What to text a caller you missed, word for word, from emergencies to estimates
A missed call to a plumber is usually a booked job for someone else. Exact text messages for a burst pipe, a slow drain, an estimate request and an after-hours call.
A homeowner with water coming through the ceiling calls you, gets voicemail, and calls the next plumber on the list. You call back 20 minutes later and they have already booked someone. That is how most missed plumbing calls end.
You cannot answer every call from under a sink. You can send the right text within a minute, every time. Below are the exact messages for the calls you miss most often. Put your name and company in, change the times to match how you work, and save them as text shortcuts or automated replies.
The rules every text follows
- Send it fast. Within a minute is the goal. An automatic missed-call text does this for you.
- Say who you are. Your name and company in the first line.
- Ask for what you need to help. Usually the address and what is happening.
- Give a real time. Only promise a callback time you will keep.
- Keep it short. Three or four lines. People in a plumbing emergency do not read paragraphs.
1. The automatic text for every missed call
This goes out on every missed call, before you know what the caller needs.
"Hi, this is Dan with Clearwater Plumbing. Sorry I missed you, I'm on a job. If water is leaking right now, reply LEAK and I'll call you back in 5 minutes. Otherwise, reply with your address and what's going on and I'll get back to you within the hour."
The keyword lets you sort emergencies from routine calls at a glance. It also tells a panicked homeowner that they will hear from you fast if it is urgent.
2. When they reply LEAK
Send this right away, then call as soon as you can.
"Got it. If you haven't already, turn off the main water valve. It's usually where the water line comes into the house, often near the water heater or in the front yard. I'll call you in the next 5 minutes. What's the address?"
The shutoff tip does two things. It limits damage to their home, and it shows you know what you are doing before you have even arrived. Homeowners remember that, and it often turns up later in reviews.
3. The slow drain or routine repair
"Thanks. For a slow kitchen drain, we can usually get there tomorrow between 9 and 12 or 1 and 4. Our service call is $X and we'll give you the price for the repair before we start. Which window works?"
Put your real service call fee in, or leave the fee out and say "we'll quote before we start." Either way, give them two time windows to choose from. Asking them to pick a time gets more bookings than asking whether they want to book.
4. The estimate request
For water heaters, repipes and sewer lines, the caller usually wants a number before anything else.
"Thanks for reaching out. Water heater replacements depend on the size and type, and most fall in a range we can narrow down after a quick look. I can stop by Thursday at 2 or Friday at 10 for a free estimate. Which is better?"
Then, after the visit, follow up with the estimate by text or email the same day. The post on what to send after a water heater estimate has those messages.
5. The after-hours call
If you do not take night calls, say so plainly and give a next step.
"Hi, this is Dan with Clearwater Plumbing. We're closed for the night and open at 7 a.m. If water is leaking, turn off your main shutoff valve now. Reply with your address and the problem and you'll be first on our list in the morning."
If you do take night calls, change the second line to "Our after-hours plumber will call you back within 15 minutes" and keep that promise. Only 25.6% of plumbing profiles in our benchmark report show as open 24 hours. If you answer at night, make sure your Google profile says so.
6. When you cannot take the job
"Thanks for calling. We're booked solid today and can't get to you until Thursday. If it can't wait, I'd call another local plumber. If Thursday works, reply YES and I'll put you on the schedule."
Being honest about timing keeps your reputation intact, and some people will wait for a company that told them the truth.
7. The review ask after the job
Once the job is done and the customer is happy, send this the same day:
"Thanks for having us out today. If you were happy with the work, a short Google review really helps a small company like ours: [link]. Thanks again."
The median plumbing company in our data has 21 reviews, while 7.8% have 500 or more. Asking every customer, every time, is how companies close that gap. The Google reviews guide covers timing and what to do about a bad review.
How to set it up
Most business phone apps and many field service tools can send an automatic text on a missed call. Turn it on, paste in message 1, and save the rest as quick replies on your phone. Check the call log at the end of each day to make sure every missed caller got an answer.
To see what your missed calls are really costing you, plug your numbers into the missed-call calculator. The missed calls and speed to lead guide covers answering services and when to hire someone for the phone.
If you want missed-call text-back and these replies set up for you, any service is available as a free 14-day trial, no card. Text or call (346) 436-6274.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, plumbing companies among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor