Leaks and emergencies
When a caller replies "urgent" or "emergency", the enquiry is marked urgent so it stands out when you check your phone between jobs.
For Plumbers
On a job when the phone rings? The caller still hears from you.
A plumber on a job cannot always stop to answer, and a caller with water coming through the ceiling will keep ringing round until someone replies. The Trade Hook sends them a text from your business as soon as the call goes unanswered, and keeps their reply ready for when you are free.
Where it helps
Quotes
Bathroom and kitchen enquiries rarely need an immediate call. A text reply describing the job lets you decide when to ring back and what to bring.
Hands full, driving, under a sink
Calls you cannot safely answer are not lost. Your phone rings first; only unanswered calls are forwarded.
Evenings and weekends
Calls outside the hours you choose can be kept as enquiries without an automatic text, so customers are not told you will reply when you will not.
A worked example
Example data
The automatic text your business sends:
The customer replies:
What the enquiry shows you: the reply in full, the caller’s number to ring or text back, any voicemail with its transcript, and the simple details picked out automatically:
- Marked urgent
The automatic reader only picks out simple things, such as the word “urgent” or a request to call back. You always see the customer’s own words.
How it fits your day
- 1
A customer rings your usual business number and it rings as normal.
- 2
If you do not answer, your provider forwards the call to your Trade Hook number.
- 3
They can leave a voicemail and get a polite text from your business asking how you can help.
- 4
Their reply and voicemail transcript wait in one enquiry with Call and Reply buttons.
Questions
Is this an emergency answering service?
No. Nobody answers the call live, and the service must not be relied on where a delayed response could put someone at risk. It makes sure missed callers hear from you and that you can see what they need.
Can I choose when the automatic text is sent?
Yes. You can recover calls around the clock or only between the hours you set. Calls outside those hours are still listed so you can ring them back.
Will customers see a strange number?
The text comes from your Trade Hook number and starts with your business name. If they ring that number instead of replying, they are told to call you on your normal number.
What it does not do
- Nobody answers live: it is a text-back and voicemail service, not a call centre.
- A customer who calls from a landline or a withheld number cannot be texted.
It works for any business that takes enquiries by phone, not only plumbers.
Try it on your own number
Start with 10 free recovered calls and no time limit. A card goes on file, but nothing is charged until you choose a plan.