Missed-call text-back sends an automatic text to anyone whose call you did not pick up, so they know you got the call and when you will get back to them. Two-way texting means you and your clients can text back and forth from a business number instead of your personal cell. For a small trade crew that spends the day on site with dirty hands and loud tools, both are simple ways to stop new work from slipping away while you are busy doing the work you already have.

Why do contractors miss so many calls?

Because the person answering the phone is usually the person doing the job. If you are on a ladder, running a saw, or talking to a client in their kitchen, you cannot pick up. The caller does not know that. All they know is that nobody answered, and the next name on their list is one tap away.

A voicemail greeting helps a little, but many people hang up instead of leaving a message. A text lands differently. It shows up on their phone, it tells them a real business got their call, and it gives them an easy way to reply.

What is missed-call text-back?

Missed-call text-back is a phone system setting, usually offered by business phone and texting services, that watches for unanswered calls to your business number. When one comes in, it sends a short text to the caller automatically. A typical message looks like this:

Hi, this is Dave from Northside Renovations. Sorry I missed your call, I am on a job site right now. What can I help you with? I will call you back today.

The caller can reply with what they need, a photo of the problem, or a good time to call. By the time you are off the ladder, you already know whether it is a new kitchen, a leaky tap, or a sales call.

What is two-way texting?

Two-way texting lets you send and receive texts from a business number, usually through an app on your phone or computer. It is different from one-way reminders, which only send a message and do not handle the reply.

Two-way texting is useful for:

  • answering quick questions without a phone call
  • confirming the start date or the time you will arrive
  • asking a client for a photo of the problem before you quote
  • keeping a record of what was agreed, attached to the business number rather than one person's phone

The last point matters more as the crew grows. If a client texts your foreman's personal cell and the foreman leaves, that history leaves too.

How do you set up missed-call text-back without annoying people?

A few habits keep it helpful instead of robotic:

  1. Use your business name and a real first name. People reply to a person, not a "do not reply" message.
  2. Say when you will call back, and then do it. "Today" or "before 5" is better than "as soon as possible". An auto-text followed by silence is worse than no text at all.
  3. Keep it short. One or two sentences. The goal is to start a conversation, not to send a sales pitch.
  4. Ask one easy question. "What can I help you with?" gets more replies than a list of options.
  5. Turn it off for numbers you know. Your suppliers and your crew do not need the auto-text. Many systems let you skip saved contacts.
  6. Get consent for anything beyond a reply. Replying to someone who just called you is a normal business conversation. Adding them to promotional texts is a different thing. In Canada, commercial electronic messages fall under CASL, and in the US, texting rules include the TCPA, so check the rules that apply to you before sending marketing texts.

Which texts should a small crew automate?

Start with the texts you already send by hand every week. For most trade crews that list is short:

  • Missed calls: the auto-reply above.
  • Booking confirmation: the date, time window and address, so there are no surprises.
  • Reminder: a day before the job, with a way to reply if something changed.
  • On my way: a quick heads-up with a rough arrival time, so the client is home and the dog is in another room.
  • Running late: the text nobody likes sending and every client appreciates getting.
  • Job update: a short note when a stage is done, ideally with a photo.

Anything more than that is usually better as a real conversation.

Does texting replace phone calls?

No. Texting is great for quick facts: times, addresses, photos, yes or no answers. Quotes with a lot of options, problems on site, and anything where the client is upset are still better handled by a call or in person. A good rule is that texting gets the conversation started and keeps it moving, and the important decisions still get a call.

How does MackOps handle client texts?

MackOps is job management software for small trade crews. It can text a client a reminder the evening before their job, and from the job itself you can send an On my way text with your arrival time, or a Running late one. You can also send a client an update on their project, with selected photos shared by link, so they can see how the work is going.

MackOps does not offer missed-call text-back. If you want that, look at a business phone or texting service, and keep using your job management tool for the schedule, the crew and the client updates.

What do contractors ask about texting clients?

Is missed-call text-back worth it for a one-person business?

Often, yes. A solo contractor misses the most calls, because there is nobody else to answer. An automatic text tells the caller you are real and busy, which is better than silence.

Should I text clients from my personal cell number?

It works when you are starting out, but it gets messy. Your personal number ends up on every job, and the conversation history lives on one phone. A business number that the right people on the team can see is easier to manage as you grow.

Can I send marketing texts to past clients?

Be careful. Rules on commercial texts, such as CASL in Canada and the TCPA in the US, generally require consent. Replying to someone who contacted you is different from sending promotions. When in doubt, get clear permission first.

What should a missed-call text say?

Your business name, a real first name, an apology for missing the call, a short question about what they need, and when you will call back. Keep it to two sentences.

How much does MackOps cost?

MackOps plans are Solo at $49 USD a month, Trades from $99 and Agencies from $249, plus applicable taxes. Trades and Agencies prices depend on team size. MackOps is in early access with a waitlist.

To see how MackOps keeps clients updated on a real job, join the MackOps trades waitlist.

About the author: Tomas Makacek is the Toronto-based founder of MackOps and Makacek Media. He runs a content agency serving trades and built MackOps from working with contractor clients.