When a caller reaches a plumbing company and nobody picks up, the first message they get back sets the tone for everything after it. A good missed-call text is short, sounds like a person, and asks for the one detail you'll need on the callback. Here are three samples to start from.
Sample for a normal workday
"Hi, you've reached [Your Business]. We're on a job and couldn't grab the phone. What's the problem and what part of town are you in? Reply here and we'll call you back soon."
Asking where they are lets you slot the callback into your route. Asking what the problem is tells you whether this is a clogged drain or a replacement quote, which changes how you open the call.
Sample for nights and weekends
"Thanks for calling [Your Business]. We're closed right now and will call you back when we open. Reply with what's going on and your address, and we'll see it first thing."
This one is honest about the hours and still helps. If you do run an on-call plumber at night, replace the first sentence with how to reach them.
Sample for a caller who may have a leak
"This is [Your Business]. Sorry we missed your call. Is water leaking right now, or is this for a repair or quote? Reply either way and we'll get back to you. If it's leaking, let us know and we'll prioritize it."
Only use a line like "we'll prioritize it" if you really will. The point of this version is to sort the urgent replies from the routine ones as they come in, so you can answer the flooding basement before the dripping faucet.
Wording to avoid
- "A plumber is on the way." The text goes out automatically. It should never imply a dispatch that hasn't happened.
- Price quotes. Save service fees and estimates for the conversation, where you can explain what's included.
- Jargon. "PRV" or "backflow preventer" may mean nothing to a stressed homeowner.
- Anything long. Three or four short sentences is plenty.
Permission to text
A text-back is a direct reply to a person who just called your business. Even so, your business is responsible for having permission to text the people it contacts. Treat those numbers as callers who wanted a callback, not a marketing list, unless you've sorted out permission separately.
Your words, changeable any time
With Missed-Call Text-Back, you write the texts during setup and can change them later. Many plumbers adjust the wording after a few weeks, once they see which questions get useful replies.
Related reading
Missed-Call Text-Back is a text-back tool: it replies to the calls you can't pick up, and it doesn't answer calls for you. It's $89/mo list, or $49/mo at the founding rate while founding spots last, billed monthly with no contract. If it sounds like a fit, see how Missed-Call Text-Back works.