Missed Call Text Back: How It Works and How to Set It Up

What is missed call text back?

Missed call text back is an automation that sends a text message to a caller right after you miss their call. Something like: "Hi, this is Smith Plumbing. Sorry we missed you. How can we help?" The caller can reply by text, and your team picks up the thread when they are free.

It works because most people will not leave a voicemail, but they will answer a text. It turns a dead end into a conversation, often within seconds.

Why do missed calls cost so much?

Because a missed call is usually a customer calling the next business on the list. The numbers back this up.

The same Quo analysis found that only 15% of callers left a voicemail, and that 59% to 79% of missed calls went unreturned depending on the industry. Quo sells business phone software, so treat the data as one large vendor dataset rather than a neutral study. An older Moneypenny survey of small businesses pointed the same way, finding that 69% of callers do not leave a voicemail.

Put simply: if you wait for the voicemail, most of those leads are already gone. That is the whole idea behind speed to lead.

Do you need A2P 10DLC registration for missed call text back?

Yes, if you text US numbers from a standard 10-digit business number. A2P means application to person, which covers any text sent by software. 10DLC means 10-digit long code, a normal local phone number. US carriers require businesses to register before sending this kind of traffic.

That block took effect on September 1, 2023, per Twilio's support article. GoHighLevel's LC Phone runs on the same carrier rules, so GHL users need to register too.

What does registration involve?

Two parts, according to Twilio's guide:

1. 1Brand registration. Your legal business name, address, website and EIN. Sole proprietors without an EIN have a separate, more limited path.
2. 2Campaign registration. What you are texting about, sample messages, how people opt in, and your opt-out and help replies. Campaigns are reviewed by hand.

How do you set up missed call text back in GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel gives you two options. Menu names move around between updates, but the idea stays the same.

• The built-in toggle. In the phone number settings for your sub-account, you can turn on missed call text back and write the message. It is quick and fine for most small businesses.
• A workflow. Build a workflow that starts on a call status trigger filtered to missed or unanswered calls, then sends an SMS, tags the contact and alerts your team. This gives you more control, like different messages during and after business hours.

Either way, make sure the number is registered for A2P 10DLC first, and test it by calling from your own cell and letting it ring out.

How do you set up missed call text back with Twilio?

If you run your own Twilio number, the logic is simple and takes a developer an afternoon:

1. 1Point the number's incoming call webhook to your app or a Twilio Studio flow.
2. 2Forward the call to your team's phone with a ring timeout, for example 20 seconds.
3. 3When the call ends, check the dial status. If it was no answer, busy or failed, the call was missed.
4. 4Send an SMS to the caller from the same number using Twilio's Messaging API.
5. 5Log the call and the text in your CRM so someone follows up.

Send the text from the number they called, not a different one. People trust a reply from the number they just dialed.

What should a missed call text say?

Keep it short, name your business and ask one easy question. Add opt-out language on the first message. A few examples:

• "Hi, this is Bright Smile Dental. Sorry we missed your call! Are you looking to book a visit or do you have a question? Reply STOP to opt out."
• "Thanks for calling Rapid Air HVAC. We are with a customer right now. What's going on with your system? We will text or call you back shortly."
• "Hi from Oak Street Law. We missed your call. If you share a quick note about your matter, we will get back to you today."

Keep it informational and tied to their call. Do not add callers to marketing texts unless they have separately agreed to receive them.

Is missed call text back enough on its own?

It is much better than nothing, but it is still a backup plan. The caller wanted to talk to someone now. A text says "we will get back to you," and plenty of people will keep dialing until somebody picks up.

That is why we pair it with an AI receptionist. The AI answers the call, every time, day or night. It answers questions, books the appointment into your calendar and sends the summary to your team. The text back then only fires for the rare call that drops or hangs up before the AI can help.

This setup matters most for businesses where calls come in while everyone is busy, like plumbers, HVAC companies and dental offices.

How we set it up

At Virtual Horizons we build automations like missed call text back in GoHighLevel or Twilio, including the A2P 10DLC registration work, and we pair them with custom voice agents built on ElevenLabs that answer and book calls. If you are on GoHighLevel, our GoHighLevel AI voice agent guide shows how the pieces fit.

Roenic Natarelli

Founder, Virtual Horizons

Roenic runs Virtual Horizons and is a Base44 Legend Partner, Ambassador and Community Pillar, Base44 Shark Tank winner and multiple-time Vibe Sprint winner. The studio builds web and mobile apps, AI voice agents and automations, with more than 10 apps live on the App Store and Google Play. More about us