Missed call auto reply for tradespeople

When you can’t get to the phone, a missed call auto reply sends the caller an SMS straight away. They know you’ve seen the call, they can tell you what they need, and they’re less likely to ring the next number on the list.

How it works

Your mobile forwards calls you don’t answer to your ReplyFast number. ReplyFast texts the caller back within seconds, from a UK number, using your business name. If they reply, their message comes straight to your phone as a text, with their number, so you can call back when you’re free.

You keep your own number. Customers ring you exactly as they do now, and calls you pick up are not affected.

Auto reply, voicemail or an answering service?

	Voicemail	Answering service	Missed call auto reply
What the caller does	Leaves a message, or hangs up	Speaks to a receptionist	Gets a text and replies when it suits them
What you get	A recording to listen to	A message passed on	The job details in writing, with the caller’s number
Works out of hours	Yes	Depends on the plan	Yes
Typical pricing	Included with your phone plan	Per call or per minute	A flat monthly fee

Plenty of callers won’t leave a voicemail, especially for an urgent job. A text gives them an easy way to get in touch without waiting on hold or ringing round.

What the text says

Every text uses your business name and includes an opt-out. During your working hours it reads like this:

Hi, sorry we missed your call. This is Hayes Plumbing & Heating. We’ll get back to you shortly. Reply with your postcode and what you need and we can help faster. Reply STOP to opt out.

Outside your working hours, the caller is told you’re closed and will call first thing:

Hi, sorry we missed your call. This is Hayes Plumbing & Heating. We’re closed right now but will call you first thing. Reply with your postcode and what you need. Reply STOP to opt out.

If someone rings several times in a row, they get one text, not one per call.

Urgent jobs

When a caller replies, their message is forwarded to your phone straight away with their number. If it mentions something urgent for your trade, such as a burst pipe, no heating, no power, a lockout or a smell of gas, the text starts with URGENT so you can spot it at a glance:

URGENT: Reply from 07700 900123: Pipe’s burst under the kitchen sink, water everywhere. I’m in N16

Other replies are forwarded without the label. ReplyFast never gives the caller advice. It only makes sure the urgent ones stand out to you.

Setting it up

Sign up with your business name, trade and mobile number, and confirm your email address.
Start your 7-day free trial. Your ReplyFast number appears in your dashboard.
Turn on forwarding for calls you don’t answer, with one tap from the dashboard or by dialling a short code. See how to forward missed calls on your mobile.

Ring your own number from another phone and let it ring out to check it’s working.

Is it allowed in the UK?

Yes. Replying to someone who has just called you about their enquiry is a service message, not marketing. Every text includes a way to opt out, and anyone who replies STOP won’t be texted again.