Missed call auto reply message: 10 texts for plumbers and HVAC
A good missed call auto reply message names your shop, says you missed the call, and asks one question the caller can answer in a few words. Below are 10 scripts for plumbing and HVAC shops, sorted by situation, and each one fits in a single standard text.
What every missed-call text needs
- Your shop name first. A text from an unknown number with no name looks like spam.
- One question. Leak or clog. Heat or AC. Address. Not five fields at once.
- Only promises you can keep. Say "by 3 pm" only if someone will actually reply by 3 pm.
- A way to opt out. CTIA's messaging guidelines expect senders to honor STOP and similar words. Every script below ends with "Reply STOP to opt out." except the follow-up nudge, which goes to someone who already got the first text.
- Plain characters. A standard text holds 160 characters. One emoji or curly quote switches the whole message to a format that holds 70, and longer messages get split. Type these with straight apostrophes.
The 10 scripts
Character counts include spaces and the STOP line, with "Smith Plumbing" (14 characters) as the shop name. Every extra character in your shop name adds one to the count.
| # | Situation | Script | Why it works | Approx. characters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | On a job, general | Hi, it's [Shop]. Sorry I missed your call, I'm on a job. What do you need help with? I'll get back to you by [time]. Reply STOP to opt out. | Tells them why you didn't pick up and gives a real time, so they wait instead of calling the next shop. | 145 |
| 2 | On a job, plumbing | Hi, it's [Shop]. Missed your call while on a job. Is it a leak, a clog, no hot water, or something else? Reply STOP to opt out. | A multiple-choice question is easy to answer with one thumb, and the answer tells you how fast to call back. | 135 |
| 3 | On a job, HVAC | Hi, it's [Shop]. Sorry I missed you. Is it no heat, no AC, a strange noise, or a tune-up? Reply STOP to opt out. | Separates repair calls from maintenance before you call back. | 120 |
| 4 | After hours | Hi, you reached [Shop] after hours. Text me what's going on and your address. I'll reply when we open at [7 am]. Reply STOP to opt out. | Sets the wait honestly. You start the morning with the job details already in hand. | 141 |
| 5 | After hours, active leak | Hi, it's [Shop]. We're closed. If water is leaking now, reply URGENT and your address. If anyone is in danger, call 911. Reply STOP to opt out. | Lets real emergencies flag themselves without promising a truck. Use it only if someone actually watches for URGENT at night. | 151 |
| 6 | No heat in winter | Hi, it's [Shop]. If you have no heat, reply NO HEAT and your address. I'll tell you the soonest we can come. Reply STOP to opt out. | A no-heat caller wants a time. This promises an answer, not a visit. | 139 |
| 7 | Estimate request | Hi, it's [Shop]. Sorry I missed you. Need an estimate? Reply with the job and address and I'll send a time to come look. Reply STOP to opt out. | Gets the two things you need to quote, and moves straight to scheduling. | 151 |
| 8 | Estimate follow-up | Hi [Name], it's [Shop]. Saw you called about your [water heater] estimate. Any questions? Reply here or I'll call at [time]. Reply STOP to opt out. | Someone calling back about a quote is close to a yes. Naming the job shows you know who they are. | 149 |
| 9 | No reply to the first text | Hi, it's [Shop] again. Still need help with the call from earlier? Reply here anytime and I'll get back to you. | One nudge, then stop. People get pulled away mid-crisis. More than one nudge starts to feel like marketing. | 119 |
| 10 | Wrong number or spam | Hi, this is [Shop], a plumbing and heating company in [town]. If you called by mistake, no need to reply. Reply STOP to opt out. | Wrong numbers and robocalls trigger the same text. This one is polite to a real person and costs you nothing if no one answers. | 138 |
Which script to send when
You don't need all 10 running at once. Most shops need two automatic texts and a few saved replies:
- Automatic during business hours: script 2 (plumbing) or 3 (HVAC). Use script 1 if you do both or want to name a callback time.
- Automatic after hours: script 4. Swap in 5 or 6 if you take emergency calls, and only if someone is checking.
- Saved replies you send by hand: 7, 8, and 9. These depend on knowing who the caller is, so a person should pick them.
- Script 10 works as the business-hours text if a lot of your missed calls are spam. It reads fine to a real customer too, because it still names your shop.
Things to leave out of the first text
- Prices. A number without context starts a price comparison before you've seen the job.
- Links. The caller wants to tell you what's wrong, not open a page.
- "Someone is on the way." Never in an automatic text. Confirm by hand.
- Diagnosis or safety advice. A text can't see the problem. Script 5 points to 911 for danger and stops there.
Doing it yourself vs. having someone run it
Doing it yourself. Some business phone apps and phone systems can send a text when a call is missed. If you go this route, test it from a phone that isn't yours: call, let it ring out, and read what arrives. Check that it comes from your business number, that it shows your shop name, and that replies reach a phone someone actually looks at. If the texts go out through a software provider from a local number, US carriers require A2P 10DLC registration, and unregistered texts can be filtered. Rules on consent and texting vary, so have someone qualified review your wording.
Having someone run it. That's what I do with Reply. I set up the missed-call text for your shop, test it before it goes live, check on it during business hours, and send you a weekly recap. When a customer texts back, Reply forwards it to you and you handle the conversation. It covers one location and one Reply number. Reply is for plumbing and HVAC shops in Carteret and across Central New Jersey, including Middlesex County.
Pricing: $299 covers setup and your first 30 live days. You pay once your number is live and tested. If we can't get it working on your phone setup, you don't pay. After that, $199/month only if you choose. No auto-renew. It starts with a 15-minute fit call to check your phone setup, the tools you already use, and how many calls you miss.
Scripts are free to copy. Swap in your shop name, your hours, and only the promises you can keep.
Sources
- Twilio Docs, How long can a message be? (GSM-7: 160 characters per single message, 153 per segment; curly quotes and emoji force UCS-2 with 70 characters; checked 2026-10-12)
- Twilio Docs, Programmable Messaging and A2P 10DLC (registration for app-sent texts from local numbers; checked 2026-10-12)
- CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices, May 2023 (consent, STOP opt-out)
- Reply pricing, reply.doodlestudio.io (checked 2026-10-12)