CentriWebMissed call text back sends an automatic text to anyone whose call you don’t answer, usually within a minute. It tells them you got the call and asks what they need, so they don’t ring the next tradie on the list. It only works for callers on mobiles with their number showing, so you still need a way to catch everyone else.
Here’s how it works, what to send, where it falls short, and how it compares with voicemail, an answering service and an AI receptionist.
What missed call text back does
You’re under a house, up a ladder or driving between jobs. The phone rings and you can’t answer. Normally that call goes to voicemail, and plenty of people hang up rather than leave a message. Some of them call someone else straight away.
With missed call text back, the sequence changes:
- A customer calls your business number and you don’t pick up.
- The system sees the call wasn’t answered.
- Within a minute or so, it sends the caller a text from your business number.
- The customer replies by text, and the conversation lands in an app or inbox you can check between jobs.
- The call and the replies are logged against that customer, so you know who to call back.
The point isn’t to replace a phone call. It’s to keep the customer talking to you, not your competitors, until you can ring them back.
What the first text should say (with examples)
The first text has to do four things: say who you are, explain why you didn’t answer, ask what they need, and tell them when they’ll hear from you. Keep it short. It’s being read on a phone, often by someone with a problem on their hands.
During work hours
Hi, it’s [Name] from [Business]. Sorry I missed your call, I’m on a job right now. What can I help with? Reply here and I’ll call you back within the hour.
After hours
Hi, it’s [Business]. Sorry we missed your call, we’re closed for the day. Reply with what you need and your suburb, and we’ll call you first thing tomorrow.
For trades that do emergency work
Hi, it’s [Business]. Sorry we missed your call. If it’s an emergency, like a burst pipe or no power, reply URGENT and we’ll call you back as soon as we can. Otherwise, let us know what you need and we’ll be in touch.
Only promise a callback time you can actually meet. “Within the hour” is great if it’s true. If it isn’t, say “this afternoon” or “today”.
What happens next: getting the job details by text
Once they reply, you can collect the details you’d normally ask for on the phone. That way, when you call back, you already know the job.
- What’s the job? (Leaking tap, new power points, blocked drain.)
- Which suburb?
- How urgent is it?
- Can they send a photo?
A typical exchange looks like this:
Customer: Hi, hot water’s stopped working, no hot water at all.
You: Sorry to hear that. Which suburb are you in, and is it gas or electric?
Customer: Electric, in [suburb].
You: Thanks. Can you send a photo of the unit and the label on the side? I’ll call you in 20 minutes.
Ask one or two at a time, not all four in a block. A photo alone often tells you whether it’s a quick fix or a bigger job, and whether to bring a particular part.
Some systems ask these questions automatically. That’s fine for the basics, but once the customer has told you what the job is, a real person should take over. Customers can tell when they’re stuck in a loop with a bot.
The limits: landlines, private numbers, voicemail
Missed call text back is useful, but it doesn’t catch every call.
- Landlines. A normal text won’t reliably reach a landline. Older customers, businesses and property managers often call from one.
- Private or withheld numbers. If the number doesn’t come through, there’s nothing to text.
- Voicemail. Depending on how it’s set up, your voicemail can pick up the call before the system counts it as missed. Most setups forward unanswered calls to the text-back service in place of voicemail, so check yours.
- Sender name. Texts sent from a business name instead of a number generally can’t receive replies. ACMA points this out in its guidance on unsubscribe rules. For text back, you want customers to reply, so send from a number.
On the spam rules: the Spam Act, enforced by ACMA, covers commercial electronic messages, meaning messages where one of the purposes is to offer or promote goods or services. A plain reply to someone who just called you, about their call, is unlikely to count as marketing. Add a promotion or a “10% off this month” line and the rules come into play. Keep the text about the call. This is general information, so check ACMA’s guidance if you’re unsure.
Text back vs voicemail vs an answering service vs AI receptionist
| Option | Good at | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Voicemail | Free and familiar | Many callers hang up instead of leaving a message |
| Missed call text back | Keeps mobile callers engaged within a minute, low cost | Misses landlines and private numbers; you still have to reply |
| Answering service | A real person answers and takes a message | Ongoing cost; staff may not know your trade well |
| AI receptionist | Answers every call, asks your questions, can book jobs | Needs careful setup and testing; some callers prefer a person |
These aren’t either-or. A common setup is text back for missed calls during the day and an AI phone receptionist after hours or when the team is flat out. Start with text back if most of your callers are on mobiles and you can reply within the hour. Our guide to AI receptionists covers what they can and can’t handle.
Setting it up on your existing number
You don’t usually need to change the number on your ute or your website. Most setups work like this: Check it is the same number shown on your Google Business Profile, so people who call from Google Maps get the same text back.
- Choose a tool. Many CRMs and business phone systems include missed call text back, and some job management apps do too.
- Get the number the tool gives you to forward calls to.
- Turn on conditional call forwarding with your carrier, so calls go there when you’re busy, don’t answer or are out of range. Most Australian carriers offer this, but check how yours handles it.
- Write your messages: one for work hours, one for after hours, and one for urgent work if you do it.
- Set your business hours so the right message goes out at the right time.
- Test it. Get someone to call from a mobile while you ignore it, and check the text arrives and their reply reaches you.
Decide who answers the replies before you switch it on. In a one-person business, that’s you, between jobs. If you’ve got someone in the office, they can handle replies and book jobs while you stay on the tools. Either way, make it a habit to check at every break, not just at the end of the day.
Logging every missed call so nothing slips
The text is only half of it. The other half is making sure every missed call gets dealt with, including the landlines and private numbers the text can’t reach.
- Every missed call goes into one list, whether or not a text went out.
- Each one gets a status: replied, called back, booked, or not a job.
- Check the list at smoko and at the end of the day.
- Anything not dealt with by the next morning gets a call.
Getting started
Look at your call log for the last fortnight and count the calls you missed. Check how many came from mobiles and how many you actually called back. That tells you whether text back is worth setting up, and whether you also need cover for after hours.
If you’d like it done for you, CentriWeb sets up missed-call text-back for trades businesses on their existing number, with every call logged so nothing gets forgotten.