonated with the audience: the tools to fix this already exist. Businesses don’t need a full transformation — they can start small.
“Start with one missed call, one daily task, one recurring question,” said Andreas Wesselmann.
“With AI-powered communication, you can replace chaos with clarity — and turn every interaction into momentum.”
NFON’s platform connects cloud telephony, omnichannel engagement, and AI automation to help businesses handle every contact moment — across voice, chat, email, or social — with intelligence and empathy.
Unmuted: Now You’re Talking
At Bits & Pretzels, surrounded by builders and innovators, NFON’s session became more than a conversation about missed calls — it was a conversation about how clarity becomes the new growth strategy.
In Stefania Popa's words:
“Clarity is the real growth lever. It’s not a luxury — it’s the foundation of success.”
NFON’s mission is to help companies unmute — to move beyond noise and silence, and toward smarter, more connected communication.
Because in a world where every message counts, your voice is your advantage.
Unmuted: now you’re talking.
Learn more about NFON’s AI-powered communication solutions.
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