Guide
What is missed-call text back?
The short answer
Missed-call text back means that when someone rings your business and nobody answers, they automatically receive a text from you a few moments later. Instead of hearing nothing, the caller gets a reply and a simple way to tell you what they need.
Why it matters for a small business
Someone who rings a business and gets no answer often rings the next one. A prompt text tells them the call was noticed, and lets them describe the job in their own words while you are busy.
It also saves you the hardest part of returning a missed call: ringing back without knowing who it was or what they wanted.
How it works with The Trade Hook
Your business number stays exactly as it is and your phone rings first. With your phone provider you set calls that are not answered to forward to a Trade Hook number we give you.
When a forwarded call arrives, the caller can leave a short voicemail and is sent this text from your business: "Sorry we missed your call to [your business name]. Please reply with how we can help, or call us on [your number]. Thank you."
Their reply, the voicemail and its transcript appear together in one enquiry in your inbox, with buttons to call, reply by text or mark the job booked.
What it does not do
It does not answer calls live and is not an emergency service. It cannot text a landline or a withheld number; those appear as missed calls to ring back. It works only for calls your provider forwards when they are not answered, so you need to set that up once and test it.
Read next
- How it works
- Pricing and free trial
- Can I keep my existing business number?
- Missed-call text back vs a telephone answering service
Last updated 2026-10-19.