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SMS, WhatsApp and calls

Missed call text back: how it works and how to set it up

By Christian OlssonLast reviewed 6 min read

Missed call text back sends an automatic text to anyone whose call to your business goes unanswered, usually within seconds of the call ending. The caller gets a reply while they are still holding the phone, instead of moving on to the next firm on their list. For a company where new enquiries still arrive by phone, it is one of the cheapest ways to stop losing work you never knew you had. This article explains how the feature works on the levelpartner.ai platform, how to set it up, and how to keep it from feeling robotic.

Why unanswered calls cost more than you think

A missed call is invisible in most firms. Nobody logs it, the caller rarely leaves a voicemail, and by the time someone checks the call history the prospect has spoken to a competitor. Owners usually underestimate the volume because the calls happen at lunch, after five and while advisers are in meetings.

The phone is also where the most urgent enquiries come from. Someone who calls a mortgage broker on a Friday afternoon often needs an answer before a weekend viewing. Someone ringing an agency usually has a brief ready. Letting those calls go unanswered loses the prospects most ready to buy.

How the feature works

Missed call text back is a phone system setting. When a call to a number connected to the platform is not answered, the platform sends your saved message to the caller. It normally sends from the number they called; if that number cannot send SMS, it falls back to a number you have texted the contact from before, then your default outbound number, then another eligible number. If the caller replies, the conversation continues in the unified inbox, on the contact record, where anyone on the team can pick it up.

What happens next is up to you: a person answers the reply, or an AI agent deployed on the SMS channel asks a few qualifying questions and offers a booking slot.

Before you start

  • Your business number connected or ported to the platform, or a platform number forwarding to your existing phones.
  • A decision on how long the phone should ring before a call counts as missed.
  • US carrier registration approved if callers have American mobiles, so the text is delivered.
  • A person or team who owns callbacks during business hours.

How to set it up

  1. Click Settings in the bottom-left corner.
  2. Click Phone System.
  3. Click Voice in the top navigation.
  4. Open Voicemail & Missed Call Text Back.
  5. Click Missed Call Text Back in the side panel.
  6. Select Enable Missed Call Text Back.
  7. Click Customize and type the reply in Enter message.
  8. Select a number in the test message field to preview it.
  9. Click Save.

In the same voicemail settings, use the incoming call timeout slider to set how long the phone rings before the call counts as missed. Long enough for someone to cross the office is the test; somewhere between 10 and 20 seconds suits most teams. Then call the number from a personal phone, let it ring out and confirm the text arrives.

Writing a text that does not sound automated

The best missed-call texts read like a colleague who saw the call and could not pick up. Keep it to two sentences. Name a real person, say why you missed it, and ask one open question. Keep it a reply, not a pitch: the caller asked for help, not for marketing, so leave offers and promotional links out.

A good daytime example: "Hi, this is Sarah at the office. Sorry we missed your call, I'm with a client. What can I help with?" An out-of-hours version should be honest about timing: "Thanks for calling. We're closed now and will ring you back after 9am. If it's easier, reply here with what you need."

Illustration: a 25-person mortgage brokerage measuring missed calls

Say the brokerage receives 600 inbound calls a month and misses 90, mostly at lunchtime and after 5pm, and about half come from new numbers. With missed call text back running, all 45 new callers would get a text within seconds. If 35 replied and 18 booked an appointment, compare that with calling back the next morning and reaching perhaps 15. Every figure here is an assumption for the sake of the comparison.

What it replaces and the time it saves

The feature replaces the end-of-day sweep of call logs and the voicemail queue. It also replaces the guilt of seeing a missed number from a prospect three days later. Weekly running time is close to zero once built. The work moves to answering replies, which is quicker than returning calls because the caller has already told you what they need.

Adding an AI agent to the reply

If the volume justifies it, deploy an AI agent on the SMS channel for that number. The agent can ask what the enquiry is about, collect the essential details and offer a calendar slot. A person still reviews the conversation and makes the first proper call. The trade-off is tone: an agent is quicker but less personal, so keep it for out-of-hours calls where the alternative is silence. The text message AI guide covers the setup in detail.

The common mistake

Writing the reply for strangers only. The same message goes to every caller, so a client who rings their adviser and gets "thanks for your enquiry" feels like a stranger. Keep the wording neutral enough for both, and make sure the adviser who owns the contact sees the reply.

When not to use it

Do not use missed call text back on a line that mostly receives supplier calls, recruitment calls or sales pitches. You will start conversations you do not want. It is also a poor fit for numbers that already have a staffed reception answering nearly every call. For broader automatic messaging beyond calls, see automated SMS and conversational SMS.

Troubleshooting

Calls ring out but no text is sent

Check that Enable Missed Call Text Back is ticked and saved, and that the number the customer called, or a fallback number, is able to send SMS.

The text goes to landlines

A landline cannot receive it, so the send simply fails and the caller hears nothing back. Check the call log once a day for missed landline numbers and return those calls by phone.

Callers get the text too soon

The incoming call timeout is too short for your team to reach the phone. Lengthen it with the slider in the voicemail settings.

Existing clients receive sales wording

The message is written for new enquirers. Rewrite it so it reads naturally to a client as well, for example by asking what you can help with rather than thanking them for an enquiry.

Frequently asked questions

Does missed call text back work with my existing phone system?

It works with calls that pass through a number connected to the platform. If you keep your current phone system, forward calls through a platform number so missed calls can be detected.

Can it reply on WhatsApp instead?

The reply goes as SMS, because any mobile can receive it without an app or an earlier chat with you. If the caller would rather use WhatsApp and your WhatsApp number is connected, you can carry on there and the thread stays on the same contact.

Will callers know the reply is automated?

Not if it is written well and someone follows up promptly. Name a person and keep the wording plain.

What does it cost to run?

Each reply is a standard text, billed as used at the rate for your country, from €0.010 per segment in the US and Canada. Keep the message to one segment and the cost stays small against the enquiries it recovers.

The journey this guide describes

Instant lead response

  • Trigger

    Form or ad lead

    Website form, ad form or portal email

  • Trigger

    Message or missed call

    Chat, social, WhatsApp or phone

  1. Enquiry captured

    Every channel lands in one contact record with its source, so nothing sits in a personal inbox.

    Instant

  2. Find the contact

    Match on email or phone

    • New contactNot in the CRM yet

      1. First reply sent

        A personal reply goes out on the channel the enquiry came in on, with a link to book.

        Under 60 seconds

      2. Wait for an answer

        Up to 2 minutes

      3. Intent read

        AI reads the message and labels what the person wants, so the right follow-up starts.

        Seconds
        • Ready to talkWants a call or a time

          1. Call-back within 5 minutes

            The owner is connected to the lead

          2. Owner alerted

            The person responsible gets the enquiry, the history and the next step on their phone.

            Instant

          3. Deal opened

            A deal is created in the pipeline with its source, so the enquiry is tracked to the outcome.

            Instant
          4. Done
        • Just lookingNo time yet

          1. Moved to nurture

            Useful follow-up on a rhythm

          2. End
    • Existing clientAlready in the CRM

      1. Sent to their account owner

        With the full history attached

      2. Owner notified

        By text and in the app

      3. End