How to Respond to a Missed Call by Text
A good missed-call text is short, says who you are, apologizes once, asks one question and tells the caller what happens next. Here are examples for four trades, what to leave out, and the carrier and consent rules that apply once the text is automated.
Updated 2026-10-13. The example texts are our wording, written for illustration. The rules summarized further down are quoted from the sources listed at the bottom, and this page is not legal advice.
A simple structure
Who you are
Use the business name the caller dialed. They may not have saved your number.
Sorry we missed you
Once, briefly. No paragraph of apology.
One question
Ask the thing you most need to know to prioritize the job. Only one, so it is easy to reply to.
What happens next
Say you will call back. Only promise a time if you can keep it.
Examples by trade
Plumber
Example text from your business
HVAC
Example text from your business
Roofer
Example text from your business
Electrician
Example text from your business
After hours
Example text from your business
Assumption: the business names are invented, and we have not measured which wording gets the most replies. Test your own.
What to leave out
- Coupons, discounts and promotions. Keep it a reply to the call. See the consent section below.
- Several questions in one text. People answer the first one and ignore the rest.
- Promised times you cannot keep. "Back in 5 minutes" backfires if you are on a ladder.
- Links to long forms. A reply is faster than a form on a phone.
Why the reply needs to be fast
Fact: ServiceTitan's 2026 Residential Survey, as quoted on its blog, found only 50% of contractors respond to new leads within the first hour. An automatic text is how a business that cannot answer still replies in seconds. For what that gap may cost you, use the missed-call cost formula.
Carrier registration and consent
Fact (registration): Twilio's documentation says "Anyone sending SMS/MMS messages over a 10DLC number from an application to the US must register for A2P 10DLC," and that registered traffic sees lower message filtering and higher throughput. Brand approval "typically occurs within a few minutes," while campaign vetting "might take several weeks." [Twilio]
Fact (consent): Under 47 CFR § 64.1200, autodialed calls and texts to a wireless number generally need prior express consent, and those that include or introduce an advertisement or constitute telemarketing need prior express written consent. A recipient may revoke consent by any reasonable method, including replying "stop," and revocation must be honored within a reasonable time not to exceed ten business days. [eCFR via Cornell LII]
Not claimed here: whether a particular missed-call reply counts as needing consent, and how the rules apply in your state. That depends on the facts, so ask a lawyer before you automate texts. We keep our example texts free of promotions so they read as replies to the caller.
Skip the setup
FoxDevLabs writes your missed-call text with you on a 15-minute call, handles the carrier paperwork, and sends it from the number you already advertise. Core is $197 a month with no setup fee and no contract, and you get every dollar back if not one missed caller texts back in your first 30 days live (our terms). Compare it with the alternatives in text back vs answering service vs AI receptionist.
Questions
What should a missed-call text say?
Say who you are, that you missed the call, ask one question about what they need, and say what happens next, such as that you will call back. Keep it to two or three short sentences.
Should I put a coupon or a promotion in the text?
Leave it out. A text that only replies to the call and asks what the caller needs is different from an advertisement, and the FCC rule on automated advertising texts requires prior express written consent. Check with a lawyer for your case.
Do I have to register to send automated texts from a business number in the US?
Twilio’s documentation says anyone sending SMS or MMS over a 10DLC number from an application to the US must register for A2P 10DLC. Registering is separate from the consent rules, which apply either way.
How long does registration take?
Twilio says brand approval typically takes a few minutes, but campaign vetting is manual and “might take several weeks.” FoxDevLabs handles the paperwork for clients and says texting usually starts within 1 to 3 weeks.
What if someone replies STOP?
Stop texting them. The FCC rule treats a text reply such as “stop” as a valid revocation of consent and requires it to be honored within a reasonable time not to exceed ten business days. The simplest practice is to honor it immediately.
Sources
- Twilio, A2P 10DLC documentation: https://www.twilio.com/docs/messaging/compliance/a2p-10dlc (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Twilio, 10DLC registration overview (review times): https://www.twilio.com/docs/messaging/compliance/a2p-10dlc/direct-sole-proprietor-registration-overview (accessed 2026-10-13)
- 47 CFR § 64.1200, Delivery restrictions (Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/64.1200 (accessed 2026-10-13)
- ServiceTitan, “Speed to lead” blog post citing its 2026 Residential Survey: https://www.servicetitan.com/blog/speed-to-lead-ai-virtual-agent (accessed 2026-10-13)